Chapters
End
Newcomers ยท Your first ride
Your invitation ride before joining London Dynamo. What it is, when it meets, and what you need to do before you turn up.
Time
About 5 minutes
Audience
Prospective members
Format
Draft
Why we run it. We want everyone wearing club kit to be safe, to be great ambassadors for cycling, and to preserve our excellent reputation out on the road. That’s why we ask every prospective member to attend a Newcomer Ride before joining London Dynamo, whatever your previous experience.
What you’ll cover
Chapter 01
An invitation ride before you join the club, run on the first Saturday of every month.
01
Format
You ride and meet with London Dynamo members in a designated group, alongside one of our Ride Marshals. It’s a chance for us to get to know you and for you to get to know us.
02
The ride
A standard Saturday Park Ride distance, in a group sized to your pace. The Ride Marshal sets the tempo and handles the calls.
03
Assessment
Group riding takes skill and confidence. By the end of the ride, your group will be riding in a Through & Off or Paceline formation, so we can see how you handle close-quarters riding.
04
Two-way
What you’ll get from London Dynamo, what we ask in return. Kit, conduct on the road, the Helping Out Programme, and the rest of the membership picture.
05
Other ways in
Fastrack is for elite racers and elite triathletes (see the Fastrack chapter). There is also the Group Riding Skills Course, which opens in April 2027. Details of all the routes are on the Join page.
Chapter 02
First Saturday of each month, Pen Ponds Cafe car park, by invitation only.
01
When
By invitation only. You must register in advance, see the next chapter for the link.
02
Where
Meet in the car park. The ride sets off from there for 3.5 laps of the park, anti-clockwise.
03
Start time
Spring (March & April), 7.45 am. Summer (May to August), 7.15 am. Autumn (September & October), 7.45 am. Winter (November to February), 8.15 am. Check the website before you go.
04
Route
Standard Park Ride direction. If you’ve ridden in Richmond Park before, it’s the way you’ll know.
Chapter 03
Register, get the bike right, and turn up ready to ride.
01
Register
Don’t show up without registering. We won’t be able to include you, because we won’t have the information we need to put you in the right group for a safe ride.
02
Bike
No single-speed bikes. The Saturday Park Ride is a paced group ride, you’ll need gears.
03
Helmet
Helmets are mandatory on every Dynamo ride. No helmet, no ride, no exceptions.
04
Kit
Wear whatever you’d normally ride in. After you join, you’ll be expected to wear at least one piece of branded London Dynamo kit on every club ride: jersey, gilet, jacket, bibs, or socks, any one is fine.
05
Pace
We expect newcomers to be able to complete the 3.5 laps of Richmond Park in about 1 hour 20 minutes. If you can hold that pace for a Saturday morning, you’ll be fine. Please include a recent Richmond Park lap time when you register.
06
Skill
You’ll need to be comfortable riding within touching distance of other riders. By the end of the ride, you’ll be in a Through & Off or Paceline formation. If you’ve never done this before, read the Group Riding and Etiquette module first.
Chapter 04
Briefing, ride, follow-up. What happens from arrival to email.
01
Briefing
Your Ride Marshal will brief the whole group on the rules of riding in Richmond Park, the calls and signals we use, and the formation you’ll be in. You’ll also hear an intro to the Helping Out Programme.
02
HOP
The Helping Out Programme is how London Dynamo runs its own races and events, and how we meet our obligations to British Cycling, the Surrey League and Cycling Time Trials. Every member is expected to help out with one event or activity per year. Your commitment to help out is part of your registration when you join.
03
The ride
You’ll be assigned to a group sized to your pace. Follow the Ride Marshal’s instructions, hold your line, and ride to the standard the briefing set out.
04
After
The Ride Marshal informs the Membership Manager of your attendance and your suitability to join. If you’re a fit, you’ll receive joining instructions by email a couple of days later.
Chapter 05
For elite racers and elite triathletes. You can join without completing a Newcomer Ride if you qualify.
01
Who qualifies
You can Fastrack into London Dynamo if you hold a British Cycling 3rd-category licence or better, an equivalent international racing qualification, or if you are an elite-level triathlete or duathlete looking to improve your cycling. Proof of your qualification is required.
02
Apply
Fastrack joining is handled through the same form as the Newcomer Ride registration. Tell us about your racing background and we’ll come back to you.
Module summary
The Newcomer Ride is how we get to know you, and how you get to know us. Read this once, register on the website, and we’ll see you at Pen Ponds.
Chapters recap
Chapter 01
Chapter 02
Chapter 03
Chapter 04
Chapter 05
Bookings are now open for the 7th November & 5th December 2026. Click below to learn how to join, explore our Helping Out Programme, and register for the next Newcomer Ride.