Cycle Buddies FAQs

Yes. Explore London Cycling Campaign’s advice pages here and also listed below. If there is something you want to know that’s missing from this list please drop us a line at cyclebuddies@lcc.org.uk

• Build your cycle skills
• Top tips for cycling in London
• Planning safe cycle routes
• Is my bike roadworthy?
• How to cycle safely around lorries
• Tips on buying a second hand bike
• How to stop your bike getting stolen
• Taking your bike on public transport
• Tips on cycling in winter

No. Along with other UK cycling organisations, we think the choice of wearing a cycle helmet is up to the individual or, in the case of children, their parents or carers. If you do choose to wear a helmet, make sure it’s fitted correctly. Find out more about LCC’s position on helmets here.

Yes. When you create your profile, you can choose to only be matched with riders of the same gender. You can also change this on your profile at any time. No one can choose to only be matched with people of the opposite gender.

When you create your Cycle Buddies profile, you’ll be asked about the sort of rides you are looking to do, where you live and what you are looking for in a cycling buddy.

You’ll then see a list of cycle buddies either near your work address or your home address (you can switch between them). Addresses are not public and only an approximate distance is indicated. The list of Cycle Buddies and/or cycle instructors will be filtered according to your answers about the kind of help you want. You can also edit these answers in your profile as you become more confident and your goals evolve.

Once you’ve completed your profile you’ll then be able to contact a Cycle Buddy directly through the platform.  Get in touch to discuss your goals and arrange a time and place to meet. Make sure you follow the advice on meeting up safely.

You set the pace with Cycle Buddies. Tell your buddy about your cycling experience and what you want to do. You decide how far and fast you cycle, and if you’d like to meet for more rides.

Set cycling goals for yourself and tell your buddy what they are. Keep track of your progress and share it with your buddy. After you’ve ridden together, share your story with friends and family and on social media, and let us know how it went.

Absolutely yes. There is a huge cycling community among disabled people – see Wheels for Wellbeing for some starting inspiration. Some helper buddies and instructors will have lived experience of this, use adapted bikes, or work with inclusive cycling groups – mention it when you’re getting in touch with people and find someone who knows how to help you.

There are lots of options – have a chat to your buddy.

Currently in London there are shared hire bikes and e-bikes available from Santander Cycles, Lime, Tier, HumanForest, Dott and more. For these you’ll need to sign-up to unlock the bike via apps that also show you where your nearest bike is.

You can also access longer-term bike hire through companies like Swapfiets and Buzzbike. Sometimes local cycle hubs will have bikes you can borrow to practice with.

And if you’re getting a formal lesson from a cycle instructor, some instructors can provide you with a bike – just ask.

If you’re looking to buy a bike, our retail network map shows LCC-affiliated shops where you can try and purchase bikes, and there is often support or vouchers available through workplaces e.g. the Cycle to Work scheme. And check our our top tips for buying second-hand.

The helper buddies are part of a network of LCC volunteers who are experienced cyclists. The volunteers in the network support each other with knowledge and information from their own experience and from delivering other community services. The network is supported by a volunteer borough admin for each borough we are live in and from the office with our dedicated Cycle Buddies Officer. As the Cycle Buddies project grows we are building on our induction materials and running helper buddy workshops.

The Cycle Buddies service is a matching service to help people build confidence in cycling and should be done in conjunction with cycle training to ensure everyone has the correct cycle skills to cycle on the road.

It is the responsibility of the people being matched to look after their own safety. This is why we recommend each pair has a good chat before any session to fully understand each other’s skills level and expectations for any sessions.

Yes. When you create your Cycle Buddies profile, make sure to select the route planning option and your search results will show you the Cycle Buddies who can help you with route planning.

Once you’ve connected with a buddy you can discuss your cycling experience and goals before meeting up. Let the buddy know about any specific routes you want help with.

You can also get started by reading our route planning guide.

If you can ride a bike and have ridden on the road before then Cycle Buddies could be the right choice for you.

If you’re not at all comfortable riding on quiet roads, then we suggest you go to your local council for free cycle training before you start with Cycle Buddies. Find out about free cycle training here.

You can also find and contact Cycling Instructors using the Cycle Buddies platform, but the actual booking will either be through your local council or by private arrangement between yourself and the instructor.

All London councils offer free cycle training to adults and any instructor on the platform will be able to help you book these for free.

We hope you keep on cycling! Plan more routes, explore London, and enjoy getting around by bike. Find friendly group rides and meet people across London through the London Cycling Campaign events calendar.

Create a profile on our Cycle Buddies platform and then wait until someone contacts you for help. Then go cycling together, a few times, at their pace, to build their confidence.

Once someone gets in touch, find out what their cycling experience is and what sort of rides they want to do. Follow the advice on this page on meeting safely and riding together.

