Cycling Sunday - this Sunday 20th September!

We are hosting Cycling Sunday this Sunday 20th September at Redland Green. Anyone thinking of taking up cycling, new cyclists, and those interested in cycling with their families are particularly welcome - see you there! More information on the Cycling City Club website.

12am-4pm Dr Bike provided by Life cycle UK (adjacent to Tennis courts)

12am-4pm Your chance to try family cycling equipment. Meet cycling parents and have a go at carrying your child in a bike seat, on a tag along or in a bike trailer.(adjacent to children's play area)

12am-4pm Have a go on an electric bike(adjacent to children's play area)

1pm Teach your child to ride a bike (meet outside Parish Hall)

2.30pm Childrens Treasure Hunt (meet outside Parish Hall). Young children must be supervised.

1pm-4pm Meet the Cycling Advisors - cycling advice, support, help, leaflets and maps. (Redland Parish Church Hall)

Redland Social Ride - Sunday 13th September@10:30am

Following on from the Bishopston Social Bike Ride we organised back in June, we're pleased to be doing another social ride in a few weeks time. The ride will start at the western entrance to St Andrews Park on Effingham Road (see map) leaving at 10:30am for all those people living in the Bishopston/St Andrews area, before cycling to Redland Green to pick up those who live in and around Redland. We will be picking people up from outside the play area at around 10:45.

Then it's on to the Downs before dropping down to the Suspension Bridge and over to Ashton Court Estate Golf Cafe where all the usual cafe fare can be bought. Those who want can explore the estate for 45 minutes or so, before we head back the same way.

This route will include some hills, although we've tried to avoid them where possible! All cyclists are welcome, of all abilities. The ride will be very relaxed, and at a nice easy pace. If you have children and think they could manage it, by all means bring them. The ride will be just under 12 miles long (there and back) and will therefore take about two and a half hours in total.

If it's raining heavily on the morning itself, the ride we be cancelled. Call our office (0117 3155110) between 10:00 and 10:15 on the morning of the ride if you think there may be a chance of the ride not happening. Any other questions just email info@cyclingcityclub.com.

If you'd like to take part - please RSVP to info@cyclingcityclub.com or ring us on 0117 3155110. Hope to see you there!

View Redland Social Ride on a larger map

Progress

We've nearly finished our rounds in Bishopston and will soon start knocking doors in Redland, providing free practical support and advice to those of you who want to start cycling and those of you who would like to cycle more. I'm pleased to report that the reaction in Bishopston has been overwhelmingly positive and friendly, and that we've talked to and helped hundreds of people in the area over the last couple of months.

If you live in Bishopston or Redland and would like to talk to one of our advisers, please get in touch by visiting www.cyclingcityclub.com and clicking on the Registration Form page. You can either fill in the registration form there, or email/phone us (details are at the bottom of the registration page).

Although we're working primarily in Bishopston and Redland at the moment, if you live elsewhere in Bristol and think you might benefit from our services you're very welcome to contact us - our advisers will be more than happy to arrange to meet you somewhere central that suits us both.

We're also currently looking to assist small businesses (less than 50 employees) in any way that we can. If you think we can be of help at your place of work please let us know!

My Morning Commute - Fishponds to the City Centre

Andy Bending - Office Co-ordinator - Cycling City Cycle Advice Team

I live in Fishponds and cycle into the city centre every morning. Rather than using the Bristol-Bath Railway Path, I prefer to cycle down the Frome Valley into town.

This route takes me about 25 minutes during the morning rush hour from Fishponds to Castle Park; I burn approximately 300 calories, see some beautiful green parts of Bristol and get free parking, what a bargain!


This route starts from the Brick Fish sculpture on the Bristol-Bath Railway Path, near Morrison’s supermarket in Fishponds. Head in the direction of Bristol for about 40 metres and come off the path to the right onto the mini roundabout at Hockey’s Lane. Take the second exit and almost immediately, left into Lower Station Road. This road is busy with parked cars and narrow, beware of oncoming vehicles. Go straight over at the crossroads into Albert Terrace and look for an alleyway on the right between the houses and the office building; this will bring you out onto Fishponds Rd which you can cross at the zebra crossing.

Head down the side of the Red Lion pub into Alexandra Park where you start to head down a slight incline to the end of the road; take the left along the tarmac lane. This will bring you out next to the All Saint’s Church and at the end of the lane turn right onto Grove Rd.

This road merges into Thingwall Park and a little further along, take the right into Everest Road. The road drops steeply down to a quiet field, merging into the fringes of Eastville Park. Take the yellow surfaced path that drops steeply down into the valley and follow it around. Drop down another slope, into the trees and go to the left; here you will join the Frome Valley Walkway, with the River Frome on your right. The path here is very uneven but Cycling City are funding improvements to the surface.

