DTC Orwell Wheelers are a cycling club based in Dundrum, with members who like to cycle for leisure and competition. Over the winter we meet every Sunday at Joe Daly Cycles to spend a morning cycling.
How do I join?
Membership for 2014 will be available from November 1st 2013. Membership registration will be entirely online via the Cycling Ireland (CI) website. Fees will be confirmed by the time the system goes live, but last year the club fees were €50 (free for youth/junior riders), while a basic CI licence was €15-25.
Update: full instructions on how to join are available at this page.
But I want to join in on the winter spins - do I have to wait until November?
If you have never held a CI licence, you are entitled to three trial spins, and will be covered by CI insurance as long as you sign on before the spin. If you wish to do more than three spins, CI have an introductory offer for €15 that will tide you over until the new season. If you have held a licence before, you will need to pay €25. You can join CI as a solo member at their page, and then sign up with the club for 2014.
Your 2014 licence will also cover you for the remainder of 2013, from whenever the licence is approved by CI.
If you hold a current CI licence, there is no problem with you joining winter spins with a view to joining the club for the 2014 season.
Please make sure to read up on the winter spins before coming along: Club Spins Overview and Etiquette and Technique.
Do I need a competition licence to take part?
No, for the winter spins, a basic CI licence is all that's required.
As well as the basic membership licence, CI also issues licences to those who want to race - club competition and open racing. We'll post more information on each licence closer to November when the system goes live.
However, you don't need to worry about either of the above to take part in the winter spins, just a basic licence is all that's required.
I'm confused, and not sure which licence I need, or if I want to start racing.
Come along to our club info night on Monday 4th November! Replacing the club membership night (because it's all online now), we'll have a night for members old and new to come along and chat. It's a social occasion, but also a chance to have any questions answered by committee members, or chat to like-minded people. Thinking about taking on the Marmotte? Want to get into racing? This is your chance to talk to someone who's done it all before! (venue tbc)
If your query is more urgent, and not answered on this page, you can get in touch with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
How do I buy jerseys and other club gear?
Kit orders are put in around three times a year, and can take up to three months to arrive. So an order for winter kit is placed in July, and racing kit around Christmas. There is a stock of spares kept in Joe Daly Cycles - please bring cash to pay for these.
We'll have more info on buying kit at the club night in November.
What’s the forum and how do I join it?
The forum is a page for Orwell members to chat about various club-related issues, and more! A login is automatically generated for each member, which is your full name. You can use your email address in this form to set your password. You can then access to post and read the forum.
If you have any problems, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. All forums bar one are publicly viewable, and posts will be moderated if deemed offensive.
What’s the story with the weekend away – can I come if I've only just joined?
All members are welcome on the weekend away, but you should be able for the ride out and back, or indeed you are welcome to drive if unsure. Keep an eye on the site for when details are set.
Can I just show up on a winter spin?
See Question 2. Anyone is entitled to three trial spins with the club, which is a grace period for insurance. After that, all new cyclists must take out CI membership themselves.
Our first winter spin will see all groups meeting at Joe Daly Cycles in Dundrum at 09.30. In the weeks following, different paced groups will meet at different times between 09.00 and 09.30.
For further info, and before heading on a spin, riders should read Club Spins Overview and Etiquette and Technique.
I'm a Junior/Youth - does this make a difference?
Yes. Please read the Youth page on the web site before your first cycle, and make yourself known to the spin leader.
I’ve never ridden in a group – what do I do?
If you have never cycled with a Club or within large groups before, you will have to join the White group. Ensure you are at Joe Daly's shop before 9:15am each Sunday and wait meet at the back of the car park - furthest point from the road (as you'll be last on the road).
This year we will have designated support for novices - keep an eye out for the riders with yellow armbands. Before setting off, please approach one of these, or the spin leader, and let them know you are new to group riding - they can then teach you the basics of up and overs, how not to half-wheel, etc.
If you are a woman, the women's section are running a course of introductory spins on the six Saturdays starting on 12th October. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more.
Read this to help prepare yourself: Etiquette and Technique.
I’ve ridden the WW200 solo, and don’t want to ride White - can I go to Yellow?
No. It's important for your safety, and for the safety of everyone on the winter spins, that you learn the basics of riding in a group: the etiquette and various calls, up-and-overs, and just to get used to having riders on all sides of you. The leaders of the White group and armband volunteers are there to introduce you to these protocols, the faster groups will assume you are a practiced group rider.
I’ve ridden in a group before and don’t want to ride White – can I go to Yellow?
All new riders must go on at least one White spin, even if just to refresh yourself on the basics. Please talk to one of the group leaders in advance of the spin and introduce yourself, and they might be able to make use of your experience.
I want to ride sportives - to whom do I talk?
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more. We're currently awaiting the election of a new leisure rep who will organise sportive training, so come along to the info night to find out more. You can be assured that there is a large contingent of leisure riders in Orwell who travel the length and breadth of the country and beyond to ride every major sportive, and a lot of the minor ones. See the Leisure page for more.
I want to race straight away, can I?
Races happen at two main levels - club and open. You cannot race at either level without a licence. One day licences may be available early in the season, but if you intend to race for the year, you should join CI and take out a licence for the year when joining the club.
The club league is an ideal place to start racing, as the first races are run on a closed track in Corkagh Park, progressing to road racing, and also including time trials (TT), a team TT, and a hill climb TT. Only Orwell members may race, which makes for a more supportive atmosphere, and you can ask clubmates for tips and advice.
Open racing happens all over the country nearly every weekend from roughly mid-February until late September, and is open to anybody with an open licence. If you have any further questions, please come along to the club night on 4th November!
Some Orwellians cycling in Majorca earlier this year
