What is it?
The Social Cycling project offers a wide range of fun and social cycling activities for residents of Kensington and Chelsea.
Activities provide great opportunities to increase physical activity levels, contribute to creating a green and clean environment, and to access opportunities for employment.
And the best part? It’s completely free!
Residents can choose from a wide range of free activities to suit all abilities and experience. Some are drop-in sessions and others require booking. Find out more below.
Drop-in activities (no booking required)
Our group sessions for adults help to get you started with cycling or to brush up your skills. You don’t need to book in advance, but please note drop-in sessions are on a first come, first served basis. We have sessions for beginners and improvers.
See here for more information.
Locations:
– MONDAY 10:00-12:00: The Dalgarno Trust community centre, Dalgarno Way, W10 5LE
– WEDNESDAY 10:00-12:00 Flash Point, Worlds End Estate, London SW10 0HE
– WEDNESDAY 13:00-15:00 Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH
June – Beginner & Improver sessions
- Monday 26 June, 10:00-12:00, Dalgarno Trust
- Wednesday 28 June, 10:00-12:00, Flash Point
- Wednesday 28 June, 13:00-15:00, Henry Dickens
July – Beginner & Improver sessions
- Wednesday 5 July, 10:00-12:00, Flash Point
- Wednesday 5 July, 13:00-15:00, Henry Dickens
- Wednesday 12 July, 10:00-12:00, Flash Point
- Wednesday 12 July, 13:00-15:00, Henry Dickens
All Ability Clubs are drop-in events with a range of cycles to suit everyone. We believe that cycling should be accessible and possible for everyone to enjoy. After being shown how to use the cycles by our friendly volunteers and staff, attendees are free to cycle around the park or green space with their friends, family or carer.
Location: Little Wormwood Scrubs Park- we set up at the Dalgarno Gardens entrance to the park where Dalgarno Gardens meets Brewster Gardens, W10 5LL.
Time: Every Friday 9:30am-2:30pm and alternate Saturdays 9.30am-12.30pm
We go for a led ride around the area at the end of session on Friday. Assemble at 1pm
Upcoming Dates (Fridays)
- Friday 23rd June
- Friday 30th June
Upcoming Dates (Saturdays)
- Saturday 24th June
Dr. Bike sessions are a FREE bike safety check and MOT by our experience mechanics. No booking required, just bring your bike along to one of the sessions below.
Friday 30th JUNE – 12:00-16:00 – Tavistock Road (Portobello Road Market), W11 1AN
Bookable activities:
Do you want to lead a Cycling Group but need some training to do so safely?
Bikeworks delivers a Ride Leader course to enable people to plan and deliver rides with mixed ability groups on, and off-road.
During the course, you will cover:
- Advanced riding skills ( from the cycling National Standard )
- The roles and responsibilities of ride leaders and marshals
- Group cycling off and on road – snaking (Moving riders in a group)
- Risk management and dealing with incidents
- Route planning
When: Wednesday 26th of July. 10am – 1:30pm (free to RBKC residents) – please book here.
Note: see practical information. Participants should come with their own cycle for the course. alternatively, please get in touch enquiries@bikeworks.org.uk
Cycling for Wellbeing is a great way to build your confidence on a cycle, while also having the opportunity to be active in the fresh air, explore green spaces, and to meet people from your local area.
Please make sure you book a place, as places are limited.
Click here for more information.
Upcoming sessions
Day:
Thursdays
Time:
10:00-12:00
Meeting at:
Henry Dickens Court Community Centre
W11 4DH
Dates:
Thursday 29 June
Thursday 06 July
Thursday 13 July
You must be able to balance on a 2 wheel cycle or another type of cycle before taking part in this course. Join a Beginner or Improver session drop-in session or visit the All Ability Club first if you are not sure.
If you are a RBKC resident, come and join us for this free wellness activity.
Find further information about Cycling for Wellbeing here.
The Side-by-Side is a ‘cycle taxi with a difference’. This completely free service allows up to three passengers to enjoy gentle exercise and fresh air while carrying out journeys in their neighbourhood in a social group.
