As a result of the COVID-19 restrictions, our rides programme has been suspended until further notice.
Easier and shorter rides – about 50km at 14-18 km/h (30 miles at 9-11 mph) – which are ideal if you are new to cycle touring or prefer a more leisurely ride. Accompanied older children welcome although it is advisable to contact the ride leader beforehand. | |
Medium distance 55-85km at 17-22 km/h (35-55 miles at 11-14 mph) – steady pace yet time to enjoy lunch, etc. | |
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 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% 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 rail lines we use for our day rides.
Generally no, though you are welcome to do so if you have questions that are not answered here. You can also ask questions in our forum.
You should however 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 it may be best to email or phone the leader beforehand.
Our running expenses for the website, supporting social events, etc, are covered by voluntary contributions from riders. We suggest a contribution of 50p per person per ride. You can see how this is spent in our annual accounts.
You should also 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.