I recently went on a Skyride Local, these are group led rides that are suited to individual riding skills, so there are various rides for family or rides catering for the more experienced rider. Skyride is a partnership between Sky and British Cycling, the aim is to get more people on bikes.

 I decided to try the family ride at Philips Park, mainly because it was local and did not want anything too exerting. Group led rides are a lot fun and there is safety in numbers, you get to ride with experienced people who look after the group, as well as giving your bike a safety check and providing help with cycling tips.

It is important to choose the ride that best suits your needs, our group contained youngsters, which means that you will only be travelling at the speed of your fastest rider. If you want to go fast and far then do not choose the family rides, you will be frustrated. Most rides will take you about an hour or more on a pre-defined route, our ride took us round Philips Park a couple of times and then through Clayton Vale to near the Visitor Centre and then finishing back up in Philips Park.

While the numbers for our Skyride Local were relatively low compared to many others, I believe this could have been because the website had technical difficulties. I had tried for 2 days to register for this particular Skyride Local without success, however I just turned up on the day and could join in that way. 

A couple of videos from the recent Manchester Skyride are below in case you missed them.

Visit Skyride Local or British Cycling website for more information