You may have seen in the news that British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials have recently updated their policies for transgender and non-binary athletes. We’d like to take this opportunity to update our own club policies, explain what this means for members, and how we’d like to approach this going forwards.
Our response
As a board, we do not agree with the stance that sees trans women as a problem, as suspicious, or as cheats-in-waiting. We consider trans people our friends and club mates, and believe that our duty is to create the structures and space to allow everyone to enjoy cycling.
What are our first steps?
We will begin by following the British Cycling/CTT categorisation for competitive club events, such as our time trials and hill climb. There will be two categories, and for consistency we use the British Cycling terminology below:
Open (formerly Men’s)
“Transgender women, transgender men, non-binary individuals and those whose sex was assigned male at birth will be eligible to compete in the ‘Open’ category”
Women
“remains in place for those whose sex was assigned female at birth and transgender men who are yet to begin hormone therapy.‘
This will be implemented for the next club time trial on 13 July. Those eligible for the Women’s category may enter the Open if they prefer.
Riders will be able to specify which category they want to enter (Open or Women). No other questions will be asked by us.
Is this the best possible solution?
Actually no, we don’t think so. Treating non-binary and trans athletes as ‘quasi men’ doesn’t provide a level playing field and underlines the idea of ‘men-as-norm’. We’d really like to move away from this.
What would we like to see happen?
We would like to add a third category, which we propose to call ‘Inclusive’. Any club member will be allowed to participate regardless of their current or past gender identification. Members and visitors will not be asked to disclose any of these details in order to compete. We hope to grow this category as a space in which all feel welcome, and in which they can enjoy their bodies, rather than have them policed. We appreciate that there are still complexities and nuances within this area, but we are keen to explore a new way of working. We’d love to hear from individuals and groups who would like to help us build and shape this new category. Please contact us at [email protected] if you’d like to be involved.
What about non-competitive events?
There is no change. We will continue to welcome club members to all of our events. Activities that are gender labelled, such as women’s rides or backpacking, are open to all who identify as such. Condors have a long track record of being friendly and inclusive – we intend to keep it that way.
Cheryl Reid (Club President) and the Condors Board
Between the brief hill climb season and the return to a winter of Zwifting, talk of body weight becomes especially loud. Whether entering an online race or launching themselves up a hill, W/kg is the measurement by which cyclists judge their own performance and status. We are, as a sport, hooked on weight-watching. Whether losing weight annually by an increase in riding, or gaining weight in a long period of rest of change, we are always aware of our body’s size as part of our hobby. The virtual world of ‘Watopia’ with its potential to escape the laws of ‘meatspace’ entirely, instead closely tracks it during competitions. Professional racers are required to post photographs of their scales to prove that their avatar is the right weight. The end of summer is, then, a moment when weight matters to us even more than usual. Which is already a lot.
This brief opinion piece from your race secretaries is to remind you to keep weight-watching in it’s place. It is a whisper of refusal in the face of a wall of noise that promotes weight loss, weight control, and thinness. Weight is the least important aspect of cycling – anyone can ride! – and it’s prominence carries risks to health, inclusion, equality, enjoyment, and performance.
Cycling has numerous problems of diversity. We are, in the Condors, especially alert to the overwhelming male-ness of cycling, But how many of us have thought how disproportionately thin cycling is? Most riders in the cycling media are skinny, and many prominent riders spend time tracking their weight, thinking about it. Talk about how much easier cycling would be, how much faster one could ride, if one weighed less, is so widespread in cycling clubs that it usually passes without response. Comments along these lines are everywhere.
The thinness is not representative of the wide population. The average BMI for the population of England in 2019 was 27.6 [1]. This is, according to many BMI charts, including that on the NHS website, ‘overweight’. (If you want to read why BMI is itself a stupid way to measure the health of individuals, try this brief NPR episode: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439.) This is not the shape of the people we most often see riding bicycles.
