How good do I have to be?

OUCC is not an exclusive club: If you can ride in a straight line for ten or twenty miles you are welcome to come and have a go. If you regularly cycle into solid objects (see right) please reconsider!

Joining the Club

Members of Oxford University can join the club for £25 in the 2007-08 academic year, which includes an OUCC Cycling jersey. Download the 2009-10 membership form. If you have further questions please contact the OUCC Treasurer

We have close links with the OU Triathlon Club and offer a joint membership for the year - if you would like to join both clubs, again, please contact the OUCC Treasurer, as above.

As a University Club a maximum of 20% of our membership is allowed to come from outside the University. This restriction means that people wanting to join OUCC who are not members of the university must first contact the OUCC President.

On joining the club you will be given the Members Handbook. This document is designed to give you an overview of the clubs activities and provide you with information on what you can expect from the club and what the club expects of you!

OUCC Electronic Mailing Lists

Oxford University Computing Services operates a number of electronic mailing lists on behalf of OUCC. The idea is that primarily club members, but also anybody with an interest in OUCC, can communicate news of club events, untimetabled rides, socials, sales/wants, lonely hearts ads and basically anything of relevance to cycling in and around Oxford.

Administrative actions for the OUCC lists (such as subscribe/unsubscribe requests) are handled automatically by a mailing program known as Ezmlm. Users can send commands to the program by e-mailing it. If you would like to subscribe to either of the OUCC electronic mailing lists then send an e-mail addressed to either: -

Main List
Club list: cycling-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk

Training lists
Roadie list: road-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk
MTB list: mtb-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk
OUCC women's list: ouccwomen-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk

General Chat
OUCC banter list (General Chat): oucc-banter-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk

You can find out more about how these mailing lists work from the OUCS page EZMLM Users Guide .

Safety Information

Helmets and Protective Equipment
OUCC recommends the use of helmets for all riders, in particular for mtbers and road cyclists involved in racing events. We also recommend the use of body armour where appropriate e.g. for Down Hill events etc.

Insurance
The club is insured through the University and through our membership to British Cycling Federation.

The club's insurance does NOT cover individual members. We strongly recommend that every cyclist takes out cycling insurance through a body such as British Cycling Federation or the CTC . Such insurance will cover you for 3rd party liabilities and also personal accident insurance if you opt for it. In Oxford it is always a good idea to be cautious about bike theft, so we suggest you insure your pride and joy through BCF or the CTC. They are good value and also cover racing. DON'T go through Endsleigh, they cost a bomb and offer poor insurance.

Constitution

OUCC has a detailed Constitution. This document outlines the clubs aims, how the club is to be run, membership rules and the responsibility of the club's Officers. Most importantly for club members the constitution states that the Club "shall observe its Code of Conduct on safety matters, ensure compliance with the Code by the members of the Club, and follow an appropriate procedure for Risk Assessment".

The important points from the Code of Conduct that need to be highlighted are that:

• It is the responsibility of the individual to bring to the attention of the Committee any known medical condition or previous injuries that may affect their or other Club member's safe participation within the sport. If the issue is of a sensitive nature, then this MUST be raised via the Area Safety Officer .

• Although Activity Leaders are responsible for informing participants about the exact nature of an activity, participants should be aware that they are responsible for their own actions, especially if they choose to disregard advice given by an Activity Leader or Event Organiser.

• The Club operates a procedure that allows Club members to raise complaints about issues, which might include the following:
  • The safety of Club activities.
  • Poor standards of instruction or leadership.
  • The standard of equipment used for Club activities.
  • Poor Club Administration.
  • The lack of suitable activities for their level of participation.

All complaints regarding any matter relating to the activities of OUCC should be submitted to the President in writing.