How do I join?
Go to our joining page How do I join? and then complete and submit the membership application form and pay your sub as instructed on the form
What does it cost?
The membership fee is £20 for existing members who renew on or before 31 January each year and after this date the sub increases to £25
The membership for second claim members is also £20 and for students in full time education over 18 is £10
Do I have to be a member to come along for the Sunday Club Run?
We welcome all potential new members, so please feel free to come along as it's a good way to find out more about St Neots CC. We're happy for you to sample one or two of our club runs before you join up.
Do I have to tell anyone or get clearance in advance to join you on a club run?
No, just turn up before 8.30 am on a Sunday and introduce yourself to any member wearing club kit - they'll explain more.
Do you meet every Sunday?
Yes, unless the risk of ice makes it too dangerous to ride - otherwise rain, sleet or wind, we meet at the Market Square for the club run every Sunday (See home page). In the unlikely event that there are changes, we will notify members by e-mail and put a notice on the club run category of the forum, so if you are planning to join us it is worth checking the forum on the evening before.
Is there a minimum age?
Minimum age for members is 18.
What kind of bike do I need?
Unless you are very fit, you will need a well maintained road bike of reasonable quality. If you're unsure come along to the start of the club run and any members there can give advice.
Am I fit enough to join the weekly club run?
If you can ride 25 miles at an average of around 15mph then you will cope with our Group 3 club run, an excellent way to start riding with a group. For anyone not yet at this level, but interested in improving their fitness, we are happy to provide guidance, so please get in touch.
How do I ride in a group - I've never done it before?
See our article here on club run etiquette - don't worry, experienced riders will help you.
What rides do you offer?
On a Sunday we offer 3 rides of varying distances:
Group 1: 60 – 70 miles pace 18-19 mph
Group 2: 45 – 55 miles pace 17-19 mph
Group 3: 30 miles pace 15 – 17 mph
Dependent upon numbers we may split riders from Group 2 into two groups based on pace
What happens if I have a puncture or a mechanical failure?
Fixing punctures at the roadside on a freezing, wet January morning is all part of the fun. You should have a go at home so you know the process but there will also be plenty of experience on hand to help. Several club members are very experienced at maintaining bikes and are happy to help in an emergency. If this is all that stops you coming out just let us know. Most mechanical failures can be fixed sufficiently well to get you home as long as you have some basic kit with you (see below). In the case of a complete disaster then its worth carrying your mobile and the number of someone willing to pick you and the bike up. This scenario is extremely rare though with a reasonably well maintained bike. If you are unsure about the road worthiness of your bike Grafham Water Cycles are able to service road bikes.
What equipment should I carry?
Basic kit for a club run that each rider should carry:
• 2 Inner tubes (new ones are best)
• 2 Tyre levers
• Cycling specific multi-tool, ideally with a chain rivet extractor
• Pump
• Mobile phone
• Emergency contact details and any medical details - when you join your memership card will have space for this
• Food and drink
• Rain jacket – or you can just take the risk but don’t whinge
We strongly recommend that you wear a helmet, but it's your call.
How much food and drink will I require?
It depends on the length of the ride, the weather and if there is a café stop. A good start is at least one large or two small drink bottles of fluid, ideally an appropriate sports drink (for example SIS Go Electrolyte or PSP22 Energy) and two or more energy rich food items based on complex carbohydrates such as cereal bars, bananas, flapjack etc. It is always useful to carry some money to be able to stock up if you run low. If you are unsure – stuff some more food in those pockets. Running out of body fuel on a ride causes a sick, weak feeling that cyclists call "the bonk". If you have ever bonked, you'll know why you need to eat on all but short rides and if you haven't ever experienced the bonk, you very much don't want to.
Do I need mudguards?
Everyone appreciates riding behind someone with mudguards when it's wet, and they'll keep you drier yourself, but in reality very few of us have them, and we don’t have a rule on this.
What about insurance?
You must accept responsibility for your own conduct and safety (including the safety of your bicycle and equipment) during Club activities and you take part in Club rides entirely at your own risk. We strongly recommend that you take out appropriate third party insurance. This can be obtained through Membership of British Cycling or the CTC and, if you join one of these organisations, you're also contributing to the support of many other aspects of cycling in the UK.
How does the club time trial work?
A time trial is a timed ride where you are competing against yourself as well as other riders. Riders are started at one minute intervals and you basically ride as fast as you can round the course, on your own, without drafting other riders. The St Neots CC time trial runs every Thursday evening from end of April to the end of August on an 11.2 mile course covering quiet country roads. The start and finish is at the T-junction east of Abbotsley. Go to the time trial area of the web-site for more information.
Can I ride the time trial and what does it cost?
If you are a member of St Neots CC, you can ride the time trial and the entry fee is £2 per event. If you are a member of another road cycling club affiliated to the CTT (the governing body of time trialling in the UK), you can ride and the entry fee is £4. If you don't belong to a cycling club, you can ride one sample time trial, called "Come and Try", but you must join a club to ride more.
Do I need to enter in advance?
No - just turn up on the evening twenty minutes before the start time (to allow for registration) and enter on the line.
Do I need a special time trial bike?
No - you can ride a time trial on anything from a top of the range TT bike to a shopper - so long as you can get round before dark and before the timekeepers go off to the pub.
Does the club meet socially?
Yes - we meet for pub evenings and we organise outings to see elite and pro cycle races and to attend other cycling related events - details in the calendar.
What about club kit?
St Neots Cycling Club kit is made by Castelli, an excellent cycling clothing manufacturer. A wide range of items are available covering all seasons from the hottest summer to the coldest winter. We hold some stock available here, and a couple of times a year we collect orders until the value of the total order entitles us to a good discount.
How do I order club kit?
You can download an Excel-based stock form. Save the order form to your desktop, complete it (it'll add up all the totals etc) and e-mail the completed form to 'kit-orders at stneotscyclingclub dot info' (e-mail obfuscated to avoid automatic spam - replace at and dot with symbols). We'll let you know when the order is sent out, exactly how much you owe us (varies a few percent depending on the level of discount we get) and how to pay.