London Dynamo Cycle Club
Join the ride
People naturally have quite a few questions they ask us before coming out on one of our rides. Here we try to answer some of the more popular ones for you. If you have any other questions about cycling in general or about our activates, please e-mail us on membership@londondynamo.co.uk
Saturday 8.30am BST (9am GMT) in Richmond Park - 4 laps (c28miles) in groups of 8 doing "through and off". Meet at roundabout between Roehampton Gate and Richmond Gate. Coffee afterwards at Roehampton Gate Cafe. Download this PDF for really useful tips on our Park Ride.
9am - First Saturday in the month - mountain bike ride in Surrey Hills - meet at Westcott - contact Will Hayter (Committee Member) to confirm it is running.
Sunday 8:00 am - Surrey Hills fast pace with water stop only at Box Hill. 50-60 miles. Meet at Kingston Gate in Richmond Park.
Sunday 9:00 am - Surrey Hills with cake stop at Box Hill. 50-60 miles. Meet at Hampton Court Bridge next to station. Sub-groups may agree to ride elsewhere eg Windsor.
Wednesday 7.00 pm - Fast pace Chertsey loop c 28 miles or maybe laps of Richmond Park if day-light permits. Meet at Richmond Gate. There is an earlier rolling start through London to this ride - check with riders as to the route if of interest.
Wednesday 7.30 pm - Chertsey loop c28 miles or maybe laps of Richmond Park if day-lighting permits. Meet at Richmond Gate.
Thursdays 9.30 am - Various destinations (c 50 miles) including Windsor, Fairoaks Airport and Surrey Hills. Meet at Hampton Court Bridge next to station.
Mainly Ladies - Ladies' specific rides take place throughout the year on an ad hoc and organised basis. These include Wednesday evening park rides (when the light permits), weekday winter turbo/spin classes and Sunday morning Surrey Hills rides. Contact Rebecca Slack, our ladies' secretary, via pm or email for details.
We are more than happy to welcome new faces, so please feel free to come and try a ride. If you enjoy your first outing and would like to ride with us on a regular basis, then YOU WILL NEED TO BECOME A CLUB MEMBER.
If you can ride 21 miles (three laps of Richmond Park) at a gentle pace you are fit enough to come out on the Parkride. If you can ride about 50 miles or so then you are fit enough to try the Sunday Surrey Hills ride.
The Saturday Parkride is designed to accommodate everyone and is broken down into groups of abilities. The fast group set off first followed by fast/intermediate, intermediate, and steady. If you fail to stay with your group you'll be able to join the next group behind.
The 9am Sunday Surrey Hills ride is at conversation-pace, although the distance is around 50 miles and includes Leith Hill and Box Hill. We ride as a group, everyone stops for punctures, and we never leave anyone behind - we want to encourage people to join us, not put them off. If you really don't think you can keep up, ask a club member for some advice.
You will need a reliable bike. A racing bike is preferable, but a mountain bike will do, as long as you change your tyres for some narrow slicks. Once you get the cycling bug then a visit to our sponsors Cyclefit will help you get fitted out with everything you'll need. It goes without saying that you should wear a helmet. A good pair of cycling shorts is a must for comfort, but please note that you do not wear underpants with them - it's not big or clever. Additionally, a reasonable pair of cycling shoes and set of pedals that you "click" in to will also make the experience more pleasurable. You will need to bring along a spare inner tube, a pump, a puncture repair kit and a bottle filled with an energy drink. When joining the Surrey Hills ride, other useful items include a small multi-tool, a pack-away rain jacket and some cash for tea and cake at the top of Box Hill. We don't abandon people if they puncture or have mechanical problems - in fact, we all stop and help. However, it's your duty to ensure that you come prepared for things such as punctures and that your bike is well maintained, safe, and fit for the distance.
Not at all. You do as much or as little as you like. But many have found the idea of racing is infectious and after the Parkride you may want to see how you measure up to all the other racing cyclists in the country. Time trials and closed circuit criteriums are good events to start with.
The club rides are there to get the miles into your legs and help you learn how to ride in a bunch - up close to other cyclists. If you're strong, ride with the faster groups, but remember these are club rides on public roads, not races, and there are no trophies or prize money up for grabs. If you want to test yourself at race pace against some real competition, lots of our club members participate in many of the closed-circuit criteriums, Surrey League road races and time trial events throughout the season. Most are in the Greater London and Surrey area, on great courses which will test you to your limit.
Try to do the Parkride and Surrey Hills rides every week in winter to get a base of fitness. Then, in early spring, start with either some 10-mile time trials or closed-circuit criteriums. These will give you an idea of what competition is all about. Many of our club members have taken this route into racing and there's a whole pool of collective knowledge and experience to learn from.
Time trials are over a set distance with riders setting off individually at one-minute intervals. You ride as hard as you can to the finish and the rider with the quickest time wins. The range of ability in each field varies massively, so many people are only interested in their own time and what they can do to beat it at the next event.
Criteriums and road races are mass-start events with around 60 riders competing together. Criteriums are usually on closed circuits which are between one and three miles in size with total distances of between 25 and 45 miles, depending on your category. They are very quick and usually end with a bunch sprint. Road races are on public roads and usually involve a course of seven to 12 miles which is ridden a number of times. If you want to start racing, keep an eye on this site as there will be a calendar of up-and-coming events which many of our members will be competing in.
We are close to the Herne Hill track. They have beginners' sessions there every Saturday.
Just e-mail us at membership@Londondynamo.co.uk and we'll get you out with people you'll enjoy riding with. You can also e-mail us at the same address for any other queries.