British Cycling has launched a new strategy which sets out the goals it will work towards in the years ahead. On BBC Radio 4's Today Programme it was heralded by British Cycling as a 'new era' for the organisation, where they're looking to address inequalities in participation in cycling. It's been a difficult few years for British Cycling, with accounts showing over 9,000 members were lost in the year 23-24. While growing the membership isn't part of the strategic goals, you might imagine that more people cycling might lead to more people taking out a British Cycling membership. So it's…
British Cycling should stick to racing and leave advocacy and widening access to Cycling UK. In the contacts I have had with BC I didn't like their insistence on approving the design of the shirts we rode in. We wanted a Union flag on the back of the collar. They said there was a danger we would be mistaken for the national team which is laughable for a club with more over 70 than under 50
Then I found they were selling national team kit which given their objection seems 2 faced to me.
Then I found they were selling national team kit which given their objection seems 2 faced to me.
All sports governing bodies have rules around use of the national flag and of any Championship stripes/insignia. It's standard stuff.
Them's the rules. Same way that only they or an approved partner can sell replica kit and it has to be distinguished as replica, again that's just standard trademark stuff.
So the union flag is trade marked? No.
The problem is that a body that governs racing makes a mess of trying to deal with non racing leisure cyclists in the same way.
More waffley BS from BC .....
Just like the recent 'Volunteer' development plan.... They've apparently been actively involved with clubs to see what needs to be developed etc - we've had zero contact from BC either regional or national, and we're a go-ride club with nearly 100 kids on the books.
Also still waiting for the next level Gravity coaching course which already over 12 months late, but apparently is 'imminent within the next 2-3 months' despite being told it would be available November/December last year.
Massive shower of $hit.....
British Cycling should stick to racing and leave advocacy and widening access to Cycling UK.
IME they didn't do anything on off-road advocacy apart from put out the odd ill-timed press release anyway.
If they intend to focus on broadening participation (and I assume trying to make cycling less male, white and middle class), that's probably a better fit for them than advocacy on access rights anyway.
'It’s been a difficult few years for British Cycling, with accounts showing over 9,000 members were lost in the year 23-24'
Yep, Shell being the primary sponsor turned a few of us away.
Don't need a BC license to race enduro in the UK. I may renew breifly next year to head to the Megavalanche for my 50th. But I may pay my doctors instead for a letter.
They put so little into MTB, that I don't feel the need to prop them up any longer. And the greenwashing is a sad state of affairs.
I can even make it through the word-swamp. I just like doing jumps and skids in the woods. I don't need a bunch of grownups waffling on about targets and strategies.
Aye, as @twistedpencil says they need to start by not greenwashing the oil industry (though TBF mainstream bike racing isn’t massively green by any stretch of the imagination).
Agree that they should leave advocacy to CUK and do something meaningful to sort out the atrophy of grass-roots racing.
How my local BMX club laughed with joy a few years back when all of a sudden a track run very much for the local yoof (and simultaneously churning out competitive riders) suddenly had to invest in timing loops and transponders which were of no benefit to anyone at the grass roots.
BC provided no support to the sport, but if you wanted to compete it was very clearly their game and they would take the ball home if you didn’t toe the line.
Then the Shell debacle, I wonder if they could find their arse in a kilt let alone organise the proverbial in a brewery.
Lots of pc word soup that means nothing in the real world. They no doubt spent a fortune producing this nonsense that virtually no one will read or take any notice of
While I'm glad to see diversity in the illustration by way of including extreme pogoing (but a pogo stick doesn't even have wheels so why include it!?) it's disappointing to see that trials is, as always, the bastard son of overlooked and under represented cycling niches.
Lowest membership with store discount codes has risen to £40 for this year for me, from being ~£25, next year they plan to increase it further to £50 iirc.
And to cancel renewal, no simple conformation tool via the website dashboard, you have to email or phone them.
The cynic in me thinks this is them just trying a land grab (money grab really) from people who may otherwise support CTC (Cycling UK).
However I'd not trust them after far as I can throw them, to not piiish away the money on additional Jiffy bags and T patches, and not do a sodding thing to push for improved active travel or cycling access to the outdoors.
And their complete sycophantsy telling cyclists not to go ride just because an elderly over-privileged woman who'd never had to worry about income, housing or years-long waits for health treatment had died in a huge country pile, means for me they can go fhuck themselves backwards for life.
They need to do something differently and quickly.
Loss of free to air road racing (and other disciplines) is going to be a problem for getting people interested.
Road racing in the UK is dead. Its been coming for a while and no real plan seems to have been actioned to fix it.
They talk a lot about the olympics and big name riders - then the national championships is run by local clubs on zero budget with volunteers doing all the heavy lifting.
Youth initiatives and encouraging talent is a good thing but when your members are mainly MAMILS you might think about doing something there for engagement. Some disciplines have Vets classes but there is little to nothing on the road.
I'll do CX as our local organisation is very good. They have little to do with BC though. We've got the National Championships in Jan 2026 which is the main reason.
I can't actually think of another BC event I'm doing yet. The Gravel and Enduro stuff is all independents.
I hope they get it right - but there needs to be more than some nice graphics to fix this. Unfortunately for those currently running the thing, I think it is time for fresh blood and new thinking.
I keep feeding back on the member surveys that they need to be doing a lot more themselves rather than relying on the good will of clubs and the club's volunteers.
Suspect it is similar in other sports but there is very little that seems to be done by BC at events. If lucky there might be 1 or maybe 2 BC employees there and in many many cases they aren't actually doing anything other than showing up.
All disciplines competitions are dying as the volunteers who organise them all are turning off or not getting involved at all. Many want to get back to riding their bikes.
They need to do much much more of do as I do (rather than don't do as I do) and get things moving.
Best way to get kids and adults on bikes is to be active in refurbishing unwanted or gifted bikes. I volunteer at a local bike charity that does just this. Its exceptionally rewarding in every way.
