Welcome to Walden Velo

Founded in 2012, Walden Velo is Saffron Walden’s largest cycling club, with over 140 registered members. We’re a friendly, inclusive community built around a shared love of cycling. We host weekly rides every throughout the year, and we welcome both new and experienced riders to join Walden Velo.

Ride With Us

Our main weekly ride rolls out from Market Square at 7:30am (summer) or 8:30am (winter). Rides last 2–3 hours, with multiple groups ranging from 15mph (24km/h) to 20+mph (34km/h). We also run road rides on Wednesday and Friday mornings, plus monthly gravel rides and summer evening gravel sessions.

Join us

New members are always welcome, and we encourage you to join us for a couple of rides before deciding to become a member. Visit our Join Us page for full details on how to get involved.

About Us

Founded in 2012, Walden Velo is Saffron Walden’s largest cycling club, with over 140 registered members. We’re a friendl

Club Rides

We offer a variety of ride options throughout the week, with options both on and off road.Sunday club rides Our most pop...

Contact Us

If you have any questions relating to the club, please use the contacts below.Membership EnquiriesIf you've not ridden w...

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FAQs
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Rides library

Walden Velo Hill Climb Championships 2025

Saturday saw us hold the annual hill climb championships, with 20 or so riders tackling Long Lane on a crisp, still morning. In a first for our hill climb we had three riders with identical times!

Well done to everyone who took part, and thank you to our team of marshalls.

The official results are available below:

Open Masters

1 Marco Arcidiacono 00:03:08

2 Amir Farboud 00:03:14

Serge Poublan DNS

Senior Women

1 Ariane Lismer 00:03:00

2 Issy Egerton 00:03:11

3 Abigail Corsie 00:03:12

Women Masters

1 Genevieve Rogers 00:03:26

Senior Open

1 Toby Harris 00:02:37

2 William McLaren 00:02:38

3 Ben Pratt 00:02:47

4 Tom Ward 00:02:53

4 Christian Saunders 00:02:53

4 Murray Marx 00:02:53

7 David Harrison 00:03:06

Gravel

Chris Schiering DNS

1 Jamie Szajewski 00:02:50

2 Joe Curtis 00:02:57

3 Daryl Barker 00:03:06

Junior

1 William S 00:05:25

FAQ

Is anyone welcome to ride with the club?

All adults aged 18 and over are welcome to join Walden Velo.

If you’re thinking about joining, we encourage you to come along for a couple of rides first to see if the club is right for you. There’s no pressure to commit straightaway.

Visit our Join Us page for more details.

How fast do I need to be?

Our Sunday road rides have multiple groups covering a broad range of abilities. These vary depending on the season, running towards the lower end of each range in winter and towards the upper end in the summer.

Our three groups are

Steady: Between 15 – 17 mph (24 – 28km/h)
Inters: Between 17 – 19 mph (28 – 30kmh)
Tempo: 18+ / 19+ mph (30+ / 31+) depending on season.

Rides are either 2 or3 hours, depending on the group you join. Most riders find they are faster riding in a group compared to riding solo. If you’re unsure which group is right for you please get in touch with rides@waldenvelo.com and we can offer some guidandce.

What kind of bike and clothing do I need?

A helmet is mandatory on all rides
For road rides, you’ll need a road bike or gravel bike. These have drop handlebars. If you’re riding a gravel bike, you may find that you need to join a slower group.
Most members wear cycling kit and use “clip-in” pedals, but these are not essential.
For gravel and off-road rides, a gravel bike or cross-country mountain bike is most suitable.

What should I bring with me for a club ride?

A helmet and appropriate clothing for the weather conditions
Equipment require to fix a puncture. At minimum this is likely to be tyre levers, at least one spare inner tube (tubeless plugs if running tubeless wheels) and a pump/C02 cannister.
Water or energy drink – around 500 mL per hour, more in warm weather.
Ride snacks – flapjacks, bananas, energy bars or energy gels all work well.
Money for a post-ride café stop upon return to Walden.

When do you ride?

See our club rides page

Where do you ride?

We meet in Saffron Walden, usually leaving from Market Square. We ride around the quieter roads of Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. Check out our ride library here.

Do your rides include a coffee/food stop

Our regular club rides do not include stops, so please bring enough water and food for a 2-3 hour ride. Many members meet in a café at the end of the road to socialise, often at Bronte on Rose and Crown Walk in Saffron Walden. Summer evening rides are often followed by a drink at the Railway Arms.

How do I know what rides are happening?

If you’re new, please contact us first and we’ll confirm the meeting time and group for you. Once you join, members receive a weekly email with ride details and access to our WhatsApp group.

How much is membership?

Membership is £10 per year, due in October.

Join Our Club

Join Walden Velo

Walden Velo is all about cycling together and enjoying the company we keep.

Whether you ride to stay fit, explore the countryside with friends, or compete in races, you’ll find a place here. We welcome riders of all experience levels and are happy to offer support, advice and encouragement — from your first group ride to your first race.

New Membership Enquires

New members are always very welcome at Walden Velo. You’re welcome to simply turn up to one of our club rides, but we recommend contacting our membership secretary at membership@waldenvelo.com beforehand so we know you’re coming and can confirm the exact start time and location.

Membership

Membership is £10 per year, due in October. As a member of Walden Velo, you’ll benefit from:

Friendly, safe and well-organised club rides
Help and advice on all aspects of cycling
Access to our Walden Velo club kit, supplied by Kalas
Access to our WhatsApp community
Rental of our club hard-case bike boxes
Eligibility to enter certain British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials (CTT) events

How to join

We manage memberships through RiderHQ, which handles payments and annual renewals. You can pay by card, bank transfer or direct debit. To join, simply head to our RiderHQ club page or click the Join button below.