ACC Anouncements

[monty]

If you are wondering where did the ACC Announcements go, it fell into the fault line when the forum crashed a few weeks ago. I will start to post the pertinent ACC info from the past & new events / ideas for the future....

[monty]

The new ACC kit can now be bought from GB's http://www.gbcycles.co.uk/ of South Croydon contact George Clare on mailto:george@gbcycles.co.uk or 020 86 88 50 94. The new kit has been a roaring success - if you inc the caps over 600 pieces of kit have been ordered from Santini (as of June 2003) & we havent started on the autumn/winter gear & bottles yet.

[monty]

We are now the 2nd largest CC in the England with 220 members. We've gone from 230th to 2nd in just 3 years, that's a staggering achievement by any standards & even more remarkable when you consider we were in terminal decline & about to expire by the turn of the millennium. Some of you may be aware I've a game plan to take ACC to the largest club in 5 yrs, at this exponential growth rate we may achieve it in 4.

[monty]

Captain/Treasurer Comments:

Total for all ACC clubruns (on & off-road) ? c2,800
Total racing for ACC - ??? c300

Membership growth
1998 - 2
1999 ? 0
2000 ? 16
2001 ? 54
2002 ? 54
2003 ? 13 (so far)

Current membership total ? 172
Target for end of Oct 2003- 200
Recruitment momentum is av. 1 newbee / week for last 2.5 years

Some of non-racing highlights
Road:
Tour of Flanders
Calais clubrun
Mallorca
ToSH
C-B-C
Alicante

Off-road:
Alps Freeraid
Lakes
Pennines
Aston Hill
Croydon-to-Coast

2002 Accts
Revenue has increased in all areas:
Subs
Racing - open & club
Canteens
Social events
Donations

Expenditure has increased, but not at the same pace e.g. Medals & engraving

Conclusion:
ACC is currently in a favourable Financial position & has experienced a dramatic turnaround from when I took over as Treasurer 2 yrs ago
As Captain, my personal goal has been to facilitate a positive experience for 1st timers, so they want to be part of something special.
If we maintain this positive experience for prospective members, we should continue to have a constant flow of newbees, a healthy Financial status & a vibrant club scene

[monty]

I've also been thinking we need to improve the organisation of our road clubruns, keeping the correct balance of fun & training but taking into consideration safety & insurance implications & I welcome any positive suggestions on this matter. I know some have found it difficult to believe because of the sheer numbers attending but this is an exclusive ACC clubrun PERIOD & NOT an open ride for anyone.

There are only 3 types of people allowed:
1. ACC members
2. Prospective members (someone who is trying out ACC to see if we are right for them)
3. Guests (e.g. friends of ACC members or members of another club).

On their 1st few clubruns all Prospective members & Guests should introduce themselves to me (Captain) or a Vice Captain in my absence. I'm not saying you have to be a member before you can join our clubruns but I think after a reasonable amount of time all Prospective members have to make a decision whether they want to join ACC or not, & so whether to ontinue riding with us or not.
Also if you have been a member of ACC & have not renewed your subs so your membership has lapsed, then unless you inform me of a good reason why you want to take a sabbatical I suggest you ride elsewhere.

As stated this is an ACC clubrun & the quality of the riding & the conduct of individuals reflect on the club, so for e.g. I don't want to see anyone riding 3 abreast or on the opposite side of the road. If anyone consistently disregards the highway code or shows lack of respect for other cyclists/road users, whether you are a member or not I will be asking you to ride elsewhere."

[monty]

New format for the ACC Sat road clubrun - there will be up to 5 regular grps dependant on numbers & abilties @ CSS. We clearly need to do 'exactly as it says on the can' so riders can make informed decisions, otherwise we create a credibility gap:

9.00 Everyone arrive @ CSS (speed is av form CSS to CSS)
9.10 Racinggrp 21 MPH Extd dual-carriageway circuit
9.15 Traininggrp 19 MPH Extd circuit
9.20 Steadygrp 17 MPH Usual curcuit via dual carriageway @
9.25 Easygrp 15 MPH Via Partridge
9.30 J4Fgrp 13 MPH Direct to Charlwood Pine Cafe

Now that everyone is used to the order of departure from CSS with the faster guys leaving 1st, we need to do the same when leaving the caf. If we split into 3-5 grps again with a few mins gap between grps there will be no chasing down & overtaking in narrow country lanes. Most importantly we will not be altogether on the 500mts stretch of the A217 where we move from the left to the right-hand lane in order to turn right, this can be frustrating for drivers & dangerous for 50+ cyclists.

