Oxted Cycling Club Safety Rules

Safety Essentials To Ride With Oxted Cycling Club

Oxted Cycling Club take your safety seriously. Please take the time to read our safety essentials below.

* Wear A Crash Helmet
Crash helmets are compulsory to ride on any Oxted CC ride or event. Helmets should have BSI Kitemark or Snell equivalent, and be the correct size for your head.

* Use A Rear Light
You will need a fully functioning rear light specifically made for cycling. The light should have enough capacity to last the whole ride.
Note: We highly recommend pairing this with a good front bicycle light.

* Visibility
We do not allow black or dark cycling tops on a road ride. Dress to be seen. Even on sunny days, cyclists can become invisible in the shade.

* Insurance
ALL Oxted CC members are required to have 3rd Party insurance. We recommend British Cycling or CyclingUK membership for insurance and other benefits.

* Your fitness on the day
Make sure your current fitness can comfortably complete your chosen group ride. Allergies,medications, medical issues and ICE contacts should be displayed on a wearable ID tag and/or on your phone.

* The above safety essentials are compulsory to ride with Oxted Cycling Club

Safety guidance for you and others

Refresh your highway code knowledge
Many rules and regulations that apply to motorists also apply to cyclists. For example, stopping at traffic lights. Make sure you’re up to date.

Check your bike thoroughly and frequently
The British Cycling website has some excellent knowledge sections about looking after your bike and yourself. You can read the information here.

Ride with the correct group for your level
Until you are ready, don’t ride with a group that may be too fast for you. If in doubt, ask the ride leaders and initially, choose a slower group.

Bike handling techniques
We have a British Cycling Level 3 qualified coach riding for OxtedCC. If you feel that there is an area of your riding that could be improved, then please email Marcel cyclecoachingonline@gmail.com for more information. 

Qualifications: 

British Cycling One to One Level 3 Road and Time Trial
British Cycling Level 2 Road and Time Trial
British Cycling Level 2 MTB 
Outdoor First Aid Qualified 

Recommendations Before Your Ride

Check the weather!
Dress according to the weather that is predicted for the day. Don’t forget to check the destination of the intended ride. It may be different to what you see outside your window.
Wearing layers allows you to adjust to changing conditions.

NOTE: In winter, we recommend using mudguards.

Food and drink
Eat well before you ride. Always carry a drink and snack. Carry some cash. And never drop litter, gel wrappers or leave old inner tubes at the roadside!

Group riding
The best way to learn about group riding is to do it!

If you are new to riding in a group, then make the ride leader, and the other riders aware of this BEFORE the ride starts.

The ride leader will discuss with you the techniques of group riding and the other riders will be happy to help you become a first class group rider.

If there is something you are unsure of, ask the ride leader or the riders around you.

Dealing with mechanical problems

  • Carry two spare inner tubes, tyre levers, a tube repair kit, a pump and a CO2 inflator.
  • Practice changing a tube or repairing a hole at home.
  • Carry a multi-tool and learn how it works.
  • Consider changing to tubeless tyres for puncture free riding.

Take a first aid course
Knowing first aid could save someone’s life.
You can learn about basic first aid on the NHS website by clicking here. 

However, to really learn first aid, then a course with St John’s Ambulance will equip you with the knowledge to deal with many situations. You can book a course by clicking here.

Young Riders

Under 18’s are required to have a Parental Consent form signed HERE and returned to the club.

CTT open events require a Parental Consent form for each event HERE.

Try a few rides with us before joining…

Welcome to Oxted Cycling Club!

You’ll get much more out of cycling with a club…

  • You’ll get fitter, faster.
  • You’ll get good advice and helpful tips.
  • It’s much more enjoyable riding with friends.
  • We cater for all ages, levels, shapes and sizes!
  • You’ll see beautiful scenery and learn lovely routes.
  • It’s safer. Car drivers treat groups with more caution.
  • If you just want to ride occasionally, you’re very welcome.
  • If you want to go further, faster, you’ll find like minded friends.
  • If you want to race, time trial or train for Triathlons – you’re in the right place.
  • Just £40 a year. Compare that to a gym membership…for a fraction of the enjoyment. £64 for couples and families, kids/students go free. Under 18’s need a parental consent form to ride. See ‘Calendar’ for meet times.

