RAF Cycling covers the broad range of cycling activities. We have a growing and enthusiatic road scene. It does not matter whether you are a keen racer, time trialist, long distance rider or recreational rider, join us at one of our races or other events and have a great day out.

Our extensive programme in essence covers:

• Road Racing at National, Regional and local level.
• Time Trialling at National, Regional and local level.
• Sportifs (non-competitive riding over 25, 50 and 100 miles through stunning scenery in the UK).
• And for those wishing something between MTB and Road, Cyclocross.
• Weekend training rides and social rides are also a regular feature year round

You can also obtain travel authority if you are representing RAFCC at certain events.

What is Timetrialling?

Ever seen them funny looking cyclists on the TV or on the local by-pass with pointed aero hats and bright coloured lycra suits resembling Daffydd from little Britain and wondered what they were up to. Then wonder no more, I am going to let you in to a little secret.

The strange world of time trialling harps back into the days when cycle racing on the public highway was an illegal activity. Groups of cyclists would meet in the early hours of the morning before the police started shift normally dressed in black and would time each other setting off at minute intervals over a fixed distance ,normally 10, 25, 50 and a hundred miles against the clock. These events would be advertised amongst the cycling fraternity by the use of codes that the authorities couldn’t decipher.

Well, a few years on now and not a lot has changed really, the authorities still don’t like us racing on the highway and it is still a complicated process to get into, or is it.

Timetrialling has undergone somewhat of a makeover in its more recent history and with the advent of the internet it has enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence in its popularity, bolstered by the likes of Chris Boardman, Rebecca Romero and Bradley Wiggins (you must have heard of them!). Bradley Wiggins is a top class time triallist who often competes on the domestic scene and at World Championship level . In fact a lot of Proffessional riders use timetrials as part of their preparation for Pro events and can often be seen at the local timetrial event.

I guess if your’e still reading then you must be interested, there are a number of ways to get into Timetrialling, first of all you need to be a member of a club.

Membership to the RAF Cycling Club is free and is open to all serving personnel, see this website for details and contacts. There are also a number of local clubs you could join who have evening timetrial events through the week normally over 10 miles which is the best distance to start with, in the case of RAF Benson the local clubs are Didcot Phoenix and Reading CC .

The best place to start however is the sports governing body and you’ll find all you need to know on their website which is CTT.org

It doesn’t matter how much your bike cost or how slow you might be, timetrialling is a sport for all abilities and once you have set a time at a distance it’s that time that’s the benchmark for all your training and future efforts. Go on give it a go, you might enjoy it, you might even be good at it!

If you would like to know more then contact the Road Sec, or the TT Sec through the Forum or the relevant person listed on the Contacts page.