The Clarion - December 2024

National Clarion Cycling Club 1895 ~ an association of Clarion Cycling Clubs December 2024

Follow us to the Buxton Easter Meet

The front cover is the work of renowned Chiswick born illustrator Clifford Harper.

Harper is a self-taught graphic artist whose bold illustrations resembling woodcuts he creates using pencil, pen and ink. He was one of the founders of the London Eel Pie Island commune in the late 1960s and was to become an activist in many of the city’s squats during the 1970’s. He has produced books, pamphlets, posters, book covers, postcards and drawings for many radical and anarchist publications, as well as for several British newspapers. He is perhaps most well-known for the iconic black and white drawings which appeared weekly in The Guardian’s ‘Country Diary’.

Harper wrote and illustrated ‘Anarchy: A Graphic Guide’, which, was published by Camden Press in 1987. It begins: "Like all really good ideas, Anarchy is pretty simple when you get down to it - Human beings are at their very best when they are living free of authority, deciding things among themselves rather than being ordered about.

That's what 'Anarchy' means - 'Without Government'.

suggests a path to the fairer and more just society sought by the labourers of Tolpuddle.

The organisation of society upon the basis of a Co-operative Commonwealth.

To socialise the means and instruments of production and distribution of wealth, everyone to give useful service, and in return to receive an equitable share of the wealth produced.

To prevent the domination of class over mass.

‘We raise the watchword ‘Liberty’. We will, we will, we will be free’ George Loveless He also produced a series of sketches on the Tolpuddle Martyrs: six Dorset agricultural labours whose heinous crime was to form a Friendly Society to protect their families when the wealthy landowners proposed to cut their pitiful wages. They were all found guilty of swearing a secret oath and sentenced to be transported to Australia. A crime which King William IV and many of his landed gentry friends committed when they joined the Freemasons. One Law for the rich, no justice for the workers.

The 1927 National Clarion handbook

Not to rob anyone, but to check robbery.

Not to deprive anybody, but to provide decent food, shelter, clothing and education for all.

Not to ‘share out’ wealth but to prevent usurpation of the Commonwealth.

Not to create strife, but to set up Cooperation.

Not to feed the shirker at the cost of the worker but to order that ‘he who will not work shall not eat’ whether he be tramp or Duke.

Footnote: In 2005 National Clarion CC reintroduced an annual Member’s Handbook to keep members informed of the Club’s Rules and their rights. A service to members now sadly lost.

Know your History

The first Clarion Cycling Club, formed at the Bond Street Labour Church on Constitution Hill, Birmingham in 1894, took its name from a weekly Socialist newspaper The Clarion. The National Clarion Cycling Club was founded a year later at an Easter Meet in Ashbourne attended by a number of the newly established Clarion Cycling Clubs. The ‘National Club’ was to be: ‘the association of the various Clarion Cycling Clubs for the purpose of Socialist propaganda and for promoting inter-club runs between the clubs in different towns’.

The National Clarion Cycling Club was not established as a membership organisation, it was to be an ‘association’ with each individual Clarion Cycling Club being an autonomous organisation responsible for setting their own agenda, rules, and membership subscription.

These independent Clubs were free from the dictatorship of the newly elected 3-man National Committee whose role was not to interfere in the running of local Clarion Cycling Clubs. Following the 1896 Easter Meet in Bakewell, Robert Blatchford reported in The Clarion: The National Committee was a model because nothing was done that caused pain or discomfort to anyone, or to bind anyone to a hard and fast line. There is no attempt to interfere in any way with the perfect freedom and local independence of any club connected with the union’.

At first individual Clarion Cycling Clubs were not required to pay any levy or member subscription to the National Club.

This changed in 1901 when the annual conference agreed to raise a national levy of one penny per member. This was to be collected by each Club at the end of the season. The National Clarion Cycling Club did not hold individual membership records until after the 1906 Easter Meet in Warwick, when conference voted that individual Clarion Clubs should become ‘Sections’ of the National Clarion Cycling Club and would be required to pay an annual sum of three pence per member. This came about because the National Clarion Cycling Club had decided to follow the much larger CTC in offering insurance cover for its members.

To register as an Insurance Society under the Friendly Societies Act, necessitated the Club to hold individual membership details for each paying member of the various Clarion Cycling Clubs.

