We operate weekly club rides out into Essex, Hertfordshire and sometimes beyond. To join any of our rides, you must sign up viaRiderHQ. If you have any questions about the club rides that aren’t covered below - contact us.
When are your club rides?
We have club runs on Sundays almost every week (unless it’s Christmas Day or the weather is truly apocalyptic).
General departure times - full information on RiderHQ
8:45am: Depart from Walthamstow Town Hall
9:30am: Second pick up from the tea hut at High Beach
To join any of our rides, you must sign up via:RiderHQ
How far and how fast are club rides?
A typical club ride is between 50 and 60 miles, but it can be longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. We try to make it so that most/all groups ride the same route so that if people can’t cope with a faster group, they know there’s a group behind they can drop back to.
We have various groups to suit every type of rider;
Group A: Fast and hard ride, 19/20mph+ if you’re dropped, no one is likely to wait for you, good group riding skills are essential.
Group B: Average speed from 17 mph to 18.9 mph.
Group C: 15-16mph and a no-drop policy.
Social: a gentler pace (12-14mph), no-drop – doesn’t always follow the same route as A/B/C groups.
What do I need to bring with me?
At the absolute minimum, everyone should have at least one spare inner tube, some tyre levers, a little multi-tool and a mini-pump. Ideally, you should also have a puncture repair kit and perhaps another inner tube.
Wear appropriate clothing (ideally Lea Valley CC kit if you have some) for the weather and have a set of lights for early morning/evening rides.
Mudguards are mandatory (out of consideration for whoever is riding behind you) during winter months October-March.
Food & hydration- most rides involve a coffee stop, but no matter what the length of the ride, it’s good to bring something to keep you going, eg, gels, bars, bananas, drinks etc.
What do I need to know about group riding?
This video provides practical advice on how to ride safely and efficiently in a group and how to communicate when doing so.
A ride leader will give you a brief guide on how to ride in a group before starting, although please try to learn as much as possible beforehand.
Always follow the Highway Code, this is true even more so when representing the club and wearing club kit.
In addition to being responsible for your own safety, in a group ride you are also likely to be responsible for that of the other members of the group. Act accordingly.
Clear communication is essential during a group ride - hand and verbal signals are used to communicate hazards such as potholes, glass, cars etc. The riders at the front should signal these first, the signal should filter its way through the group, riders should pass on any signal they receive.
How do I know Lea Valley CC is for me?
We welcome guest riders to join for one ride (you must sign up on RiderHQ) before being asked to join via British Cycling, we're sure you won't regret it!
Will I be eaten by bears?
Bears have been extinct in Britain for more than a thousand years, so this is very unlikely to happen.
