Membership and Riding Opportunities for Under 18’s
Joining Newbury Velo as a young person has many benefits, including discounted kids training sessions, access to the Newbury Velo Kit supplied by Kalas, and access to our Off the Bike kit shop.
Joining a cycling club can add a whole new dimension to your cycling experience, providing a range of advantages beyond simply getting some exercise. These benefits aren't just for adults – kids and teenagers can reap the rewards of a cycling club too!
(Please ask a parent or guardian to complete the membership application and provide the payment details).
What we offer cyclists who are under 18 years old
"What's available for under-18s, in particular those new to the sport?" This is a question we are often asked. We believe that whether it's a spin in the back garden, tearing around a local pump track, or confidently riding further than ever before, cycling is an essential part of growing up.
3-12 year olds:
We offer Children's coaching for 3 to 12-year-olds. Our coaching facility is based on Henwick Playing Fields and offers children a range of coaching options. The coached sessions focus on learning cycling skills in a fun and friendly environment. They are held during term time on Tuesday evenings from 6pm to -7.30pm. More information is available on our coaching page.
Children are also welcome to enter any of our Go-Ride events, such as our Summer CycloCross race series in partnership with Sprockets Cycle Club. Go-Ride events are designed for novice riders and children in particular. They are held in safe environments, usually in parks or enclosed spaces. Most of the Great Britain Cycling Team's biggest stars started cycling at a Go-Ride Club. Just like Laura and Jason Kenny!
We organise local tours for our young cyclists. These rides, are conducted with parents accompanying their children. We have toured Savernake Park, The New Forest, and Greenham Common.
12-17 year olds:
Time Trials - Newbury Velo is affiliated with Cycling Time Trials (CTT), the UK governing body for Time Trials. The Club is based in CTT London West District. Our events are conducted in accordance with the CTT guidelines. Entrants over the age of 12 years of age are welcome. Parents/guardians of riders under 18 must consent in writing to participate in Time Trial events. The only exemption is when a young person, having reached the age of 16, can prove they no longer live with their parents or guardians but are living as an independent adult. Our Parental consent form can be found here. You don't have to be a member of the Club to try one of the evening time trials, as the Club operates a come-and-try-it policy. You’ll need a parent or guardian to ride with you on a road based TT if you are under 16. Our TT events page has more details.
Cyclocross, track sessions and multi-day tours - Once you are over 12, you are welcome to join in with most of our club activities and trips. You will need to be accompanied by a member who is a parent or guardian, which may include a sibling over the age of eighteen. The only exemption is when a young person, having reached the age of 16, can prove they no longer live with their parents or guardians but are living as an independent adult.
Road racing - For those riders wishing to emulate their Tour de France heroes, you'll probably be interested in road racing. However, before you can race on the open road, you must be 16 and over. But racing on a traffic-free circuit is the ideal place to start for under 16s and anyone new to the sport. Newbury Velo does not currently host any road races, but as a member, you can enter races and represent the Club in our pink kit. Membership of British Cycling and a racing license is required before a rider is allowed to race. For those under 18, a free or discounted British Cycling membership with a free racing license is available. Riders must also be members of a cycling club affiliated with British Cycling, such as Newbury Velo. Contact our Racing secretary, Rachael Elliott, for more information.
Group Rides - The Sunday morning club run is the staple of most cycling clubs. This is mainly a weekly social ride on a Sunday morning, usually finishing at the Pineapple Cafe in Newbury. Newbury Velo offers a group ride for most speeds every Sunday and weekday rides on Wednesday evenings. The Mochaccino ride is a very good place to start for the younger rider or beginner. This will ride at 11-13 miles per hour for two and a half hours. Teenagers will soon move up to the faster rides, leaving the older riders struggling to keep up!
You'll need a pump, a set of tyre levers, a spare inner tube and/or puncture repair kit and preferably a handy cyclist's multi-tool. A spare inner tube, or two, is recommended as it cuts down the time to mend a flat, and the punctured tube can be repaired later in the comfort of your home. To ensure you don't dehydrate, you'll need a drinking bottle (known as a 'bidon' in cycling circles) filled with water or a sports drink. A banana (the traditional food of cyclists) or energy gel will help to stave off the 'knock', a cycling term for 'hitting the wall' when the body runs out of energy reserves.
Under-18-year-olds must be accompanied by a responsible adult, usually a parent or guardian, so get your mum or dad to dust off that bike in the shed and ride with you. See the Group Rides page for more details.
Use this table to check if you need an adult with a child or youth taking part in club activities.
Membership Options
We currently have three membership options, which are differentiated by age:
0-7 year olds qualify for Velomite membership and pay £1.00 annually
8-15 year olds qualify as juniors and pay £10.00 annually.
Over 16 year olds pay full membership fees and pay £20.00 annually.
If your child is 16 or older, you can buy a Club membership through our Club page on the British Cycling website here. For under 16’s, you can either join on the British Cycling website, or below.
Buy U16 Membership Here
Newbury Velo is a British Cycling Go-Ride accredited cycling club. In addition to offering opportunities to younger riders, Go-Ride ensures that the club has all the required safeguarding policies and procedures in place, such as DBS-checked coaches and training for all key club officials.
Go-Ride is British Cycling's development programme for clubs and groups providing cycling to children and young people. The programme provides a fun and safe way to introduce young riders to the world of cycle sport and provides a platform to improve bike handling skills. Go-Ride Racing events offer entry-level, local competition for young cyclists under 16. British Cycling racing licences are not required, and the events are aimed at novice racing cyclists. Go-Ride provides the first step onto the Performance Pathway - over 60% of Great Britain Cycling Team riders started out at Go-Ride Club.