If you’re thinking that this is because cycling itself often makes people thinner, you’re missing the point. Plenty of people don’t ride bikes because they think of themselves as outside the identity of the cyclist they see portrayed everywhere. In fact, plenty in the Condors will disappear from club rides for extended periods while they ‘get back in shape’. Others hold back from trying new things because they think they’re too fat to merit participation. Fitness and its erroneous proxy thinness appear to many as a prerequisite for participation. People are marginalised and isolated by the ubiquity of a certain body shape.
Lots of us heard Emily Chappell speak at the Outspoken event, where she shared her epiphany, which was that she wasn’t, in fact, a ‘fat person’. This is after spending most of her life thinking she was a ‘fat cyclist’. Chappell has recently been doing some important work on body dysmorphia with fellow ultra cyclist, Jenny Tough. (Find out more in their recent short film: https://youtu.be/6gDnuyNpqK8 .) The limitations imposed by messages about weight are widespread.
This isn’t just a women’s issue and nor is it just an issue affecting racers chasing wins. Cyclists at all levels walk the fine line between self-harm and health. This twisting and tweaking, the number crunching, turning it up a notch, pushing through, getting home running on fumes, riding until you can’t see straight, are all widely celebrated. We’ve got a knack for suffering; it’s our special talent and has been key to Rapha’s success.[2] Training the body to eat less might feel just the same as training to get stronger, fitter, faster. But, it’s not. It is different.
Amateur riders often look up to professionals, sometimes idealising their extreme body shape. There are good reasons for not following the pros’ example, but even there, in the highest echelons of the sport, teams are experimenting with maximising energy intake, understanding that energy availability is a primary limiter for performance. Riders are now eating up to 140g of carbohydrates per hour, which is still not enough to maintain their energy balance. You might try eating more on the bike too. See what happens.
We’ve got some difficult truths and some good news to herald:
– You are not your numbers.
– Less weight does not mean better performance.
– Weight is not fat.
– Fat brings numerous physiological benefits that will improve your riding: insulation, robustness, reserve energy.
– Habitually restricting your diet in order to exercise control is a type of disordered eating.
– Your performance is almost certainly more limited by undernutrition than by excess weight.
– Don’t jettison outdoors because indoor riding is controllable, comfortable, engaging.
Are you helping to broaden cycling’s appeal? Or are you, even by talking about your weight loss plans, enforcing the limitations of our sport? If you don’t see yourself anywhere in this article, great. Look out for your friends who do.
If you need help, we’re here and if you need more help, contact your GP or one of these agencies:
– Anorexia and Bulimia Care https://www.talk-ed.org.uk
We are really proud of the progress the club has made since it was founded in 2011. Six years ago we set an ambitious target of reaching 50:50 men/women membership and have taken big strides towards this through initiatives like the women’s spring and summer sessions. We currently have 108 women in a club of 303 members, which is 36% and has remained stable for a number of years. This is among the highest in the country for a mixed cycling club and is extremely important to us as evidenced by the excellent Outspoken event run and supported by the club this year. We plan to keep the momentum going in this area. We are also keen to reach out to other groups who might be interested in joining a cycling club (or aren’t even aware it’s a thing!) and to help lower barriers to entry.
Our aims have therefore been updated as follows:
To be a fun, friendly and inclusive cycling club
To empower members through training & skills development across multiple cycling disciplines, and promote personal cycling safety
To offer people the chance to try new things and stretch themselves, enabling members to reach their goals – both on and off the bike
To promote equality, diversity and inclusion; aiming for the club membership base to reflect our local community. We will continue to be a constant champion for women’s cycling and aim to welcome people from all backgrounds.
To be an active, visible, participant in the Oxford community, and an advocate of cycling initiatives across the city recognised as valuable to our members
We plan to put a lot of energy into diversity and inclusion over the coming months, so keep an eye out for ways to get involved (both big and small)!
