Through this page we have aimed to answer all of your questions on cycling under the current restrictions, and what it all means for Clubs, events, facilities, coaches and others involved in our sport.

Our full library of guidance documents on safely resuming cycling activities and events can be found here. You can find the most up-to-date guidance for riding in Scotland here and in Wales here.

This page was last updated on: Wednesday 16 September 2020. Recent changes are highlighted by an asterisk at the end of the relevant section heading.

British Cycling activities and the ‘Rule of Six’.*

Following the introduction of new rules by the UK Government on Monday 14 September, British Cycling can confirm that all activity currently sanctioned under The Way Forward guidance (such as club rides, coaching sessions and recreation programme activity) can continue as before. Specific guidance for these activities can be found below.

Following discussions with Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, we have agreed that these activities will be permitted because of the measures in place to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

What is the current UK Government advice on physical activity?*

In England, groups of up to six people from different households are permitted to exercise together, however they must still follow social distancing guidelines and keep at least ‘one metre plus mitigations’ from those outside their household.

If you are showing coronavirus symptoms, or if you or any of your household are self-isolating, you should stay at home, and in line with UK Government guidance those aged over 70 should continue to take care to minimise contact with others outside their household.

Clubs and groups are now able to ride ‘one metre plus mitigations’ apart in all circumstances, rather than having to maintain a two metre gap. The 'mitigations' listed by the UK Government include being outdoors and being side-to-side (avoiding face-to-face contact), both of which are achieved in group riding.

Further information on physical activity in England can be found on the Sport England website here. When cycling in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, you should follow the guidance and regulations issued by the relevant devolved administration. You can find the most up-to-date guidance for riding in Scotland here and in Wales here.

What if I live in an area with additional local restrictions?*

A number of areas are currently experiencing additional restrictions in response to localised outbreaks, and you can find a full list of these here.

Unless it is specifically stated otherwise on the Gov.uk or relevant council website, British Cycling-sanctioned events, group rides and coaching sessions can continue to go ahead, but must still follow the relevant rules on group sizes and social distancing.

For informal cycling activities (ie. rides which are not sanctioned by British Cycling) you should refer to the information on the Gov.uk or relevant council website. This will typically be detailed under the section titled ‘Can I still play sport?’.

What is the current state of play for clubs, groups and British Cycling recreation programmes?*

Club, group and recreation programme activities have all now resumed in England, and are currently limited to six riders.

Multiple groups of six are permitted to begin their rides at the same location, however groups should be kept wholly separate, start times should be staggered and they should take different routes if possible to prevent groups from merging together during the ride.

At any mid-ride stops and the finish location you should continue to adhere to the ‘Rule of 6’, which prohibits groups of more than six from socialising together indoors or outdoors. More information on this can be found here.

We would like to remind all cyclists that under the new rules the police are able to enforce these legal limits, and if you break them you could face a fine (fixed penalty notice) of £100, doubling for further breaches up to a maximum of £3,200.

More detailed guidance for Clubs and groups can be found here, and further questions relating to British Cycling recreation programmes should be emailed to breeze@britishcycling.org.uk or rideleader@britishcycling.org.uk.

What does this mean for coaches, leaders and instructors?

On 23 July we changed our guidance for coaching to permit coach-led activity to resume for groups of up to 30 participants, including coaches, per session.

Our full guidance for coaches, leaders and instructors can be found here. If you have any further questions, please email education@britishcycling.org.uk.

What does the new guidance mean for cycling facilities like pump tracks and outdoor velodromes?

You can find our most up-to-date guidance for facility operators here. Further industry guidance is also available from UK Active and Sport England.

As a British Cycling member, what does this mean for my third-party liability insurance?

British Cycling’s third-party liability insurance and legal support and advice member benefits remain in place for all Commute, Ride, Race Silver and Race Gold members.

Those riding in groups which comply with Government guidelines (see above) will be covered, but please note that insurance cover provided to members and Clubs will be invalid if they are wilfully contravening Government advice – ie. riding in large groups of more than six – or participating in activities which are currently suspended.

What support is there to help me keep active at this time?

British Cycling has a number of great initiatives to help people get and stay active at this time, including:

HSBC UK Let’s Ride Local – A new microsite containing all the information, inspiration and activities you need to enjoy cycling as a family.

– A new microsite containing all the information, inspiration and activities you need to enjoy cycling as a family. Commute Smart – Learn to commute by bike with confidence through this great series of short videos, covering everything from planning routes to packing kit.

– Learn to commute by bike with confidence through this great series of short videos, covering everything from planning routes to packing kit. HSBC UK Ready Set Ride – Our free games and activities are perfect for teaching the little ones how to ride. We split the process into three simple stages: Prepare to ride; Balance; and Pedals.

– Our free games and activities are perfect for teaching the little ones how to ride. We split the process into three simple stages: Prepare to ride; Balance; and Pedals. British Cycling Ride Series – Virtually rub shoulders with riders from the Great Britain Cycling Team through our popular ride series, delivered in partnership with Zwift.

– Virtually rub shoulders with riders from the Great Britain Cycling Team through our popular ride series, delivered in partnership with Zwift. Sport England is encouraging people to share their own home workouts using the hashtag #StayInWorkOut

I’m an event organiser – what support is available for me?

Our Events team are working to support organisers in safely planning their events. Our general and discipline-specific guidance for cycle sport events can be found here, and our team can also be contacted by email at events@britishcycling.org.uk.

How will this affect my ranking points and my ambitions to move up through racing categories?

Following internal and external consultation, British Cycling can confirm that events across all disciplines will be designated as non-ranking for the remainder of 2020, or until further notice.

Given that riders will not be able to claim ranking points, no rider will be moved down a licence category at the end of the year, while those who collected sufficient points to move up a category prior to the suspension of racing in March will be able to retain that higher category. We hope that the opportunity to race new formats across a variety of disciplines will encourage many new riders to come and get involved. Find out more here.

Still unsure about anything?

Click here to find out the best way to contact British Cycling.