About Us

Who are we?

We are part of the CTC - the UK's national cyclists' organisation. Our group is based in South Herts and we usually start our rides in St Albans or Hatfield. See the rides programme page for a full list of start points and location links. Both the St Albans and Hatfield starts are conveniently near train stations with fast links to Central London. This means we have a mix of local residents and people from London on our rides.

What do we do?

We are a leisure club & we ride our bikes on organised rides on Sundays and Wednesday evenings. We also have occasional car-assisted rides and weekends away. All rides have a nominated meeting point. A Sunday ride normally has a morning coffee break, lunch stop and a tea break in the afternoon. Some members will cycle part of a ride, but most will come for all day. In the summer months a full Sunday ride could be 70 miles. In the winter, rides are shorter (about 40 miles)as we have our lunch stop nearer to the start so we can get back before it gets dark. Our midweek rides start from St Albans on Wednesday evenings and aim for about a 60-to-90 minutes ride to a local pub.

I am new to cycling - can I ride with you?

You don't have to live in the South Herts area to enjoy our rides, as long as you can join us at the start or one of the stops shown on our programme. We know the best lanes in our area and manage to plan routes that avoid using busy roads to access the countryside. You will need to be reasonably fit to enjoy a full club ride - give one of our contacts a call to ensure our rides will be suitable for you. Riding with a group can be much more fun than riding on your own. If you intend to join us for the first time it is a good idea to contact us in advance so that we can look out for you.

Do I have to be a CTC member to come out?

You can come for a few rides as a guest to see if what we do is what you are looking for. If you then choose to ride with us regularly we need you to join the CTC so that you benefit from the third-party insurance.

What kind of bikes do you ride?

Regulars have different types of cycles, but most have triple chainsets and low gears. Touring or hybrid bikes with racks so you can carry stuff are popular, and some riders use mountain-bikes in the winter. Any cycle that you ride should be maintained in a safe condition and it is advisable to carry basic tools and spares to be able to deal with a puncture (spare tube, tools to remove your tyre, and a suitable pump). For the midweek evening rides you will also need some front and rear lights.

Do I need a map?

Our rides start within the area covered by Ordnance Survey Landranger sheet 166. This is a useful map to carry as it is quite detailed and easy to read. You do not need a map to ride with us but it is advisable to have one in case you travel back on your own. Many of our Sunday rides go beyond the area covered by sheet 166; we cycle into Bucks, Essex, Beds, and occasionally Cambridgeshire.

I've not ridden in a group before.

Aside from the social aspects, riding with a group is different from riding alone. Here is some essential advice to ensure that the group remains safe.

Interested?

Please contact for more information.