Chelmer Cycling Club

The Chelmer Cycling Club is based in Chelmsford, Essex, UK. Our Club is just over 60 years old and has over 180 members. Our members range from three to eighty-five years of age and come from all over East Anglia.

We have our own headquarters in Chelmsford in which we hold our training and social events. We meet regularly on Wednesday evenings from around 8.00 p.m., for social purposes and at other times for training and events during the week, or weekends. The HQ is at the end of Meteor Way, off Waterhouse Lane. We have a fitness suite with the most up-to-date computerized cycle training equipment, showers and changing rooms.

We are affiliated to all the major cycling organizations in the UK so by joining us you are eligible to ride their events as well as ours. We can arrange third party insurance for our members.

We have special events for youngsters, including the new 'Bikeability' National Standards cycle training scheme, that replaces ‘Cycling Proficiency’. We work in local schools running training schemes and skill activities using our own coaches. We are a British Cycling 'Go Ride' club and also now hold the Gold standard of 'Club SX', Essex County Council's scheme for club accreditation. These kite-marks ensure we have all the facilities and checks in place to ensure that our members have the best possible experience from the club.

We run the new ‘Bikeability' National Standards cycle training scheme for adults on behalf of Essex County Council, to encourage people who have never cycled before, or have not cycled for many years; to cycle for fitness or utility purposes. To learn more please have a look at the training page of Cycle Training East, one of our sister web-sites by following the link here. Training You can navigate back to the Chelmer site via the links on Cycle Training East’s 'Home' and 'Getting Fitter pages.

We have around thirty cycles of various sizes including a tandem and children's sizes. These are available for members to use, so new members can try out several bikes before buying their own.

Our touring rides range from a few miles to major overseas tours and our famous 'Gateau Runs' are as popular as ever. (Gateau runs are steady rides in the country for the less fit riders, stopping at a tea room specially chosen for culinary excellence. They are always at the speed of the slowest rider in the group, so you can never be left behind)

We have a special 'Family' ride that runs at the same time as the Gateau rides, so we are able to cope with all needs and abilities.

We organise charity events. Our last one had 600 cyclists and raised £17,000 for a local children’s hospice.

For the more competitive riders, we have racing and time trial events (see separate page) These are held on Thursdays throughout the spring and summer, as well as some weekends. Our racing members are amongst the best in the county, with ‘Chelmer’ coming second in the Eastern Counties Cycling Association's 'Festival' event last year. This put us at the top of the amateur clubs in the region, beating twenty-five other clubs. (The 'Festival' is a four-day competition that has twenty events ranging from touring rides to road races and time trials).

We have regular training rides for Junior and Senior Riders and a variety of long distance training events including weekends away.

Weekly news updates are sent to all those who have e-mail facilities and other news and articles are published here on this web site.

We have our own design of top quality clothing, modern and bright for safety/visibility, yet it's reasonably priced.

How much do all these benefits cost? Full adult membership is just £30.00, plus £12.00 for third party insurance, unless you belong to either British Cycling or the Cyclists Touring Club, who include insurance in their membership. Juvenile membership (up to 16) is just £5.00 and Juniors (16-18) are £10.00. To join us, contact the secretary, full contact details are on the ‘Club Officials’ page or click on the ‘Join Us’ page and download our application form.

Training bikes hanging in our store

Some of the computerized training

equipment in our HQ.

So what's the difference between the ‘Chelmer’ and other cycling clubs?

Most clubs specialize in just one or two aspects of cycling! We are a 'club for everyone' from novices to experts. We are happy to take members who have never even ridden a bike and we will support, encourage and coach them, to whatever level they aspire!