Is the TRF still worth joining?

[HedgeHopper]

Are you really a trail-rider if you just chase another guy's number-plate all day?

I agree Richard I find that very boring, but being part of a group is part of the attraction a lot of riders

[Dansin]

I’ve tried to reach out to the Worcester trf on several occasions. I’ve been rebuffed every time, 'as my bikes a bit big for the lanes they do and I might be a bit slow/hold them up'. I’m pretty sure I ride the same lanes anyway. I’ve competed (on my big bike) at Erzberg so I’m fairly sure I’m a reasonably competent rider.

Contact the other groups that the kind people on here have suggested. If you want to ride locally, you’re more than welcome along the next time I’m out.

[Red Maverick]

It will depend on your Group. But when you join the TRF, you join national, you can then name up to 3 groups to be listed on.

Contact the group rep and go to a meeting.

I no longer go to any meetings, but do lead lots of local rides via local FB, the closed group is not just paid TRF members and use the TRF C of C for the rides.

The TRF used to be to preserve our green lanes and the membership fee was for that and not a riding club

No to attract new members the TRF has got involved with putting on larger events, which may not be just trail riding

Trust assists.

[Hugh]

Greetings,

Leaving aside the Director debacle , I see from the replies that there are Groups offering to help you, typical of the old TRF I was a Member of.

I used to be a run leader for the Manchester Group and we would take new riders and folk out from other areas. We would take small groups of 'new' riders out and watch how they progressed starting with the easier routes. If necessary on certain routes I might advise a rider to take an alternative route to the main body and provide them with my paper map showing a location or simple details of where they could meet the rest of us. This worked well and so far as I could tell everybody enjoyed their day out without incident.

As Red has said you are a Member of a national Fellowship and therefore you should be able to ride with any Group and join up to three as a Group Member.

Depending upon where you want to ride I would suggest you contact the Groups who have offered you an invite and see what they can offer you. Alternatively, try the Trail Riders Association, made up of many riders who have left the TRF, and explain your position to them. Although based near to Blackburn they do organise run outs in other areas of the country too. https://trailriders.org

TTFN

Hugh.

[MHsnowy]

I feel people miss the point of the membership fee to the TRF.

Yes anybody can get a bike, a map and ride the byways but they won't have the backing of the TRF if there is a legal issue regarding the byway you are riding. Also if we all just rode the byways and we had no TRF to fight and provide the legal backing to keep what we have open then before long the byway network would disappear.

Yes I agree that riding with the TRF is not for everyone but it has a lot more advantages than disadvantages. As in life you won't get on with everyone but you can choose who you want to ride with.

I have been a member of the TRF for about 30 years and rarely ride with the group and don't socialise with them, but I feel happy that I am doing my bit by paying about a Pound a week to help keep my Hobby alive for the foreseeable future. I suppose you could look on it a sort of toll to use the byways.

I am a member of Herts TRF and I think we have the largest membership of any other TRF group in the UK. There are usually 2 or 3 rides a week going on that are advertised or ran as a small group of friends. There is usually a beginners ride every month which is open to non members for 2 rides then we ask them to join to take advantage of any other rides.

I think we are a friendly group and are very welcoming to new and existing trail riders.

So in conclusion in my opinion it is worth joining as its only a Pound a week.

[garyboy]

in Wales (swtrf) the TRF dont seem bothered to defend our trails.
the sarn helen was basically given up, and we were told not to ride our favourite trail.
anyone `caught` would not be defended, as the trf could not prove its legality.
and in any case, you would need to contact a lawyer yourself, and hope for a refund later?
it is cheaper to just pay a fine (£30?).

Obviously the trf fee is not being used to defend trails in wales?

Additionally, when I was a member of swtrf, it became a 2-stroke enduro riders club, in effect, with no slow riders allowed overseas.

national trf seems to be ,, er .. ??

so .. worth joining? … not in wales, mate!

[2 Yams]

I feel people miss the point of the membership fee to the TRF.

Yes anybody can get a bike, a map and ride the byways but they won't have the backing of the TRF if there is a legal issue regarding the byway you are riding. Also if we all just rode the byways and we had no TRF to fight and provide the legal backing to keep what we have open then before long the byway network would disappear.

Yes I agree that riding with the TRF is not for everyone but it has a lot more advantages than disadvantages. As in life you won't get on with everyone but you can choose who you want to ride with.

I have been a member of the TRF for about 30 years and rarely ride with the group and don't socialise with them, but I feel happy that I am doing my bit by paying about a Pound a week to help keep my Hobby alive for the foreseeable future. I suppose you could look on it a sort of toll to use the byways.

I am a member of Herts TRF and I think we have the largest membership of any other TRF group in the UK. There are usually 2 or 3 rides a week going on that are advertised or ran as a small group of friends. There is usually a beginners ride every month which is open to non members for 2 rides then we ask them to join to take advantage of any other rides.

I think we are a friendly group and are very welcoming to new and existing trail riders.

So in conclusion in my opinion it is worth joining as its only a Pound a week.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion.

I personally do not think there is enough encountability as to how everyones Pound a week is spent.

For example it took 500 members Pound a week for one of the Southern directors to visit a Northern Region Meeting, not that he was invited, he apparently did not trust the members to be doing the right thing

Some people require a certain amount of trust in the integrity of their leaders before giving support and funding.

2 Yams

[Crossrutted]

Everyone's entitled to their opinion.

I personally do not think there is enough encountability as to how everyones Pound a week is spent.

For example it took 500 members Pound a week for one of the Southern directors to visit a Northern Region Meeting, not that he was invited, he apparently did not trust the members to be doing the right thing

Some people require a certain amount of trust in the integrity of their leaders before giving support and funding.

2 Yams

I had the misfortune to sit through a monologue by a "director" at a group meeting, it was awfully boring.

Unprofessional, rambling and failed to make any useful points, but crammed with self promotion.

I would gladly pay £1 a week to keep the "directors" away!

[2 Yams]

I seem to recall the TRF rules included a "binding requirement for the minutes of the directors meetings to be published" I wonder where these minutes can be found now?

2 Yams

[daveuprite]

Are you really a trail-rider if you just chase another guy's number-plate all day?

I can't and won't comment on anything to do with the TRF, apart from it all sounding desperately dull and committee-like. I know nothing about them.

But on the subject of following another rider all day.

Our little group of nobs in France have an unwritten method which seems to work OK. There are about 5 or 6 venues and the guy who lives at Venue A knows his trails well and leads the pack. He hosts the day, leads the way and feeds the animals at the end of the day. The other members of the tribe follow like brain-dead zombies and can have a huge laugh falling off, larking around and pissing about without any responsibility for location, direction or navigation.

Then on the next day out it all becomes the responsibility of the host of Venue B, and the host of Venue A can enjoy being a mindless dick... etc etc.

Personally I enjoy my days as host a lot, but I prefer being the lobotomised fool who can hoon about without a care while someone else shows the way.