Ask your buddy what their cycling goals are. Listen and give encouragement. Don’t feel you have to explain everything. Help them to work things out for themselves and to track their own progress. There are lots of tips and advice on our website, these can be used to guide your sessions.

You’ll need to find out what they want to do and where they want to go. Some people want to explore quiet streets locally or plan a longer journey for example to work. You may ride to the park or show them local routes – quiet ways, new cycle lanes and off-road paths are popular. They may want to try out junctions or crossing busy roads – think about how to ride those safely.

For a longer ride, like a journey to work, it may be advisable to plan the route in advance, to try it out on your own first and ride it together at a quiet time of day. Sometimes it may take a few rides before you complete the whole route.

After you have ridden with your buddy, we’d like you keep in touch to find out how they are getting on with cycling – maybe contact them after a month and three months. Let them know about LCC activities and group rides they can get involved with.

We’d like you to be free to go on at least three rides together with your buddy. Rides vary but are typically 60-90 minutes long.

Start by creating a profile on our Cycle Buddies platform. You’ll be asked some questions about the kind of help you want to offer. There’s also an opportunity to add some details in the biography section of your profile.

New riders seeking help will be able find your profile based on their own postcode and the search filters based on the kind of help they are looking for.

Searches can be based on home postcodes or work postcodes. Helper buddy profiles can set either work address or home addresses. Postcodes are not public and only an approximate distance is indicated.

Once you’ve created your profile, new riders looking for help will be able to contact you directly through the chat function on the platform. New riders looking for Helper Buddies can search for local buddies, but experienced riders offering help cannot search for new riders.

It may take some time before someone matches with you. What you put in your profile will help.

Your profile on our Cycle Buddies platform is your chance to introduce yourself to potential buddies. Remember, you can’t search for them – they can only search for you – so make your profile clear and appealing.

Include a clear, friendly picture of yourself. Remember not to include photos of high-value items such as jewellery or high-end bikes. Make sure it’s the right way up!

Write a profile that a new rider might be interested in. For example, maybe you speak certain languages, have had epic cycling adventures, or have particular local knowledge you want to share. Maybe you have experience of adapted bikes or riding with a particular disability. Maybe there is an aspect of your identity which might make a new rider be more comfortable with you, for example you ride with a Muslim women’s group, or cycle with your kids. Or maybe you just want to say what cycling means to you or your motivation for helping others become regular cyclists.

Or maybe there’s somethings you don’t want to help with: maybe you only want to help people on local rides and not on commutes in to central London, or maybe the opposite.

Give people the information and let them find you.

That’s okay! We don’t expect you to know everything, just share your own experience to give help where appropriate – for example, how you check your bike or tips on journey-planning apps.

We also don’t expect you to give people training, so let them know how to access free in-person training with their local council here. They can also contact cycling instructors directly through the Cycle Buddies platform.

You don’t need any formal training to be a cycle buddy (though it is great if you have some!).

You are not training your buddy in how to ride, but we do want you to feel confident that you can ride safely with another person.

We expect you to be riding at Bikeability Level 3, and always recommend the free training available from your borough – see our cycle training page for further information.

At the moment, we only recognise Bikeability Trust/1^st4Sport National Standards qualifications. You’ll need to provide your NSIQ or NISP number when you sign up. Your account will be verified by an admin against the Bikeability Trust register.

Once you’ve created your instructor account, an administrator will check your instructor qualifications against the database. These checks are currently being done around once a month so you may have to wait for your account to be verified.

Your profile on our Cycle Buddies platform is your chance to introduce yourself to people. Remember, you can’t search for them – they can only search for you – so make your profile clear and appealing.

Include a clear, friendly picture of yourself. Remember not to include photos of high-value items such as jewellery or high-end bikes. Make sure it’s the right way up!

Write a profile that shows what you can offer. For example, maybe you speak certain languages or have particular local knowledge you want to share. Maybe you have experience of adapted bikes or riding with a particular disability. Maybe there is an aspect of your identity which might make a new rider be more comfortable with you, for example you ride with a Muslim women’s group, or cycle with your kids. Or maybe you just want to say what cycling means to you or your motivation for helping others become regular cyclists.

Give people the information and let them find you.

Cycling instructors should make their own payment arrangements with people. Cycling instructors can also volunteer their time if they choose.

For payment, we recommend that instructors use their local council cycle training arrangements: this way the lesson will be free to the client but the instructor will be paid by the council. If this is not possible then cycling instructors can offer privately paid sessions.

London Cycling Campaign is not responsible for prices, payments or collection of any money related to cycle training and does not offer advice on fees. Cycling instructors may consider joining the IWGB Cycling Instructors Branch or contacting them for advice.