It was in December 1927 that Essex District Association of the Cyclists' Touring Club was born out of the Romford section of the North Metropolitan D.A. The Southend section was formed in 1928 when the Romford section was reformed under its old name. The two sections were alone for only 3 months when the Chelmsford section was created. These were the halcyon days for the D.A.

The Barking (sub-section of the Romford) became a full section 1929. In 1931 the Grays section reached maturity, the Ilford section followed soon afterwards and together with the Loiterers section brought, by the day war broke out, the D.A. strength to 7 sections. Things were run on 'tick over' for the next 6 years but the best was yet to come. By the early 1950's there were the Romford, Ilford and Barking, Epping, Chelmsford, Southend, Hornchurch, Thurrock and a non-specific Photographic Section all with a strong (20 plus) riding strength.

As people became more affluent (and lazier) interest in cycling gradually waned during the 1960's. From time to time attempts were made to form new sections. There was for instance, the Basildon section and in the 1980's a Colchester section, however they both folded after a relatively short existence.

As of 2005 the Essex D.A. consists of groups based at Brentwood, Chelmsford, Havering (based at Upminster) and the Wickford based South-East Group. Although the D.A. is of modest strength and rather overtaken by the trend towards mountain bikes, the Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC) still has a national following of 70,000 members and in Essex a D.A. a dedicated club-base on which to maintain a proud heritage.