RSF - The Off Road Cycling Club

The Adventure Starts Here

1964

“The bicycle is the most civilised conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remain pure in heart.” - Iris Murdoch, late British-Irish novelist

 

All content in the journals is copyright either of the RSF or the author or indeed both. It's use without permission will result in a stiff memo. If you would like to use an article or images please contact the general secretary in the first instance

No doubt you are all still getting over the surprise of finding a copy of Sidetrack as a new name for the more familiar Rough Stuff Journal. Also to see that No. 1 of the volume is the January- February issue. Why Sidetracks, you may ask ? Couldn’t they thing of any thing better ? After the difficulties of the past year with the Journal we decided to give ourselves a new title and a complete new look in 1964 at little extra cost. 
For many years changing over from a duplicated to a printed magazine has been our goal. We have talked about it, considered various estimates, and it always appeared to be out of reach until our circulation increased. Not that we weren’t satisfied with the duplicated product, on the contrary, but it was dependent to a great degree upon one man, and we felt that one day we may meet a crisis. Towards the end of 1962 it seemed that our circulation was just high enough ......
One thing that an R.S.F. member never does (as has been quoted many times) is to turn back, but that is exactly what happened at the A.G.M. over Easter. The meeting decided that the name of our magazine should revert to The Rough Stuff Journal as soon as possible. This decision was by no means unanimous and after 45 minutes’ valuable time wrangling the motion to drop the title Sidetracks was carried by 33 votes for to 28 against with other members abstaining or having already left....
The gritty road traversed strange countryside. Wisps of steam seeped lazily from the simmering earth and barren, ashy, orange and crimson flecked hillocks undulated on both aides like gaudy slag-heaps. After climbing a little, the road rounded a bend for a sudden surprise view. Before me the silently slumbering earth had erupted and boiled over in a veritable Devil’s Kitchen of over heated geysers and seething cauldrons.
The BCTC Final - competitors were led like lambs to the slaughter to “the quarry”— a very lumpy and twisty obstacle course in an old gravel pit. One marshal rode the course on numerous occasions to demonstrate it to each competitor and only came unstuck once. Competitors did not manage so well ; my only trouble was when I became tangled up in a bush — the marshal did say aim through the bush.
Know therefore, that I am a man of 60, of average strength and activity, but in the habit of subjecting my machines to more severe rough-riding than most members. My usual machine is a first-class lightweight including 26 x l inch. wheels, (conloy rims) sprite typres. F.W. gear. B.10 wide saddle, and various alloy fittings, its weight 28lbs. My Moulton, with closely comparable fittings to my taste, weighs 31lbs, (no carriers). I have, after some 600 miles, ridden it on every type of surface except setts

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