With support from the Access Bike Project and The Bike Drop, Cargo Bikes of Stroud organises a monthly family-friendly ‘market ride’, on the first Saturday morning of each month. The Bike Drop provide free drinks for cyclists, and Access Bike support the ride by bringing a soundsystem. The next monthly bike ride is a Big Festive Bike Ride on Saturday 2nd December, meeting at 10am at Brimscombe Mills (home of The Bike Drop) – riding from around 10.30am for arrivial in Stroud around 11am.

After the ride, riders are welcome to stay and chat at Access Bike’s new shopfront – Access at 10 John St (the old Electric Bike Shop), until 2pm. You are welcome to buy lunch in the market/Stroud and bring it into the space for some time socialising and chatting about Stroud’s cycling community.

Invite your friends and share on Facebook.

This month’s ride is a good opportunity to promote WINTER WHEELERS – from LoveToRide. This is aimed at getting people to take one or more bike trips in December. It’s easy to register and there are spot prizes every day for riders, including a grand prize of an ebike on December 25. Register on the LoveToRide website.

Monthly ‘Market Ride’ bike rides

Riders meet at the Long Table at 10.30am and can enjoy a free drink, courtesy of the Bike Drop – who want to encourage social rides in the area. Rides leave at 11am and head down the A419 in a group into town, protecting younger and less confident riders and riding at the speed of the slowest rider. We finish in Stroud at around 11.30am.

What are the rides like?

“It’s a great way to get to the Farmers Market and not have to worry about parking at the other end. People are coming along who haven’t got the confidence to ride alone regularly, because they’re scared of the roads. But when we’re a group together, people feel safer and can really experience the joys of riding a bike”, said Cllr Beki Aldam, an organiser of the ride and co-founder of the Cargo Bikes of Stroud group.

Nick Adams, who rides a cargo bike and designed the posters for the ride, said, “The monthly ride attracts riders of all ages. It’s fantastic to see families with cargo bikes, older people on electric bikes, and even a dog snuggled into the pannier of one rider. Santa being there [at the December ride] made it extra special for my son this time round.”

Thanks to the Stroud News and Journal for covering the Christmas ride.

Others events

We have also hosted a screening of the documentary MOTHERLOAD, and a suffrage-themed ride and women in cycling discussion to mark International Women’s Day, have held social rides around Stroud town, and plan to hold events where people can take bikes on test rides in the future.