The club offers a wide choice of on-road and off-road rides:

Ride start points

Details of the ride start points can be found here.

Information for new riders and under 18’s can be found here.

On-road

A variety of regular on-road rides are held to suit different abilities, from leisurely through to brisk plus.

Guidelines for riding on-road on organized rides is available here.

The current programme of rides is available here.

Always check the web site for any last minute changes to ride details.

Pace

As a guide, the average moving pace of rides is as follows

• Leisurely pace is 8-10 miles/hour
• Moderate pace is 10-12 miles/hour
• Brisk pace is 12-14 miles/hour
• Brisk+ pace is 14 miles/hour and over (but don’t leave anyone behind)

The above speeds are intended as a guide and may vary, for example according to the weather and the number of hills. They are the moving-average speed for rides so do not take into account any stops during the ride.

Sunday rides

Most Sunday rides are day rides, starting typically anywhere between 08:30 and 10:00. Some will stop for coffee around 11:00 and others just for lunch. Other rides will aim to return to Reading for lunch time. In the winter months all rides aim to get back before dark, and tend to be of a shorter distance than rides in the summer.

They typically range in distance from 20-100 miles (return distance to Reading).  We aim never to leave anybody behind, but it is less stressful if you choose a ride with a pace and distance that you will be comfortable with.

Tuesday rides

The Tuesday rides are sociable weekly gatherings, meeting normally at noon in a nominated rural pub, for lunch. Riders make their own way to and from the pub, although informal groups often form and ride together and some may use trains to help get to more distant venues.

Wednesday day rides

The Wednesday day rides are held every week. Riders meet typically at a café or garden centre outside Reading from 10:30 – 11:00 having made their own way there. The ride departs  at 11:00 to cycle onwards to a lunch destination, before returning to Reading. Round trip distances vary but can be up to 50-70 miles, especially in the summer.

Wednesday evening rides

Wednesday evening rides are a popular ride for those wanting to break up and de-stress the  working week. Rides leave at 19:30 and head out through the countryside to a pub. In the summer the chosen pubs tend to be further from Reading, requiring anything up to a ten mile ride back to the centre of town. In the winter the destinations are close to the centre of town, so the ride is loop out and back to a Reading pub.

Due to greater popularity in summer two rides are often held at different paces to suit different abilities. The leader will lead the ride to the pub.  You are responsible for getting yourself home, and the return journey does not form part of the organized ride. Riders generally leave the pub in smaller informal groups in stages during the evening. You will not be left to find your own way back if you don’t know the route. There will always be someone willing to ride with you back to Reading.

Although the return trip does not form part of the organized ride, the mileage quoted in the rides list includes return distance to the start point so as to allow you to assess the suitability of the ride.

You need good lights for the Wednesday evening rides, as well as warm clothing for the cooler return ride.

Saturday rides

There are some Saturday afternoon rides which are of no more than 20 miles and always no more than 2 hours in length.  These are ideal if you don’t know your pace or are unfamiliar with riding in a group.  And we never leave anybody behind.  The rides finish at a cafe and lycra is definitely optional.  Look out for them in the current rides programme.  And don’t forget your lights when the nights draw in early.  If you have any questions contact the ride leader whose number will be in the current rides list.

Off-road

Regular off-road rides are held on Sundays and Wednesday evenings with different rides for different abilities. Further details on the off-road rides are available here.

Leaders can download a Guest Registration form,  a New Rider Introduction document and Ride Leader Guide