The Bynea Cycle Club has been in existence for 75 years, originally founded in 1937 by eight cycling enthusiasts. It currently has 165 members, including 37 female members, up from 22 last year. The club aims to be inclusive of all ages and abilities, taking an emphasis off elite competition and focusing more on the social and community aspects of cycling. Notable club members include Ed Laverack, who has become a professional cyclist, and Joe Holt, who has been selected for the British Cycling Olympic Talent Team. The club meets weekly and its chairman, Paul Rees, hopes to increase membership to 200 while also organizing charity rides to give back to the local community.

1. LSA-E01-S2 Wednesday, May 1, 2013, www.thisissouthwales.co.uk18 NEWS
HOW CLUB IS
REINVENTING
THE WHEEL
IT’S been a colourful 75 years
for Bynea Cycle Club, and the
wheels are still turning.
The longstanding club was
formed in 1937 by eight
enthusiasts with a passion for
cycling — among them, the
Wheeler brothers of Bynea
who were said to be the driving
force of the club in the early
years.
During wartime there was
very little sporting activity and
the club trophies were held in
abeyance, but membership
remained strong and now, 75
years on, the proud club boasts
165 members and is fully
embracing the new age of
cycling.
Paul Rees, 48, has been a
member of the club since 1976
and for the past two years he
has taken the role of
chairman.
“I have had a brilliant time
over my years at the club,” he
said.
“I originally joined in 1976
although there have been a few
gaps.
“But in the past six years I
have been able to get back into
it and I am able to commit more
time.
“The club is growing — it is
great to see. We have members
of all ages and that is
amazing.
“In the last few years we have
tried to take the elite aspect out
of cycling in the club.
“There is no harm in
becoming better and
improving but a lot of members
come for the social side, which
in the long run binds the club
together.”
One recent emphasis that
British Cycling — the national
governing body for cycling —
has put on the sport is to get
more women involved.
And Mr Rees explained that
with 37 female members — up
15 from last year — the club
was on top of it.
He said: “When I came back
to the club after working away,
to me things seemed a little bit
tired in the membership.
“But by taking out some of
the intimidation factor some
more women became
interested and now it has
snowballed.
“The female members will
tell their friends how much
they enjoy it and new members
join.”
In addition to increasing
female membership, there are
currently around 30
youngsters at the club, who are
being nurtured with great
success.
Ed Laverack, 18, of Dafen,
has progressed from a junior
member of the club into
professional cycling where he
is now part of the Rapha
Condor cycling team.
Benefiting from the same
development is youth rider Joe
Holt, whose string of
impressive results over the last
two seasons have seen him
included within the British
Cycling Olympic Talent Team
for 2013.
Mr Rees said he was proud of
the way the club handled the
development of the youth.
He said: “After watching
events in the Olympics the
youngsters may come to us
with big dreams.
“We try to keep their feet on
the ground but also nurture
their dreams.
“We are only too happy to
pass on our experience and
give them advice. Our focus is
to help them enjoy it.”
In addition to the re-launch
of the club’s traditional kit,
building on the success of the
past 75 years is something
Bynea Cycle Club are keen to
do, as Mr Rees explained.
“At the moment the future is
bright, but it is not time to sit
back on our laurels,” he said.
“One of our official goals is to
get membership up to 200.
“We also want to do local
charity rides.
“It is not all about us — it is
about us and the local
I Club members sporting the Bynea Cycle Club’s new kit .
community.”
G The club meets every
Wednesday at 7.30pm in their
clubhouse on Heol y Bwlch,
Bynea.
By Chris Carra
@ForzaSwansea
chris.carra@swwmedia.co.uk
01554 745321
@
I Left, Bynea Cycle Club members in 1973, and (above)
another picture from bygone years.
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