National Clarion Cycling Club 1895 (North Lancs Union) formed in 2006, stands firmly by the Clarion motto of old: 'Socialism: The Hope of the World', the Socialist Ten Commandments and the fight for a new society with Love as its Law, Justice its Foundation. The Club remains loyal to the aims of the founders; namely ‘to combine the pleasures of cycling with the propaganda of Socialism’.

NCCC1895 believes that individual Clarion Cycling Clubs are more than capable of managing their own affairs in a manner that reflects the interests of their members, free from the interference of a burdensome and increasingly irrelevant National Committee.

NCCC1895 organises Clarion Sunday and two annual Meets: one at Easter the other in the Autumn to which all Clarion members past and present are invited. It also produces ‘The Clarion’, a free twice-yearly newsletter.

Affiliation is open to any Clarion Cycle Club free of subscription.

Individual membership is available through London Clarion Cycle Club.

Road Traffic Accidents (Part 2) Following the article on traffic accidents in the May edition of The Clarion, Paul McKittrick from Smooth Law writes the following response to the question cyclists often ask: ‘should I report an incident to the Police if I’m knocked off my bike?’

Most people if asked would tell you it’s not needed, only if it’s serious. But it’s not as straight forward an answer as that. On the face of it, there may appear to be different influencing factors that drop in to make the prudent course of action seem a little like crystal ball territory. Hopefully the following, born from hard earned experience will put things into perspective.

So, lets imagine the scenario; it’s a quiet Sunday morning, you’re out on your own,10 miles into a 30 mile ride, the weathers great and you’re feeling solid and a car pulls from a side road on to your carriageway. You’ve no chance of doing anything other than clench your teeth, wait for impact and think about turning your Strava off as soon as possible. Pretty classic scenario and no arguments as to who to point the finger of blame at.

Lets start splitting out the consequences; you have nominal injuries fortunately but the pride and joy is a mangled mess (or if carbon fibre, a splintered mess). It’s unusual these days to find anyone who doesn’t have a smart phone so time to make use of its features. Take an image of the fault vehicle number plate and if visible the VIN number too (if you can see it in the near side bottom of the windscreen). Ideally, and if possible, an image of the driver but you may get some objection. The driver then needs to provide

their name and address, maybe have some proof in support (photo that too) and armed with these details and the images as we’re assuming there’s no witnesses (if there were then get their details too, bare minimum being name and contact number) and the fault driver is behaving reasonably you’ve done all you’re able to do at the scene.

Don’t admit fault or make any comment that could come back to haunt you, the accident circumstances in this scenario support you.

At this point do you call the Police?

The option is very much open to you but our advice is yes, you should. There’s an immediate motoring offence to be addressed (driving without due care) and you don’t know with any degree of certainty the driver is actually insured or banned so the possibility of other offences exists too. If the other driver is cooperative and apologetic this course of action may seem a little excessive and you’ll experience some moral conflict. But the actions taken now are in anticipation of a worst-case scenario (which may never happen) of the other driver having no insurance, providing false personal details, the car being a clone (i.e. it’s stolen, displays false plates of a car that hasn’t been stolen, so looks, at first glance like it’s legitimate) or at some point later on denying they were even involved. Sounds far-fetched and over the top. Sadly not, we’ve experienced one/all the above fairly frequently and with the rising cost of insurance and in panic mode some fault drivers act out of character thinking (or more accurately not thinking) that they can avoid a claim on their policy by being untruthful.

So a call to the Police is best advice but the likelihood of an Officer attending the scene is likely to be low if not nil. In fairness your call and the event are going to be classed as low priority and they will probably note you’ve already exchanged details so their involvement has no benefit. However, you can ask that a crime reference number be created/registered, or should you decide to report later, but no later than within the next 14 days, request the crime reference number then. Why is this 14 day window and crime reference number so important? There’s an organisation called the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). They, in simple terms, step in and deal with compensating non-fault individuals for their losses when they are involved in an incident with an uninsured or untraced motorist. Here’s the kicker, one of their qualifying criteria is that an incident must have been reported to the Police in a ‘reasonable period of time’ which means within 14 days from date of the event. But you may say ‘the other driver was nice, apologetic, their car brand new and they’ve told me their insurers will deal with everything’. All is very possibly true, may dissuade you from reporting and in most cases it will all workout fine. But with insurers not known for speed in responding to claims it could be several weeks before you hear anything. If you eventually hear from insurers and that is after the 14 days, then discover something’s wrong (insurance is invalid, fake details etc) and now report to Police, they may take action from a driving offence prosecution perspective, but the MIB will likely decline to accept any civil claim for your losses as it’s reported out of their qualifying time criteria.

