Your first ride with the club
For your first ride with the club, please join our C ride or social ride. People join with a wide range of experience in group riding, so even if you can ride faster, it's often better to start in a slightly slower group. If everything is fine on the C ride, then come back for the B ride next time!
The first three rides with BWCC are free so you can try it out and see if it's for you. After that, you'll need to get club membership, which is £15 per year through British Cycling. See our Membership page for details on that and how to sign up!
How do I join a ride?
We use a smartphone app called 'Stack Team App' where we are set up as a club. Once you have it installed on your phone and filled in your personal details, just hit 'Find your Team/Club' and search for 'Bramley Wheelers CC' to join the club. You’ll then have full access to our event calendar. From there, just select the ride you want to join, hit 'RSVP' to sign up to it, and turn up at the advertised time. Simple.
We use this app as it gives all our ride leaders awareness in advance of how many people and who to expect on any given ride or event. It also acts as the offical ride register so our ride leaders have easy access to emergency contact details of everyone out on a ride with us should the unexpected happen.
How do I get the Stack Team App?
The 'Stack Team App' can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. If you're viewing this on a smartphone, click your relevant store logo below and it will take you to the download page. Just give us a shout if you're struggling...
What rides do we do?
We run regular social rides every Sunday and training rides on Saturday's and throughout the week to suit a wide range of abilities. All our social rides include a cafe stop and more importantly - No one get's left behind !
The below table shows the variety of rides we offer and the distances, amount of climbing and speeds of each ride.
| Ride |
Distance |
Ascent |
Speed |
| Sunday Social Ride |
15-25 Miles |
1000 ft |
10-12 mph |
| Sunday C Ride |
30-45 Miles |
2000 ft |
12-14 mph |
| Sunday B ride |
40-60 Miles |
3000 ft |
14-16 mph |
| Sunday B+ Ride |
40-60 Miles |
5000 ft |
14-16 mph |
| Sunday A Ride |
50-80 Miles |
Unlimited |
16+ mph |
| Wednesday Wheelers |
30-40 Miles |
2000 ft |
13-15 mph |
About the rides
Wednesday Wheelers
These rides start at 6.30pm with the aim of being back at Wheelers HQ around 9.00pm, so no time for a café stop! Please arrive at HQ at least 10 minutes before the ride start, to allow time for a safety briefing.
Sunday Rides
These are the staple club rides with our club: with the Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep there is a huge variety of routes at this distance and your ride leader will post the route on the members Facebook page during the week so you know what to expect.
Where we meet
We meet at Lifecycles Bike Shop - 459 Stanningley Road, Bramley, Leeds. LS13 4EN.
How fit and fast do I need to be?
You’ll need a reasonable level of fitness, but you definitely don’t need to be a super fit racer. If you can ride your bike for 15-20 miles, you’ll be able to ride 30 in a group on our club runs. On our C rides the average speed is around 12-14mph which suits most novice riders; but if you're still not sure then look out for the bi-weekly social ride which is designed for complete beginners and those who have never ridden in a group before.
Will I be dropped if I’m too slow?
No. The pace of the group is dictated by the slowest rider. The group may split up on climbs but faster riders will wait and you’ll regroup at the top. On our B and C rides, we’ll give the slowest rider a chance to catch their breath at the top before heading off too but this might not happen with the A ride, especially if it’s a cold and wet day!
When you first head out with the club, we suggest you join our C ride or the Social Ride. If you find it too easy, you can move up over the following weeks until you find your right level. It’s better to underestimate your ability than to really struggle and be put off.
Would I be welcome if I’m not experienced riding in a group?
Yes, everyone has to learn somewhere and our club runs are the ideal place. Our Sunday Social Ride takes place every two weeks and is designed for absolute beginners and first time group riders.
Do I need to do anything special with my bike setup?
The most important thing is that your bike is well maintained and roadworthy. We do insist on mudguards for winter rides (1st November - 31st March). This is to respect the other members you're riding with so you're not splashing the riders behind you. It just makes riding in a group on winter roads much more enjoyable.
Rider Checklist
- Your helmet. No helmet, no ride - That's club policy
- You'll need a well maintained bike
- You'll need to bring a water bottle, ideally filled with electrolyte or energy drink
- You'll need 2 x spare inner tubes and tyre levers
- Ideally, bring a multi-tool with chain tool and spare chain links
- Most importantly, you'll need some money for the cafe for that crucial coffee and cake!
We look forward to seeing you out with us soon !