Barts & The London Cycling Club (BLCC) is a friendly club open to both Barts and Queen Mary students. We welcome cyclists of all abilities; whether you are a complete beginner, a social cyclist or an experienced and competitive roadie.
We run training sessions throughout the week and we aim to enter a number of Time Trial events this year, Sportive events and even a tour following our successful venture to Snowdonia last year! We run social rides every weekend and ride to places around London (such as Brighton, Oxford and Cambridge). This is a great way to get out of the big smoke and meet new people whilst doing something fun and exploring the surrounding countryside. Depending on ability, the pace of these will vary (with multiple groups if numbers allow) but no one will be left behind. Cafe stops will be encouraged!
We are an open and friendly group of people who love bikes and want to share this with as many people as possible. We are focused on building peoples confidence, fitness and ability so don't worry if you're not there yet. These skills will help you become a better cyclist, commuter and stay fit and healthy in London. Come along to a session and see what you think!
Sometimes living in London can feel overwhelming. Riding your bike through the beautiful countryside surrounding the city is one of the best ways to de-stress. It's also an amazing excuse to eat lots of cake, have a good time and get better at one of the UK's fastest-growing sports.
If you do not feel confident cycling in London yet, we can facilitate two 2 hour free individual coaching sessions with a qualified instructor to teach the basics of city riding (open to all those living in tower hamlets and most other London boroughs). This is really useful for anyone looking to build up their skills making city riding seem a little less scary. We also do 1 session a week at Lee Valley cycling track which is closed to traffic.
Membership levels
First year cycling membership - This is the full membership for new members to the club. This means that if you haven't had a membership with us in the past you can join up with this membership regardless of the year of study you are in. It includes full access to all of our track sessions, our BLCC curated training plan, spin session/turbo access, social cycles and a chance to race for us in the coming year if you feel up to it! This has always been our best selling membership due to the value for money and access to world leading facilites on offer!
Senior cyclists membership - If you have been in the club for a year or more already then this is the membership for you if you want to continue to access the full range of sessions we put on.
Alumni membership - for all those past members of Bart's and QM that want to stay involved with the club. This membership entitles you to all of the benefits of the first and senior memberships.
Social membership - This option is great for those that want to get involved in BLCC, but are not fussed about the training sessions that we offer as a club. The social membership allows you to join us on our social rides (sundays) whilst enjoying all activities off of the bike too! Note: to attend Tuesday night training sessions a full membership is required.
(New for this year) Bolt on Coaching - New for 2023, BLCC is offering a bolt-on option to our full memberships (Year 1, senior, and alumni) offering once-a-month coaching with a British Cycling qualified coach and private hire of the Lee Valley Riverside circuit! This is a perfect opportunity to hone and perfect any skills that we will learn during our weekly Tuesday night sessions.
All membership levels allow you to purchase stash - jerseys, bibs, and more! (2022 design coming soon!)
Griff Inn Fitness Room Turbo Trainers
Our Turbo sessions will take place every other Thursday in BLSA fitness room (basement of the Griff), led by a member of the committee. We will have full use of five turbo trainers in the Griff Inn. These sessions are accessible to all of our members, no matter the level of subscription! A turbo session is a great alternative when the Great British weather is doing its best to thwart our efforts on the road!
Social Weekend Rides
We organise social road rides on the weekends (usually Sundays). The distance (anywhere between 30-100km) and speed of these rides will vary depending on demand and the ability of the group on the day, with multiple groups forming depending on numbers on the day. Rides will usually start from the Garrod on Turner Street and will take us outside of the city. Tea and cake stops are encouraged! We feel this is an essential part of our club that we would thoroughly recommend everyone join.
Road Cycling Training Sessions
Open to members holding a first-year, senior, or alumni membership, our weekly road cycling training sessions happen on a Tuesday evening at the LeeValley VeloPark road circuit. These sessions are perfect for those who want to improve their cycling abilities and/or those who are interested in competing. Coming along to one or more of these sessions is an invaluable way to participate in the club and get access to world-leading facilities, used in the 2012 London Olympics.
Once a month we will be holding coached sessions on the Riverbank circuit of the LeeValley circuit where we will be joined by a British Cycling qualified coach! These sessions are available to anyone with a full membership plus the bolt-on coached training membership.
Competitions
Barts and The London Cycling Club will compete in British Cycling events, charity sportives and related races as well as BUCS 2022-23 this coming year. We cannot wait to help our members get to a level where they feel comfortable to and want to race!
How to get involved
1. Like the Facebook page or follow us on instagram (@bartsandthelondoncc) and get in contact with the club committee members.
2. Attend the Introductory Lee Valley Velopark club road cycling event on the 26th September 2022. Please email/message us if you couldn't make the event, we promise that you haven't missed out!
3. Purchase your subs - online at QMSU - and get involved!
Contact
President: Barnabas Tedder (cycling@bartslondon.com)
Treasurer: James Evens (cycling@bartslondon.com)
Welfare Officer: Lucy Gibb (cycling@bartslondon.com)
Social Secretary: Lucy Wright (cycling@bartslondon.com)
Social Media Rep: Lara Gliiksten (cycling@bartslondon.com)
Events officer: Dan Gorenkin (cycling@bartslondon.com)