If you sustain nasty injures (and our experience is that this is more likely to be true than not for cyclists) then the probability of the emergency services being called are pretty high and both Ambulance and Police are likely to attend and takeover control of the scene. Their (Police) attendance will automatically trigger a crime reference number, they’ll gather the details of the other party and witnesses saving you

the need so the decision is taken out of your hands and your interests are protected.

So the prudent, fail safe answer to the original question; ‘Should I report an incident to the Police? is ‘Yes’, get a crime reference number and the option is always open to claim to the MIB if an insurer denies cover, at some point in the future.

The law classes cyclists as vulnerable road users along with pedestrians, motorcyclists, horse riders, and minors. So, in a hierarchy of risk the law recognises cyclists elevated exposure to harm more than, say a motorist or HGV for obvious reasons and there is protection and remedies in place to help.

This probably all sounds a little complicated and perhaps overkill but if you plan for the worst and the best-case scenario happens you’ve always had you’re interests protected from day one.

Smooth Law (which incorporates Sorrymate Cycle) deals only with two wheeled claims and we’re Clarion’s preferred legal adviser for cycling claims/incidents. As a Clarion member you have free access to our advice on freephone 0800 470 1174, so whether you want reassurance, direction or decide to pass any claim to us to deal for you, that option is always available. Of note we work, ‘no win, no fee’ and our fees are discounted for Clarion members too.

We are noting a rise in uninsured fault drivers and for us to recover clients’ losses via the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) incidents need to be reported formally to the Police within two weeks from date of incident. If it’s too late, then the MIB can decline to deal and we’re a bit snookered.

Wise words, thanks Paul. So don’t just whine in the café, take ACTION.

The Lady Cyclist

By Lillian Campbell-Davidson President of the Lady Cyclists’ Association December 1895 Society today is divided into three classes – those who bicycle, those who are trying to, and those who would like to. It is the burning interest of the hour, this cycling craze; and as the manufacturers all tell us that the largest orders, they have received already for the coming season have been for ladies’ machines, the side of cycling that relates to women is naturally becoming the most vital.

I propose out of a pretty long and varied experience of cycling, to give my readers as much practical advice and help on the subject as they can need, I have been a cyclist for the last twelve years, and I think I have known pretty nearly every side of cycling. In the old days we were constant to our tricycles; now we have thrown over those trusty friends for the two-wheeler. But I feel that the more sedate machine still possesses charms for the elderly, the delicate and the timid.

Bicycling looks so absurdly, delightful till one tries it. Then it suddenly seems so difficult that one is tempted to regard with respect and envy the most miserable little street boy who can whirl part us with confidence and ease. But let the learner take courage; every effort makes the thing more easy; and the balance suddenly comes when one expects it least. Bye-and-bye you will smile when you think of your early wobblings.

There is a golden rule to observe in connection with learning. Don’t do it on a new machine of your own. There is always the danger of injuring it by a sudden jerk or slip over – if one does no worse harm, one is pretty certain to scratch or chip the enamel and spoil the good looks of the machine. I should like to add another bit of golden advice to this one – don’t try to teach yourself. Adventurous women have done so before now, by the dozen, but they must be prepared to undergo cuts, bruises, shaking and a good deal of demolishment of their nerve. Some women, and especially those who are not used to the more adventurous forms of exercise, are so nervous about attempting a new thing that present possible risks that they are timid in any case about trusting themselves on a bicycle.

I always advise people, where possible, to go to a good cycle school. These abound all over London and are springing up like mushrooms all over the country; in fact, every cycle depot now makes a special feature of teaching ladies, and many have rooms in which instruction can be given in winter and in wet weather. The Trafalgar Club in Chelsea

is the perfection of a school, but the membership is select and the subscription very high. Here the learner has her first lesson in an upstairs room, with excellent dressing rooms and bathrooms close by.

Once she can get on a little, she goes down to a covered velodrome in the garden, and when she is perfect there is a racing track all round the square, just outside for her to practice on. One thing I cannot too strongly condemn and that is the practice of some beginners to venture amongst other riders before they have perfect control over their machines. It is a source of great annoyance, discomfort and danger to every other cyclist. Street riding is also a frightfully dangerous thing to undertake when one is a novice. To ride through crowded traffic involves so much peril, that no woman ought to attempt it.

