Join London Clarion, a friendly London cycling club founded in 1895. Discover inclusive, no-drop group cycle rides in London and the South East. London Clarion Cycle Club London Clarion Cycle Club is a friendly and inclusive London cycling club with more than 180 members. We organise regular social group cycle rides in London and across Surrey, Kent, Essex and the wider South East. Our rides are about good company, enjoyable cycling and exploring great places by bike. We welcome experienced cyclists, people new to group riding and everyone in between. View Upcoming Rides Join London Clarion Friendly, no-drop group cycling in London since 1895 180+ members A growing community of cyclists from across London. Looking for a cycling group in London? London Clarion organises regular group rides for a range of abilities, distances and interests. Our rides take us from London's streets and parks onto quiet country lanes, traffic-free paths and some of the best cycling routes in Surrey, Kent, Essex and beyond. Founded in 1895 More than 130 years of cycling history. Each organised ride includes information about its distance and expected pace so members can choose a ride that suits them. Many of our rides also include an important Clarion tradition: a stop for coffee, cake and conversation. Regular group rides Social rides and cycling events throughout the year. Our rides are social rather than competitive. You do not need to be a racing cyclist to enjoy riding with London Clarion.

Have a question about joining the London Clarion Cycle Club? Read our FAQs or get in touch with our friendly team to learn more about our social rides. London Clarion Cycle Club FAQs Answers to common questions about joining London Clarion Cycle Club, our London group rides, ride pace, no-drop policy, membership, insurance, bikes and guest rides. Frequently asked questions About London Clarion Joining a Ride Bikes and Equipment Membership The Clarion Story Who are the London Clarion Cycle Club? Founded in Clapham in 1895 by readers of the Clarion, a Socialist newspaper, we are one of London's oldest and most historic cycling institutions. Today, we are a friendly, progressive, and inclusive community of over 180 members. Guided by our motto, "Fellowship is Life," our goal is to promote goodwill, community, and accessibility through cycling. How long has London Clarion Cycle Club been running? London Clarion Cycle Club was first etsblished in May 1895 in Clapham. The cycling club has a facinating history. London Clarion Cycle Club HistoryLondon Clarion Cycle Club Peoples and Stories What makes London Clarion a friendly cycling club? London Clarion Cycle Club is widely regarded as one of London's friendliest cycling clubs - bikeandroad.com ranked us first among London road cycling clubs. Our motto since 1895 has been "Fellowship is life", and our rides prioritise good company, cafe stops and inclusivity over speed.

The men and women behind 130 years of London Clarion history — founder W.H. Crisp, Olympic silver medallist Charlie Denny, and International Brigades volunteer Tom Oldershaw.

Everything you need to know about riding with London Clarion Cycle Club. Kit, bikes, difficulty levels, ride leader roles, and safety — all in one place

Looking for a cycling club in Greenwich & Lewisham? Join London Clarion for friendly, non-drop weekend group rides. Memberships start at just £10/year.

