We ask all riders to book a place beforehand. This is quick and easy to do using the buttons on the ride listings. You should also cancel your place if you later find you cannot come, so that the leader knows not to expect you.
You are welcome to contact the leader directly if you have questions that are not answered here.
You should also check the website before setting out for last minute changes, as we sometimes have to make late alterations to cope with railway engineering closures or for other reasons (such as unsafe riding conditions in wintry weather), and if you are joining us other than at the advertised meeting point youu should email or phone the leader beforehand to let them know.
Easier and shorter rides, sometimes including themed rides in London of up to about 50km at 14 - 16km/h (30 miles at 9-10 mph). | |
Medium distance 55-85km at 17-22 km/h (35-55 miles at 11-14 mph) – steady pace yet time to enjoy lunch, etc. This group is recommended for most newcomers to our club. | |
Faster and generally longer at 70-110km at 21-25 km/h (45-75 miles at 13-16 mph) – often hillier – nearly always on-road – suitable for a light touring or road bike. | |
Faster again, typically 90–120 km at 24–27 km/h (55–75 miles at 15–17 mph), with a café stop. These are for riders who enjoy (or wish to discover) how a disciplined group enhances riding pleasure and speed. We aim to keep all who start the ride in the group, so please be sure the speed and distance are right for you – if in doubt, ask! Sometimes we take a train back to town, but not usually on the way out. Bring a lightweight road bike – with mudguards when roads are wet please. | |
Includes bridleways and tracks – great for gravel, adventure or "all-road" bikes, and fine for most touring and hybrid bikes with good tyres and mudguard clearance, but not suitable for lightweight road bikes. | |
Official Audax event – more info here – very popular with the more serious riders – however most of those included in our list are the shorter (100-200km) ones enjoyable for medium-paced riders. | |
Ride starts and finishes in Oyster/contactless zone. | |
LCC ride – joint ride with a London Cycling Campaign local group, and led by an LCC member. |
We normally stop at a pub (or sometimes a cafe) for lunch unless otherwise stated. There are often morning coffee and/or afternoon tea stops as well but carry some energy food just in case.
We return by train from the station we travel out to, unless otherwise stated in the listing, so a return ticket is generally best. Use a railcard if you have one, and if not ask if anyone else in the group has one – a Network Railcard gives a discount of 33% off on off-peak services, for up to three people in addition to the cardholder.
For journeys in the Oyster zone using an Oyster or contactless card is more convenient and almost always cheaper.
Bicycle reservations are not required (nor indeed possible) on the trains we use for our day rides.
Cycles are permitted off-peak on London Overground, the Elizabeth line and some London Underground lines (Circle, District, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City and other non-tunnel sections).
We are not currently collecting money from riders. You can see our current financial position in our annual accounts.
You should, of course, bring enough money to cover lunch and any other refreshment stops, and your train fare.
No. Central London CTC are a local group of Cycling UK, but non-members are welcome to come along and try up to three rides without joining. If you then want to continue riding with us after the three rides you will expected to join Cycling UK.
For a 1* or 2* ride, almost any well-maintained hybrid, touring or road bike is OK. For 3* rides a road bike or light tourer, and for 4* rides a light summer or winter road bike (depending on season). On any type of ride in bad weather your fellow riders will appreciate you having full mudguards and ideally, a long rear mudflap.
Rides marked as including bridleways and tracks are great for gravel, adventure or "all-road" bikes, and fine for most touring and hybrid bikes with good tyres and mudguard clearance, but not suitable for lightweight road bikes.
Ensure your bike is roadworthy. Bring a spare inner tube and pump to fit your tyres, and tyre levers. You should also bring suitable clothing, including a waterproof and gloves. Lights are essential from October through to March when we are likely to get back into London after dark.
Keeping safe
Keeping together
Finally, please remember that you remain responsible for your own safety when riding with us and should always follow the Highway Code.
Cycling UK has produced a guide to cycling with groups like ours – read it here.