England moves to Stage 4 of the government roadmap for easing Covid restrictions on Monday 19 July. This means that almost all legal restrictions on social contact, distancing and gathering will be lifted.
As result, the club can now move to the next stage of its phased return. This is in line with British Cycling guidance.
The following updates are given with the caveat that cases in Oxford remain very high, particularly in the 18-29 age group. Please think carefully about your fellow club members and the wider community when making decisions about where and when you ride.
We would also encourage members to take advantage of the free lateral flow tests on offer. While the link between cases and hospitalisation has been hugely improved by vaccinations, it is not broken and there is a good chance we will see a return to lockdown style restrictions in the coming months.
Condors guidance that has been updated:
Rides may now start at the same time, in the same location. This means that groups can meet at Beeline if they so wish.
Rides may now meet or finish at the same location. This means that groups can meet at cafes during a ride, or at the pub after a ride.
Groups may follow the same route, for example, a Strengthener group may like to follow a Screamer group to pick up dropped riders.
Important: There is no obligation for ride leaders to meet at Beeline. We would simply like to offer that option for those who have missed seeing fellow club members. If you would prefer to continue starting rides from the outskirts of town (e.g Buildbase) then please do so. If you would like to join a ride that starts from Beeline, but are not comfortable joining at that location, please indicate to the ride leader where on the route you will join when booking on via the Facebook pink post. This approach is absolutely fine.
Condor guidance that remains the same:
Ride Leaders have the freedom to set their own maximum limits, with the following guidance:
6 – Where smaller rides are preferred / newer riders / Meet the Condors or other introductory skills rides
8 – Generally considered a ‘good size’ where there is a mix of experience
10 – Where the majority of riders are experienced
New or returning riders are welcome
All club members are encouraged to lead rides or be a ‘second pair of eyes’
Ride details should be advertised on the pink posts.
Riders will need to book in on the post, making sure they confirm with words (e.g. ‘in’), rather than hitting ‘like’. This will help manage the numbers and provide an audit trail in the event that tracing is required.
Riders should not turn up for a ride unless they have pre-booked on the pink post
Lights are required for evening rides
What we expect from you
We will trust members to act responsibly and assess the risk to themselves and the people they have contact with. This includes their households, bubbles, wider friendship groups and fellow club members.
Members must not turn up for a ride if they are self-isolating or experiencing any Coronavirus symptoms. In the event that Coronavirus is contracted, the infected party will need to inform others they have ridden with.
Members must be self-sufficient. This means bringing enough food and water to sustain you, plus basic tools for roadside repairs such as punctures. This will reduce the risk of having to share items during the ride.
Members must take extra care with personal hygiene. Please carry hand sanitiser and tissues. Refrain from spitting or attempting ‘snot rockets’.
What members can expect from us
The club will post up Tuesday, Thursday and Weekend posts to help you organise your rides.
The club will provide support to new ride leaders; sharing routes, hosting online training, answering questions and helping build confidence.
The club will closely monitor this to make sure activities are in line with our phased approach. We will take action where they are not.
The club will also keep abreast of Government and British Cycling updates. We are prepared to make adjustments to our plan, or call them to a halt if necessary.
It has been four weeks since the reintroduction of Condor group rides, and we have been very pleased to see thoughtful planning and safe delivery of rides. Thank you to everyone who has led, supported, or attended a ride, and for embedding the new group ride classification so well.
While British Cycling guidance allows up to 15 riders, we have operated a 6 rider limit. The Board has carefully discussed our group size policy and would like to adapt to support the safety and enjoyment of riders within the freedoms allowed by Covid restrictions. We are aware that some people may wish to ride in larger groups, especially those preparing to take part in competitive events, and believe that it would be safe to do so where experience allows.
As a result, we would like to give Ride Leaders the freedom to set their own maximum limits, with the following guidance:
6 – Where smaller rides are preferred / newer riders / Meet the Condors
8 – Generally considered a ‘good size’ where there is a mix of experience
10 – Where the majority of riders are experienced
We believe that rides larger than 10 should be very carefully considered and have a clear rationale.
