Riding With Us
Our Rides
We ride every weekend, typically alternating between longer Sunday rides and shorter Saturday ones. On some weekends we run both a Saturday and a Sunday ride.
Our Sunday rides are typically 40 - 60 miles long at a steady pace. No-one will be left behind, and we encourage anyone who has cycled on a road before to come with us! We stop at a cafe mid-morning, and return by mid to late afternoon.
We normally meet at 9:30am at one of several start locations (see below). For a list of rides planned for the next 2 -3 months please consult the Rides Calendar.
If you plan to ride with us for the first time we advise and welcome you to contact the ride leader for the day or contact the rides secretary or ladies rep for more general information about the rides.
We do suggest that before you come, you check your brakes and tyres and even give that chain a lick of oil. Rides may be cancelled if the weather is particularly bad (e.g. icy roads), but this is rare.
Mere rain does not put us off, so do bring waterproofs with you!
Tea Stops
Our rides include a Tea Stop for refreshment plus a lunch stop on longer rides
Ride Start Locations
Maps showing our 4 most common start locations are listed below. Each map will open in a new browser window. Note that the postcodes given may only be approximate, but the arrow on the map indicates the location where you will find the leader for the ride.
Brampton Valley Way (BVW): Brampton Valley Way, Welford Crossing NN6 8AA
Canoe Centre (CC): Nene Whitewater Centre, Bedford Road NN4 7AA
East Hunsbury library (EH): Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Moulton (MCP): Moulton Co-op NN3 7TB
There is free car parking available at each of these start points.
Safety
All rides are led by an experienced leader, but we do not provide Route Cards or maps. We usually split up on the return journey as we get near home, but an escort will always be provided back to the start if required.
If you decide to leave the ride before the end, PLEASE tell the leader or someone else in the Group. There's nothing more frustrating than waiting around at a windy road junction for someone who has already gone home!
Younger riders are welcome, but if you are under 16 years of age please bring a note from a parent or guardian, including a phone number in case there are any problems or delays on the ride.
Bikes and Equipment
We ride a variety of bike types, with Road, Touring and Hybrid being the most common. Mountain Bikes and Fixies are also seen from time to time. Some rides may involve short off-road sections, but rides which are specifically planned for Mountain Bikes will be identified as being "Offroad" on the Rides Calendar. Longer rides will probably involve some hilly stretches, so whatever type of bike you ride, a reasonable selection of gears is advisable.
You should always carry a basic toolkit, including a pump and the correct adaptor, spare tube and puncture repair kit, as a MINIMUM! During winter months, we may not always get home in daylight, so do fit a dynamo, or carry lights (and spare batteries). A map might also be useful.
Route Archive
A library of the routes taken on our recent rides can be found on our "Ride With GPS" web page. The route name prefix indicates the start location.
If you have a personal "Ride With GPS" account why not consider joining the "CTC Northampton" group?