You will then come to Eastville Park lake. Drop down to the lakeside path, again the surface is uneven - the smoother side from this direction is to the left. On my early morning commutes I’ve seen herons, moorhens and coots, swans and cygnets, and Canada geese with their young. At the end of the lake ascend the path to the higher part of the park, meander up, and take the path through an avenue of mature trees, with the children’s play area to your right. Then exit the park at Eastville roundabout, leaving the peace and quiet behind!

I find it quicker to use the crossing here, but alternatively you could use the underpass. On the other side, keep the roundabout and the M32 on your right, cross the mouth of Fremantle Gdns and go left along Stapleton Rd. Beware of speeding traffic here - get off your bike and push for a few minutes if that feels safer. Just before Stapleton Rd and Fishponds Rd meet at the junction with Robertson Rd, take the right up Napier Rd with the mosque on your left, and keeping the M32 to your right take the cycle path that runs parallel to the M32.

This path meanders under a railway bridge up slightly. Take a right onto Fox Rd, past the old Fox pub and back onto another cycle/walking path right next to the M32 Jct3 slip road. Here you could take the ramp and bridge over the motorway into St.Werburgh’s, and a visit to the City Farm or Bristol’s organic supermarket in Sevier Street.

Further along you will need to cross Millpond Street - as a cyclist crossing the two lanes of traffic without an island can be a little hairy during rush hour. Once safely across descend into the underpass, turn left on the other side and descend into the next underpass, turn right and in front of you, you will see an old brick wall with the River Frome behind it. To your right is the M32 and the path here follows the river before once again, it goes into a culvert underground. Follow the river into Riverside Park, a hidden green space just behind the new Cabot Circus development, and onto Wellington Road. At the T junction use the crossing and go almost straight ahead into River Street.

At the time of writing, the road was partially blocked with building works, but look out for a row of old houses on the right and an archway beneath the new hotel complex, this will bring you out to a pelican crossing on Bond Street South, head across and turn left along the shared pavement. Take the next right skirting the edge of the Cabot Circus shops and go left onto Lower Castle St; at the lights take the cycle lane to the right into Castle Street and another right into Castle Park, beware of wandering pedestrians unaware of the split-use path!

Bishopston bike ride

This Satuday (27th June) we will be leading a small group on a gentle bike ride from Bishopston up the Bristol-Bath Railway Path to Warmley and back.

We'll head out from St Andrews Park at 10.30am (meet at the paddling pool end of the park), make our way over to the Bristol-Bath Railway path, and then we'll head along the path to the Waiting Room Cafe at Warmley for a snack, before turning back home. You can check out our route on a map here.

We're taking a nice flat route at a gentle pace, and expect to be home by 2.30pm. The ride is open to all and we'd love to see you there. If you'd like to come along it would be great if you could RSVP our office on 0117 315 5110 or info@cyclingcityclub.com.

Bike maintenance videos

Here's a series of useful videos on bike maintenance, including how to fix a puncture, how to adjust your saddle to the correct height, and how to do basic bike maintenance. In addition (and very important in Bristol) how to stop your bike being stolen.


Bicycle Maintenance: How To Fix A Bicycle Puncture


Bicycle Maintenance: How To Adjust Your Saddle To The Correct Height


Bicycle Maintenance: How To Do Basic Bicycle Maintenance


Bicycle Maintenance: How To Stop Your Bike Being Stolen

Chew Valley Lake via the Whitchurch Railway Path

The feeling amongst the team here is that our previous blog post ended a little prematurely. Why not continue the ride along an almost completely traffic-free route through south Bristol and out to the beautiful quiet country lanes of North Somerset? we all shouted in unison. So here goes.

View Chew Valley Lake Circuit in a larger map

This ride is a leisurely 25 miles from the city centre to Chew Valley Lake and back - perfect for a Saturday or Sunday outing. It follows the route of the previous post as far as the hospital, heading south out of Bristol from the St Phillips Causeway near Temple Meads station, then along the Whitchurch Railway Path. Like any route out of our beautiful and undulating city you'll find the first and last few miles a little hilly - but don't despair! The trick is to make full use of all your gears and go at a comfortable pace - even if sometimes that pace is walking rather than riding. You should never be afraid to get off your bike and push...

