About Us

1066 Cycle Club is a group of people who enjoy cycling and want to improve cycling facilities in the ‘1066’ area of Sussex

We have a variety of guided rides throughout the year, there’s something for all ages and abilities. Since forming the club in 2009 we have had training sessions for novice riders, gentle flat rides, muddy off-road rides, long distance road rides, hilly rides, and everything in between. Our club and it’s activities are open to everyone, although under-16s must be accompanied on a ride by an adult. You don’t need to wear special clothing to cycle with us, however most people find that wearing some cycle-specific clothing makes life a little more comfortable.
New members are always welcome; just pop along to the beginning of a ride and say hello.

We were formed in October 2009, and were originally known as “Cycle Battle and Cycle Robertsbridge”, but changed the name in April 2011 to better describe the area we cover.

As well as riding, some of us work to improve cycling facilities in the area, if this interests you your involvement would be most welcome.

1066 Cycle Club is a member of Cycle East Sussex. This is a group of organisations of cyclists who are campaigning and promoting cycling within East Sussex. Cycle East Sussex have meetings 3 times a year to share information about the National and local cycling situation and look at ways to increase the numbers and safety of cyclists in East Sussex. The group also meets and liaises with East Sussex County Council Councillors and Officers. If you would like to know more, have a comment or idea please contact us

What do we do ?

Leisurely cycling in a small group is what we do best, and like most cycle clubs there is a fair amount of visiting teashops and the occasional pub. Most rides take place at the weekend and last a good few hours, but there are also shorter weekday evening rides, and longer full-day rides during the summer. While summer naturally attracts most people, we have members who keep riding right throughout the year. We’ve arranged our own cycling holidays abroad, and this year plan to try two/three-day trips in the UK. Occasionally we take part in charity rides, and meet up with other cycling clubs. For beginners and those returning to cycling we organise short easy rides and run “back-to-biking” training sessions with our resident bikeability tutor. As well as showing you how to ride safely there is also considerable bicycle-maintenance knowledge within the club. If your bike is in need of a little TLC there is always someone who knows what to do, and we know some good people if you need major work done.
The club is also a good way to meet like-minded people, and the social-aspect of the club can be just as appealing as the cycling. We manage somehow to squeeze in events such as pub quizes, BBQs, picnics, parties, fundraising events, and have even taken place in a few town carnivals!
We support Diversity in Cycling and encourage people from B.A.M.E communities to join our friendly group.
In addition to cycling and social functions, some members are keen to improve cycling facilities in the area, which has in the past seen us working with local councils, environmental groups, health, planning and tourism organisations. We are also a member of the ‘Cycle East Sussex’ group, which promotes cycling in East Sussex, and we support CTC’s Space For Cycling campaign

What don’t we do?

Competitive riding and racing are best left to other clubs, and we don’t do much in the way of long-distance rides either (probably 100 miles is the longest we’ve ever done). It’s probably fair to say most members aren’t interested in BMX or really serious off-road/downhill riding. If this is your thing, there are other clubs in the area which may better suit your needs.

Who cycles ?

Our members come from a wide age-range, have a range of cycling abilities and preferences, and we have a mix of single people, couples, and families.
When the club first started our membership was concentrated around Battle, Robertsbridge and Hastings, but we now have over 70 members who are spread throughout the “1066 area”.

What type of bicycle do I need?

Currently 90% of rides are on-road (as opposed to off-road mountain biking). A lot of our members have ‘hybrid’ bikes (a general purpose bike, neither a racer nor an off-roader but something in-between. You can comfortably ride them all day on most surfaces, and with panniers etc if necessary). If you enjoy fast riding then you’d tend to move towards a ‘road’ bike with lightweight components, drop-handlebars, minimal luggage-carrying ability. We have started doing more off-road riding in the past year or so, where a mountain bike is preferable.
Choosing a bike is an important choice to make, and If you’re still not sure then turn up to one of our rides and have a chat and a look at what we’re riding!   The national cycle charity Sustrans also has a guide to choosing a bike

Power-assisted / electric bikes are welcome. The bike needs to be suitable for the ride planned.

Entries to our photo competition, entitled “photo including a club top”.
The competition was “Photo of a view including a bike, taken on a club ride”