Designed to support people who are socially isolated and/or with health conditions, those with restricted mobility or those with visual/sensory impairments the taxi is easy to get on and off and can carry luggage such as shopping and walking aids. Passengers can choose whether to pedal and with an electric battery and friendly pilot with you all the way, it is hard not to have a good time.
Book a journey using the Book a trip button. Or give us a call on 020 8980 7998 (option 5).
Save money on bike repairs! Learn to fix your own cycle with our one-day beginner and intermediate maintenance courses.
Upcoming dates:
BEGINNERS
Sat 24th June, 10.00-16.00
Sat 8th July, 10.00-16.00
Sat 22nd July, 10.00-16.00
INTERMEDIATE
Sat 15th July, 10.00-16.00
Location
Bikeworks Training Centre, 3 Maxilla Walk, Notting Hill, London W10 6NQ (End of kingsdown Close, next to the Men’s Shed)
Sign up!
What do the courses cover?
Beginners
Our beginners course is a great introduction to bicycle maintenance and is suitable for people who have never touched an allen key in their life, or people who have muddled through a puncture repair but would like to be slicker.
After the course you will be able to check your bike over before a ride to make sure it is road worthy, or repair a puncture much more confidently. You will also pick up some tips for keeping your bike in good shape, hopefully making your servicing intervals less frequent.
The Beginners course covers:
- Roadside puncture repair – removal of wheel and tyre
- M-Check (learning how to check that major components are safe and roadworthy, making minor adjustments)
- Removal and refitting of brake blocks, balancing brake calipers
- Adjusting brake cable tension
- Preventative care e.g. how to clean and lubricate your bike parts
Intermediate
The intermediate maintenance course builds on the skills introduced in the beginners course. Therefore it is worth taking that course first, or being sure you are comfortable with the skills covered.
The Intermediate course covers:
- An in depth look at brakes (cables, maintenance)
- Setting up gears
- Derailleur limit screws demonstration
- Principles of adjusting derailleur (front and rear) also known as indexing
- Basic wheel truing
This course is great for people who wish to be able to keep their bike running smoothly between major services, or who would like the skills to perform parts upgrades themselves.
Not sure which activity to choose?
If you’re not sure which activities would be best for you, complete our enquiry form and one of our team will be in touch to provide some help and advice.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes. Social Cycling activities are only open to residents of RBKC.
To find out more about Bikeworks activities which are open to all, click here.
Yes! Free cycles are available to borrow for all activities.
If you’d like some more information about our activities, or some help and advice on which activities would be best for you, complete our enquiry form and one of our team will be in touch.
As part of the registration process we will take some basic personal details and you/your parent/carer/support worker will sign a (digital) consent form.
We will also ask about your personal information such as your ethnicity, age and employment status- this allows us to look at who is taking part in the activities and ensure that we are doing a good job of reaching a wide range of people in the community.
The information we ask for is only what is required for safeguarding purposes and reporting which will be anonymised and sent to our funders.
Where do the activities take place?
Meet in front of Flash Point, World’s End Pl, Worlds End Estate, London SW10 0HE
Cycling activities delivered here: Beginner and Improver cycling sessions (Wednesdays).
Dalgarno Trust, Dalgarno Way, London W10 5LE.
Cycling activities delivered here: Beginner and Improver cycling sessions (Mondays).
The Dalgarno Trust is a dynamic charity working in partnership with the local community as well as statutory bodies, private sector and voluntary organisations to `improve lives in North Kensington’. Visit their website to find out more about their programs.
Meet at the basketball court next to Henry Dickens Court Community Centre, 104 St Ann’s Rd, London W11 4DH
Cycling activities delivered here: Cycling for Wellbeing sessions (Tuesdays & Thursdays), Group Beginner and Improver cycling sessions (Wednesdays).
Meet at the Dalgarno Gardens entrance to the park where Dalgarno Gardens meets Brewster Gardens, W10 5LL.
Activities delivered here: All Ability Club
Bikeworks Training Centre is situated at 3 Maxilla Walk, Notting Hill, London W10 6NQ
(End of kingsdown Close, next to the Men’s Shed).
The training centre is under the Westway. The easiest way to find the centre is to approach from Kingsdown Close and then take a right at the end of the road and look out for the Bikeworks sign on your left.
Activities available here: Beginners and Intermediate Maintenance courses & Ride Leader courses