Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Audax => Topic started by: alan on 10 June, 2008, 10:37:31 pm

Title: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: alan on 10 June, 2008, 10:37:31 pm
Given that the calendar is available on the net & that the insurance premium for non-members is not applicable due to my CTC membership what advantages do I gain by parting with £19 to join?
Bear in mind that various circumstances have dictated that I have been unable to ride  more than 5 events per year over the last five years.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: geraldc on 10 June, 2008, 10:38:36 pm
Arrivee magazine!
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: chris on 10 June, 2008, 10:39:40 pm
On line results.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Martin on 10 June, 2008, 10:48:06 pm
It's only £61 for 5 years; the advantages are many;
1. See your results online as well as points totals AAAs Brevet / Randonneur series etc
2. Online or less faff paper entry through pre-filled entry forms (also makes the organiser's job much easier)
3. Upload photos to the website
4. Magazine (4 times a year and a a very good read with good photos) and handbook
5. Become an organiser
6. Ride DIY's
7. Keep the organisation running and healthy; entry fees return peanuts per rider to AUK.

(I'm not in the CTC or BC either so even better value)
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Lonewolff on 10 June, 2008, 10:50:20 pm
pre filled entry forms
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: saturn on 10 June, 2008, 11:38:30 pm
Mudguard stickers, don't forget the mudguard stickers  :)
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Maladict on 11 June, 2008, 01:24:07 am
I've never put any of those on my bike

Am I bad?
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: hellymedic on 11 June, 2008, 01:32:22 am
AUK clothing. When I joined AUK, you could not get AUK gear if you were not a member. I don't know if this has changed.
Annual beanfeast/bunfight/booze-up AGM Reunion and prize-giving. One of the best parties to attend.
Arrivée.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: saturn on 11 June, 2008, 07:44:54 am
I've never put any of those on my bike
Am I bad?

Well providing you wear AUK clothing for identification it'll be OK apparently but my vote is with the stickers.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: robgul on 11 June, 2008, 08:56:39 am
Surely Martin's #7 is a major reason - supporting the club to be able to do what it does!

Rob (Signed up for 5 years - hoping to get full value !)
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: frere yacker on 11 June, 2008, 09:29:54 am
A posse will come round your house and break your legs if you do more than 3 AUK events and don't join.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Ian H on 11 June, 2008, 09:39:10 am
A posse will come round your house and break your legs if you do more than 3 AUK events and don't join.

In theory that's so. In practice it requires a committee decision; the committee only meets four times a year, and by the time it does the paperwork has probably been lost.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: alan on 11 June, 2008, 09:39:45 am
A posse will come round your house and break your legs if you do more than 3 AUK events and don't join.
;D
There's no point joining a cycling club when you can't cycle due to stiff links so the GBH would be counter-productive.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: alan on 11 June, 2008, 09:42:02 am
In theory that's so. In practice it requires a committee decision; the committee only meets four times a year, and by the time it does the paperwork has probably been lost.
Sounds rather like some of the companies I've worked for in the past.Professional under-achievers ::-)
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Ian H on 11 June, 2008, 09:50:02 am
In theory that's so. In practice it requires a committee decision; the committee only meets four times a year, and by the time it does the paperwork has probably been lost.
Sounds rather like some of the companies I've worked for in the past.Professional under-achievers ::-)

We try not to get in the way of the cycling.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Martin on 11 June, 2008, 10:14:29 am
Surely Martin's #7 is a major reason - supporting the club to be able to do what it does!

On an event you pay AUK 50p for each brevet card and 20p to validate (completed riders only) each one; plus the pittance from non insured riders. Medals and badges are sold at cost too. And most organisers still operate at a loss (mine did last year thanks to the bastards at Nationwide BS)
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: LEE on 11 June, 2008, 10:46:44 am
AUK clothing. When I joined AUK, you could not get AUK gear if you were not a member.

