Member Profile - Mike Morley

Mike in a Long Eaton Club Hill Climb - 1960

Mike Morley has a long competitive cycling CV and is still a regular tester for the Phoenix over 10, 25 and 50 miles, as well as being seen regularly on the club runs. Mike started cycling in Nottingham as a member of the Long Eaton Paragon. In recent years he has also become known for his collection of interesting millinery   which he wears at every opportunity. Here Mike tells us a little bit about his cycling over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s your bike ownership history or what do you currently ride?

My first racing/touring bike was a 3 speed Claude Butler with Benelux gears. It was dreadful and so I switched to fixed gear at the age of 15 in 1956. I also had a 1953 531 Claude Butler Track bike that I acquired second hand. Today I ride a Scott Pro 1, a Specialized Langster, a second hand Van Nicholas Yukon, a Raleigh Randonee and  a Trek MTB.

 How did you start cycling?

My neighbour introduced me to the CTC when I was 14 years old and they had a racing offshoot called the Long Eaton Paragon. My first tour was a week in the Lake District, Youth Hostelling on fixed! We went youth hostelling with a saddle bag for a week. I managed all the well known climbs on 68 inch. It was 150 miles to Kendal from Nottingham and it took 3 of us 12 hours to get there and 10 hours to get back down the A6.

 What made you join Kingston Phoenix?

I was riding with the Surrey Road Club but they went into decline and as Chairman I tried to get them to join with another club, The Sutton Cycle Club,  but I was not allowed by the committee to make any approach so I jumped ship having known Pete Mitchell, Jake Dodd, Simon, Lisa Colombo etc for many years as local CTC Cheam & Morden members, who I also used to ride with. In fact when my son Tim got interested in cycling in 1986 I joined what was then the family section!

 What has been your most memorable cycling experience?

There are many! Perhaps one of the most was my first Continental Tour of the Alps. Five of us flew from Heathrow in 1963 to Geneva and we rode most of the Alpine passes. I was a renowned hill climber in those days and was first over the Petite & Grand St. Bernard plus all the others on my hand built Norman Butler 531 with 10 speed Campagnolo mechs and bar end changers. I still have the bike but it’s in a poor state.

 What has been your worst cycling experience?

Failing to win the National Championship Hill climb on the Winnants pass in Derbyshire. I was already East Midland Hill Climb Champion in 1963 and I was flying that season. I would certainly have medalled but stripped my fixed gear hub on the start line – disaster! And so unlike my son Tim in later years, I never became a National Champion (Tim was National Champion 4 times as a junior and under 23 at both mountain biking and Cyclocross. Like me however, he packed in cycling when he was 22 years old!

 What cycling / sporting achievement are you most proud of?

The 4 most memorable were winning my first Open 100 TT in 1963 in a time of 4hr. 18 min and getting a full page spread in Cycling Weekly. “Morley wins Burton 100”. I also won the Burton & District Cycling Alliance BAR in 1963 and in that same year came 5^th in my first 12hr with 253 miles. I also finished 13th in the East Midlands 100 with a time of 4hr 13min beating Gordon Booty, the brother of the famous Ray Booty, who was the first man to go under 4 hours (In the Bath Road 100 on fixed –they were the days)

Regrettably I never went under the hour for a 25 mile tt but in those days I used to do 00’s for both 25 and 50. I still hold the LEPC club record for the Hill Climb on Holly Bank in  Ambergate, catching my minute man Derek Woodings, who used to do 25’s in sub 55 minutes.

 

What are your plans for the rest of this season or next season?

To try and improve my times with the KPRC club event calendar. Maybe treat myself to a time trial bike or more suitable road bike like a Roubaix? Anyone want to buy a 55mm Scott Pro 1? Ride & complete my first 24 hour time trial.
Win the father & son fastest in Redmon Grand Prix de Gentlemen in 2014. Last year Tim & I came 3^rd. The year before 2^nd, so we are going backwards!

 Do you have any particular cycling or sporting heroes?

I guess it has to be Ray Booty who was phenomenal and such a nice Guy! (Sadly no longer with us)

 Sum yourself up in three words.

Tight Mean & Controversial