We welcome all levels, novices to racers but you should be able to ride at least 20 miles with ease before joining any cycling club. Get in touch BEFORE coming along, we’ll need to know a little about you.

We only have ONE club rule! Read our SAFETY RULES

Please email FIRST: Richard Bushell, Chairman: info@oxtedcc.org     Or phone/text: 07703 403 136

You don’t have to join until you’re sure and have ridden a couple of times with us, when you’re ready, here’s the membership form: Membership form 2023

Groups

Whether you’re under 16 or over 60 we aim to cater for most levels. Young teens will need a parent or guardian present, they’ll enjoy riding also! With all levels, we need to establish your fitness and competence before riding, please email us first: info@oxtedcc.org. We have a minimum level, you’ll need to be able to ride 20 miles in around 2 hours. We split groups into different speeds and distances, with Ride Leaders choosing the routes and keeping everyone together. Group rider is safer and more fun.

T1: 20/25 miles. 12/13 mph average. Newcomers welcome, very sociable with a tea stop. 

T2: 30/40 miles, 12/14mph average. Usually includes a tea stop.

T3: 35/55 miles around 15/16mph average, tea stop if everyone wants one! They usually do.

T4: 40/60 miles at 16/17mph average, a training ride for strong, experienced riders, sometimes ‘out and back’ no coffee stop.

T5: 40/60 miles. A fast training ride for racers at 17/20mph average. No stops for these people!

T6: Our fastest training ride, 40/70 miles, 20+ mph average or more.

On occasions we run special rides, advertised in advance of 50-100 miles at various speeds but plenty of long, gentle rides for all levels.

Time Trials

The TT season starts early each year with ‘sporting TTs’ in February and March, followed by a huge range of open TTs of 10, 25, 50 and 100 miles. 

We join East Grinstead CC every year for their excellent summer series on Tuesday evenings around Horne. This exciting 10 mile TT is on Tuesday evenings, from May to August to August. These are very friendly local events, ideal for newcomers. On Thursday evenings in the summer, we join The Old Portlians CC for their TTs around Crowhurst, two laps of a thrilling 6.3 mile course.

If you haven’t TT’d before you’re in for a pleasant surprise. First, it’s NOT about competing with other people, it’s about competing with yourself and your previous time. Whether you do 10 miles in 25 or 35 minutes doesn’t really matter, what matters is being there and taking part, it’s more of a fun social event!

Don’t be afraid! Fear of ‘failure’ is often a reason why people won’t Time Trial but the only ‘failure’ is not trying, don’t let it keep you from this very exciting mid-week activity.  It’s fast, fun and fabulous training. Most people who do a few Time Trials soon become addicted.

Big prizes! At the end of last year we awarded prizes for men, women, youths and juniors in 10, 25 and 50 mile distances. Perhaps this year we’ll see some people do a 100 mile TT. Also, we will distinguish between road and TT bikes.

Volunteers for marshalling: Time Trials require marshals and Oxted members are excellent at making the effort required to run events. If everyone helps with one or two sessions per season, it’s easy.

Chris Hewitt our TT Secretary will keep you posted about other ‘open’ events around the South. These big events are thrilling. Most are early morning but some are on Saturday afternoons in the summer season.

 

The Sportive phenomenon…

SPORTIVES have become popular events in recent years, offering seasoned riders and newcomers challenges that can be as tough or as straightforward as they wish. Organisers usually offer different distances from as little as 20 miles to over 100 miles. Sportives were partly born out of the British ‘Reliability Trial’, an out of season event with time bands, designed to keep people riding through the winter.

