PETERBOROUGH
VINTAGE CYCLE CLUB
Peterborough has one of the oldest cycle clubs in the UK which
is still very active The Peterborough Cycling Club. The Peterborough
Vintage club is the oldest of the vintage cycle clubs which is
still in existence. The idea of a vintage club came about on cycle
ride to the Birmingham Festival of Cycling in 1951. At a meeting
on the 20th of October in 1952 the club was formed. The clubs
badge has the cross keys of of St Peter and was based on the cities
insignia. In the early years of the club Cyril Munday who had
a large collection of vintage cycles at his Taverners Road cycle
shop in Peterborough used to lend out some of his cycles to members
to ride. At this time only a few of the members of the club owned
there own vintage cycle. Charlie Slater had his own cycle which
he had bought new and he was then in his 80s and he was still
riding it. New or perspective members were escorted by Cyril threw
rows of every day cycles awaiting mending in his shop to a wooden
set of stairs up to a room full, if not overflowing with old cycles.
"How about that one,"pointing to a rusty old bike. Then
some how the bike was got out of this room and down to the shop.Members
then spent depending on the cycles condition days or weeks doing
them up. The club attended traction engine shows fetes and held
the second National Rally in 1958 at Peterborough. The first having
taken place in Coventry by the now disbanded Coventry Club.During
this early years the club started holding its own Rally.
Transporting the club members and cycles to events the club
relied on Mundays Bedford van to get riders and or bikes to the
rally.Members often rode their cycles to some of the local events.The
Annual Dinner at Market Deeping 8 miles from Peterborough was
all done by vintage cycle in the morning and after the dinner
the cycles were ridden back. Slowly members got there own bikes
and transport and the numbers of members increased and the club
and Cyril went their own ways.
The club has now held the National rally 7 times and the International
in 1994. For many years the club hosted a large display at Expo
Steam at the Peterborough Show Ground.This weekend event was attended
by other clubs and a big show of cycles was put on. The Peterborough
Vintage Cycle Club is still attending rallies and events.
2001
In 2001 it's club members have attended the 2001
National rally run by Northleach
Olde Tyme Wheelers club at Northleach. Peterborough member
Cliff Denton was awarded one of the cups. The club members have
also attended lots of the other clubs rallies like the 2001 March rally.
Tom Young and Arthur Wright who rode with Cyril Munday went
to the rally at Cliff and Jane's. Tom now 92 has kindly made a
report for this web site (below).
Vintage Cycle Rally 4th November 2001
by Tom Young
On Sunday 4th November 45 vintage cyclists meet for the last
run of the year, for the Peterborough Vintage Cycle Club. This
was at the home of Cliff and Jane. Jane is the secretary of the
Peterborough Vintage Cycle Club, and Cliff is the clubs Chairman.
Riders came from the Peddlers and Long Sutton the Solent and Bygone
bikes Yorkshire. They brought a wonderful collection of cycles.
These cycles included pennies tandems and cross frames,and tricycles.
The weather for November was good. The sun was shining, it
was an ideal day for a bike ride. After a few drops of Cliff's
wine, the riders set of to a small village about 5 miles away.
On their arrival, drinks were soon started. After about one
hour,riders returned to Cliff and Jane's. On their arrival back
photos of the riders and cycles were taken. Jane then started
to bring the riders plates of, Sausage and Mash, beans
or if you preferred peas. This was followed by apple pie.
Riders then had a discussion about vintage cycles before loading
up there cycles about 3.30pm.
This was a Wonderful day
Tom Young
2002
Annual Rally 2002
This year it was on the 9th of June and was the 33rd annual
rally of the Peterborough Club. It was held around the fens near
Ramsey in Cambridgeshire. The ride started from the Ramey Rural
Musseum and was around the flat fens. There was a little rain
at the start, but it was fine for the run which included a stop
at The George in Ramsey Forty Foot. The ride was about 10 miles.
This page updated OCT 2002