Group ride etiquette

When riding in a group it is worth learning ride etiquette. Remember your ride leader - if there is one - may be sacrificing their own ride to lead so be on time, follow the highway code, be prepared to fix your own bike (including punctures), be responsible for your own safety, take sufficient fuel and hydration, and don't race ahead.

Bike components do break, punctures happen, and these things can't be avoided. However, bike maintenance can reduce the risk of failure during a group ride. The LCC has some well worded advice on bike checks.

Use a safe and correct mount and dismount routine so you aren't the one who loses balance and crashes to the ground.

If you want to understand the practical considerations of a Guided Ride take a look at the relevant sections of British Cycling Ride Leader Guidelines. This includes helpful supplementary links at the end.

Mont Ventoux - May 2023

Tour: Chelmsford to Clacton-on-Sea

This post describes a 3-day cycle tour from Chelmsford to Clacton-on-Sea staying overnight in Colchester and Felixstowe. Just add a start date and book your hotels. Specific timings assume a Monday to Wednesday tour in 2026 so your own train times may be different. An average of 300m ascent over 61km each day on average means this is a relatively flat tour with options to reduce the mileage each day by using the train. The route makes heavy use of NCN 1 and NCN 51, and if you keep moving on the last day you should have time for a dip in the sea!! Seriously, prepare to enjoy a swim at Holland-on-Sea. Start Point: Chelmsford Station (Greater Anglia) Finish Point: Clacton-on-Sea Station (Greater Anglia) Meetup Time: 09:15 Start Time: 09:30 Route: Chelmsford to Clacton-on-Sea Route (alt): Harwich to Clacton-on-Sea No. Days: 3 Overnight: Individuals book their own accommodation in Colchester such as the "...

Bike rides accessible from Harrow

Hatch End Rides The start point is at the sundial opposite the Elliott Hall main entrance at Harrow Arts Centre (HAC). Free parking is available on nearby Milne Feild (sic) and Sherington Avenue. The postcode is HA5 4EA . Note that the nearby Hatch End Morrisons website says that parking is limited to 2 hours. There is also free parking in the Harrow Arts Centre car park. For rides that start at Hatch End or Kenton and head out via Pinner there is the option of requesting a pickup by one of the entrances to Pinner Village Gardens (PVG) at the roundabout where Rayners Lane meets Marsh Road, HA5 5NS . The Pinner pickup time is 15 minutes after a Hatch End departure time, and 30 minutes after a Kenton departure time. Pinner Rides The start point is at one of the entrances to Pinner Village Gardens (PVG) nearest the roundabout where Rayners Lane meets Marsh Road, HA5 5NS . Harrow Rides The start point is by the Seva Park Café in the middle of Harrow Recreation Ground . There ar...

Tour: Harwich Ferry Practice

This post describes a 2-day cycle tour from Wivenhoe to Harwich (staying overnight in Felixstowe) and back to Clacton-on-Sea. Just add a start date and book your hotel in Felixstowe. At the time of writing the Harwich Premier Inn didn't have availability but that may be an option in the future. The distances and timings provided below exclude any riding in Felixstowe such as the 3km (10 minute) ride from Felixstowe Harbour to the Premier Inn. Specific timings assume a Sunday-Monday tour so your train times may be different. Both routes do a short detour to the DFDS ferry terminal before progressing to the Harbour ferry. Though the route uses B roads they are of the white-line-down-the-centre variety with fast traffic but not excessively busy. Start Point: Wivenhoe Station (Greater Anglia) Alternative Start: Clacton-on-Sea Station (Greater Anglia) Finish Point: Clacton-on-Sea Station (Greater Anglia) Meetup Time: 09:50 Start Time: 10:...

Keep Moving Lazy Bones

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