Rides will continue to be ‘booked’ on Facebook to facilitate contact tracing. We must also continue to adhere to the ‘Rule of 6’ at cafes or pubs, so please be prepared to sit separately when stopping.
Any increase in group size increases the risk of exposure to Covid-19 and the possible requirement to self-isolate. We trust members to bear this in mind and make sensible decisions.
The expansion of ride sizes has safety and pleasure in mind: to support those who would enjoy and benefit from larger group rides.
It is difficult to predict what our ‘new normal’ will look like in the coming months, but we’ll do our absolute best to tackle the challenges head on.
On the 14 June 2021, Cowley Road Condors will be 10 years old!
This may sound young compared to other cycling clubs (especially our venerable friends at Oxonian and Banbury Star!) but we have achieved so much in that time and we’re really keen to celebrate with you all.
We have some VERY exciting things in store for you over the coming weeks.
For International Women’s Day we wanted to celebrate the range of cycling that the Condor Women are involved in! The Condors are proud to have 30% female membership, our aim is to get to 50%. We have a Women’s Committee which meets regularly to develop activities that encourage, promote and facilitate women’s cycling in the club (and beyond!).
We run regular women’s social rides and have a well-established women’s introductory program for those looking to learn how to cycle in a group. Get in touch with our Women’s Officer if you would like to register your interest and be notified when bookings go live.
Condor Women compete in all of our cycling disciplines (Road Racing, Time trials, Cyclocross).The Condor ladies racing team is open to all women in the club and is always delighted to welcome new racers into the fold. We currently have a group of regular women racers, so no matter what the event you should find you have other Condors there to team up with. If you’d like more information about out Women’s Racing team get in touch with our Women’s Race Secretary.
To celebrate our fantastic Condor Women we invited our members to highlight all the awesome cycling-related activities they are involved in.
Over the past year I have found commuting to be a thoroughly rewarding experience. I started cycling the 14km journey twice a day in February last year, so when the pandemic took hold it felt even more necessary to adhere to it (or difficult to avoid). Cycling to work ensures I’m mentally prepared and the journey home offers me the time to decompress or reflect on my day- which has been ever more important for health care workers this year. There have been difficult times; rain, snow and ice can be a challenge but you adapt (a waterproof rucksack and a shoe dryer are a girl’s best friend). There have been so many great times too, watching the seasons change is wonderful, especially when it features sunrise or sunset. Another bonus is being able to join a Condors social ride straight after work!
Helen on Ride Leading
I started cycling with the Condors five years ago through the Women’s Sessions. After I’d found my feet with group riding, I was initially nervous at the thought of leading a ride. I found that the normal social rides of 13mph were a bit too fast for me, and I needed a slower option. I thought the best way to make sure that happened was to lead one myself! I decided to embrace the idea of ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ and make a start. Luckily the club has a really thorough ride leading workshop you can attend to learn more about what ride leading involves, and more experienced ride leaders are always happy to lend a hand to nervous newbies. I now regularly lead women’s slow social paced rides (nicknamed the ‘legs 11’ rides as they average 11-12mph). I also regularly lead women’s introductory rides as part of the Condors’ Women’s Sessions. I find it really rewarding helping others to build skills and confidence in group riding. Each year we organise a full program of women’s sessions and I’m always really grateful to the friendly Condors who are so enthusiastic about delivering these sessions and making sure we demonstrate why we are Oxford’s friendliest cycling club.
Cheryl on Indoor Cycling
I never rode my bike indoors at home. In fact I couldn’t think of anything worse. That all changed when Covid came along and we had to invent new ways of living a life within confines.
Over the last year I have spent many happy hours riding around on Zwift, while chatting to friends and club mates on Discord. The magic of modern technology means we are connected in ways never seen before. I’ve cycled virtually in New York, Austria and France and seen more dinosaurs than you can shake a stick at. It’s been a weird and wonderful experience, and while I am very much looking forward to outdoor group rides again, the indoor world definitely has a special place in my heart.