Heading south out of Bristol, pick up National Cycle Network route 3 from Temple Meads and follow the signs until you reach the Whitchurch railway path, which takes you off-road down to Whitchurch itself. From here the route takes you back onto quiet country roads with some lovely sweeping downhills into Chew Magna, out of the village and on to the lake side. Part of the circuit around Chew Valley lake itself is on road and part is on an off-road cycle path, and on a sunny afternoon you're bound to see plenty of other cyclists. You'll also see plenty of bikes outside the cafes around the valley, both the Chew Valley Lake Teashop which looks over the Lake and the New Manor Farm Shop round the corner in Bishop Sutton.

Which brings us to the best bit of this route (and any weekend ride if you ask our office of hearty cyclists) - the cafe stop. There are refreshment stops aplenty on this ride, Chew Magna and Chew Stoke both have good country pubs and there's also a farm shop that does cream scones and roast dinners on Sunday.

Keep heading round the lake clockwise and enjoy the views from the dams. Heading back you can take a slightly less hilly route by heading North out of Chew Stoke towards Chew Magna on the B3114 rather than jumping directly onto the signed cycle route; on a weekend it won't be any busier. Take it slow and you'll be on the railway path for a gentle wander back into Bristol in no time.

Happy riding!

An accompanied commute from Bishopston to Brislington

We are now over a month into our work in Bishopston and have been busy helping dozens of people – new cyclists, those returning to cycling, and people who would like to improve their confidence on a bike.

Following an appointment with one Bishopston resident, Emily, it became clear that her main issue was finding a morning rush hour route to her workplace (Callington Road Hospital in Brislington) that was direct, flat and used relatively quiet roads. A bit of a challenge!

One of our cycling advisers assisted by planning a suitable route, riding the route on his own to check how suitable it was. Then, one morning, Emily and our adviser rode the route together, with our adviser leading.

Emily said: “I took up the offer of an assisted commute because it was free and fitted in with my day, and also because I wanted to be shown the best route possible for my cycle to work”. “The cycling adviser led me at a nice gentle pace and showed me parts of Bristol like the river path that I had never used before, so yes, it was very worthwhile, and I’ll now use the route whenever I cycle to work”.


View Bishopston to Callington Rd Hospital

The exact route is as follows:

1. Starting from Brynland Avenue, go via North Road to miss most of Gloucester Road, through St Pauls along Brigstocke Road and Dean Street before using the toucan crossing (bike friendly) by John Lewis.

2. Head south along Bond Street using the cycle lanes before turning left onto Avon Street away from the traffic.

3. Turn right at the Avon Street/Feeder Rd junction toward Temple Meads and cycle for about 100 metres before turning off the road and heading onto the river path - St Philips Greenway - signposted as National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 3. Once on this it’s a doddle to get to Brislington, as you just follow the blue path signs/stickers.

4. At St Philips Causeway, go under the road, up the ramp and across the river. Stay off the road using the lovely big shared path towards the Sainsburys supermarket.

5. A short tootle down the Bloomfield Road link, over the A4 and through Arno’s Court Park, onto Kings Road and then turn left all the way up the quiet Hampstead Road, taking care when crossing the junction with Kensington Park Rd.

6. On the other side of the road you’ll see an off-road cycle path - follow this for a minute or so past the allotment and you’re there, right outside both the hospital and the neighbouring supermarket.

If you’d like a route planned for you or think you would benefit from an accompanied commute, just give us a call on 0117 3155110 or email info@cyclingcityclub.com. Remember, we can help with all things cycle related!

Bishopston to the Bristol-Bath Railway Path

Now that our cycling advisers have been working in Bishopston for a few weeks, we're starting to get to know the area and the best routes to our favourite places. So we've planned a route to get you onto the Bristol-Bath railway path at an access point in Easton. It's just under 2 and a half miles and avoids all the major hills and busy roads between Bishopston and the path, to get your trip off to a flying start.

The Bristol-Bath railway path is the jewel in the crown of the National Cycle Network. Converted between 1979 and 1986, it offers 13 miles of well cared for off-road cycling linking Bristol and Bath. Equally loved by weekday commuters and weekend leisure riders, it can provide a day out for everyone.

One way to enjoy the path is to cycle in one direction and take the train back - giving you plenty of time to explore at the other end. There are also various stops along the way - Bitton station offers a lovely cafe and access to the Avon Valley Country Park, or stop off at a pub like the Jolly Sailor in Saltford. If you'd like to know more there is a leaflet available with lots of info, just ask one of our advisers or have a look at this section of the Bristol City Council website .


View Bishopston to the Railway Path in a larger map

Setting out from the County Cricket ground, head down Kennington Avenue, then cross Ashley Down Road (if you're unsure about this then remember you can always get off and walk across junctions!). If you head down to Station Road you can access a really handy path which leads through the Ashley Vale allotments and pops out in St Werburgh. From here it's a straight run down Mina Road (which is busy only at rush hour) to a footbridge over the motorway and into Easton.

