Century Road Club

In the mid 60's I was a member of the Century Road Club in North London. Does any one know about it's history or what happened to it,
DD

I've not heard of it but I'm no expert on these matters. My thoughts are that you should ask the club secretary at the North Road CC - another north London club with a very long history and still going strong: http://www.northroadcc.org.uk/

Some of their older members will probably remember Century, or are quite likely to have been members of it.

Thanks, will try that.
If I remember correctly Frank Lipscombe was something to do with the Century RC. I think he built very well known frames.
DD
Century RC mentioned in the page link below

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/builders/lipscombe.html

following the link backs up your theory:

Richard Masson relates: I was a racing mad lad and Frank took me to the Century Road Club in Waltham Cross, about 1954 and I stayed a member throughout my cycling career. I rode time trials mainly but some massed start, mainly evening 'sign up and race' events at Crystal Palace. We used to train on a set of rollers on the pavement outside Frank's shop on Saturday afternoons to the amusement of passing shoppers. We thought we were so cool!

you could also put in a request at the National Cycle Archive (Warwick), although a quick look at their online catalogue suggests nothing of note relating to Century RC.

The Century RC is still listed in this year's CTT handbook as an affiliated club - so presumably it still exists in some form.

If you can't find out more, I think I could get in touch with a former (or maybe even current) member. He's in his eighties, so I'm not certain how useful this will be. Let me know if this sounds helpful.

Thanks Clubman. My interest is really only out of curiousity and reminiscence, so please don't bother your friend. I am content to wait and see if anything else pops up. Nothing appears via a google search.
The first year I was with them, 1964, I won "the First Year Trophy" award at the club dinner in London, and I brought it home on the Tube. It was a big cup with lots of names on the base, wouldn't like to try that now ! Wonder where that is now.
I won the cup for a 1:14, 25, so you can see the time trialling was for pleasure only as there wasn't much inate speed in my legs. I wanted to race but couldn't afford the license fee etc,
Regards
DD

feel free to post more stories of your exploits, ddow. i love hearing about that stuff!

In the early 60's there used to be an unofficial training ride on Tues and Thurs evenings, starting I think from the Cambridge Road roundabout in Edmonton, up the A10 to Hoddesddon, Hertford, Hatfield and back. It was more like a mass start road race, with quite large numbers, and you could join or leave anywhere on the circuit(if you got dropped) It was a way of judging yourelf against the fast boys, as well as staying fit. The police didn't like it and would occasionally set up a road block to try and stop the whole concept. Don't know how long it continued,
DD

Frank Lispscombe had his shop in Markhouse Road in Walthamstow and he quit frame building in the 1960s...but his frames like HR Morris are the stuff of legend.

I was sort of involved in the TT scence in east London in the late 1970s and Century RC did not figure at all....loads of other clubs but not them.

feel free to post more stories of your exploits, ddow. i love hearing about that stuff!

+1, especially this kind of thing - which sounds like a precursor to the LFGSS's own TNRC, with the added excitement of a police roadblock - amazing:

In the early 60's there used to be an unofficial training ride on Tues and Thurs evenings, starting I think from the Cambridge Road roundabout in Edmonton, up the A10 to Hoddesddon, Hertford, Hatfield and back. It was more like a mass start road race, with quite large numbers, and you could join or leave anywhere on the circuit(if you got dropped) It was a way of judging yourelf against the fast boys, as well as staying fit. The police didn't like it and would occasionally set up a road block to try and stop the whole concept. Don't know how long it continued,
DD

i was a member of the centuary in the 60,s and we would meet sundays at the cambridge roundabout edmonton cycle out to lunch quite often at the mayflower outside hertford(hertfordbury) eat and then go out for rest of the day home around 6 o clock.
Wednesday nights was clocktower at hoddeson night and your right sometimes the police were not very pleased
mj

I raced in the 60's for the Century road club also had a frank lipscome frame and knew him and his family well at that time. also H R Morris also known as titch. We used to use a clubroom near Muswell hill, Another famous member was Hubert Opperman who was the Australian transport minister who i met at one of the posh yearly london presentation evening. Lots of club riders used to just meet up at the cambridge roundabout tuesday evening for a thrash. And after weekend raing the Marshmoor was great food venue

Hello DDOW
Just posted my first message 4 days ago in regard to Century road club, I also won the first year trophy in 1962 and actually held on to it for two years(still have the silver medal) as I believe no one was perhaps compeating as a new member or was considered for the trophy in 63, I also believe perhaps the demise of the club and loss of the younger element was the club was steeped in its perhaps its old fashioned men only membership.And many of the guys I raced with mixed with and also joined the Finsbury Park CC because the also had lady members!! Regards EXBIKER

I am pleased to be able to inform you that the Century Road Club still exists and will be holding its Centenary Dinner 14th February 2012.

Contrary to what was written earlier in this thread there were a few members active in the late seventies and on into the eighties, ninties and noughties.

It is hoped to construct a website some time in the not too distant future.

Correction, the Dinner will be 14th JANUARY 2012. Ex members are especially encouraged to come.

Hope to see some of you at Ware on Saturday!

Check this out: www.centuryroadclub.org.uk

My Grandfather, James Albert Ellison, was a member of the Century Road Club from 1912 and won a medal, which we have, for cycling a road trial - 198 and 3/4 miles in 12 hours on Sept 28th 1924.
The last ride we know of, was on 25th Sept 1927 - 204.5 miles in 12 hours.
A comment in the club mag was that he had at last got 2 centuries in a day.
John Elsden kindly found the information in club archives.

I have tried to get onto the club website but with no success,
Please does anyone have access to old club history?

My Uncle Arther Lees from Crouch End , Hornsey were members of the Century Road Club in 1950's he used to cycle to Hoddesdon ,Hatfield , Hertford and Home twice a week . Arthur born 1933 he's 88 now , age 23 did the Century RC 24 hour 12 noon Saturday to 12 noon Sunday , cycled 435 miles broke the club record which is still held to this day . A few years ago an attempt to beat him failed at 426 miles and the Club wrote to him saying he still holds the record . Arthur rode a Frank Lipscombe Bike , Frank was a friend who was also a member of the club . The Club had a yearly holiday in the Isle of Wight staying at Carisbrook Castle one of the guys carved his name on the wall and they banned people staying at the castle . Steven Heath

My Mum Val Lees/Heath in 1950's was in a cycling club in North London , Hornsey , her picture , she would cycle 40 miles per day .

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Me around 1970 helping on a long distance race .

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Great photo