Lady Norrys thinks a few tumbles in learning to cycle do one good and bruises teaches one. I don’t agree as I can’t see any special object in learning with pain where one might learn with pleasure. So let them follow my advice, and get themselves properly taught at a good school, where style in riding forms part of the instruction. If they can’t do this, let them get an instructor from the nearest depot. Failing all these methods, let them bribe, coax or hire a masculine friend to hold up their machine, and guide them while they achieve balance. I say masculine friend because a feminine one is not half as much use – she is not strong, she more easily tires of running beside you, and she is not so safe to topple over upon – if you must topple! But the masculine friend must be patient and long suffering and steady in temper; otherwise the friendship between you may come to a hasty termination.

There is no record of Lillian CampbellDavidson ever having joined London Clarion but one does suspect she was a member of The Cyclist’s Chaperon Association which provided ”gentlewomen of good social position to conduct ladies on bicycle excursions and tours”. These gentlewomen had to satisfy strict criteria to qualify as guardians of virtue. They were married ladies, widows or unmarried ladies over 30. They needed three personal references, two from ladies of unquestionable social position and another from a clergyman of the church – all this to protect women from becoming morally debased by their bicycles.

Not a word about fun, comradeship or heaven forbid ‘bounderising’.

Why ride a single speed machine?

Multi-geared bicycles are marvels of, not so modern, technology. However, if you're riding for sheer pleasure and don't place a high premium on getting that all important ‘after ride kudos’ from your mates, then you may be a candidate for a single speed bike.

A single-speed bike is more efficient than a multi geared one but only in the conditions which suit the single gear ratio. While that gear ratio will not be the "perfect" ratio for all conditions, it is considerably more efficient mechanically than the train-drive of a derailleur bike and is noticeably quicker and easier to pedal than a multi-speed bike in the same gear ratio.

Single speed comes in two different forms: free-wheel and fixed-wheel. A fixed-wheel bike differs in that it does not permit freewheeling: when the bike is moving, the pedals will turn. A fixed gear gives a degree of control and one-ness with the bike that is not equalled by a freewheeling bike. Fixed wheel however is not well suited for seriously hilly terrain. If your single gear is low enough for climbing, it will be too low to spin on the descents. A high gear ratio of 78 inch will be fast on the level but too hard to pedal up the hills. A low figure of 52 inch will be easy to pedal up hills, descending the other side however would be difficult and even on the flat you would be spinning like fury. If you’re planning to tour the world on fixed, then try something around 64 inches.

A fixed-wheel machine is generally not suitable for fast, technical mountain biking.

A mountain biker must be able to control when each pedal is down, to avoid striking a pedal on rocks, logs or other obstructions.

Similarly, jumping over obstacles is much more difficult on a fixed-wheel bicycle.

Also, if your single gear is low enough for off-road climbing, it will be too low to spin on fast descents where a degree of pedal resistance is essential.

You don't have to choose once and for all between fixed and free wheel, because the same bike can be both, if you use a reversible "flip-flop" hub.

A single speed bike dispenses with the weight of the derailleur, front mech, shifters, cables, extra sprockets and longer chain. A single speed machine runs the chain in a perfectly straight line from sprocket to chainwheel and avoids the ‘dog leg’ like twist through the pulleys on the derailleur.

Single speed bikes are also considerably sturdier and more reliable than multispeed bikes. There's no derailleur to damage if the bike falls over or to get trapped in the spokes of the rear wheel should you overshift. The rear wheel is also a lot stronger than one dished to make room for as many as 13 sprockets.

Health Warning: riding ‘fixed’ can be addictive and may cause you to purchase several bikes to suit your planned routes.

Clarion Clubhouses Reliability Trial 1926 An account of a 24-hour Clarion Clubhouse Tour was written in 1971 by Wilf Lever of Bury Clarion C&AC.

What wonderful happy memories old photographs can revive! It was at Bury Section’s 70th anniversary re-union that amongst the nostalgic display I spotted a photograph taken on the lawn at Handforth Club House in 1926. It was the occasions of the first round the Clarion Clubhouses’ reliability trial. Not many present members remember that we had clubhouses at Handforth, Tottington, Ribchester, Chevin End (Otley), Dore Moor (Sheffield).

Manchester Union decided to organize a 24hour ride round the five, starting and finishing at the Handforth Clubhouse.

