St. Louis Cycling Club
St. Louis, Missouri
The St. Louis Cycling Club had its beginnings in June of 1887 at the Lindell Hotel in downtown St. Louis. The St. Louis Cycling Club was organized around the pursuit of friendship and togetherness through the sport of cycling, and had well-attended club "runs" into the surrounding counties each weekend. In the early days the club was primarily a touring club, although it included a few who also raced.
Cycling in St. Louis suffered a slump in popularity beginning in 1899, but interest resurged in 1906. Except for the St. Louis Cycling Club all other area clubs disbanded during those years from lack of interest and financial problems. The St. Louis Cycling Club stayed together and is recognized as the oldest continuously operating bicycle club in the United States. During those years a few of the more dedicated hard-core members abandoned the expensive clubhouse to take up "Headquarters In The Saddle", which became the club slogan. The club's symbol, a white Maltese cross on a blue background, dates from the club's earliest years.
The current direction of the St. Louis Cycling Club is competitive riding: road and cyclocross races, mountain bike races, triathlons/biathlons, marathon riding, or just plain hard riding for fitness. Past and present members have distinguished themselves in many areas of cycling. The club has produced 10 Olympians, an Olympic team coach, and an Olympic team manager, as well as a Junior Women's National Road Champion, a Senior Men's National Road Champion, National Team members, and many State Champions. Two members have held major offices in the United States Cycling Federation (U.S.C.F.), the governing body of U. S. amateur competitive cycling. The club's triathletes and distance riders have participated in local, national, and international competitions, including major triathlons, Bicycle Across Missouri, the Race Across America, and Paris-Brest-Paris, and Boston-Montreal-Boston.
Most current club activities had their origins many years ago and slant toward race participation and the togetherness on which the club was first founded. They include Derby Day (a road race, coasting contest, one-mile sprint, hill climb, slow race, obstacle race, and picnic lunch all in one day), the Annual Barbecue (a ride or race followed by a barbecue dinner), Turkey Day (near Thanksgiving, a race followed by a complete turkey dinner), the O. B. Henry Race (a 50-mile road race in honor of O. B. Henry, club president in 1912), and the Annual Banquet (dinner and presentation of awards and medals). For the Club Championship, members accumulate points in a series of club races held throughout the season. Also each year the club promotes U.S.C.F.-sanctioned races including the Tour de Soulard Criterium and the Centennial Road Race.
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4 club members, club admin: turg77
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