KINGSTON FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN BIKE RIDE

Start the new year in style, and with healthy new habits, by joining our 3rd free and family-friendly ride. Whether Santa brought you a new bike for Christmas, or you’re just keen to get active in 2024, all ages & cycling abilities are welcome. Our easy-paced 7-mile group ride will start from Alexandra Park in Berrylands before venturing along quiet roads and traffic-free routes in Tolworth and Old Malden. Come along, join in the fun and maybe even discover a few new routes while building your cycle confidence.

Meeting at Alexandra Park / Recreation Ground (welcome point through the King Charles Road gate between Beaconsfield and Broomfield Roads) at 10.45am for the ride briefing before we set off at 11am, the hill-free outing will take in a mix of the borough’s quieter roads, bike lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), to help build confidence and showcase some of Kingston’s cycle routes. This fun group ride will also showcase some of the rural delights on the Kingston / Epsom and Ewell boundary line, including Tolworth Court Farm Fields and Berrylands Nature Reserve, crossing the enticingly-named Bonesgate Stream and Hogsmill River in the process.

Organised by Kingston Cycling Campaign, we hope the event will encourage local residents of all ages to explore enjoyable ways to get around different parts of Kingston on two wheels, while introducing them to new areas. So invite your friends, neighbours and family – young and old – and join us on this easy ride through the borough!

All need participants to be registered here to take part, so reserve your spot now (NB: please book one space for every rider so we know how many people to expect) and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates in the run-up to the ride or to keep up to date on other Kingston activity. And see the FAQ section below for more information about the ride, and what you might need to know before the event.

GENERAL RIDE FAQS / INFORMATION:

• How easy is the ride? This will be an easy route, ridden at a leisurely group pace, designed to be suitable for younger and less experienced cyclists. The 7-mile route is pretty much entirely flat too, making it an easy and enjoyable ride.
• Are children welcome? Accompanied children (under 18) and vulnerable adults with a carer are very welcome to join us. Whilst as much of the ride as possible is on quieter roads, it will include some roads that may have other traffic, so please keep on the right-hand side of your children.
• What ages is the ride suitable for? Note that, as the ride is not entirely on cycle lanes, it may not be suitable for very young children and we would recommend that any children under 5 riding solo (with a parent) are experienced cyclists.
• What should I wear? Please wear whatever you feel comfortable riding in, keeping an eye on the weather forecast to determine whether you should bring a waterproof jacket, gloves, etc. It is your choice whether you would like to wear a bike helmet or high-vis clothing – we do not insist on either to join the ride.
• Is my bike suitable? We test our rides with a range of bicycles, including cargo and Brompton bikes, to make it as inclusive as possible. If you’re in any doubt about the suitability or roadworthiness of your bike, there are a number of cycle repair shops across Kingston that can assist you, including Full Cycle who will be supporting the ride. Before joining the ride, see http://lcc.org.uk/advice/bike-safety-check/
• What should I bring? Some of the basic equipment you may wish to consider bringing on the ride include lights, drinks and snacks, plus a bike lock if you plan to take advantage of the children’s playground or park after the ride. You might also want to bring a spare inner tube and/or a bike pump if you have one.
• How do group rides work? Our rides are always planned and led by a qualified ride leader, and accompanied by experienced marshals to help keep the group together, where possible, and cross junctions safely with minimal disruption to fellow road users. Ride leaders are experienced Kingston Cycling Campaign members and include qualified mechanics, first aiders and cycling instructors. With the ride leader at the front directing the ride, we ensure there is a marshal at the back of the group, ensuring no one gets left behind.

WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT OUR PREVIOUS FAMILY RIDES:

Read about our last family rides here (June 23) and here (Sept 23).

• “What a brilliant event this was! Gave me the nudge I needed to get back on the bike after many years. The organisation was smooth and very supportive of unconfident cyclists like me!”
• “Great event  – thought I knew the cycle routes in Kingston pretty well but I learned some new ones.”
• “That was absolutely amazing – me and my children really enjoyed it.”
• “I’m relatively confident on route but being in a group makes such a difference and gives us the confidence to venture a bit further as a family.”
• “These rides are really fantastic at getting kids out with their mates – they help build their confidence so much.”
• “I want to expose my young daughter to cycling so being part of the ride was really enjoyable and positive for her.”
• “I loved it! I love cycling on the road like my dad does but my parents don’t like it because of the cars so this was just great and I made new friends too.”

INDIVIDUAL RIDERS MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR:

• Making sure you do not turn up to this event if you are displaying any Covid-19 symptoms or think you may have it. The safety of our volunteers and participants is important to us.
• Checking the information given for the ride so you can judge that you are capable of completing the ride.
• Informing the ride leader if you have any medical conditions it might be important they know about.
• The road-worthiness of their bike – see helpful advice on how to do this on lcc.org.uk/advice/bike-safety-check/
• Their own personal safety on the road
• Complying with the Highway Code
• Carrying any refreshments they might need
• The safety of any children or vulnerable adults with them
• Listening to and following ride leader and marshal instructions
• Informing the ride leader or a marshal if they wish to leave the ride midway (so we don’t end up looking for you!)
• Any loss or damage caused (eg: scratching the paint on a parked car) NB: If you are an LCC member your membership includes third party insurance which would cover this.

If you have any other questions before the event or need to cancel your booking, contact the ride leader at rogerdodge59@gmail.com.