Ride London safely with £5M third-party liability cycling insurance. Included in your £20 annual London Clarion membership. MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT - 2026 £5 Million Third-Party Cycling Insurance - Included in Your £20 Membership Join the London Clarion Cycle Club for £20 a year and your membership includes £5 million of third-party liability cycling insurance, arranged through our national body, the National Clarion Cycling Club. You get a friendly , 130-year-old London club to ride with - and serious financial protection comes as part of the deal. JOIN US Rides Calendar Membership Benefits Why Third Party Cover Matters in London Whether you're commuting through central London or heading out to the lanes at the weekend, third party liability insurance protects you against claims made by others for damage or injury. If the worst happens, legal and compensation costs can run into thousands of pounds - cover means an accident doesn't become a financial catastrophe. What Does Clarion Cover Include? The insurance comes with membership of every Clarion section nationwide and is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance (RSA). As a London Clarion member you get:: £5,000,000 Liability Limit: The Maximum coverage per incident for damage or injury caused to third parties. Commuting and leisure riding - covered on your daily commute along busy TFL cycleways and on weekend club runs into the Surrey Hills alike. Sportives & Events: Cover extends to sportive, reliability rides and time trials. Mass start and bunched racing are excluded. Riding Abroad - worldwide cover, excluding the USA and Canada. Always check the current policy wording for exact terms - see the note at the foot of this page. Real-Life Scenarios: Why London Riders Need Cover Even the most experienced riders face unpredictable hazards on busy city streets. Third party cover protects you in situations like these: Hackney - You swerve to avoid a pothole and clip the wing mirror of a parked car, scratching the paintwork. Soho - A pedestrian steps off the pavement without looking, and the resulting collision leads to medical and legal costs. Richmond Park - You hit a slick patch of wet leaves on a shared path, causing another cyclist behind you to crash and damage their expensive carbon frame. The Club Is The Point - The Insurance Is The Bonus Plenty of people first find us while comparing cycling insurance, but the membership is what they stay for. Founded in Clapham in May 1895, London Clarion is one of the Capital's oldest and most welcoming cycling clubs, with 180+ members and a motto we still ride by: Fellowship Is Life. Your £20 annual membership also brings: Regular Group Rides: Routes and paces for a variety of skill levels, starting right here in London. Social Events: Meet like-minded cyclists off the saddle. Exclusive Club Kit: Access to our high-quality club shop. Heritage: Become part of the historic Clarion movement, advocating for accessible cycling since 1895. Frequently Asked Questions Is this a standalone insurance policy? No. This is a complimentary benefit of becoming a member of the London Clarion Cycle Club. The £20 pays for your 2026 annual club membership, which automatically includes the insurance. When does my coverage start? Your insurance is active the moment your membership payment is processed and confirmed. Does this cover theft or damage to my own bike? No. This is third-party liability insurance. It covers the costs if you damage someone else's property or cause injury to another person. It does not cover the theft of your bicycle or damage to your own equipment. Where can I read the full policy wording? The full policy document is held by the National Clarion Cycling Club. Members can request the current wording from the Club Secretary - always check the policy document itself for exact terms, conditions and exclusions. About this cover: the third party liability insurance described on this page is arranged by the National Clarion Cycling Club for members of all affiliated sections, including London Clarion, and is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance (RSA). London Clarion Cycle Club is a members club, not an insurance provider, and does not sell, advise on or arrange insurance. This page is a summary only - the policy document contains the full terms.

London Clarion's ride booking app explained. How to download, register, book a ride, and manage your attendance on Spond

Discover the fascinating history of the Richmond and Twickenham Clarion Cycling Club in the 1940s. Explore the legacy of this iconic London-based cycling club. Richmond and Twickenham Clarion Cycling Clubs Two Sections, One Community — South-West London’s Clarion Story The Richmond and Twickenham sections of the National Clarion were among the most active in South-West London in the years following the Second World War. Operating as neighbouring but distinct sections of the wider Clarion movement, they shared rides, social events, and eventually a clubroom — a reflection of the close-knit cycling culture that defined the Clarion at its postwar peak. The surviving newspaper record for these sections is modest, but even the fragments that remain paint a vivid picture of what club life looked like in the late 1940s: hardy riders heading to Brighton in early spring, social cyclists meeting at Richmond’s pubs on Sunday mornings, and weekend trips to the Sussex coast. It is a world recognisable to any club cyclist today. The Postwar Revival Like most cycling clubs, the Richmond and Twickenham sections had to rebuild after the war years. By late 1946 both were active again and, in a practical move, decided to share resources. The Richmond Herald of 14 December 1946 reported that the two sections were establishing a joint clubroom at the Three Kings on Bath Road, Twickenham, where members would meet every Wednesday morning from 7.30am. All Clarion members and unattached cyclists were made welcome. The social calendar was already in full swing. That same weekend, the harder riders from both sections were heading to Worthing for a two-day trip, departing from York House in Twickenham on the Saturday afternoon and meeting the social section on Sunday at the Dog and Duck near Horsham for tea. Social riders had their own starting points — the Orange Tree in Richmond or York House, Twickenham — reflecting the way the sections catered for cyclists of every level of ambition. Spring Riding in 1947 By March 1947 the clubs were firmly into their riding season. The Richmond Herald of 22 March reported that on Lent Sunday, the social riders had headed south to Crawley, where they met the hardriders returning from Brighton — a classic Clarion division between the touring and racing wings of the club. The weather held until teatime before showers arrived, but the group made it home ahead of the evening gale. The following Sunday’s run was planned for Sevenoaks. The section secretaries at this time were K. Stewart of Little St Leonards for Richmond, and A. Flannel of Cornwall Road, Twickenham, for the Twickenham section. The Clarion’s South-West London Roots Richmond and Twickenham were natural homes for Clarion cycling. The Thames towpath, Richmond Park, the roads through Surrey’s North Downs, and the long run south to the coast via Dorking or Reigate all lay within easy reach. The area had long been popular with London cyclists, and the Clarion sections here drew on a tradition of working-class cycling that stretched back to the movement’s founding in the 1890s. The two sections were closely connected to the wider London Clarion network. As reported elsewhere on this site, the formation of Middlesex Clarion in December 1948 took over responsibility for racing in West London — and the Richmond and Twickenham sections’ racing members came under that new body’s umbrella, while social riding continued under the original section structure. A Page in Progress The documentary record for these sections is still being pieced together. If you have memories, photographs, membership cards, or any other material relating to the Richmond or Twickenham Clarion sections — from any decade — we’d very much like to hear from you. Contact us here Newspaper sources: Richmond Herald, 14 December 1946 — joint clubroom at the Three Kings, Bath Road, Twickenham; weekend ride to Worthing Richmond Herald, 22 March 1947 (Lent Sunday) — social riders to Crawley, hardriders from Brighton; planned ride to Sevenoaks; section secretaries listed While this page celebrates our history, we still ride in Richmond today! [Link to current rides]

