Rides Information
Winchester CTC is part of Cycling UK (previously known as CTC). We offer supportive and social on-road rides, each led by a designated leader, ridden at a range of speeds and distances that suit most interests and levels (excluding racing).
Please contact the Winchester CTC Secretary in the first instance.
Non-Cycling UK members may ride as our guest on three rides before joining Cycling UK, to see whether the club suits them.
Contact: Sarah Lee, Winchester CTC Secretary
The following rides information is for guidance only and ride leaders may modify the route if necessary. If you require more information about our rides please contact the Winchester CTC Secretary or one of the ride co-ordinators (see below for contact information).
Our rides usually start from:
KAS: King Alfred Statue, The Broadway, Winchester
WH: Coach and Car Park, Worthy Lane, Winchester SO23 7AB (in front of The Winchester Hotel)
Occasionally, rides will start at a different location, and this is indicated in the Club Calendar - see Events List
Booking & Notification
Some rides must be booked due to limited space at stops and to manage numbers on the road. Other rides have the option to just notify the organiser - you may also join these rides on the day. See the Club Calendar item for requirements for each event.
Tuesday Easy, Easy+ and Medium paced rides (usually starting from WH)
We aim to run a ride every Tuesday usually starting from the WH (but occasionally starting from other locations). Please check the Club Calendar for the format, start time and location of individual rides.
We typically run rides of the following format on different Tuesdays of the month (depending on leader availability):
- Easy paced (9-11 mph):
- Morning ride 25 to 30 miles with a single café stop
- All day ride 35 to 45 miles with a café stop and a lunch stop
- Easy+ paced (10-12 mph)
- Morning ride 30 to 40 miles with a single café stop
- All day ride 40 to 50 miles with a café stop and a lunch stop
- Medium paced (11-13 mph)
- Morning ride 40 to 50 miles with a single café stop
- All day ride 50 to 65 miles with a café stop and a lunch stop (except in winter when there may only be a single stop)
For more information on Tuesday Easy & Easy+ rides please email the Easy and Easy+ Rides co-ordinator.
For more information on Tuesday Medium rides please email the Tuesday and Saturday Medium Rides co-ordinator.
Friday Easy, Easy+ and Free Format rides (usually starting from WH)
We aim to run a ride most Fridays usually starting from the WH (but some start from other locations). Please check the Club Calendar for the format, start time and location of individual rides.
We typically run rides of the following format on different Fridays of the month (depending on leader availability):
- Easy paced (9-11 mph):
- Morning ride 25 to 30 miles with a single café stop
- Easy+ paced (10-12 mph)
- Morning ride 30 to 40 miles with a single café stop
- Free format rides
- The pace, distance, start location and stops are published by the leader approximately one week before the date of the ride. The pace is within the Easy/Easy+ pace range (9-12mph) and the start location may be outside Winchester.
For more information on Easy, Easy+ and Free Format rides please email the Easy and Easy+ Rides co-ordinator.
Saturday Easy, Easy+ and Medium paced rides (usually starting from WH)
We aim to run a ride every Saturday, usually starting from the WH (but occasionally starting from other locations). Please check the Club Calendar for the format, start time and location of individual rides.
We typically run rides of the following format on different Saturdays of the month (depending on leader availability):
- Easy paced (9-11 mph):
- Afternoon ride 15 to 25 miles with a single café stop. The afternoon rides are a great introduction to the group. These do not run in winter when daylight is short.
- Morning ride 25 to 30 miles with a single café stop
- All day ride 35 to 45 miles with a café stop and a lunch stop
- Easy+ paced (10-12 mph)
- Morning ride 30 to 40 miles with a single café stop
- All day ride 40 to 50 miles with a café stop and a lunch stop
- Medium paced (11-13 mph)
- Morning ride 40 to 50 miles with a single café stop
- All day ride 50 to 65 miles with a café stop and a lunch stop (except in winter when there may only be a single stop when daylight is limited)
For more information on Saturday Easy & Easy+ rides please email the Easy and Easy+ Rides co-ordinator.
For more information on Saturday Medium rides please email the Tuesday and Saturday Medium Rides co-ordinator
Sunday Intermediate/Medium/Medium + and Faster-paced rides (usually starting from KAS)
The Sunday rides usually start at 8.30 am or 9 am depending upon the time of year. They are half day rides, although there are some longer rides (see the Club Calendar for details).
There are a range of rides on Sundays:
- Intermediate ride averaging 10 – 12 mph
- Medium ride averaging 11 – 13 mph
- Medium+ ride averaging 13 – 15 mph
- Faster ride averaging 15 – 17 mph.
Intermediate rides (10 – 12 mph) are run on Sundays when there is a Medium ride on a Saturday (usually once a month)
Medium rides 11 – 13 mph are run on the other Sundays.
Medium + rides (13 - 15 mph) are run every Sunday.
The above rides cycle to a designated coffee stop and then return to Winchester. There are also occasional longer Medium rides (see Club Calendar for details)
The above rides aim to get back into Winchester by lunchtime, having ridden a distance of 35 – 50 miles.
Faster rides (15 – 17 mph) are run every Sunday and aim to return to Winchester by lunchtime, having ridden about 45 – 55 miles (with occasional longer rides).
For more information on Sunday Intermediate, Medium and Medium+ rides please email Sunday & Wednesday Medium Rides
For more information on Sunday Faster rides please email Sunday & Wednesday Faster Rides
Wednesday evening Medium-paced/Faster-paced Rides (usually starting from KAS)
The Wednesday evening rides run from April to September and start at 6.30 pm or 7.00 pm.
There are a range of rides on Wednesday evenings:
- Medium rides averaging 11 – 13 mph
- Medium + rides averaging 13 – 15 mph
- Faster rides averaging 15 – 17 mph.
On the Medium and Medium + rides, there is the option to stop at a pub for a drink and/or food, or to ride straight back to Winchester without a stop. The distance ridden on the medium ride is about 25-35 miles
The Faster ride stops at a pub for a drink in Winchester at the end of the ride, having ridden about 30 miles.
Lights are required for all evening rides.
For more information on Wednesday Medium and Medium+ rides please email Sunday & Wednesday Medium Rides
For more information on Wednesday Faster rides please email Sunday & Wednesday Faster Rides
The Club Calendar contains further details of all rides.
Off-road rides
Subject to demand, Winchester CTC may offer occasional off-road rides suitable for mountain bikes or gravel bikes. For information please contact the Winchester CTC Secretary
Children on rides
We do not currently offer rides specifically for children. However, we welcome children on our rides subject to the following Cycling UK/CTC policy:
Riders 12 years and under must provide a signed parental consent form and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The guardian may also be a grandparent or any nominated responsible adult.
Riders who are 13 and under 18 must provide a signed parental consent form as above and on their first two rides must be accompanied by a responsible adult acting in loco parentis”.
For a copy of the parental consent form or further information about children on rides please contact the Winchester CTC Secretary in the first instance.