UK

Stories from the United Kingdom

Read stories and get inspired! Share a cycling story and inspire others to get out and ride!

Image for story 'Olive' my substitute horse!

"Olive" my substitute horse!

I have ridden horses all my life but as my pal "GG" was in his final years, and I knew I never wanted to own another one, I needed something to take me to all the places he and I visited. Sooooo...... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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A bike ride a day keeps the doctor away

I decided to ride my rickety old Kona mountain bike every day of June as a personal challenge. So far I'm on day 22 and have been out everyday and ridden 188 miles, the most in one day is 20 miles ... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story Never to old to peddle and roll.

Never to old to peddle and roll.

Five years ago I got a bike to get out, have some fun and maybe loss weight. 18 months later I had loss 6 Stone, I now own four mountain bikes and at the young age of 57 will be going to Bike Park ... read more

Topic: Other

9

Past the halfway point

I decided to set a challenge of riding 250 days in a calendar year and as we approach half way I have managed 130 (including some indoor riding after I broke my wrist on an icy January morning comm... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

2

Get out there and ride!

#WomenWhoRide
As a 50 something woman, who has a failing transplant and isn't in the best of shape, riding bikes gives me the headspace to deal with my daily stresses. While out on the bike I a... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Biking

I bike every morning before school so tired in the morning but have to stay motivated

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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Twice a day, five days a week

I've now been cycling to work for 9 years,
Most people think I'm crazy, as I cycle in all weathers and all year.
Come rain, snow, hale, wind and sometimes sunshine.
It's all just fun.<... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story Tour de Rennie Grove

Tour de Rennie Grove

I’m currently about to take to the roads of the southern Chilterns in the 3rd and final leg of this charity ride.
Being a regular cyclist, with distances of 50 miles a regular occurrence, I set... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

1

My personal challenge.

About 8 years (and 20,000+ miles each) ago, my wife and I set ourselves a personal challenge, to use our cars as little as possible. We only have the one car now, which is only used for long journe... read more

Topic: Carbon Crushers

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I Love To Ride

I don't really have a specific story. I simply ride because it's good for the environment, good for my wallet, good for my mental and physical health, and I enjoy it.

It would be amazing ... read more

Topic: Carbon Crushers

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Image for story Cycling can be a little wooden....

Cycling can be a little wooden....

I am so excited about this! I felt 5 years old again!! 🪵 🌲 🚴

Is it bamboo? No

Is it heavy? No

Is it nice to ride? Hell yes! 🤩

Built from wood here in Hampshire i... read more

Topic: My Bicycle Romance

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Image for story #WomenWhoRide

#WomenWhoRide

A couple of hours happily getting lost in the Levels (Somerset!) Whilst it's important for the media to call out harassment of women doing their thing out and about, let's make sure it doesn't crea... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

7

Take the frst step

Sold the car in late april, cycling to work since. Best may ever weather wise. Someone is trying to tell us something.

Topic: My commute by bike

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I cycle for my dog!

I'm not what you would call an enthusiastic cyclist but I started cycling to work when I adopted a rescue dog. Not wanting her to be home all day alone, but also knowing that she would not enjoy d... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story The commuter

The commuter

I've always enjoyed cycling since been really young and and I've always cycle to work. Recently I cycled about 3 miles to work and back everyday and thought that was amazing and it was at the time.... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story Sunshine, smiles and a few miles

Sunshine, smiles and a few miles

For many years I rode my bike as hard as I could whenever I could. However the last 18 months have brought a big change to my riding, various reasons, mostly non-pandemic related.
Now my focus... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story Pedalling west...

Pedalling west...

During the dark months of the latest lockdown I conceived a ridiculous plan to cycle solo from the Chalice Well at Glastonbury to Penzance Lido.

I've allowed myself right days for this ta... read more

Topic: My Bicycle Romance

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Image for story Way of the Roses

Way of the Roses

After three years planning and lock downs we completed the way this June. Setting off from Whalley we rode to Morecambe, took the usual start photo and cycled to Lancaster for our first nights stay... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story Gravel adventure

Gravel adventure

Wanting a change from 1000's of road miles and still been able to commute to work in the winter, I invested in Gravel bike this year.
Amazing peice if kit. My most adventurous ride so far was a... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Building energy for biking

I would love to say before I contracted Covid I was an avid cyclist. But, I don't lie and neither would my bike if you saw it.
Cycling to work a few times a week, weather permitting of course(a... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Bridgewater canal

I started to take on cycling in 2018 when my car broke down and bought a bike (Brompton) to cycle to work, while I tried to buy another car. I have never looked back since. During the Spring and Su... read more

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

2

Building a bike

Not quite a riding story but the story of how I built my bike and what that means to me.

While I was at university, I helped a friend out moving house and, as a result of him downsizing, h... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

2
Image for story On the mend

On the mend

Great to get out and jog a short distance today. As someone who comes from a family with a history of biking, I never really understood the appeal of running. Firstly, cycling thighs aren't really ... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Why I decided to get moving #womenwhoride

Why I decided to get moving #womenwhoride

Lockdown one hit me hard- I developed anxiety and depression through a mix of teacher and mum guilt. This left me both a mental and physical wreck. I was prescribed fluoxetine and it helped however... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story The early bird catches the Ram!

The early bird catches the Ram!