Fellowship Is Life by Denis Pye is the definitive history of the National Clarion Cycling Club — from its Socialist roots in 1895 Birmingham to today. 4th edition available now.

Explore the life and cycling legacy of Tom Oldershaw, a key figure in the London Clarion Cycle Club's rich history and the wider Clarion movement.

Looking for a cycling club in Putney & Wandsworth? Join London Clarion for friendly, non-drop weekend group rides. Memberships start at just £10/year.

Seven rare ediitons of Boots! magazine (1938-1941), preserved in the London Clarion Cycle Club archive. Wartime history from London's Clarion History Boots! Magazine (1938-1941) - The Wartime Voice of London's Clarion Cyclists. Step back in time with BOOTS!, the official publication of the National Clarion Cycling Club’s London and Southern Counties Union. Within the London Clarion Cycle Club Archive, we are incredibly fortunate to preserve original editions of this rare magazine, spanning the transformative years of the 1930s and 1940s. Boots! should not be confused with Boots & Spurs, the National Clarion's magazine, which continues today. More than just a club newsletter, Boots serves as a vital historical primary source. It offers a fascinating window into a bygone era, capturing the intersection of social activism, the burgeoning British cycling culture, and the looming shadow of the Second World War. A Window into Cycling History: 1938–1941 Our archive currently houses seven unique editions of Boots, dating from October 1938 to January 1941. Reading through these pages reveals the resilience of the Clarion movement during some of the most challenging years in modern history. From reports on weekend "runs" to the countryside to discussions on the political climate of the time, the magazine highlights the unique challenges of maintaining a cycling community amidst the global turmoil of the early 20th century. You will find: Pre-War Optimism: Articles from 1938 and early 1939 that focus on fellowship, regional meet-ups, and the joy of the open road. Wartime Resilience: Editions from 1940 and 1941 that detail how members stayed connected despite the Blitz, rationing, and the call to service. The "Fellowship is Life" Ethos: Evidence of the club's enduring commitment to social justice and mutual aid during times of crisis. Help Us Grow the Archive Preserving our heritage is a collective effort. We are always looking to expand our digital and physical archives to ensure the Clarion story is told for generations to come. Do you have an old copy of Boots? We currently possess seven editions, but we know there are more out there. If you have seen other editions in private collections, at antique fairs, or in family attics, please Contact Us . We would love to digitize any missing copies to share with our members and historians worldwide. Explore the Digital Editions Click on the links or the covers below to explore each archived edition of Boots Magazine. Immerse yourself in the stories, advertisements, and photographs that defined the London and Southern Counties Union over eighty years ago. Boots October 1938 Boots March 1939 Boots November 1939 Boots January 1940 Boots February 1940 Boots January 1941 Boots Magazine - October 1938 Boots Magazine - November 1939 Boots Magazine - February 1940 Boots Magazine - March 1939 Boots Magazine - January 1940 Boots Magazine - August 1940 Boots Magazine - January 1941 Clarion Magazine People & Stories ISSUU Archive