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outstanding example of keenness to start cycling a hundred miles in a day
under wintry conditions on the roads of those days.

Throughout the year interest in the competition mounted and riders were
consistently achieving their hundred miles in a day. Some in fact, on many
occasions, rode two centuries between midnight and midnight. The story is
too long to be told here. Suffice to say that at the end of the year Marcel
Planes had amassed 332 centuries, Billy Wells was second with 287 and H
Morris third with 181 centuries.

Men consistently riding long distances were bound to meet often and after
a few months the idea of a “Century Road Club” came into being. Who thought
of it and just when it started we do not know. Members were given a large
celluloid badge, distinguished by the distinctive “C”, which for many years
adorned the cover of “Cycling”. It was only a celluloid badge but it was now
very much prized by its few owners and is affectionately known as the “Soup
Plate” badge.

The final run of the competition was to Girtford Bridge on the last Sunday of
1911, but by that time a number of members had decided that such a band of
hard-riding enthusiasts should not disperse as lone riders or as members of
other clubs and the formation of the present club was mooted. So therefore,
the membership of the club was there before it was permanently formed.

On the 10th January 1912, the inaugural meeting was held at the Phoenix
Hotel, Princes Street, Oxford Circus where 55 people were present. It was
resolved that no applicant should be admitted to membership unless able to
satisfy the committee of their ability to ride 100 miles in 10 hours and this
is still one of the rules of the club.

Over the years, members have broken 42 RRA or Competition records at
distances from 25 to 1,000 miles on bicycle, tricycle or tandem.

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