Windsor Cycle Hub is a Cycling UK affiliated group, launched in May, 2021
We're a 100% volunteer run charity based at The Swan community pub in Clewer, Windsor. It's a cycle-friendly location (with bike-racks & outside track pump). The Swan does coffee, cakes, food & 'cold refreshments'. It's a safe environment, where everyone regardless of gender, age, race, creed & means is welcome. We meet every Saturday morning from 11 o'clock.
We're dedicated to supporting Windsorians to enjoy cycling in, & around, our historic town. We're grateful for the grants we receive from the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, Abri Housing Association, The Prince Philip Trust Fund, Cycling UK & donations from our generous visitors - all of which help us support our local community.
We love to welcome cycling visitors to Windsor too – we're conveniently located close to Sustrans NCN4 route, just follow the signs.
We’re always looking for experienced cyclists & bike mechanics to help us, if you want to volunteer please pop down to The Swan on Saturday morning for a chat.
We’re not a cycling club, our visitors are welcome to wear & ride what they like – provided that they’re safe to ride in a group & comfortable. We’re dedicated to helping everyday people get the cycling bug.
We're open every Saturday at 11am for a chat, coffee & for our popular 'Bike Kitchen' – free bike safety-checks & basic repairs. In our experience it's all most bikes need - the tyres need some air, cables tightening & saddles adjusting. Don't forget to book your slot.
We also run Dr. Bike sessions, supported by Cycling UK, often away from The Swan in the borough villages surrounding Windsor. Please follow us on social media for the next event.
We have Guided Rides every Saturday (bar 5 weekend months) leaving at 11:30am sharp, unless it's a level 4 Adventurer Ride, which leave at 11am – to get us back to The Swan in time for lunch & a refreshing cold drink. You must be at The Swan at least 15 mins before the ride & be booked in.
You'll find our basic ride schedule here in Events & Rides, follow us on social media for updates on specific location & weather.
On those rare 5 weekend months, we run workshops on topics like: bike security & fixing punctures.
Our rides favour low (or no) traffic routes, so there's always a little off-road. If you, & your bike, can manage the Jubilee River path then you'll be fine. See below for more info.
NB Booking for Repairs & Rides is essential. You can do it on the day with your smartphone (we've QR codes everywhere), but recommend booking in advance here.
If we know you're coming, we can look after you properly.
Follow us on Twitter , Facebook & Instagram , for instant updates on events, campaigns etc.
Visit our website to learn more about our story & community activities.
Our weekly Guided Rides are aimed at giving you the confidence to ride more often in, & around, Windsor. You'll learn new quiet routes – to help you get to work, the shops or to simply cycle for pleasure. You'll soon be able join all the bits up for longer rides. You must book your place on all of our rides, we recommend doing it advance here.
We ride away from traffic whenever possible - favouring the scenic route over the quickest. The Jubilee River, NCN4 & Windsor Great Park feature on most rides. All rides have an element of off-road - suitable for mountain, hybrid, touring, gravel/cross or road bikes with heavier tyres. Many ride Bromptons, but best leave the time-trial bike at home.
Our level 3+ rides are a great way for visitors to Windsor to learn some quiet routes to the Great Park & so on.
NB Because we're supported by The Swan community pub in Clewer, we have coffee before we leave and allow time for a drink and/or lunch when we get back. We don't have cafe stops on our rides, so please bring your own drinks and snacks (which we do stop to enjoy).
Accompanied children are welcome on Level 1 rides (1 adult per child, unless we're confident of your child's cycling ability - because we've met them before). Accompanied teenagers are welcome on Level 2 rides (these rides are not suitable for younger children).
NB Our rides start at a very gentle pace, slightly above walking & build through the month to a moderate one. As mentioned, we're not a cycling club - but a charity dedicated to helping everyday people discover our love of riding a bike.
It's especially important that our 1st 2 level rides, Gentle & Gentle Explorer, are run to benefit our less confident riders' needs. If you're an experienced rider & you'd like to help others, then you're very welcome. But, if you're after something with more pace, then please look to levels 3 & 4.
We ride the 1st 4 Saturdays each month (all year around) – see Events & Rides for details, we update destinations on social media – so please follow us. Our 4 Guided Ride levels are fully described in the attached doc., but in summary:
1st Sat (level 1): Gentle - flat, off-road, suitable for the youngest & oldest riders, e.g. across the Thames towards Dorney & Jubilee River. 1hr, pace of slowest rider, plenty of stops to admire the view. Aimed at inexperienced riders. Approx. 1hr (up to 8 miles)
2nd Sat (level 2): Gentle Explorer - as above, but a little faster & with some quiet roads too e.g. around Eton & over to Upton Court Park in Slough. Aimed at slightly more experienced riders. Up to 1 1/2 hrs (10-15 miles)
3rd Sat (level 3): Explorer - adds hills, a little more pace & distance, e.g. Windsor Great Park (WGP) via Stag Meadow cycle path. Intermediate level, once Gentle Explorer's been mastered. Up to 2hrs (15-20 miles)
4th Sat (level 4): Adventurer - steeper hills (even Crimp Hill!), faster, further & a little more on-road riding, e.g. WGP via the Castle, or further to Cookham. Moderate paced ride, for more confident riders. Up to 2 1/2hrs (20-25 miles)
NB Ride times are indicative, we'll always be back at The Swan for lunch. Rides may take longer if there's a puncture or because it's a nice day & everyone wants to ride a little longer. Please advise if you're on a tight schedule.
We cycle at the pace of the slowest rider, adapting routes on the day to suit all & deal with obstructions. There's a Ride Leader who's in charge & a rear Sweeper to make sure no one's dropped. We'll often have Ride Assistants to take care of very inexperienced riders.
We work through our ride classifications in sequence. So, the 1st Saturday of the month will be Gentle, the 2nd Gentle Explorer & on. This means that there's something for every rider each month & everyone can get used to our schedule.
Pre-booking rides is highly recommended, as they do fill up, do so here. For everyone's safety we can only take a limited number of riders onto the road - priority will be given to those that have pre-booked & arrived promptly (11:15 latest for an 11:30 departure, 10:50 for 11:00am).
There are 2 extra classifications, by request only:
Beginners - adults who've never ridden a bike, or perhaps not since childhood. Normally one-to-one sessions – to give you full attention. Training for children is something for Bikeability.
(level 5) Pathfinder - monthly Sunday rides where we check quiet routes for our less experienced cyclists. 30-40 miles on request via this site, max 4 riders