Kat on Bike Mechanics
I’m a volunteer bike mechanic at Broken Spoke Bike Co-op, Oxford’s community bike project. I started out a few years ago with fairly basic skills and it’s been great to develop my knowledge to help people fix their own bikes. I love not knowing what challenge is going to walk in the door – a puncture? Dodgy brakes? Gear issues? Bottom bracket trouble? Working through the problem with the bike owner so they learn why something is not working and then guiding them through fixing it themselves, is very rewarding. I am yet to leave the workshop without grease on my face somewhere, but I leave with a smile too.
Kristen on Racing
(Photo credit: Stephen Cartmell) Entering your first road race can seem like a daunting prospect. Those of us who have raced have all been there and know what it is like, but once you get over this temporary hurdle you’ll find that road racing can be a lot of fun. Fast paced and exciting it can become quite addictive! Obviously having a good fitness level is paramount, nothing quite prepares you for ‘race pace’ of your first event and unless you are a superstar you should just aim to get round the course without dropping off the back of the pack. But don’t worry if you do, even the best riders get dropped sometimes. Stick at it though and before long you’ll be flying round. The Condor ladies racing team is open to all women in the club and is always delighted to welcome new racers into the fold. We currently have a group of regular women racers, so no matter what the event you should find you have other Condors there to team up with. We’re looking to build a strong female racing presence in the local amateur race scene. The race team trains regularly for both fitness and race skills and is enjoying growing success! [text edited from Condors website]
Laura on Coaching and Racing
I’m a Level 2 triathlon coach and have worked with several different groups around Oxford in both triathlon and cycling, including the University teams and Regional Junior Academy, as well as the Condors. My favourite things about coaching are sharing my enthusiasm and experience in something I enjoy with others, and helping people to achieve their goals. I like being inventive with sessions, encouraging my athletes to think, and them making me think too! I also race and am looking forward to taking on crit, road and cross racing with the Condors this year. In the past I’ve been lucky enough to race as a guest rider in the Women’s Tour Series, which is one of my best cycling memories as the atmosphere was buzzing. I do have to admit to riding my bike without socks on occasionally as well, and I’m currently approaching my third season of racing in the French Grand Prix de Triathlon with my team from Marseille.
Rose on Ultra-endurance Racing
About 2500km into my first ultra endurance race, somewhere in Italy or maybe Slovenia, maybe it was Greece, so at some point at least 1000km from the end and more than 2500km from starting, I was having a tough day. It was hot, I was tired, I was behind schedule and there was another blooming hill. Everything hurt, I’d started to faff uncontrollably which meant more time lost yet the food stops were the highlights and they became longer. Anyway, at some point, on a hill, I realised that this was tough, it felt impossible, yet there was nowhere I’d rather be. I was moving, I was living my dream. Even if I’d quit then, well what next? I’d rather be grumpy on my bike pushing myself, seeing all these things, feeling all these emotions, awareness of the world in a new light than back in an office. I can be in an office everyday, forever. I won’t get this experience again. Then, I felt lucky. I tried to think of barriers. I went through 100s of people in my mind, who could do this if they put their mind to it. People of all ages, all sizes, genders and people who probably have never ridden a bike. I decided anyone could (also should, it would be good for them) That’s the beauty of ultra endurance. Anyone can do it.
It’s just cycling your bike for a long time, finding ways that you, you alone, but also ways only you can overcome adversity / s!*$ hitting the fan.
Strava and Instagram make it shinier than this. It isn’t. It also doesn’t matter what you wear, what you post or what you ride. Strava and Instagram can also make it look more complex and expensive. It doesn’t need to be. You just need a bike, the rest you learn along the way.
Sara on Strava Art
The Cowley Road Condors rate friendliness, fun and generally being active as well as sporting endeavour. This has been more important than ever during lockdown.
