medals and badges

[Wycombewheeler]

is it worth collecting these?
if so medals or badges?
what do people attach the badges to?

[hellymedic]

Is it worth having a souvenir on which you can pin your nostalgia after an epic bike ride?
I pinned an AUK metal badge/medal to the DULL navy raincoat I wore to the funeral of another cyclist.
I didn't have to explain this to anyone there.
I visited the same church today for a concert.

I sewed my cloth badges to my AUK jersey a long while back.
I like souvenirs...

[LittleWheelsandBig]

No, it isn't worth collecting them but I do it anyway. A few medals get pinned to various Carradice, some badges get sewn onto assorted trophy jerseys. The rest are kept for my own amusement in my dotage.

[Mr Green]

I love the cloth badges, they appeal to my collecting nature, and sometimes I wonder if I do the rides just to get the badge or if I get the badge to remember the ride? I was so excited when I got my RRtY badge, all that effort summed up in a small piece of cloth. My friends think it's daft.

It is a good question though, as I still don't know what to do with them all; currently they sit on my desk at work.

[mmmmartin]

I was so excited when I got my RRtY badge, all that effort summed up in a small piece of cloth.

Yes, my RRTY went through a winter sp cold and miserable I swore I'd never get back on that treadmill. The cloth badge hangs on a wall. I look at it every single bloody day. I'll be buried with it. That RRTY was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Was it worth it? Who cares. Was for me.

[hellymedic]

I think it's entirely reasonable to crave a memento of an epic effort/achievement/ride.

[Martin]

1.is it worth collecting these?
2.if so medals or badges?
3.what do people attach the badges to?

1. 4 or 5 riders on most events seem to think so
2. medals nice for saddlebags; badges nice for sewing on crooked
3. a cheap Aldi cycling jersey to make it into something special

[Banjo]

I occasionally browse through old brevet cards . They bring back memories of the day and who you rode  with etc. I haven't bothered collecting badges  but imagine they would have the same effect.

[Tomsk]

My shinies get pinned on old belts and hung up on the side of the dresser. I designed our Essex SR medal - made by MBC in Brum [they do AUK's and lots of individual club and organisers' too] are very good to work with - good design service, communicative and helpful.

Badges I don't collect so may of now, but I have a 'trophy jersey' which is stiff [and unwearable] with them. Some very faded since for years they held together my very old Carradice, which had the cotton duck equivalent of dry rot..

.

[Martin]

that's a lovely medal Tomsk; also quite exclusive (far more so than my GdS not least cos it's 3 times as long!) so definitely a coveted thing which no doubt has boosted entries for the qualifying rides for which you should take credit! shame I've only got 2 rides and not in the same year. One day maybe?

I don't think there's anything wrong with badges or medals being "hard to get" after all they are there for anyone who is committed enough to go out and do the rides, nothing else required

[Ashaman42]

I've only got medals for a couple of my rides. Wish I'd got more at the time.

One day I'll work out what I'm eligible for and order them but they'll all be of the current design and not that which was current at the time.

Not that that matters hugely.

[CrinklyLion]

I'm not a things-as-memories collector as my residence is far too full of shite already for it to be a good idea.  It does piss me off, however, that the SmallestCub's first ever brevet card (together with medal) never arrived.  I'd have kept that, and somehow if he does another BP it seems a bit meh to keep mementos of his second ever official big bike ride....

[slohill]

I was so excited when I got my RRtY badge, all that effort summed up in a small piece of cloth.

Yes, my RRTY went through a winter sp cold and miserable I swore I'd never get back on that treadmill. The cloth badge hangs on a wall. I look at it every single bloody day. I'll be buried with it. That RRTY was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Was it worth it? Who cares. Was for me.

ditto in all respects (2009-2010 winter with temps dropping to -15C in Cheshire) and I also got frostbite in the balls of my feet which gives a permanent , but unpleasant, painful daily reminder.

[psyclist]

I designed our Essex SR medal - made by MBC in Brum [they do AUK's and lots of individual club and organisers' too] are very good to work with - good design service, communicative and helpful.

Very nice Tomsk, I've got my sights on acquiring one of those this year to add to my small but growing collection.

I do prefer the medals over the badges.

I also got frostbite in the balls of my feet

That sounded a lot more painful the first time I (mis)read it.

[Slimline Saxon]

The tiny ACME winter series badge represents my first Audax after a heart attack, the Essex SR medal would signify a full recovery, so things to aim for.

[igauk]

On a vaguely related matter the few badges I have languish in the 'bits box' partly beacuse a) I'm not sure what to attach them to b) I'm not very good at sewing and c) I hate sewing. However, I discovered clear silicone sealant makes an excellent badge adhesive (put a heavy book on it overnight) and is approved as such by the Scouts (in fact they sell a version for badges but it's origins are betrayed by the instructions being about fixing car windscreens). Anyway, strategic application of badges might be delayed until I've got something leaky to fix (my fancy Pearl Izumi rain cape is a candidate, but that leaks everywhere). As a cub scout leader with three kids in the pack I can attest that this does work, if a little smelly.

[Mr Green]

I'd quite like a Wessex SR badge. I believe it's quite an exclusive owners club.

[Wycombewheeler]

I'd quite like a Wessex SR badge. I believe it's quite an exclusive owners club.

It's a tough series and doing the 200 and 300 on consecutive days doesnt make it easier.

Definitely on I want to get in the future.

[vorsprung]

There was a moment of hazard yesterday when the 30 years of Elenydd metal badge fell off the Carradice.  Fortunately I was riding slowly on a quiet road so I heard it, stopped, found it and reattached it

Probably it isn't suitable for Carradice mounting