Free Cycle Training

Merton Cycling Campaign is delighted to offer free one-to-one cycle training to MCC members living, studying or working in Merton.

This is available at any level: children or adults, from complete beginners who have never ridden a bike, people who might not have cycled for some years and feel nervous about returning to cycling, and those who want to brush up their skills and gain confidence and skills in urban traffic. 

This sounds too good to be true… what's the catch?

The only requirements of the trainee are that you:

·         provide your own roadworthy bike; and

·         you are a member of the Merton Cycling Campaign.

If you are not yet a member, we will even subsidise that!  While funds last we are offering half-price MCC memberships to all trainees.  Click to see membership benefits and current rates, and remember: you pay half these rates for the first lesson only!

Lessons will be tailor-made to your needs, from your front door or your workplace, and will take place on the routes that you want to use, eg commuting to work, riding to college, popping down to the shops… wherever you want to go!  Complete novices will start in suitable off-road areas, again at a location of convenience to the trainee, and can expect to be able to balance and ride a bike by the end of the first lesson.

More advanced training will be on-road and focus on teaching assertive cycling techniques, how to "take the lane", developing confidence and learning how to share the road safely with all other road users.   You will learn the safest way to use different types of junctions, roundabouts, gyratory systems and multi-lane roads.  When to use cycle routes… and when not to!  The training will be on-road at a pace that suits you.

Richard Evans of the Merton Cycling Campaign said:

"Our 2003 local cycling survey showed that that many adults would like to return to cycling but lack the confidence - that is what our adult training sets out to provide.  With a combination of some generous grant funding from the Bridge House Trust, and one of our own members who has recently qualified as a cycle instructor, we are delighted to be able to offer free cycle training and help people in Merton get back on their bikes for local short journeys.  Half of all journeys are under two miles long, and many of them could be made by bike. A switch to cycling for short journeys could really help cut congestion and pollution on our roads. For short journeys a bike is often the quickest way of getting about. Furthermore, regular cycling is a great way to keep fit as part of a daily routine."

 

Interested?

Contact MCC Cycle Instructor Godwin Calafato for further information and to book your first lesson:

Phone  020 8543 3442

Email   training@mertoncyclists.org.uk

 

Godwin Calafato's relevant qualifications

 

Merton Council cycle training

For adults and children

 

Other cycle training organisations working in London (not an exhaustive list):

http://www.londonschoolofcycling.co.uk

http://www.cycletraining.co.uk

http://www.cyclinginstructor.com/