London Cycling Club Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2025 Summary
Welcome and Highlights
2025 was one of our strongest years yet — full parking lots, full hearts, and a community that keeps showing up for each other.
View official 2025 AGM minutes here
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Boler Mountain for the 2025 London Cycling Club Annual General Meeting. For those who couldn’t attend, here’s a recap of the key updates, discussions, and decisions that will shape the upcoming season.
We had a strong and meaningful year of growth, participation, and community building. Our Sunday Touring rides regularly saw 40–50 riders during peak season — one of the highest participation rates in recent years.
Women on Wheels (WOW), the Gravel Program, and the Rider Development Group (RDG) continued to thrive, thanks to dedicated volunteers.
A major club initiative this year was rebuilding the Ride Leader Program. We created a new training curriculum, hosted in-person and virtual sessions, introduced certification, added quarterly touchpoints, launched a dedicated RL WhatsApp group, and updated policies (including weather and pacing). As a result, ride leaders were present on most LCC rides — a first for the club.
Technologically, we made greater use of the CycleClub app to track participation trends and improve decision-making.
Member Survey Highlights
The 2025 member survey showed strong satisfaction across all ride groups, high renewal intent, and appreciation for our ride leaders, communication channels, and social nights.
Areas for improvement include:
Posting routes earlier
Clearer pacing expectations, especially for Social & B
More skills development opportunities
Better clothing sizing consistency
A more regularly updated and modern website
Continued structure and communication for WOW & RDG
Membership Growth and Trends
Membership grew to 140 members — an 8% increase.
Retention improved to 58.46%, up almost 4%.
New members made up 37% of the club this year (down from 50%+ after the pandemic).
Encouragingly, 9% were returning members who had taken time away.
Demographic trends:
Gender balance is improving again, returning toward ~62% male thanks to renewed WOW leadership.
Average age continues to decrease as more gravel, touring, and adventure riders (including younger demographics) join the club.
Key Programs and Initiatives
Sunday Touring
A group started strong but dipped in June as longer distances pushed riders into B rides.
Mid-season, we introduced an A-pace, B-distance option — participation rebounded immediately.
Social group participation remained one of our biggest success stories.
WOW
A successful season led by Harriet and Linda, with a strong roster, varied routes, and excellent participation. The group also organized winter fitness meetups and end-of-season planning.
Gravel
Strong early momentum with excellent routes and a standout Sugar Shack Shakedown. Mid-season dips reflected reduced leadership availability and less consistent posting.
2026 focus: regular weekly gravel rides, more Saturday options, and better early posting.
Rider Development Group
Weekly RDG rides remained an essential part of onboarding new members. High early-season demand tapered naturally later in the year.
2025 Financial Summary and 2026 Budget Overview
The club remains financially strong, having run a surplus for two consecutive years.
A $1,000 Canada Life grant was received again this year, and a new Cycling Canada donation pathway now allows donors to contribute to LCC and receive a tax receipt.
Members discussed ideas for reinvesting surplus funds, including events, equipment (tents/banner), and a potential club trip for 2026.
Board of Directors 2025-2026 Following the AGM and subsequent board meeting, the updated LCC Board of Directors was confirmed:
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President
Marc Deshaies (continuing) - Marc brings a wealth of leadership experience and a deep passion for cycling and community building.
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Vice-President
Fred Chagnon (continuing) - A dedicated cyclist with a focus on rider development and long-distance randonneuring.
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Secretary
Michael McAlpine is an enthusiastic long-distance rider and dedicated club volunteer whose organization and attention to detail make him a great fit for the role of Secretary.
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Treasurer
Alan Hillman - Continuing in his role, Alan has been a dedicated member since 1992 and treasurer since 2017, providing invaluable financial oversight and support.
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Member at Large
Tim Bell (continuing) - is known for his exceptional ride leadership of the social group.
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Member at Large
Melissa Adler is an active club member and accomplished Western professor whose leadership, communication experience, and enthusiasm for cycling make her a strong addition to the LCC board.
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Member at Large
Steve Clarke is a longtime social-group regular turned ride leader and bike mechanic who brings experience, enthusiasm, and steady leadership to the LCC board.
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Member at Large
Linda Alder is a retired nurse and enthusiastic WOW ride leader who brings empathy, experience, and community spirit to the LCC board.
Awards and Recognitions
Each year, LCC members recognize riders who made our season safer, more fun, and more memorable. Here are the 2025 award categories, nominees, and winners:
🏆 Rookie of the Year – Winner: Melissa Adler
Nominees:
Kevin Pond, Tiffany Morin, Victor Choi, Michael Herndek, Melissa Adler, Mike Lampman, Rusty Chalmers
About the Winner:
Melissa became a familiar, friendly presence on nearly every Social ride this season. Her energy, reliability, and easygoing nature helped strengthen the warm culture within the Social group.
🚴 Tough Butt Award – Winner: Mike McAlpine
Nominees:
Steve Clarke, Fred Chagnon, James Bothwell, Mike McAlpine, Antonio Leon
About the Winner:
Mike set a goal to complete a 200km ride this year — and did it. He rode the FCCC 160 km, the BIG Gravel Grind 80 km, and capped it off with a 200km brevet in July. A true example of persistence and quiet determination.
📈 Most Improved Rider – Winner: Kevin Pond
Nominees:
Mike Lampman, Steve Clarke, Silke Nebel, Kevin Pond, Elan Paulson
About the Winner:
“K2” started the year with the Social group and steadily built fitness through consistent riding and regular RDG participation. His progress was a great example of what dedication and volume can do.
🛡 Guardian Angel – Winner: Tim Bell
Nominees:
Perry Cole, Deb Larkin, Fred Chagnon, Kevin Rodger, Tim Bell, Rhys Bateman, Joe Soltys, Marc Deshaies
About the Winner:
Tim is the definition of a calm, supportive leader. His ego-free, kind, humorous approach kept the Social group together and safe week after week. A model of steady leadership.
💬 Best Conversationalist – Winner: Gay Eastman
Nominees:
Tim Bell, Gay Eastman, Kevin Rodger, Jim Mullenix, Marc Deshaies, Carolyn McLean, Perry Cole
About the Winner:
Gay brings stories from around the world, from skiing to entrepreneurship to family life. She’s curious, engaging, and a joy to share the road with — making even the longest rides feel short.
👕 Best Dressed – Winner: John Teeter
Nominees:
Gord Nickerson, Nigel Wragg, John Teeter, Marc Deshaies, Zeppelin Kit Crew
About the Winner:
John is rarely seen in anything other than cycling kit — and always looks sharp doing it. A well-earned style victory.
🧭 Explorer Award – Winner: Rusty Chalmers
Nominees:
Chris Forgaard, Fred Chagnon, Gord Nickerson, Marc Deshaies, Rusty Chalmers
About the Winner:
Rusty contributed enormously to route scouting this season, checking conditions midweek, catching construction, and offering thoughtful improvements. A huge help to ride leaders and riders alike.
🤦 Biggest Fail – Winner: Linda Alder
Nominees:
Marc Deshaies, Linda Alder
About the Winner:
A broken spoke brought Linda to a stop — cue the dramatic rescue. CAA arrived with a full-sized flatbed tow truck to retrieve her and her bike. It was the most over-the-top wheel rescue in club history, and the photo was unforgettable.
Thank You
Thank you to all our ride leaders, volunteers, board members, and every member who participated this year. Your engagement and positivity are what make LCC a welcoming and vibrant cycling community.
We look forward to building on this year’s success — on the road, on gravel, and in the community — in 2026.