About Us

The Epic Cycles Road Club club was formed in mid April 2008, and came about as a result of the regular Saturday social rides from the shop. The idea behind the club is to build on the friendly, welcoming and accessible nature of the social rides by adding a sense of membership, but without any kind elitism or exclusivity.

Our focus is on road riding in all its forms, but we do venture off into the dirt for a bit of MTB-ing from time to time, and even try our hands at cyclo cross come the winter. While the club is affiliated to both British Cycling and the CTT (Cycling Time Trials), we are definitely not exclusively about racing – although, through the Race Team, this is a growing part of the club’s activities. Central to the club are things like cyclosportives, where we try to meet up at the start of events and set out as a club - although we don't always finish in one group, given the nature of these things! Also on the agenda are outings to cycling venues around the region – from great road riding country, through velodrome trips, to training sessions on the local Stourport Circuit.

One thing we won’t be doing is sticking to a fixed set of activities – so please, if you would like to get involved or have an idea for something we should be doing, let us know…the more input we get, the better.

If you you fancy joining, then just download our membership form, or drop into the shop and talk to us about what we are up to - or even drop us an email at club@epic.cycles.co.uk and we'll email you back.

Race Team

During 2009 we set up the Epic Cycles Race Team, and it has been a runaway success – bringing both wins, results, league championships and bags of BC points, but also (more importantly) encouraging lots of first time participation in road racing…while having a great time in the process.

The Race Team (RT) is focussed on road racing in all its forms – whether junior, senior or veteran, on open roads, closed circuits and even the track (OK, so that one isn’t really “road” racing, but it comes from the same stable).

The number one aim of the RT is to promote participation in road racing – it is absolutely not exclusively for elite or experienced racers. The sport of road racing can appear quite daunting and off putting to newcomers, however talented or experienced they are in other forms of riding - we hope through the RT to encourage riders to enter into road racing in all its forms by providing an opportunity to race, train with, and learn from team mates in a positive and friendly environment.

Of course we hope that the team will have enjoy success in races – the last two seasons certainly showed that, with riders picking up wins, placings and team prizes etc – road racing is a competitive sport after all! But perhaps the greatest measures of whether the team is succeeding or not is the atmosphere within the team, the numbers taking part and the take up of new riders. And on this measure things have turned out just as we had hoped - the team and the buzz around it has grown steadily, with riders from other clubs commenting regularly on the team work and team spirit at races...we seem always to be the first to arrive and the last to leave!

As a member of the Race Team you are of course also a regular member of Epic Cycles RC, as the RT is really just a discipline specific group within the wider club – so all other aspects of cycling are catered for. In turn, if you are a member of the Epic Cycles RC (without being part of the RT) you can of course come along and have a go at a road race alongide your RT club mates. But the RT itself is intended as a road racing team, so membership is only open to riders who plan to take part in a reasonable number of races (5 or more) during the year and to shop staff.

There is no fixed race programme that members will be obliged to attend, as we all have busy lives that mean we can’t always be available to order! But there will be some races that we would like to focus on and put a decent sized team into.

If you are interested in road racing as part of the RT please drop us an email at club@epic.cycles.co.uk and we'll email you back.

Membership

Membership to Epic Cycles Road Club is open to anyone – you do not need to be an elite racer, a beginner, a certain age, or anything like that. Anyone with a liking for sociable bike riding is welcome to join the club.

We also operate the Epic Cycles Race Team team for those who plan to take part in five or more road races in a season.  Membership of the RT  is open to riders of all levels – the membership form below also covers the RT, but membership is not automatically granted as numbers are capped (albeit at a high number), due to the need to create a coherent team. 

Please download the Membership Form to join up – you can return it to Epic Cycles shop or post it to the club secretary at the address on the form.

The cost is £10 per year for over 18s or £5 for under 18s. Membership runs for 12 months from 1st March each year – but if you join after 1st October 2011 your first membership will run until end Feb 2013 (i.e. you get the first part year for free). Once you join up, you will be able to purchase club jerseys at a subsidised rate - this is the white version below. The black kit is also on sale in the shop at slighty higher cost, as it is not subsidised by the club, but the white is the British Cycling registered version and so is the one you need to wear in BC races - the black can of course be worn at all other times, including sportives and LVRC races!

As a British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials affiliated club, we have a constitution, which we have kept as lightweight as possible.