Meet our groups: Stamford Cycling proves you don't need a big budget to build a community

Just over a year ago, Stamford Cycling didn’t exist. Today it’s a Strava Verified Club with 191 members, no membership fees and a reputation as the highlight of the week for the riders who show up.

Founder Johnny explains how a simple need to connect grew into a thriving local cycling community – without a big launch, a budget or a master plan.

How it started

Stamford Cycling started the way the best things do: out of a simple need to connect and improve my wellbeing. Last January, I took a leap of faith and went out to build the community I was looking for – on two wheels.

Growing organically

What began as a few rides posted online has grown into a Strava Verified Club with 191 members (as of July 2026), a thriving Instagram community and a dedicated website. No budget, no big launch – just digital word of mouth and a genuine belief that cycling is better together.

Our regular Fika Rides and Lightspeed Rollout rides have become a fixture in the local calendar. The thing we’re most proud of? Almost everyone who joins us says it’s the highlight of their week and first time riders with us keep coming back.

Three simple principles

Stamford Cycling is built on three simple principles: no membership fees – ever; no-drop rides so nobody gets left behind; and no special kit requirements so the barrier to joining is as low as possible.

We’re not a racing club chasing podiums; we’re a community chasing good miles (even when punctures strike), good coffee and good company. In just over a year, OK the pace has increased slightly, but the approach has proven to be more than enough.

Why we’re part of Cycling UK

Renewing my Cycling UK membership for a second year felt like a natural step, because the values that underpin everything Cycling UK stands for – making cycling accessible, enjoyable and welcoming for everyone – are the same values I tried to bake into Stamford Cycling from day one.

Relaxed and inclusive by design, not as an afterthought. We don’t ask people to earn their place in the group, we just ask them to show up.

More than the miles

Stamford is a small market town and building something genuinely rooted in a local community takes time and trust. But seeing riders turn up week after week – some who haven’t been on a bike in years, others who just moved to the area and needed a way in – is a reminder of what cycling can do beyond the miles.

It connects people, it improves mental and physical wellbeing, and it gives people something to look forward to.

If you're in Stamford or the surrounding Rutland and Lincolnshire countryside and looking for a friendly, no-drop social ride, find Stamford Cycling on Strava, Instagram or visit Stamford Cycling Club. Rides meet at Red Lion Square and The William Cecil.