Two older male cyclists

Information hub

Cycling information

Whether you’re taking on a road race or hitting those trails, cycling is a great pastime with so much variety. The world of cycling is exciting, friendly and fun and we hope that this hub will inspire and inform you to get out cycling.

Building stamina for hills

In most cases, the best way to get better at cycling up hills is to improve your cycling fitness using a combination of harder efforts and endurance rides. The speed at which you can ride up hills is mostly determined by your fitness, for short hills or off-road having a bit more strength also helps.

Training to get better at riding hills requires that you work at different intensities, partly because hills come in many shapes and sizes but also because our bodies respond to a variety of stimuli.

For lots of tips visit Cycling Weekly or Bike Radar, who both have some pro tips to get you going.

Going off road

Off-road cycling gives a much more interval style workout than road cycling. This gives you a great top end hit and sudden steep climbs or slogs through mud are an alternative to gym sessions for building cycling specific strength and power. You’ll be using your upper body to soak up lumps and bumps, lift your front wheel over trail obstacles and to gain extra power on steep climbs. Having to constantly shift your weight and centre of gravity to maintain traction and balance will challenge your trunk muscles in a way you will never experience on the road.

Lots of tips available at British Cycling

Road safety

We want your day out cycling to be as fun as possible and that wouldn’t be possible without road biker safety! Ride decisively and keep clear of the kerb. Look and signal to show drivers what you plan to do, make eye contact where possible. Avoid riding up the inside of vehicles, as you might not be seen. If a vehicle is indicating to the left, hang back at the junction to reduce the risk of a collision.

Always use lights after dark or when visibility is poor. Wear high-visibility and reflective clothing and accessories at all times.

Wear a correctly fitted cycle helmet that is securely fastened and conforms to current regulations.

Think.gov has loads of advice for cyclists safety, have a little look before you next go out for a ride.

What to pack for your next mountain bike ride

If you’re planning a big day out in the saddle, our friends from Marmalade MTB have some suggestions for what to take with you to make it the best day out possible.

What essentials should you take on your next bike ride?

From helmets and gloves, to snacks and water, here are the essentials you need to make your next mountain bike trip the best one yet.

What mountain bike tools do you need?

It's what every cyclist fears while cycling out on the road or on the trails - a puncture! But with the right tools, this needn't be a problem.

Non-essential extras

While not essential, items such as zipties, electrolyte tablets and even an empty cat food pouch could make your next bike ride that much better.