Who could resist the Club weekly challenge to capture a social ride on GPS and generate some Strava art?
Re-purposing commuting time, getting outside during the day ensures the pick of the weather and is just what the doctor ordered for general wellbeing.
Cat and Raz (TandemWOW) on Cycling Around the World
We were unsupported, which meant that we carried all our own kit. We experienced extreme weather – getting soaked in monsoon rains in India and Southeast Asia, avoiding the bush fires in Australia in temperatures pushing 50°C and riding hard to return to the UK just before the lockdown as coronavirus was sweeping across Europe. In fact, we caught the second-to-last passenger ferry back to the UK on the day of the travel ban in France – making it back in the nick of time.
We road for 263 days 8 hours and 7 minutes – this is the fastest ever on a tandem and we beat the current men’s record of 281 days 22 hours by more than 17 days. We raised over £37,000 for two charities, the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Oxfam and have sought to raise awareness of women’s cycling particularly for older women (we are both in our 50s). We believe that you are never too old to get on your bike and follow your dreams.
Jo on Taking on the Tour de France
It all started in the summer of 2018 during a sun kissed holiday to the Pyrenees when Becci announced on the last night of the trip that she’d like to ride L’Etape du Tour the following year. After a beer or two, Jen, Cheryl and I foolishly committed to join her.
Somehow, a year later we all find ourselves back in the Pyrenees at the bottom of the Col de Solour. Together, we’ve raised £12,000 and undertaken hours and hours of training crammed in around our work, family and life commitments. Cheryl and I have already ridden 13 stages of the 2019 Tour de France, and Jen and Becci have joined us for the toughest days yet: 7 mountain stages set in the Pyrenees and Alps in what was described as “the highest Tour de France ever”. Back to back ~200km days with multiple mountain passes on each stage, and a heatwave sweeping through Europe. What were we thinking?
If you’ve met me, you’ll know I’m not a climber. But somehow, all the slow and steady miles and turbo time I’d clocked up in the months preceding the Grand Depart seemed to have come together. Slowly but surely I ticked off the kms, grinding up the climb past sheep and cows, their bells softly ringing in the breeze. I was greeted at the top of the first climb by a grinning young girl handing out sandwiches to the riders. She was from one of the charities we’d raised money for and I chatted with her briefly while I refilled my bidons and crammed peanut butter sarnies into the pockets of my jersey. She lived in inner city London, had never seen mountains before, and couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. Funny how a two minute chat can leave you feeling so utterly humbled and grateful for the experiences you have taken for granted.
3,460 km and 30 categorised climbs later we cruised into Paris for photos in front of the Tour d’Eiffel and traffic dodging laps of the Champs Elysée. I look back now and can’t really believe that we did it. Four women from Oxford who ‘quite liked riding their bikes’ took on the Tour de France… if we can do it, what could you do?
Following the government publication of the four-step roadmap for exiting lockdown, we can now announce that club rides will return from 29 March. This is made possible due to the reintroduction of the outdoor ‘Rule of 6’.
We will return to our previous phased return format that worked very successfully last year:
Maximum group size of 6 riders
New or returning riders are welcome
All club members are encouraged to lead rides or be a ‘second pair of eyes’
Ride details should be advertised on the pink posts.
Riders will need to book in on the post, making sure they confirm with words (e.g. ‘in’), rather than hitting ‘like’. This will help manage the numbers and provide an audit trail in the event that tracing is required.
Riders should not turn up for a ride unless they have pre-booked on the pink post
Rides should not start at Beeline. Please meet at the outskirts of town at a suitable location for your route (e.g. Buildbase if heading South-East)
Riders must also maintain social distancing in line with government guidelines afterthe ride. So please avoid finishing at the same pub or cafe as other groups.
