When youth riders are ready, many start thinking about moving on to extra training on the road.
We encourage parents and guardians to initiate these rides – and invite other young riders along with their parents too.
Coaches sometimes join these rides as a guide, but they are not coached sessions.
Guidance we offer for these rides
You need to be a member with us as we do not charge subs for these rides. (If you are new to the club and wish to try a road ride before joining please let us know.) See upcoming events/youth for the next youth rides.
These include rides to:
- Greenwich, suitable 10yrs+.
- Sunday rides through the lanes, suitable 12yrs+.
A completed road ride parental-consent form must be filled in before your first ride with us.
Some Saturday youth road rides meet and finish at Cator Park (meeting in the middle of the park by the signpost) – leaving at 9am and riding to Greenwich (and maybe further to Tower Bridge) and back. The ride takes about 3hrs. These rides are suitable for 10yrs+ and will be about 16–20 miles.
Parents are to accompany their child or nominate another adult, with no more than two children per adult. Riders can come unattended if you have organised this beforehand with your coaches.
The riders need to have the following:
- At least one bottle of liquid on their bike, preferably two. No bottle, no ride.
- A snack to fuel them on the way around.
- A spare inner tube for their bike, in case they have 650 wheels or mountain bike wheels.
- Ideally, a mobile with a parent/guardian number.
- Suitable clothing – lightweight waterproof, gloves, etc.
- Tyres need to be pumped up and the bike roadworthy for the ride – or no ride.
Also, if you are thinking of joining any of our youth road rides, we expect all adult and youth riders to have cycling insurance. Our club offers a discount with British Cycling as we are affiliated with them.