In many countries, sportives are billed as non-competitive events. However, in Europe there is more of a competitive element with categories and prizes awarded to the fastest finishers.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO DO WELL IN A SPORTIVE, TRAINING WITH A CLUB IS ESSENTIAL, CLUB RIDERS GENERALLY FILL THE TOP END OF THE RESULTS.

Inspired by events such as the Etape du Tour and La Marmotte in France, and the Cape Argus in South Africa, the British sportive phenomenon has grown strongly in recent years.

Most sportives use timing chips to ensure a healthy level of competition. Results are usually published in detail on the event website and often have gold, silver or bronze time standards.

Sportives appeal to riders of any experience or fitness level. Some riders will be looking for an element of competition, individually or by club, trying to be in the first or fastest group to finish. Others, who might find road racing too daunting, can ride at a steadier pace and still enjoy the benefits of a ride with marked directions, feed stops and mechanical support.

Oxted CC enter a number of the best organised sportives: the Kentish Killer, The Evans King of the Downs, the Reigate Rouleur, the Prudential 100, the Box Hill Original, the Dragon Ride in Wales and the Circuit of Kent, to name but a few.

At the Circuit of Kent sportive in September, Oxted had 47 finishers in the 50 & 80 mile distances, here is the 50 mile team, just before departure…

 

Bikes and Kit

Club kit. Top quality suppliers…

Bespoke club kit is more expensive than mass produced cycle gear but it’s very good quality and will last for years. Our kit is supplied by Champion Systems and Tactic Sport Sometimes we may not have your size, so please send an email with your requirements. oxtedcc@gmail.com

Skin suits…they really do help in Time Trials and Racing. There is a wide choice from around £100 to over £200 for the very best.

IMG_0391 Jane M GAC_1487 Tom SS W GAC_1525 skin suit RIH W

Rain & Wind jacket £49. Some sizes of the earlier Champion jackets now at £30 and the ProSport jackets at just £20! Waterproof, high neck. Essential in cold or wet weather, or after an event, fits in the bigger ‘water bottle’ style container or back pocket.

 

Rain jacket/gilet storage bottle    Storage-Bottle 2

Long sleeve winter fleece top £79. Earlier Pro-sport tops at £40. A multi purpose, full zip, long sleeve, winter training top, three pockets. Incredibly warm and with base layers, still toasty down to zero degrees.

 

Gilet/short sleeve waistcoat/vest £47.00. Earlier versions £45 and Pro Sport at £20. An essential item! Versatile, lightweight, mesh back, full zip. Easily fits in small water bottle type container or back pocket.

 

Short sleeve tops £47.00 to £58 with mobile phone pocket, club or race cut. Superb in summer or spring, three rear pockets. Worn with arm warmers can extend the temperature range downwards for chilly mornings.

 

Professional Bib shorts from £59.00. Very high quality with the ‘endurance pad’ and silicone leg grippers. With the firmer ‘Grand Fondo’ pad: £79. ‘Apex’ pro-design shorts are £129. Longer leg option by special order, no extra charge.

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Non-bib shorts £49. Popular with ladies and cooler in the summer. Only a few sizes held in stock, other by special order.

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OxtedCC Off-Road

With the increasing interest in Gravel/Adventure riding as well as mountain biking, OxtedCC has started an off-road group for those who want to explore more of our countryside.

Our aim is to cater for all cycling activities that involve taking to the local trails and beyond. 

Gravel, CycloCross, MTB and adventure touring. 

Depending on the activity, we meet at different locations such as the Surrey Hills, so we are straight into the action. 

Riding Gravel/Adventure bikes allows us to mix on-road and off-road to explore further. 

We will also be participating in events such as CycloCross racing, Cross Country events, endurance racing and epic rides like the CX Century South Downs Way. ​​​​​

If you are interested in getting involved and joining Oxted CC Off-Road, why not come out for a ride with us?

In the first instance, please contact David on 07747 697 562. Email: 07747 697 562

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oxtedoffroad