An Introduction to Swindon Road Club
Swindon Road Club is a cycling club for anyone who enjoys riding their bike, whether just for fitness or for the competitive aspect of the sport. Primarily the club is based around road cycling although many club members also take part in Mountain Biking, Cyclo-cross, time-trialling, track, touring, etc. With over 200 club members, and a growing Junior section, you will always find someone to ride with. The club has several regular weekly rides which are the basis for most club activity. The club has a strong racing section with several members taking part in many different disciplines. If you are interested in competitive cycling, then the club organises, and takes part in many local events.
Where is Swindon?
Swindon is located in the West of England, between the cities of London and Bristol. It is a great area for cycling with many quiet country lanes and also a large variety of off-road tracks. To the east of Swindon the terrain is flat and ideal for gentle rides into Oxfordshire. To the North of Swindon you enter the Cotswolds with the roads becoming hillier north of Cirencester. To the south of Swindon are the Marlborough Downs which provide an excellent area for off road cycling with the Ridgeway path providing the basis for a wide network of tracks and trails.
About Swindon
Swindon itself is a modern, growing Town with a population of around 200,000. Located close to the M4 motorway, and on the main West coast rail line, it has excellent transport links to London, South Wales and South West England. It has a strong economy with several large employers in the area such as Honda, Motorola, Zurich Financial Services, BP, Nationwide Building Society to name but a few.
Club Activities
Most club members take part in the regular club rides which take place throughout the year. There are regular road rides on Saturdays and Sundays, and during the Summer there is a regular Tuesday evening ride and also a club Time Trial every Thursday evening. For those who enjoy racing then there are plenty of local events to take part in, and which cater for riders of all standards. If you have not raced before, there are lots of events aimed at the novice rider. Racing provides a chance to test your fitness and bike skills against other riders and can be enjoyed no matter what your standard is.The club has several riders who compete at a high standard in local and national events and ensure the club is well known within the cycle sport community.
Junior Section
The club has been actively promoting a Junior section within the club to encourage young riders to take part in cycling activities. In 2002 the club was awarded £4999 grant from the Lottery Sport-For-All foundation. This money has been used to train several club members as coaches as well as to invest in equipment for junior riders including Giant road bikes.
Most of our activities will be open for young people to take part in however for activities without age restrictions, e.g. regular club rides, under 16s must be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult.
Joining the club
Membership of Swindon Road Club is open to anyone who wishes to take part in cycling activities with other like minded people. The club caters for riders of all abilities and whether you cycle just for fitness, or for the buzz of racing, you will find other such riders in the club. For this you will receive a monthly email newsletter, discounts at local cycle shops, and the chance to take part in any club events that are organised throughout the year. The best way to find out if the club is right for you is to come along and join in on one of the regular weekly training rides. These rides are not restricted to club members and often have several non club members joining in.
Swindon Road Club is a friendly club, organised by cyclists for cyclists, and aims to promote and encourage cycling for fitness, enjoyment and for sport. If you are interested in finding out more about Swindon Road Club, then contact us here and we will answer any questions you might have. Alternatively, you can fill in the application form for membership which is available here. You can also just turn up for one of our regular club rides and join in. A list of regular club rides is on the Regular Club Rides page.
Happy Cycling!
