History

In 1924, a local cycling enthusiast called Bill Orpin placed an ad in the local paper – The Surrey Comet – for anyone interested in joining him for a ride, to meet him opposite the Coronation Stone in Kingston. From those on that first ride, Kingston’s oldest cycling club was born.

Our club has a rich heritage, and like any other organisation of this age is full of fascinating stories. Stories of endurance, achievement and performance, stories of sadness and tragedy, stories of love, romance and wedding bells. But most of all the Kingston Wheelers story is one of camaraderie, of inclusivity and of community. Since its very earliest days KWCC has been a welcoming club, a club for all, a club supporting grassroots cycling. In the early decades the club engaged with primary schools and community groups to help teach cycling proficiency and bike mechanics. More recently we have forged links with local charities, particularly those who offer the benefits of cycling to the disadvantaged.

Throughout our 100 years, the club has been run by our members for our members, and this has taken a tremendous amount of time, passion and commitment from some incredible volunteers throughout the decades. This ethos of volunteering continues to this day.

During the first 80 years as a club, our membership rarely increased beyond 50. Today we have a membership well over 10 times that figure. Our club is prospering, we are strong, and we are now setting the standards for the next 100 years – united by our collective love of cycling.

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