Sky Ride

[Bryony]

I went on a few sky ride local rides last year and have a few booked this year. I really enjoyed them, the leaders were great and very encouraging, the only down side was not all parents kept an eye in their kids and I had to make a few emergency stops!! Will be putting the flat pedals on my bike for these rides as I don't fancy any clipless moments!

 

[Pale Rider]

I was impressed with a basic six-mile Sky Ride I did a couple of years ago.

The leaders were top notch - each had done a at least a day or two of training to be a leader and one of them had reccy'd the ride the day before.

I managed to disgrace myself by falling off the Brompton.

Lots of care and attention in terms of offers of first aid, a lift home, etc.

Last week I came across a Sky Ride on the C2C path near Washington, Tyne and Wear.

The riders were all children.

One of the leaders told me they took the children out as part of their PE lessons.

All good stuff, so hats off to Sky for putting up some money and the leaders for their efforts.

 

[James Ots]

I just did the Coventry Sky Ride — four laps of the Coventry Ring Road plus some closed off roads in the centre, with my three year old son on the tagalong (not contributing to the ride as his feet don't reach the pedals yet, so I've added a bar for him to rest his feet on.)

It was really well organised, and the roads were properly closed off (except for a few bits in the centre where there were pedestrian crossings). It was particularly fun cycling round the ring road, which is one place I would usually avoid on a bike. There were plenty of children veering around, but most of the time the roads were wide enough to avoid them. Most of the time I was going faster than everyone else, despite dragging a wobbling tagalong behind me, which surprised me. I thought there'd at least be a few people trying to go as fast as possible round the ring road.

The only slightly scary bits were on a narrow cobbled section in the centre with a lot of pedestrians and slow children, where I had to unclip and be ready to stop at a moment's notice, especially as the bike is particularly wobbly at slow speeds.

I'll definitely be signing up for it again next year, and hopefully my son will be on his own bike by then.

 

[raleighnut]

I just did the Coventry Sky Ride — four laps of the Coventry Ring Road plus some closed off roads in the centre, with my three year old son on the tagalong (not contributing to the ride as his feet don't reach the pedals yet, so I've added a bar for him to rest his feet on.)

It was really well organised, and the roads were properly closed off (except for a few bits in the centre where there were pedestrian crossings). It was particularly fun cycling round the ring road, which is one place I would usually avoid on a bike. There were plenty of children veering around, but most of the time the roads were wide enough to avoid them. Most of the time I was going faster than everyone else, despite dragging a wobbling tagalong behind me, which surprised me. I thought there'd at least be a few people trying to go as fast as possible round the ring road.

The only slightly scary bits were on a narrow cobbled section in the centre with a lot of pedestrians and slow children, where I had to unclip and be ready to stop at a moment's notice, especially as the bike is particularly wobbly at slow speeds.

I'll definitely be signing up for it again next year, and hopefully my son will be on his own bike by then.

There were a few nobbers in Leicester the other week, 'team kit' on and going stupid but on the whole not too many. Kinda goes against the ethos of the day

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I just did the Coventry Sky Ride — four laps of the Coventry Ring Road plus some closed off roads in the centre, with my three year old son on the tagalong (not contributing to the ride as his feet don't reach the pedals yet, so I've added a bar for him to rest his feet on.)

It was really well organised, and the roads were properly closed off (except for a few bits in the centre where there were pedestrian crossings). It was particularly fun cycling round the ring road, which is one place I would usually avoid on a bike. There were plenty of children veering around, but most of the time the roads were wide enough to avoid them. Most of the time I was going faster than everyone else, despite dragging a wobbling tagalong behind me, which surprised me. I thought there'd at least be a few people trying to go as fast as possible round the ring road.

The only slightly scary bits were on a narrow cobbled section in the centre with a lot of pedestrians and slow children, where I had to unclip and be ready to stop at a moment's notice, especially as the bike is particularly wobbly at slow speeds.

I'll definitely be signing up for it again next year, and hopefully my son will be on his own bike by then.

I saw the report in the Telegraph, looked like it had a good turn out and went well.

 

[Phil Fouracre]

Interesting comments. Is it me? Why the need to ride 'supervised'? To me the whole idea of cycling is to explore as an individual, or your own group. Why not find routes on your own. Yes, I do think Sky are doing a great job, but, probably just me; I did a ride leader course with them, but, we 'fell out' over the helmet issue, so I only did a couple of rides for them. To see a group of adults in tabards and helmets being shepherded along.....! Sorry, not my idea of fun.

 

[raleighnut]

Interesting comments. Is it me? Why the need to ride 'supervised'? To me the whole idea of cycling is to explore as an individual, or your own group. Why not find routes on your own. Yes, I do think Sky are doing a great job, but, probably just me; I did a ride leader course with them, but, we 'fell out' over the helmet issue, so I only did a couple of rides for them. To see a group of adults in tabards and helmets being shepherded along.....! Sorry, not my idea of fun.

Its fun when there's tens of thousands of you doing it like on the Leicester one. I'm not keen on the group rides but the mass participation events.
As a side comment its the monthly 'Critical Mass' ride this Friday in Leicester.

 

[flyingfish]

We have done about 8 this summer, OH & I . Why? Because we have gone away from our respective home Towns & seen some places that time pressures would have made it hard to find. OH is not a confident cyclist & the help and advice she has received has been very welcome. I have never felt shepherded & have found the leaders to be good company. I can understand that if you want to go out & push yourself it's not for you but a nice ride with time to smell the wild flowers suits me.
Pete

 

[Phil Fouracre]

Yeah, I do appreciate what you're saying. No chance of me ever 'pushing myself', all my rides allow me to smell the flowers! Probably me just being irritated by their helmet attitude, all a bit too PC for me

 

[flyingfish]

On the rides I have been on helmets are only compulsory for kids. 1 dad got upset because a leader tried to check his son's bike out. All a little silly. Apart from that once all have been good
Pete

 

[mr_cellophane]

Helmets are also compulsory for Leaders.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Interesting comments. Is it me? Why the need to ride 'supervised'? To me the whole idea of cycling is to explore as an individual, or your own group. Why not find routes on your own. Yes, I do think Sky are doing a great job, but, probably just me; I did a ride leader course with them, but, we 'fell out' over the helmet issue, so I only did a couple of rides for them. To see a group of adults in tabards and helmets being shepherded along.....! Sorry, not my idea of fun.

The whole idea is to get people out and about cycling. For many less confident riders, the concept of picking a destination and riding there would put them off. By being in a group such as the Sky Rides, it helps them realise what they can achieve, and makes them feel safer. There's also the issue of insurance. By riding in a supervised group, the possible risks have been assessed and the participants are covered.

I'm a Sustrans Ride Leader (no helmets required), and after persuading people at events to sign up for supervised rides, we've had people come along on bikes they haven't ridden for 10+ years, who just wouldn't have considered doing a couple of miles let alone 10-20 miles. The majority of them have gone on to buy new bikes and have become regular cyclists, as well as still participating in our rides, as they enjoy the social element as well as the cycling.

 

[flyingfish]

Is that near us @Flying Dodo?
Pete

 

[Flying Dodo]

Is that near us @Flying Dodo?
Pete

Assuming you're in Luton, Beds, and not Luton, a little village in Devon, then yes.

www.Facebook.com/LutonandDunstableCyclingForum

Next ride is an easy one on 5th October, shown under Events.

 

[flyingfish]

Thanks, I will look into it. And yes I am the other cyclist in Luton beds lol