ALL FIRST TIMERS (whatever their ability) are funnelled into the 13MPH, 15MPH or 17MPH grp & are NOT ALLOWED in the 19MPH or 21MPH grp until they have learned the Agreeable Code of Conduct, which inc's riding in a bunch, looking backwards only @ the front, maintaining a cohesive grp, rotating @ the front to share the work effort, maintaining a consistent pace, riding predictably, max 2 abreast, no half-wheeling, communication/signalling up & down the grp on hazards or movement, holding a wheel, adhering to the highway code & thru n off

[monty]

I heard that Steve Cave came on the clubrun recently. Steve has never been an ACC member & during a 15 min phone call I had with him in Feb to tell him he is banned forever from ACC activities, he confessed to never wanting to join ACC. I believe he recently joined the 34 Nomads. Most of you prob don't recognise him & those who do didn't tell him not to join in.

This is what happened in Feb 2003....

After the 'bike-rage' altercation @ 30 MPH on the dual carriageway by Steve Cave a few weeks ago a unanimous decision was made @ the clubhouse to ban him forever from all ACC clubruns/activities. This decision has been put in writing and I have told him 10 times during a recent phone call.

[monty]

John Ibbotson on Pro RRing
Steve Bayliss on Elite Triathlons
ACC Race Secretaries - organise your 2003 racing calendar
Paul Tunnell on Bike Maintanence
Phil O'Connor on Pro Cycling Photography
Keith Butler on RRing
Bring or Buy - bike n bits sale
Huw Williams with Lance's TdF 2001 bike
Phil Cavell - Serotta bike fitting process
Paul Carpenter with the ACC C+ Photos

[monty]

As we are close to the end of the ACC yr (31/10) & its time to reflect, so
I've listed my personal view of some of the highlights/achievements of the
'club' this yr...
1. Website, gazettes, digests & feedbacks- informative & entertaining,
instrumental in attracting newbees & shaping the values of members
2. M'ship up from 172 on 31/10/02 to 228 this week, on track to go from
230th to numero uno in 5 yrs. Whats even more remarkable is most have found
their own idiosyncratic way to add value to the club.
3. C'tee is now completely re-invented & refocused, a large & talented team
to support the fastest growing club in the UK
4. Clubhouse utilised (at last) with several Specials - 'club-building'
evenings & an opp to transfer knowledge from external specialists or ACC
stars. Not forgetting the Rollers comp, Turbo & Circuit training.
5. Club Ethos is still the most welcoming & agreeable of any CC - easy to
state but v.difficult to create & maintain
6. Prudent management means our financial status is @ its best for a
generation
7. Most media coverage ever - CW, C+, Eurosport, 220, Croydon Advertiser etc
& prob every cycling forum out there
8. New Kit design & availability thru GB's has been a runaway successful -
600 pieces in 6 mths & there's more to come.
9. Supa Summer Bash bringing members together off the bike & the Prizegiving
dinner with DD (which hasn't taken place yet) but I'm confident will be the
best ever
10. Rd Clubrun is the most successful in the UK & prob the most successful
CC recruitment model ever

[monty]

Name: Addiscombe Cycling Club
Bank: National Westminster
Branch: Addiscombe
Account Number: 87235617
Sort Code: 60-01-04


2003 & 2004 Sub Payment:
£19 Nineteen pounds Senior Member
£10 Ten pounds Senior Citizen Member
£10 Ten pounds Second Claim Member
£13 Thirteen pounds Full-time Students member
£10 Ten pounds Junior Member
£7 Seven pounds Social Member
£5 Five pounds Juvenile Member

[monty]

From Linda Good...

Circuit Training @ the clubhouse.... a combination of aerobic and anerobic exerciseto keep your lungs burning, your legs turning and your bum tight (!) over the Winter months. Starting on Wednesday 1st October, to be held in our Club Room at Christchurch Methodist Hall, 114 Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon from 8pm to 9pm costing only £3.

