Improving
Improving your cycling skills can increase your confidence, enable you to commute, equip you to ride further or even tackle new terrains or ride competitively.
In addition to teaching you to cycle, Glasgow’s cycling organisations offer group and led rides, an informal opportunity to pick up skills from ride leaders and fellow cyclists, plus formal skills development courses, including riding off-road and commuting to work, such as Bike for Good’s Road Skills lessons.
Mountain Biking
image courtesy of Bike for Good
If you seek the thrill of single-track or downhill, or simply have a desire to get off-road and enjoy long-distance trails or technical rides through forests, across country and into the mountains, then Cycling Scotland’s Go Mountain Bike achievement award is for you. The award will enable you to advance your technical riding skills and learn how to look after yourself, your bike, your environment, and other people.
The award caters to all levels of experience, from novice to expert. Themes include riding skills, sharing the outdoors, first aid, and being independent and self-supporting.
There are more opportunities for mountain biking in Glasgow than you may think. You can try out and practice your off-road skills at Pollok Park’s skills trails. If you head further south, you can experience one of the trails ridden by mountain bike competitors in the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Cathkin Braes Country Park’s three skills circuits, offering a mix of terrains and features.
Competitive Riding
Glasgow has world-class sports facilities for cycling in the form of the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in the east end. The track is open to anyone to have a go and enjoy track riding (no lycra required!) Scottish Cycling, the governing body for cycle sport in Scotland, offer more information about track cycling and other competitive forms of riding.
