If there’s a single theme that’s run through the past year at Lewes Wanderers, it’s momentum.
We’ve welcomed some brilliant new members, seen rides swell in number and support, and felt a renewed buzz around the club — all while continuing to evolve without losing what makes the club special.
From some properly memorable moments around our Jubilee celebrations, to new kinds of riding and new ways of communicating, 2025 has been one of those years that remind us why being part of Lewes Wanderers is about far more than just riding bikes.
Here’s a look back at what we got up to.
A New Website for a New Chapter
We kicked off the year in January with the launch of a new club website, creating a clearer, fresher and more welcoming online presence for the club.
The new site makes it easier for members to find ride information, news, and events, as well as for prospective members to understand what Lewes Wanderers is all about.
Just as importantly, it gives us a platform to tell the club’s story as it happens, with new articles now being uploaded several times a month.
Introducing Coaching
Another important step forward has been the introduction of discounted coaching with Michael Renardson.
For many members, this has added an extra layer to their club riding — helping bridge the gap between riding regularly and riding with purpose. Crucially, it’s never been about turning everyone into racers: it’s about helping members get more from their time on the bike.
Whether it’s guidance around training structure, understanding effort, or simply riding more consistently, coaching has given members who want it the chance to develop their riding around their goals and lifestyle.
Club Tours: Calpe and the New Forest
This year reminded us just how valuable shared experiences away from home can be.
Our Calpe club tour delivered exactly what it promised: perfect roads, steady climbs, café stops, and plenty of time together off the bike. Fitness improved almost by accident, simply because riding day after day in good company was such a pleasure.
Closer to home, the New Forest sportive showed the club spirit in a different way. The weather wasn’t on our side, and the sportive itself was called off at the last minute. But, as ever, that didn’t stop us. We adapted to our circumstances, organised our own rides, and it became one of those weekends that’s remembered precisely because it wasn’t what we expected!
Both trips reinforced the sense that the club is at its magnificent best when we travel together.
Rolling News: A New Way to Stay Connected
June saw the launch of Rolling News, our weekly club newsletter.
The aim was simple: to keep members informed, connected, and engaged with the club. Rolling News has quickly become the place for ride schedules, updates, stories from members, and the odd bit of gentle humour.
Rolling News is helping strengthen the sense of community across the club, particularly for members who can’t make every ride, but still want to feel part of what’s going on.
Celebrating 75 Years: Our Platinum Jubilee
The significant event of the year was, without question, our Platinum Jubilee, which we set out to mark in as many ways as we could.
We started with the launch of the Jubilee jerseys. These are more than just a new bit of kit — they are a visible link between past and present, and it’s been touching to see them worn proudly on club runs and in events.
The Jubilee rides across the August Bank Holiday brought several members together. Some chose the Century Ride up to Box Hill, others elected for the more socially paced 75km ride around roads and lanes that the club has called its own since inception. On Bank Holiday Monday, we offered an off-road ride, something that was to become an increasingly popular feature in our calendar.
Before we knew it, it was November and the Jubilee lunch. The lunch gave everyone a chance to socialise, reflect, and celebrate 75 years of the club. The evidence is clear: cycling may be at the heart of the club, but lunch is never far from our minds.
The year of celebrations showed that while the bikes and the kit may change, the core values of Lewes Wanderers — friendship, inclusivity, and the joy of cycling at every level — remain constant.
Racing and Competitive Success
While not everyone rides to race, 2025 was another strong year for those who do.
Members competed in club and other events throughout the season, pinning a number on for Lewes Wanderers with commitment and quiet determination.
There were personal bests, podiums, and plenty of strong performances in TTs, hill climbs and CX races across the South East. Just as importantly, there was support from club-mates and shared pride in each other’s progress.
2025 also saw another successful running of the Lewes Crits. This year, they were named in honour of our much-loved clubmate, Chris Hough, who tragically lost his life in a road accident in January. His memory lives on in the club, as do those of other members we have lost in previous years, and in similar circumstances: Vince Busk and John Mankelow.
The Crits were reduced to two races this year by our old adversary, roadworks, but both were hotly contested by riders from clubs far and wide. The small but significant course revision proved popular and is likely to remain.
As ever, racing remained an option rather than an obligation — something that adds to the richness of the club rather than defining it.
Taking Things Off-Road
The growth of off-road riding within the club has been another notable development this year.
With more and more members choosing a gravel bike as their N+1, gravel and mixed-surface rides bring a new dynamic — different routes, different skills, and a slightly different pace. For some members, it’s a refreshing change from road riding; for others, it’s a new challenge entirely.
What matters most is that it has opened the door to more ways of riding together. Off-road has broadened what club riding can look like in Lewes Wanderers and has been a welcome addition.
Looking Ahead
We hope you agree that 2025 has seen the club move forward in a way that feels natural rather than forced.
Better communication, new opportunities to develop as riders, memorable trips, a proper celebration of our history, and a willingness to try new things. These are the foundations that have defined Lewes Wanderers for years.
As we roll into the next year, the aim isn’t radical change: it’s to keep doing the basics well, stay open to new ideas (of which we’ve got a few, so watch this space), and make sure the club remains a place where people feel they belong.
Here’s to another year of shared miles, café stops, and good company.
Ever yours
Your Committee