Urban Rides - For Those New or Returning to Cycling

Urban Rides In Leeds

  • Would you like to get to know your neighbourhood a little better or enjoy exploring other parts of the city, on trips of up to 15 miles?.

  • Would you consider cycling to work or college and back instead of driving or relying on public transport?

  • Would you like to get to know others who enjoy cycling for fun and can share tips on how to make the most of the cycling experience?

If the answer to any of the above is ‘Yes', then Leeds Cycling Campaign's Urban Rides programme might be right for you.

Our aim is to help anyone confidently explore the city and its neighbourhoods by bike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Urban Rides are easy rides.  They are not physically demanding and make use of quieter streets and cycle paths. They are aimed at beginners and people who haven’t cycled for a while. More confident riders are welcome too and may provide helpful tips to less experienced cyclists.

Urban Rides can be used by anyone to boost their cycling confidence and help them feel safe on the road. Hopefully, they will help you plan your own routes to places you'd like to go in future, either on your own or with family and friends. You could even share them with other cyclists!

  • We cycle on quiet streets (yellow on the Leeds Cycle Map) or quieter back streets if more appropriate.

  • We use cycle paths wherever possible (blue on the Leeds Cycle Map)

  • We don’t cycle miles into the hills.

  • We avoid busy roads and minimise routes with speed limits above 40mph as far as possible (unless crossing them).

Note: Riders on e-bikes are welcome but should ensure their batteries are fully charged beforehand and able to support their ride for up to 20 miles. All e-bikes should comply with the government definition of an e-bike. Please see this webpage for more  details: https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules.

 

Where do we meet?

At present, we meet on Saturday mornings in Leeds City Centre near the entrance to the Art Gallery in Victoria Square, LS1 3AA (near the chess boards).

   10.15 am for a 10:30 am departure

Please check our Rides Calendar for the next rides planned.

We hope to make other start points available in the future.

 

Clothing

We are not a sports club. No special sports clothes are needed - lycra or other costly clothing is unnecessary and your bike only needs to be roadworthy, not expensive. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in – jeans and a shirt/blouse are fine, depending (as always) on the weather.

 

Questions?

If there's anything you're not sure of or want to ask a question before coming on a ride, please contact our Easy Rides Co-ordinator at the following email address: easyrides [at] leedscyclingcampaign.co.uk

 

Finally ...

Urban Rides usually stay within the boundaries of the Outer Ring Road. Shortcuts, ginnels and new cycle paths are often explored and there is always a café stop along the way. We particularly welcome new people who want to improve their confidence in getting around the city by bike for everyday journeys.  Please check out this page for examples of previous urban rides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Ride to Visit Repair Café

TODAY'S Easy Ride will be to visit the Leeds Repair Café, coincidentally in the same building as the headquarters of Leeds Cycling Campaign.

We will use quiet streets and cycle paths and see the canal towpath, Elland Road Stadium, Cross Flatts Park, Armouries Museum and the West Yorkshire Playhouse.  Then we will call in at the Leeds Repair Café (which has tea and biscuits too).  If you have any gadgets to fix bring them along in your panier bag!

Roundhay Easy Ride

Meet by the tennis courts at Roundhay Park.

We will use Wykebeck Valley Way to Halton Moor and then keeping to cycle tracks enter the Temple Newsam estate near East Leeds Link road and follow estate roads to Temple Newsam House where we will stop refreshments at the Stables Cafe.

Return via Temple Moor and Wykebeck Valley Way.

This route is nearly all traffic free on well made cycle tracks so suitable for all bikes.

Roundhay Easy Ride

Meet by the tennis courts at Roundhay Park.

The ride will go out of Leeds via Eccup Reservoir and through Weardley to enter the Harewood estate.  We will then climb up to Harewood village hopefully admiring the magnificent autumn colours of the Harewood estate trees.

Depending on the thoughts of the group we will either stop for refreshments at Muddy Boots in Harewood village hall but we have been disappointed by the cake selection on our last two visits or we continue to Wyke and stop at Leeds Golf Centre for refreshments.

 

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