Please contact Linda Good on Linda@lngood.freeserve.co.uk
if you are interested or for more information.

[We've done this before and it is EXCELLENT! lots of *normal* people comingdown and doing exercises to music with a qualified keep fit coach. Suitable for non cycling folk - wives/mums/boyfriends etc

[monty]

It was Nov 1st, the beginning of the new ACC Yr & what a way to kick-start
the yr. Theoretically it should have been the middle of winter but that
didn't stop us smashing our all-time club record with 76 Agreeables on the
Best CR in the UK. Sorry Marco, you are going to have to revise the website
again, maybe you should organise a realtime feed from the CSS?. Alex P
coached our 1st Sat of the mth J4F grp to the caf & from what I heard from
this Ladies dominated grp he did a superb job, he's now earned enough
Brownie points to be invited to Mallorca in Feb!

[monty]

Here's the talented team to support the Best CC in the UK during 2004:
President - Joyce Smith
Captain - Andrew Montgomery
Treasurer - Phil Nash
Gen Sec - Alan Burns
PR Sec - Marco Framboli
TT Sec - Dave Palmer
Track Sec - Simon Johnson
CycloCross Sec - Richard Munday
MTB Sec - Sylvian Garde
DH Sec - Jason Thomas
Road Sec & RR Promoter - Paul Tunnel
Road Sec & Handicap RR Promoter - Chris Colford
Rollers Sec - Neil Stone
Audax Sec - Tim Wainwright
Triathlon Sec - Dan Benson
Coach & Youth Development Officer - Jayne Toyne
Welfare Officer - Andrew Smith
CycloCross co-Promoter - Mark Cole
3-UP Promoter - Nick Mann
10TT Promoter - Jonathan Hemmings
25TT Promoter - Linda Good
National U23's RR Promoter - Keith Knight
Track Comp Promoter - Richard Viney
Members data admin - John Sheridan
Social Sec - Eddie Mundy
Gazette Editor - Elliot Merrony
Insurance co-ordinator - Dennis Gillen
Minute Sec - Lorraine Jarvis
Vice Captains:
Alex Protasiuk
Tim Coales
Huw Williams
Dave Kennett
Daren Lowdnes
Amy Robinson
Doug Rollins
Ajay Khandelwal

[monty]

Found these guidelines from another club - which are relevant to ACC CR's also......

1. Road conduct

a. Know your Highway Code.
b. Look over your shoulder before starting or changing position.
c. If you need to stop for any reason, shout "STOPPING" before you slow down. Stop close to the verge.
d. Ride in single file on busy roads and under circumstances where it would otherwise be dangerous for vehicles to pass (defer to the leader?s judgment).
e. Never ride more than two abreast. (If riding alone within a group, ride behind the inner rider of a pair.)
f. Keep a safe distance from the cyclist in front, especially when riding two abreast; you or your partner may need to cut in suddenly.
g. Take care on lanes, looking over hedges and listening for approaching traffic. When riding the outside position of the leading pair, hold back on the approach to blind corners; there may be a car approaching.
h. Change to single file riding when the call "single-out" is heard - normally the inside rider of each pair moves forward, allowing the outside rider to slot in behind. If there is traffic behind which is unable to overtake, split into smaller groups of about 10 to help it pass.
i. Do not race off the front & split the grp (exception long uphills - at the top, stop where safe, to regroup).
j. Pass messages down the line so that everyone follows suit.
k. After junctions, each rider should check that there is still another rider following, and, if not, either wait at the junction or notify the Captain or VC's.
l. At a junction, do not block the sight of motorists already waiting to pull out.
m. Members wishing to leave the group should notify the Vice Captains (to avoid being treated as "missing persons").

2. Other safety factors

a. Cycles must be legal and roadworthy. Carry working front and rear lights when necessary.
b. Wear light or bright coloured clothing, an approved helmet of the correct size and correctly fitted can reduce head contact injuries.
c. Members should be courteous to all other road users.
d. As a minimum, you should carry:
- spare tube(s) and puncture repair kit, pump, tyre levers
- some drink, food and money for emergencies
- wet weather wear and warm clothing
- address and telephone contact number.
Mobile phone owners - please carry it for emergency use.
Use proper bike bags to carry the above.