Blue skies and late summer sunshine provided a glorious backdrop for our second family-friendly, guided bike ride, which saw nearly 150 local residents gather in Kingston Road Recreation Ground on Sunday 10 September.

From sleeping toddlers to spritely grandparents, and cargo bikes to tandems, the smiling participants represented a fantastic cross-section of ages and experience levels, all united by a desire to build their cycling confidence.

Adding extra excitement to the proceedings, local MP Ed Davey was on hand to meet the riders and cheer the group on after a whistle start. Our easy-paced 5.5 mile ride (route here) then took in a mix of the borough’s quieter roads, bike lanes and traffic-free routes, riding along the brilliant Beeline Way to Raynes Park, crossing back into New Malden via Malden Golf Course before weaving our way back to Norbiton.

“These rides are really fantastic at getting kids out with their mates – they help build their confidence so much.”

The gentle 5.5-mile circular route showcased a mix of quieter roads, bike lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), introducing many riders to fun new routes to explore the borough on two wheels.

“I’m relatively confident but being in a group makes such a difference and gives us the confidence to venture a bit further as a family.”

As with our June event, the outing represented the first group ride for many of those who joined in the fun, with the route helping introduce new corners of the borough to even some of the more experienced participants. What’s more, with such a wide range of non-standard bikes taking part, it demonstrated the importance of ensuring routes across Kingston are safe and accessible for all.

“I want to expose my young daughter to cycling, so being part of the ride was really enjoyable and positive for her.”

Thanks again to everyone – from ride assistants to participants – who helped make our scorchio September ride such a fun, family-friendly affair. And we’re especially grateful to our friends at Full Cycle Community Bike Project, Friends of Kingston Road Recreation Ground and the Friends of Beeline Way, who helped support us in the run-up to the big day and were all on hand to cheer us on.

Whether the event inspired you to join London Cycling Campaign (of which we’re the local group), come along on one of Kingston Cycling Campaign’s year-round calendar of longer rides for more experienced cyclists, or helped build your confidence to use two wheels for local journeys, we hope you enjoyed the ride.

Keep Sunday 14 January 2024 free to join our next family-friendly outing, starting from Alexandra Park in Berrylands. Sign up for your free place here.

Happy cycling!