PSA: 20% off Cycling UK Membership (Flash sale ends end of Aug)

Thanks for the link, I'd much rather join Cycling UK than British Cycling!

@crossed you, me, and half the parents at the Malverns kids' XC race! British Cycling, taking the fun out of cycling one rule at a time!

That’s disappointing but not at all surprising ☹️

+1 on CyclingUK over the sh*tshow that is BC

Thanks for that, very timely as my BC family membership ends in mid-Sept. Only swapped from CUK to BC the past 2 years as kids wanted to enter a few races, but that's unlikely to repeat - much happier if I can support CUK instead.

Thanks for the PSA, joined up, been meaning to for a while now and that just gave me the needed shove.

Excellent, just signed up.

Ditto. 👍

Just signed up under family membership👍 cancelled BC a while back when Shell started sponsoring them

I didn't feel that I got any value out of BC except an occasional Halfords discount.  CyclingUK is much better, still get Halfords discount plus others,  they keep churning out new routes (such as last weeks 200km Traws Eryri)

Just signed up under family membership👍 cancelled BC a while back when Shell started sponsoring them

Wot they said ^^^

I'm IN.

Thanks for the tip off.  I'm another who'd been meaning to (re)join as folks who represent cyclists rather than the @£!&#4÷#££# in BC.

(I had been a member in the CTC days, but it lapsed and I didn't sort).

Giving this a little bump before the offer ends tomorrow!

Thanks for the reminder to cancel my BC direct debit.

I'd cancel my BC membership if I didn't need them for my coaching quals & insurance 🙁

I’d cancel my BC membership if I didn’t need them for my coaching quals & insurance 🙁

I've let mine lapse after the the way they've behaved over the last year or so. I've had it for years, but only for racing CX. Yesterday, I was working out how much extra I'll pay for the CX season if I don't have a licence, and it's only £3 per race. I only did two races last season, due to races being cancelled and then illness, so I should be quids in! 😀

Sadly, I've also had a CUK membership for years so can't take advantage of this offer. 🙁

I’d cancel my BC membership if I didn’t need them for my coaching quals & insurance 🙁

Ahhhh poop, I'll be in the same situation - need it for volunteering/coaching. Club was willing to cover the cost last year (I didn't bother as always had one of CTC/CUK/BC memberships anyway), so hopefully they'll do the same this year.

My conscious will be clearer if I join CUK instead and I'm not personally, directly contributing to the BC coffers 😀

Same in reverse - been with CUK for a couple of years (so I don't get to benefit from this) but need to sort my coaching quals out and move from mias to BC - some I'm going to have to sign up to them again 🙁

Absolute noob to road cycling here - previously fair  weather mountain biker.  Was thinking of joining BC mainly for the insurance cover.  Why the hate ?  Not a good word from anyone.  Should I checkout CUK?   Appreciate many will be aghast at my ignorance, but it’s a genuine question.     Thanks in advance.

@bikebob a summary as I see it: the perception seems to be that Cycling UK is campaigning for things like safer roads, infrastructure, laws that protect people on bikes (and generally not in cars, they works with other active travel campaigns) from drivers, and more countryside access. While BC is focused on winning medals. Some people say this is unfair and point out the BC Breeze and Go Ride programs as participation programs, plus their efforts to support a more diverse range of riders (they’ve helped train some MTB leaders via the Colour Collective, for example). Mountain bikers generally feel that BC has done very little for them, with its focus on track and road, and that opportunities to qualify MTB riders for the Olympics have been missed. BC has been mired in PR problems (Richard Freeman, HSBC, Shell, Shane Sutton, Royal Funeral…) while Cycling UK seems to have been seen as a benevolent rising star since its rebrand from when it was the CTT.

Others may have other thoughts!

Thanks @stwhannah - joined today.

I used to be a BC member, and TBH, they've been good for me.  I slammed my face into the back of someone's new Audi (after coming round a blind hairpin and finding stationary traffic) and their insurance as part of my membership saved me a bundle, I've also done a few Sportive, but the membership price kept going up and the benefits kept dropping.

Personally, I have no problem with the whole Shell thing.  If Shell want to send money to an industry which doesn't actually use much in the way of products they provide, how is that not of benefit to cycling?  Would we prefer they sponsored air travel?  Motorsport?

Thanks @stwhannah, signed up this morning, there are some nice benefits...Including some money off my sub here

@bikebob

I really struggled as a volunteer coach with BC. I worked through various qualifications but thier administration and attitudes of senior coaches was disorganised and uncaring. I had a few issues about how they organise thier coaching, and a real issue with how focused on road and track they are, not MTB and other disciplines. I had real issues about a few individual BC employees behaviours. In the end I gave up my voluntary coaching as I could achieve more by just riding with a my kids and thier mates.

@stwhannah many thanks, appreciate your overview.  I’d heard bits of contention but didn’t have full picture.   Will check out both as insurance is important, but might be covered on house ?

Personally, I have no problem with the whole Shell thing.

And that's fine, it's just some people are uneasy with Shell due to various controversies, such as the environmental impact they have or their alleged human rights abuses (especially in Nigieria). It looks like a pretty clear case of sportswashing to a lot of folks:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportswashing

@matt_outandabout that is very sad to hear.  People volunteering and making an active and positive contribution, is vital to all sports.  To feel disenfranchised and neglected is a concern they should be actively addressing.  Good to hear kids  and mates still benefit from your input.

Signed up just now, previously a member and now the work they’re doing with long distance routes has brought me back to the warmth of their embrace!

Thanks again @stwhannah for the PSA, family Cycling UK membership joined last night.

I'm still going to need BC membership for my volunteer coaching but at least that'll be a smaller contribution being an individual rather than family membership. I'm expecting the club to cover that cost.

Final day for the 20% off folks - get on it 😀

Done. £64 for the family with some useful benefits, and I like the things that they stand for, and are doing.

Yep, £64 for two adults and kids is great value. The insurance is well worth it for commuting, etc.

I can recommend the legal cover if you need to claim off a negligent farmer!

Cheers, Joined, such a shame that we don’t have a definitive group in the way that walkers do with the ramblers.

Bumpity Bump! Deadline approaching….

Cheers for the PSA, just got in there before bed.

Thanks for the PSA. Joined for the family. Like their statements on government policy.

7 hours too late 😢