Last week I got on my bike for the first time this year in order to join in with the Great Get Together Ride for Refugee Week. I haven’t worn a watch since lockdown last March so a quick glance at ... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Blue flame

A lovely easy ride out for a drink in the sunny evening with beautiful Kate. First ride for her in years, wont be the last

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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My love for cycling

I've had my fair share of tragedies over the years, then being diagnosed with Menieres disease, this means I am prone to severe vertigo attacks.

I have always ridden horses for years and... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story Cycling in ladies Breeze groups

Cycling in ladies Breeze groups

In recent months, I have been struggling with low mood and anxiety related to big changes happening at work. Cycling has really helped me unwind and switch off for a few hours each week. But it is ... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story Commuting onto Triathlon

Commuting onto Triathlon

Cycled in my teens for pleasure, transport and freedom. I had a brief return in 1990's, moutain biking and embraced it again 7 years ago commuting, now progressed onto 70.3 Triathlons.
Working ... read more

Topic: My Bicycle Romance

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Image for story Starting them young

Starting them young

I love cycling in all it’s forms and I have bikes for everything - commuting, road, gravel, bikepacking and MTB. So I really hope I can encourage my 18mo son to take it up too. I can’t make him of ... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Commute #womenwhoride

Biking to work each day (32miles round trip) was a lot when I started doing it. But the benefits are amazing. Not only have I saved money, and improved my fitness, it is also a shorter commute (1 h... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Everyday life of a Commuter

I commute to work Mon-Fri every week and have seen a big change in people's lifestyles since COVID; there are more pedestrians and cyclists about which leads to less traffic. During the pandemic c... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Waiting for my foot to mend

A few years ago I took up running (again!) and gradually built up distances with the aim of running a marathon. Then I injured my foot through a combination of long runs and vigorous spade work on ... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Half of the Welsh Dragon Route

Half of the Welsh Dragon Route

This past weekend I joined up with some friends who were riding a full circuit of Wales including the South, West and North Coasts plus a circuit of Anglesey and returning down the Welsh - English ... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story No-one told me about Lincoln being so hilly!

No-one told me about Lincoln being so hilly!

After many years feeling like a bit of a social outcast cycling round Cardiff to many different universities, offices, schools, pubs, cinemas and so on, this year I was happy to be offered a dream ... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story Return to cycling

Return to cycling

I have always had a bike since I was a child. I would ride all the time with friends or on my own not so much to get places but more for the enjoyment of cycling.

However like with a lot ... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story The South Downs and Beyond

The South Downs and Beyond

I live in Brighton on the south coast and am very lucky to have the sea and the South Downs on either side of this City. There is nothing bettwer than cycling along the coast through Shoreham Harbo... read more

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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Making Time

Spare time is somewhat of a luxury when you have a 5 year old, 3 year old and 5 week old. Finding enough time to get out on a bike ride has proven to be challenging these last few weeks but with th... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Goals in a covid world

Since the start of the initial lockdown in the U.K. i have been riding more than at anytime in my life.
I set my goals (distance) wise based on missions on another app and so far have ridden vi... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story Tandems in the Trossachs!!

Tandems in the Trossachs!!

Kim, Rachael, Mike and myself are just back from a splendid 5-day tandem ride from Balloch to Nairn. We followed SUSTRANS cycle route 7 for most of the way.

We drove up to Balloch, at the... read more

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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Image for story Finding time

Finding time

Prior to lockdown I used to commute 2 to 4 times a week but then with lockdown I ended up working from home which made the opportunity for biking difficult with the number of meetings, mostly tedio... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Traffic-free route around Manchester Airport

This is one of my favourite rides because it goes through some pleasant countryside on quiet lanes, smooth tracks and cycle lanes. You can also pop into the ice-cream aviation park for an ice-cream... read more

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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From prog rock to the New Forest

Pandemics are not good things I know. However the prospect of being locked in last March, with no prospect of exercise prompted me to put some effort in. From running up and down the drive listenin... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story Northern Ireland alternative for Covid Era bike tour

Northern Ireland alternative for Covid Era bike tour

If your planned trip to sunnier climes has been cancelled or deferred because of covid travel restrictions. I can recommend Northern Ireland.
Quiet roads, lovely scenery, respectful drivers an... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story The New Forest

The New Forest

As part of cycle June I have also been taking part cycling 100 miles for dementia during June. With this in mind I mounted my Cycle on the back of the car and headed with my husband to the New For... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story Charity challenge

Charity challenge

I'm a keen runner, taking on marathons dressed as 'Scissorman' to raise funds for the Little Princess Trust. When the charity launched a London to Paris ride, that sounded just right for my next ch... read more

Topic: My first time on a bike in years

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Image for story E-bike makes national park more accessible

E-bike makes national park more accessible

Hired 2 e-bikes in the Lake District. Allows a beginner to enjoy massive mountain passes and keep up with an experienced rider. Allows for far more exploring than driving and walking...

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story Doing it for Breast Cancer

Doing it for Breast Cancer

Signed up to do 300km in the Month of July for the Charity . . Looking forward to the challenge and getting my partner involved too 🤞💝🌈

Topic: Other

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Image for story Solstice Ride

Solstice Ride

Usually we try to arrange a ride around the Summer Solstice, last year we couldn't do it due to the restrictions. So, this year we got up before the crack of dawn, met in time for the drab and grey... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story Mental Health and cycling

Mental Health and cycling

Covid-19 lockdown affected me in a way that I never thought it would. It brought back memories of being in isolation and made my depression and anxiety much worse. I started cycling to help clear m... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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