History

West Hallam Wobbly Wheelers have no official list of members, (apart from on this page), no subscriptions, no chairman, no secretary, no clubhouse. We did not form, we slowly evolved. Nobody is really sure where the name came from, possibly from one of the wives/partners.

In all began in the early nineties when a number of us bought bikes and started doing a bit of cycling to try to obtain some sort of fitness. Keith had an odd size racing bike and began his French cycling holidays. Dave C brought a cheap racer did the London to Brighton charity ride with Alan and then bought a mountain bike and with Dave B, and Pete Garrity (now stopped cycling and lost in the Basingstoke triangle) started some short rides around Shipley Park. Neil and Phil joined in and we started doing the Nottingham charity bike ride each year with some adhoc road and off road rides during the year.

During 1995 we decided to start some regular Sunday rides and in September 1995 had our first of many legendary weekend off-road rides in the Peak District. The first weekend line up was Dave C, Keith, Dave B, Ian S, Bob and Neil (Sunday only). Bob never got on a bike again, and after many falls, mechanical problems, tea, beer and food, a great time was had and a precedent was set.

There have now been around twenty weekend rides, usually two a year; one in spring and one in late summer/autumn initially mainly in the Peak District but we have also been to (appropriately) 'Last of the summer wine ' country in Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Dales, the Chilterns, the Lake District, Shropshire Long Mynd. We've even ridden the mighty hills of Buckinghamshire and Bedford. The Great Nottingham Charity Bike Ride is still a regular event together with other charity rides. We have had a trip to watch the Tour de France and have regular Curry nights, when the non-cyclists all magically appear to witness and share in the bottomless kitty! There is even the odd occasion such as Christmas dinners when the ladies come along!!!

Most of us now have better bikes, both road and mountain bikes and everybody now wears a helmet (except Keith). Over the years we have bought more equipment and 'proper' cycling clothes and on a good day, with the sun in the right direction, it has been rumoured that we occasionally look like proper cyclists.