Even later than usual but I blame the Christmas post.  Should all be on the Rides page soon but here’s a preview of the next few weeks:

7th Jan      Herb Centre,  Warmington

14th Jan     Hillers Farm Centre,  Dunnington

21st Jan    Campden Coffee Company,  Chipping Campden

28th Jan    Moreton in Marsh (cafe TBA)

4th Feb     Yew Tree cafe,  Wootton Wawen  (Beginners Ride)

Not strictly a beginners ride on 7th Jan but we’ll see who turns out in the cold and rain!

Dear Club Members

At the Annual General Meeting in November, a discussion was held regarding the potential for changing the current design of Club Jersey.  A new design has now been prepared and is shown below along with a “lightened” version of the current design.

New racing / summer design

New general lightened design

As you can see, the new design is considerably whiter and brighter than the current scheme.  It is proposed that both schemes will be available to Club members; the new design will be the “registered” racing colours (generally more suitable for summer use)  and the old design (with some lighter panels as shown) will provide a more durable top for use in the winter months.

There will be a Club General Meeting at the end of January, to enable members to vote on the formal proposal to change the jersey design. The meeting will also propose a minimum time to be adopted for future designs.

Members are invited to propose alternative designs, or amendments to the above designs, for consideration at the meeting and such proposals should be forwarded to the Chairman as soon as possible. 

In addition there will be a vacancy for a Club Clothing Manager in the new year and members nominations are invited for this post, a formal vote to be held during the January meeting.

There is a thread in the forum for discussing the new proposed designs.

Don’t forget the Club requires members to use a bike fitted with effective mudguards when the roads are wet and mucky.  Now we seem to be in more typical Autumn/Winter weather it’s time to get those mudguards fitted.

“Effective mudguards” means that your rear mudguard must prevent water and general slime spraying your clubmates who are riding behind you and if necessary a mud-flap should be fitted to the guard.

If you’ve done anything interesting recently, be it racing, sportive, event, charity ride or anything else newsworthy then please let us know be mailing news@kenilworthwheelers.cc or news@kenilworthwheelers.co.uk . We can then get it published on the website and facebook page. Don’t forget to post it up in the forum > http://www.kenilworthwheelers.co.uk/forum/ yourself.

I’m sure many club members are all about the interweb, especially the interweb 2.0. In order to cater to those members and ensure they get their 24/7 fix of the Kenilworth Wheelers we (well I in all honesty) have setup both a proper facebook page along with a twitter account.

The facebook page can be found here > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kenilworth-Wheelers/190236481040338

And we can be followed on twitter @kenilworthwhlrs.

Here is a thank you message sent to the Chairman while he was away on holiday (again!) :

“Hi

Well done to the Team involved – this is the kind of  message the Chairman likes to receive and the kind of actions the Club likes to encourage.

Just a short note to confirm that all the evening training rides are now under way (lots of people have been asking me) so if you are keen on suffering now is your chance.  You know it makes sense!

Note that Monday sessions are easier than Wednesdays (boys rides) which in turn are easier than Tuesdays and Thursdays.   The published Ladies ride on a Wednesday should suit all abilities but there will be a faster ladies run from Cubbington (see forum note).

If you are new to “chaingang” training sessions then you must start with a Monday (or Wednesday for ladies).  If you are new to Club riding we need you to come on a few clubruns (Saturday or Sunday “B” runs)  before you try a Monday session.

Check out the Club Rides page for more details and keep an eye on the Forum for any changes which may occur.  Enjoy!

The first of the years Club Hill Climbs will be on Saturday 16th April.  The morning clubrun will meet as usual at the Castle and ride out to Saintbury so everyone can have a go in the competition.  Tea and cake will be at Broadway Tower cafe after the event.

More details are on the Forum courtesy of organiser John MacGuire. Last year we had 25 riders so let’s see if we can beat that.  Be there or ———

The Club has recently received a letter of complaint from a member of the public and the relevant part of the letter is reproduced below:

“My partner and I were walking along the Emscote Road in Warwick this morning, when we were passed by a group of ‘Kenilworth Wheelers’. Shortly after passing us they had to stop at the traffic lights, where one of them decided to clear his throat and deposit the contents onto the pavement right in our path.We were quite disgusted by this behaviour and felt it was not acceptable, and if this was something that he felt needed to be done he could at least have faced away from the pavement and been more aware of pedestrians.”

The Club agrees that the behaviour described is unacceptable and believes that most people would find it offensive. Club members should be mindful of how their actions are perceived by others and should show due consideration to other road users and members of the public.

As a member of the Kenilworth Wheelers you have a responsibility to act in a polite and considerate manner, particularly when you are wearing Club clothing and are thus representing the Club to the general public. Please take note of this incident and act accordingly.

This is the first complaint of such a nature that the Club has ever received – let’s make it the last.

The Club is planning to set up a “Youth Section” which will hopefully provide opportunities for youngsters under the age of 16 to have a go at cycling activities.

The first step will be the instigation of “cycling skills” sessions for 8 – 12 year olds.
These sessions will take place on Monday evenings at Castle Farm Recreation Centre in Kenilworth, starting on Monday 28th March.

Organiser Jackie Hobson has now set up 12 weeks of these sessions through to the middle of July and you can see more details on the Forum item “Junior Wheelers”.

Jackie is a qualified British Cycling Level 1 Coach and is currently working for her Level 2 Coach qualification. Jackie is applying for the British Cycling “Go-Ride” status for the Club in the near future (this is British Cycling’s approval standard for clubs working with youngsters).