Welcome to KDCS: we are a cycling club based in Kendal with over 150 members. With the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep we enjoy exploring the area by bike, on and offroad (or both), in a leisurely and sociable way. We have been organising rides and promoting cycling since 1993 and are always friendly and welcoming to new members. Joining is free. We are affiliated to Cycling UK

Welcome to KDCS

We are a cycling club based in Kendal with over 150 members from all around south Cumbria who enjoying exploring the area by bike, on and offroad (or both), in a leisurely and sociable way.  We have been organising rides and promoting cycling since 1993 and are always friendly and welcoming to new members.  Joining is free and simple: just follow this link.  We are affiliated to Cycling UK, which affords benefits, such as liability insurance for ride leaders.

As a club we also like to take an active role in local cycling issues and campaigns and have had involvement in the design and planning of cycling routes in the past.  The club activities are coordinated by a small committee of members, who also organise social events and Away Trips in addition to the programme of rides.

Our programme of rides is very varied and interesting both geographically and in the type of cycling offered, which reflects the range of interests and abilities of our members.  All rides are lead by members who volunteer to prepare the routes and ensure that the rides themselves go ahead smoothly, safely and enjoyably (weather-permitting!).  

There are 3 main types of rides:

- weekend road rides:  we aim to put on 2-3 weekend rides per month, starting from Kendal or further away and using the quieter lanes and back roads to explore the area, usually with at least one cafe stop on route.  The distances vary from 20-50 miles, but usually about 30 miles in length and often with a choice of start location on the longer routes, but are always ridden at a comfortable pace to ensure that no one is left behind.  There is sometimes a cultural, historical or nature-based theme to a ride for added interest.

- weekly MTB rides, on Thursdays: these rides offer a great day of proper mountain biking fun and banter, often going far into the countryside and mountains and so require a suitable bike with proper suspension and tyres and adequate clothing, food and drinks for the day

- weekly evening 'Easy Tuesday' rides throughout the summer: these are shorter, flatter and gentle-paced rides, mainly from Kendal (occasionally from Milnthorpe or Windermere), offering a pleasant route of 10-20 miles on quiet roads to enjoy the summer evenings and usually ending in a local pub for a social way to end the evening, with a short ride home.

In addition to scheduled rides, we often have  'ad hoc' ride suggestions to take advantage of a particularly nice day or to coincide with a local event.  Members also put together a programme of Away Trips lasting 3-5 days for both MTB and road riders to explore a new area.  Locations have included the Isle of Man, central Wales, Coquetdale in Northumberland and Rosedale in Yorkshire.

Further information about the activities of KDCS can be found on the other pages of this site, including the calendar, and on our two Facebook pages.