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:
- All Ability Clubs drop-in events with a range of cycles to suit everyone.
- Adult Beginner and Improver cycling sessions to help get you started or brush up your skills.
- Cycling for Wellbeing get to know your neighbourhood and meet local people. More info.
- Cycle Taxi book local neighbourhood trips for up to 3 people to a location of your choice.
- Dr Bike bring your bike to be checked and adjusted so it is safe to ride.
- Maintenance courses learn how to fix your own cycle.
- City & Guilds accredited mechanic qualification create an opportunity for employment
- Ride Leader training Get advanced skills to start your own community cycle rides. Book a free spot on our next course.
Follow us on social media or join the waiting list to get updates when dates and activities are confirmed:
When is it and How do I book?
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
- Friday 17th March
- Friday 24th March
- Saturday 25th March
- Friday 31st March
Most Mondays at Dalgarno Trust
Most Wednesdays at Henry Dickens Court
Please note that these sessions are on a first come first serve basis.
Day |
Dates |
Adult Group sessions |
Starting time |
Finishing time |
Meeting locations |
| Monday | 06 March 2023 | Beginner Session | 10:00 | 12:00 | The Dalgarno Trust community centre, Dalgarno Wy., London W10 5LE |
| Monday | 06 March 2023 | Improver session | 12:30 | 14:30 | The Dalgarno Trust community centre, Dalgarno Wy., London W10 5LE |
| Wednesday | 08 March 2023 | Beginner Session | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Wednesday | 08 March 2023 | Improver session | 12:30 | 14:30 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Monday | 13 March 2023 | Beginner Session | 10:00 | 12:00 | The Dalgarno Trust community centre, Dalgarno Wy., London W10 5LE |
| Monday | 13 March 2023 | Improver session | 12:30 | 14:30 | The Dalgarno Trust community centre, Dalgarno Wy., London W10 5LE |
| Wednesday | 15 March 2023 | Improver session | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Wednesday | 15 March 2023 | Improver session | 12:30 | 14:30 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Monday | 27 March 2023 | Improver session | 10:00 | 12:00 | The Dalgarno Trust community centre, Dalgarno Wy., London W10 5LE |
| Monday | 27 March 2023 | Improver session | 12:30 | 14:30 | The Dalgarno Trust community centre, Dalgarno Wy., London W10 5LE |
Want to learn to ride a 3 wheeled or other type of cycle? Please go to one of our All Ability club sessions in Little Wormwood Scrubs where you can try all types of cycles.
Cycling for Wellbeing is an 8 session course over a 4 week period where you will take part in all 8 sessions. You will build your confidence on the cycle, meet other people from the area and explore the neighbourhood.
Booking is essential, places are limited. Find further information here.
April/May 2023 course dates:
Day |
Date |
Event name |
Start |
Finish |
Address |
| Tuesday | 18 April 2023 | Cycle for Wellbeing course | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Thursday | 20 April 2023 | Cycle for Wellbeing course | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Tuesday | 25 April 2023 | Cycle for Wellbeing course | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Thursday | 27 April 2023 | Cycle for Wellbeing course | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Tuesday | 2 May 2023 | Cycle for Wellbeing course | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Thursday | 4 May 2023 | Cycle for Wellbeing course | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Tuesday | 9 May 2023 | Cycle for Wellbeing course | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
| Thursday | 11 May 2023 | Cycle for Wellbeing course | 10:00 | 12:00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre W11 4DH |
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 or visit the All Ability Club first if you are not sure.
Next course will be mid May to mid June 2023
One-day Basic Maintenance and one-day Intermediate Maintenance courses will be available for you to learn to fix your own cycle.
Location
Bikeworks West Training Hub, 3 Maxilla Walk, Notting Hill, London W10 6NQ
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.
BEGINNERS INTERMEDIATE
Sat 15th April, 10.00-16.00 Sat 1st April, 10.00-16.00
Thu 11th May, 09.00-14.30 Thu 15th June, 09.00-14.30
Sat 24th June, 10.00-16.00 Sat 15th July, 10.00-16.00
Sat 8th July, 10.00-16.00
Sat 22nd July, 10.00-16.00
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).
FREE bike safety check and MOT.
No booking required.
| DATE | TIME | LOCATION |
| Wednesday 12th April | 10.00 – 14.00 | Henry Dickens Court Community Centre 104 St Ann’s Rd, W11 4DH |
| Saturday 15th April | 10.00 – 14.00 | Kensington Leisure Centre Bomore Road, W11 4HJ |
| Wednesday 19th April | 10.00 – 14.00 | Kensington Leisure Centre Bomore Road, W11 4HJ |
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 29th March 10am – 1:30pm (free to RBKC residents) – please book here.
Next course:
Wednesday 12th April 11:00am-2:30pm (free to RBKC residents) – please book here.
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.
Free cycles are available to borrow for all activities- where possible we will provide an adapted cycle (eg a trike) from our fleet to suit your needs- let us know when you book each activitiy if you will need this.
We request that you attend the All Ability clubs to test out our range of adapted cycles to identify which one suits your needs. We will then try to provide that cycle for the course that you wish to attend.
All Ability, Beginer and Improvers group sessions are a ‘drop-in’ activity so there is no requirement to book – you simply turn up on the day.
Dr Bike activities are also drop-in events. These are popular sessions so if you wish to have your bike checked please turn up at least 1hr before the advertised end of the session.
Cycling for Wellbeing, Maintenance Courses and Advanced Ride Leader courses all require booking – see each section above for dates and how to book.
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 at the Dalgarno Gardens entrance to the park where Dalgarno Gardens meets Brewster Gardens, W10 5LL.
Activities delivered here: All Ability Club
Dalgarno Trust, Dalgarno Way, London W10 5LE.
Cycling activities delivered here: Cycling for Wellbeing course, Beginner and Improver cycling sessions.
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.
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: Basic and Intermediate Maintenance courses.
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 course, Beginner and Improver cycling sessions.