Four of us from Bury rode to Handforth Club House on the Saturday and joined fifty Clarionettes from other sections for a 5pm start. Amongst the older stalwarts were Pa Deveney, Tom White, Colin Coats leading the way back to Bury and up the steep climb to Tottington Club House for a tea break.

South East Lancs Clarion Clubhouse Then on through Darwen and Blackburn, where a pile up in the tram lines near Salesbury caused the younger end to keep a wary eye on ‘digging in’ on back wheels!

Darkness came and oil and acetylene lamps were lit as after an hour’s meal stop we left Ribble Valley Clubhouse.

Ribble Valley Clubhouse (Ribchester) On route to Whalley and a combined push (afoot) up Sawley Brow. Moonlight shone through the trees as we left Gisburn, a puncture at Broughton where we four from Bury got left whilst we repaired it (very few drop out fork ends in those days). On to Skipton where we lost the bunch and scorched like mad through Ilkley to the Yorkshire Clubhouse at Chevin End – to find that we were the first to arrive!

Hedge Cuttings and the Law

Yorkshire Clubhouse (Menston) A four hand on the pocket-sized billiard table was in full progress when the remainder arrived, and we had to take ‘wigging’ from Tom White for not following them round Bolton Abbey!

Dawn was breaking as we passed through Leeds and the market sweepers were busy at Barnsley. From here the young bloods began to ‘pull on the bit’. After Pa Deveney and Colin Coates had called the whole lot together with orders to keep together, a more orderly group climbed out of Sheffield to Dore Moor clubhouse.

Sheffield Clubhouse (Dore Moor) Another meal and roll call and away again up Mam Tor, through Whaley Bridge, to Handforth before 5pm. Photographs taken, and a promise of a certificate ended a 165 miles ride to remember for many years.

Sadly, all these Clubhouses closed many years ago. Which is why it’s so important Clarion cyclists continue to support the Nelson ILP Clarion Clubhouse at Roughlee.

For information on Clarion Clubhouses see: www.clarionclubhouses.cambrianmoon.com

‘Hedge cuttings on the highway are dangerous. Clean them up straight away or up to £1000 could be cleaned from your pocket’. (Source: Lancashire County Council Environment Directorate leaflet).

It is an offence under the Highways Act 1980 to obstruct the Highway or endanger any user of the Highway.

OFFENCES WHICH ARE EACH SUBJECT TO A MAXIMUM £1000 FINE. This means that in respect of hedge cuttings it is an offence to leave cuttings on the road, footpath or cycle track which delay or endanger cyclists or harm other users.

Those who suffer delay or damage may also be able to sue those responsible for compensation.

If the Local Authority is called out to sweep up the cuttings, those responsible could face paying for the cost of sweeping. A cost of £600 is typical.

Hedge cuttings on the Highway should be reported to the Local Council’s Highways Department rather than the Police.

Waving through motor vehicles Many experienced cyclists believe it is considerate and polite to wave motorised vehicles past on narrow country lanes.

However, there are several reasons why this is not good practice, especially when riding with a group.

1. It is not for you to encourage a driver to make an overtake based on your judgement.

2. You have no idea as to the experience, age, confidence or competence of the driver.

3. It encourages others, possibly nondriving, members to copy your action.

4. It potentially endangers everyone in the group following behind you.

Ipswich Autumn Meet in pictures

Saturday’s ride was

Robert Blatchford remembered on the Meet Ribbons courtesy of London Clarion

to a pub, where else?

The first pints of Friday night

Alison and Alan enjoy at chat in Felixstowe and a game of charades

Good company and good fellowship

Cheers, see you at Easter in Buxton

A good read for Christmas

More than just a cycling club

Cycling offered ordinary men and women an escape from the world of long working hours and poor living conditions. The 'magic wheel' also gave them an enjoyable way of spreading the message that Socialism could change that world as they cycled in support of the horse-drawn Clarion Vans that carried the good news of Socialism to towns and villages throughout the land.