Shhh, we're trying to get people to join.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Julian on 11 June, 2008, 10:55:06 am
Why join?  It's a bit rude to take advantage of the hard work put into the organisation of the thing and not cough up your 1.58 per month for the privilege.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Wowbagger on 11 June, 2008, 11:55:05 am
You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation! ;)
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Chris S on 11 June, 2008, 12:01:41 pm
You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation! ;)

LOL!

Nice one WB  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Greenbank on 11 June, 2008, 12:42:14 pm
You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation! ;)

The BCS is excluded from this because it's not a fine organisation, but there are plenty of social misfits.

(Reminds me, must sort out my AMIMA and MBCS).
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: LEE on 11 June, 2008, 12:47:58 pm
You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation! ;)

Just because you can sometimes ride for many hours with other like-minded club members and get barely a cheerful word from them in that time does NOT make us a bunch of social misfits.

Oh hold on, it does rather doesn't it?

Carry on as before.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Martin on 11 June, 2008, 12:52:07 pm
I think all organisers should do their events through BC or eventcentral etc just for next year so that riders will appreciate what they get for their money;

I rode an event 2 years ago for an entry fee of £1; it had a 50km control with large amounts of free coffee and cake  :P
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: frere yacker on 11 June, 2008, 01:07:21 pm
There is no compelling reason to join AUK other than it is the decent thing to do if you intend to ride AUK validated event.

Picking up Martin's point, when I run events (planning to do this in 2010) I'll be offering something to benefit AUK members.  Possibly vouchers to offset the cost of tea/food at the control cafes or free food/drink at the start/finish.  Or maybe even a lower entry fee.

In other words, non members will subsidise members in some way.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Martin on 11 June, 2008, 01:14:34 pm
I presume the £2 day insurance provides some extra cash for AUK; although riders insured thru BC/ CTC don't pay it.

How about an AUK levy? anybody know what AUK costs to run per rider (AUK or not) per year?

My caving club has to have insurance too; non-members who want to give it a go are charged £6 for 3 months trial membership refundable if they join, everyone seems happy with it.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: mattc on 11 June, 2008, 03:11:28 pm
There is no compelling reason to join AUK other than it is the decent thing to do if you intend to ride AUK validated event.
I think that the calendar and handbook have a lot of useful info in them, as does Arrivee. Sure, most of it's out on the interweb now, but not in 1 handy, sofa-browsable form.(Maybe not a compelling reason, I agree ... )

Quote
In other words, non members will subsidise members in some way.
Stupidly I hadn't realised that this in no way happens already. I reckon every other activity in the world charges more to non-members (apart from special promotions).

Good idea FY
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Keeff on 11 June, 2008, 03:14:19 pm
I presume the £2 day insurance provides some extra cash for AUK; although riders insured thru BC/ CTC don't pay it.

 

The £2 extra paid by non-members is for temporary or day membership of the club, which includes third party insurance for the duration of the event.

It has been providing a good income for the club in recent years since it was increased from paltry levels.  About 400 people paid for temporary membership last month.

Having said that, the club is not awash with funds.

Keith
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: hellymedic on 11 June, 2008, 03:48:11 pm
You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation! ;)

You have not encountered some of the associations with whom my partner mingles; dysfunctional does not begin to describe some members...
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: nic on 11 June, 2008, 04:54:40 pm
In other words, non members will subsidise members in some way.

In a twisted sense that means if you want to support AUK, don't become a member.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: mattc on 11 June, 2008, 05:01:19 pm
In other words, non members will subsidise members in some way.

In a twisted sense that means if you want to support AUK, don't become a member.
Unless you do less than (guesses) 7 rides a year.
Title: Re: Advatages of joining AUK?
Post by: Hummers on 11 June, 2008, 06:01:04 pm
If it is a purely financial decision, why not wait around the corner of the start control then join the riders for the rest of the ride until 100yds of the Arrivee where one can simply peel off into the shadows and drive home?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Or ride the number of rides that equate to just less than the yearly premium (or even the 5 year premium).

The main reason I joined was for PBP although failing that:

There is no compelling reason to join AUK other than it is the decent thing to do if you intend to ride AUK validated event.

H