Club Rides

We love to cycle in and around the beautiful countryside of Herts, Beds and Bucks area for our regular Sunday club runs and these are a great way to explore the area and discover routes and places (and cafes) that you may not have ridden to before. If you would like to find out some more details, then please read on. 

On Sundays (February to November), we meet at Hemel Hempstead Rail Station at 08.50, leaving at 09.00 (mid-summer, it's 07:50 for 08:00 during June, July and August).  Rides are typically for three to four hours, although please check before coming along as there may be shorter or longer rides on occasions. 

As part of many of the rides, we try to include a café stop after a couple of hours’ of riding.  We try to visit cafes which are better suited to groups of cyclists, where we can.  We have a growing list of cafes and are always keen to find out about new potential ones to add – Please share this information with us if you can!  

We have three groups to cater for riders' abilities and we are happy for you to try the club run for a few weeks to see if it's for you. To carry on riding with us after that, we'd expect you to become a full member.

Club rides

The Details

Sunday Ride Details

We aim to provide safe and enjoyable rides for all HHCC members. We have three different groups to suit varying abilities. Each group rides at the speed of the slowest rider and re-groups as needed, should the group split due to the terrain or traffic conditions.

The Sunday club rides are not intended to be out-and-out training rides, but they are there to increase fitness and to improve our group and public riding skills. All participants should respect the average speed and distances stipulated for the group as shown below and should ride with consideration for others.

On each Sunday, we will have a Standard route pre-planned, and maybe also Social or Faster routes pre-planned depending upon known requirements. 

Details will be put on Facebook each Wednesday, plus club members can access the ride details either via Ride with GPS, or check the clubs’ WhatsApp group for that Sunday’s route details. 

Ride Groups, for typical Sunday club rides (but see also the Additional Club Rides section below)

Standard ride (every Sunday)

  • Typically 40 to 50 miles at 14-16 mph average
  • Café stop - Around two-thirds of the way round the route
  • Ride Leader - Pre-arranged for each ride
  • Ride Sweeper - Pre-arranged for each ride
  • Other comments: We will keep this ride within the speed range above. The aim is to be back at Hemel Station by 1pm (midday in summer)

Faster ride (every Sunday)

  • Typically 45 to 60 miles at 16-18 mph average
  • Café stop - around half / two-thirds of the way round the route
  • Ride Leader - Weekly volunteer, agreed once ride is published

Social ride (at least first Sunday of the month, more often when there is demand)

  • Typically 20-35 miles at 12-14 mph
  • Café stop - Possibly, but towards or at the end of the ride
  • Ride Leader - Pre-arranged for each ride
  • Ride Sweeper - Pre-arranged for each ride
  • Other comments: A relaxed, social ride for riders who just want to enjoy the countryside in good company and keep fit. An ideal introduction to group road cycling for those who perhaps already cycle reasonably regularly on their own or with one or two friends, or for the returning rider after a period away from club cycling

 

Additional Rides

As well as these Sunday club rides, we have these additional rides planned:

  • Monthly Social Saturdays: 25-30 miles folled by a cafe stop
  • Monthly Saturday Gravel rides, 25-35 miles on mixed surfaces suited to hardtail MTB / Gravel or CX bikes
  • Mellow Monday, a social 17 miles on a Monday evening to spin the legs

 

HHCC Club Rides2