While some of us might choose to ride solo to escape everything life has to throw at us, cycling with friends or strangers can be infinitely more rewarding and enjoyable. At ACTIV we’re not just about racing, we love to get out just for the joy of riding a bike, explore the path less travelled or pop to our favourite coffee shop for a flapjack. We’ll show you the best way to join a group ride in your area, some of our favourite coffee stops and some larger events to meet like-minded riders.
“Anyone who rides a bike is a friend of mine.” Gary Fisher, inventor of the mountain bike
Find Your Local Club
A cycling club is the perfect way to meet new riding buddies and discover new routes in your local area. Most clubs will have several organised group rides a week, with different paced groups for different abilities, but often the social side of these clubs is a great way to join others for “unofficial” club rides, or to ride Audax and Sportives together. We’ve listed some of the bigger local clubs here but there are many more around Kent:
Tea or Coffee?
The coffee stop is synonymous with riding a bike for many, and a great way to refuel for the next stage of your ride. There are hundreds of great cafes across Kent for your mid or post-ride stop but here are some of our favourite cycle-friendly ones:
The Hub Wye – perfectly placed for riding the North Downs or the Stour Valley, this newly opened Café has excellent tea and coffee, snacks, energy gels and bars, as well as cycling essentials such as tubes and repair kits.
The Independent Pedaler, Manston and Dover – The Pedaler started in the Elham Valley as a destination café for cyclists and now has two locations in East Kent. A great place for a coffee and a browse of some cycling heritage.
Route One, Deal – Perfect to shelter from the sea wind on Deal’s seafront and enjoy a bite to eat while you watch bike racing on the tv:
The Goods Shed, Canterbury –The Goods Shed is very cycle friendly indoor food market and soon to host a stop for the Brother Cycles Big’un Gravel Sportive. Grab some coffee and Deli style food from Gill’s or an amazing pastry from Little Sugar.
The Old Post Office, Marden – Often used as a meeting place for local club rides, this is a classic stop for any rides in mid-Kent with plenty of sweet and savoury options.
Amy’s Pantry, Tenterden – You’ll always see another cyclist here at the weekend, this is another favourite stop for us for great food and coffee.
The more the merrier
Sportives and organised rides are a great way to get out of your comfort zone, try new routes, push your skill level and make new friends. The majority of large events (like the ones listed below) are run through the Spring and Summer but there is always something going on throughout the year.
Road
Pilgrim Hospice Cycle Challenge
Gravel
Brothers Cycles – The Big ‘Un Is Back
If you’re looking to organise your own group ride, keep an eye on our blog for our route of the week feature where we will share our favourite local rides. For some advice on getting ready for an event or more info on local clubs, pop into our Ashford or Folkestone stores for a chat.