Once you've crossed the motorway you can follow residential streets to cross Stapleton Road until you eventually go under another railway bridge, then follow alongside the railway to access the Path through Chelsea Park. You can follow our route on the map above, with handy photos to show you the way.

Bear in mind that if you're using this route in reverse you'll need to follow the one-way system in Easton (don't worry, as long as you follow the arrows you can't go wrong - just look out for the railway bridge). If you're interested in other routes around Bishopston, or maybe are looking for some help before you take your first trip - get in touch, we're here to help.

City Centre to the Create Centre and beyond

Over the last few weeks we've had a number of people ask us about car-free leisure rides in and around Bristol. The city is blessed with plenty of shortcuts and alternative routes that can make a bike ride that little bit more pleasant; here's one.

From the city centre it's possible to reach the Create Centre on an almost entirely traffic-free route. From there you can head up into Ashton Court and enjoy some beautiful (if hilly!) on and off-road cycling, or you can head along the river Avon on the Ashton to Pill cycle route (National Cycle Network route number 41)


View in a larger map

Heading out from the fountains at the centre, go down Narrow Quay to the Arnolfini where you can get onto the cycle lane over the Prince Street Bridge. Once you get over the bridge swing a sharp right and head off down the harbourside under the crane structures and past the old Industrial Museum - currently being redeveloped as the Museum of Bristol and due to open in 2011. A handy hint for cycling near embedded railway lines is to make sure you hit them as obliquely as possible to make sure you don’t get your wheel stuck!

Follow the train tracks until you see a level crossing on the other side of the road. Watch out for the trains! Once across the level crossing turn right and cycle along the path, under the road bridge and out onto the beautiful 'Chocolate Path'. It's a little bumpy here but you get a lovely view downriver.

Just before you get to the Create Centre (the second of the two enormous bonded wharehouses along this stretch) head over the bridge to your left, crossing the river and then turning right. Cycle under the Brunel Way flyover, bear right, and a little further on at the top of a short steep hill you'll reach a junction. From here you can either turn left and cycle along Clanage Road to Ashton Court - the road can be quite busy, but it's only a short stretch - or turn right and follow the Ashton-Pill path down the river. Remember to take a picnic.

Bank Holiday Bike Rides

So our first week of cycling city advice has gone swimmingly – we’ve had a great response from local residents in Bishopston with almost 50 of you signing up to spend some time with our advisers to help you get on your bikes. We’ll be around again this week so if you haven’t seen us yet do keep an eye out.

In the meantime we hope everyone enjoyed the Bank Holiday despite the blustery weather. Some of our advisers had a day off yesterday at the North Somerset Agricultural Show, where they enjoyed terrier racing, sheepdog displays and ‘a lot of tractors’. The show was hosted at Bathing Pond Farm, Wraxall, which is handily situated just off the Avon Cycleway. The Avon Cycleway is a great resource for getting out into the countryside, and at 85 miles long there are plenty of sections to choose from. To get to Wraxall you could head down from the Suspension Bridge and through Ashton Court (stopping off for an ice cream maybe?); or take a long loop through Clevedon – the official Avon Cycleway map can be downloaded here.

We’ll be doing our best over the coming months to post some of the leisure routes that we’ve enjoyed. If you’ve got a favourite route that you’d like to see featured, let us know by email to info@cyclingcityclub.com

Good morning Cycling City!

Welcome to the Cycling City cycling advisers' blog! This is the online home of Bristol’s first dedicated team of cycling advisers, who will be doing their bit to help the Cycling City project double the number of cyclists in the city by 2011.

The Cycling City project will see an investment of over 20 million pounds in the city over the next couple of years. Some of that will be spent on improving infrastructure (you can see a map with details here) and some of it is to help individuals to get on their bikes. Our cycling advisors can offer you free advice on what bike to buy, tips on road safety, advice about routes, mechanical advice or even just some company on your first bike ride. As the project (and hopefully the weather!) warms up we’ll also be out and about at various events, and we’ll be hosting some of our own bike-themed fun so keep an eye out…

We're currently working in the Bishopston area, where we’ll be offering our unique brand of advice, support and some practical help to all you lucky residents. If you live in Bishopston (or anywhere else in the city) and would like to meet one of our cycling advisors you can set up an appointment – just give us a call on 0117 315 5110 or drop us an email to info@cyclingcityclub.com. Our advisors will be happy to call round at a time that suits you and spend half an hour looking at how we can help you get back on your bike.