Guided Rides offer fun, friendly, supportive bike rides for individual and family cyclists. The programme has been growing in Scotland over the past few years, helping more people to build their cycling experience and explore their local area by bike.

In the past month volunteer ride leaders have led rides in the Scottish Borders, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeenshire, South Lanarkshire and Glasgow and in this series of articles we meet some of the volunteers supporting more people to cycle in their local communities.

We spoke to David Beange, a volunteer ride leader based in Perth, to tell us more about his experience of the Guided Ride programme since becoming a qualified leader in October 2021.

“Having enjoyed cycling for many years, I got to thinking how I could give something back through volunteering,” said David. “I was already a British Cycling member so was aware of the Guided Rides programme and that there were none in the Perth Area.

“Perhaps my biggest challenge has been publicising my rides - I’ve found that I can’t just expect people to go straight to the website. So, social media is helpful in driving people towards the Let’s Ride website and getting people to come along to my rides.

“I have also implored family and friends to like and comment on Facebook and to share posts about my rides with their community groups. This has really helped establish and build a core group of attendees for my rides. I have also found that sticking to a regular time and start point really helps turnout too - coming along then becomes something of a habit. 

“Looking towards my second year of Guided Rides, my aims are to keep putting on rides that are up to 20 miles in length, leave the rides open to any type of bike and to find even more ways to get the word out - I hope this article helps too! 

If you want to cycle more, then British and Scottish Cycling Guided Rides are for you. All you have to do is bring your bike and pedal. Guided Ride Leaders do the rest. It's easy. It's free.

All kinds of cyclists are welcomed on Guided Rides, with rides classifications offering easy-going, steady and challenging rides, and opportunities of adult-only and family rides.

You can join David on his next Guided Ride, find a ride near you or more about Guided Rides at the Let’s Ride website: www.letsride.co.uk/guided-rides

For more information about becoming a Guided Ride leader visit: www.letsride.co.uk/volunteers