Cafe or pub stops must be held outside
We encourage flexibility around ride start times so that groups are not all leaving Oxford at the same time
Please choose routes that go out in different directions, or do not overlap heavily. Consider running more popular routes in reverse
We hope to take full advantage of restrictions easing later in the year, and will communicate changes as roadmap stage progression is confirmed.
Ride Leader training is currently being prepared and will cover both theory and practical sessions! Dates for those will be posted soon.
Women’s Introductory rides will also make a welcome return! Our Women’s Officer Helen will be keeping a contact list if you’d like to be notified closer to the time: [email protected]
Last but definitely not least, we are delighted to announce the Condors 2021 Time Trial Series will be as follows, so start getting those legs ready!
Oxfordshire will enter Tier 4 restrictions on Saturday 26 December. As a result, club rides will be cancelled from this day until further notice.
British Cycling guidance confirms that you can continue to cycle, however this must be alone, or with members of your household/bubble, or with one person from outside your household/bubble. You should also stay within your Tier 4 area, which will be Oxfordshire for the majority of our members. Please feel free to use our facebook group to reach out and find a ride buddy if you would like company.
For those of you with indoor options, please join Condors Indoors to see the latest rides being organised. This includes Zwift, TrainerRoad, or just chatting to others on Discord while spinning on your turbo/rollers.
We will continue with our weekly selfies and other socially distanced club activities where possible. Do let us know if you have any ideas or would like to get involved in any organising.
Please get in touch if we can do anything to support you during what continues to be a very difficult time.
A number of neighbouring counties will enter Tier 3 ( Very High Alert) on Saturday 19 December. Oxford and Oxfordshire remain in Tier 2 (High Alert).
British Cycling guidance explains that Groups from Tier 1 or Tier 2 areas are permitted to pass through a Tier 3 area as part of their route, however they should not stop for a break while in that area. Groups should not pass into or out of Tier 4 areas.
Below are the updated guidelines for Condor rides:
Maximum group size of 6 riders
New or returning riders are welcome
All club members are encouraged to lead rides or be a ‘second pair of eyes’
Ride details should be advertised on the pink posts.
Riders will need to book in on the post, making sure they confirm with words (e.g. ‘in’), rather than hitting ‘like’. This will help manage the numbers and provide an audit trail in the event that tracing is required.
Riders should not turn up for a ride unless they have pre-booked on the pink post
Rides should not start at Beeline. Please meet at the outskirts of town at a suitable location for your route (e.g. Buildbase if heading South-East)
Riders must also maintain social distancing in line with government guidelines afterthe ride. So please avoid finishing at the same pub or cafe as other groups.
Cafe or pub stops must be held outside, in Tier 1 or Tier 2 areas only
Groups may pass through Tier 3 areas but must not pass into or out of Tier 4 areas
We encourage flexibility around ride start times so that groups are not all leaving Oxford at the same time
Please choose routes that go out in different directions, or do not overlap heavily. Consider running more popular routes in reverse
What we expect from you
We will trust members to act responsibly and assess the risk to themselves and the people they have contact with. This includes their households, bubbles, wider friendship groups and fellow club members.
Members must not turn up for a ride if they are self-isolating or experiencing any Coronavirus symptoms. In the event that Coronavirus is contracted, the infected party will need to inform others they have ridden with.
Members must be self-sufficient. This means bringing enough food and water to sustain you, plus basic tools for roadside repairs such as punctures. This will reduce the risk of having to share items during the ride.
Members must take extra care with personal hygiene. Please carry hand sanitiser and tissues. Refrain from spitting or attempting ‘snot rockets’.
What members can expect from us
The club will post up Tuesday, Thursday and Weekend posts to help you organise your rides
The club will provide support to new ride leaders; sharing routes, hosting online training, answering questions and helping build confidence
The club will closely monitor this to make sure activities are in line with our phased approach. We will take action where they are not.
The club will also keep abreast of Government and British Cycling updates. We are prepared to make adjustments to our plan, or call them to a halt if necessary.