The late Denis Pye, who like Ivan Illich, sincerely believed that “Socialism will only come riding on a bicycle” some years ago submitted the following article for publication in Boots and Spurs, the magazine of the National Clarion Cycling Club. “….what has held the Clarion together for over a century is dedication to the ideals and principles which have made it different from other organisations – and more than just a cycling club. The National Clarion has survived many challenges to its existence over the last fifty or sixty years. In response, we could do no better than quote the words of one National Secretary, Joe Rigby, in 1955:- “With monotonous regularity over the past few years we have been asked at our Annual Conference why we persist in continuing an association which no longer appears to hold any meaning. The answer is, in my opinion, (and I know it is the opinion of many of our members) that as a cycling club we should stand by our belief in Socialism – not because we want our members to talk politics, but so that we have a common bond between us. Our members can propagate their principles in their conduct in the club and if they wish to do so in a more active manner, there are ample opportunities outside of cycling club activities. We cannot expect or insist that our younger members have any political opinions, but if by the example of our older members we can demonstrate that our Clarion motto of ‘Fellowship is Life’ is a living thing, there can be no doubt that we shall be helping to maintain the tradition which pioneers of our Club worked for”.

This updated edition also marks a line drawn in the sand when in the Spring of 2021 the National Clarion Cycling Club voted to remove support for the Principles of Socialism from the Club’s Constitution.

National Clarion CC 1895 was formed to ensure that the Club’s historic link with Socialism remains an unbroken.

Footnote: a quote from Ian Clarke, National Secretary NCCC dated Sept 18th, 2014: I am thinking about changing our slogan from ‘Fellowship is Life’ to ‘The On-bike Social Networking Club’. He adds, some may think its a ‘pretty natty’ slogan for the 21st century. Others just shake their heads in disbelief.

(National Clarion 1895 publishing) Available from londonclarion.org.uk The 2022 updated 3rd edition revised by Christopher Goode with an introduction by Wendy Pye contains new information on the history of the National Clarion Cycling Club.

"Fellowship is Life", originally published in 1995 was written by Bolton Clarion member Denis Pye and tells the story of the Clarion Cycling Club from its inception in Birmingham in 1894 to the present day.

Tom Groom, secretary of the first Clarion Cycling Club along with six comrades linked the coming of the Safety Bicycle with the founding of the popular Socialist weekly The Clarion, starting a movement which swept the country in the years before the First World War.

Clarion Sunday

Polar explorer Iain Mentiply (London Clarion) recently undertook a fund-raising ride for Epilepsy Ireland from the North Pole Bar (Drumfree) in County Donegal to the South Pole Inn (Annascaul) in County Kerry a distance of 370 miles. He raised over £3,500 and created great publicity for this worthy cause.

by Rod Walmsley from Ribble Urban Sketchers

This year the annual Meet of Clarion cyclists at the Nelson ILP Clarion House took place on an unseasonably cold day in late September. 171 cyclists and guests, representing 14 different Clarion Clubs were entertained by combined Clarion Choirs.

Thanks to London Clarion for providing Meet ribbons, to David Bisset of Bolton Clarion for making over 130 sandwiches and to Sharon Urmston (Barlick Clarion) for baking and organising the cake stall.

Be proud of your Club’s history.

On a January day in 1901, seven determined ladies mounted their bicycles, adjusted their flowing skirts and straw boaters, then rode slowly through the streets of Bury. They ignored the cries of ‘shame’ and ‘hussies’ from outraged pedestrians and the boos of children running alongside. Following the ladies at a respectable distance came 20 men, also on bicycle. These 27 cyclists had a mission that day, besides founding Bury Clarion Cycling Club; they were intent on preaching Socialism as soon as they reached nearby Tottington.

Easter Meet 2025 National Clarion CC 1895 ‘Calls’ all Clarion cyclists and friends to a grand Easter Meet to be held in Buxton 2025 April 18th to 21st.

Meet Headquarters will be Premier Inn – London Road, Buxton. SK17 9NW There will be easy rides each day of 30-40 miles using the Monsal, High Peak and Tissington cycle trails.

On Easter Sunday we will visit The Isaac Walton Hotel in Dovedale where in 1895 the National Clarion Cycling Club was founded to be ‘the association of the various Clarion Cycling Clubs for the purpose of Socialist propaganda and for promoting inter-club runs between clubs of different towns’.

Rides will depart at 10.30am from Meet HQ on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

We promise a weekend of cycling, bounderising, good fellowship and fun. All attendees will receive a commemorative Meet ribbon, a Clarion tradition too valuable to be lost.

In Memory To mark the passing of Past President of the NCCC, Brian Nightingale.

In darker times when others fell by the wayside, Brian stayed true to the Club’s Aims and its Socialist roots. national.clarion1895@gmail.com