Funded by Scottish Cycling and its Rock Up & Ride Programme, Sport Aberdeen’s community sport cycling project activator (working in partnership with Sustrans and Aberdeen City Council’s Family Learning Department) delivered a family cycling session at Bramble Brae Primary School in Northfield during the 2024 Easter holidays.

The initial aim of the session focused on educating parents on how to cycle safely as a family, whilst engaging both the children and their parents in a cycling activity.  Secondary aims were to teach children to ride and encourage their parents back onto bicycles too. 

Young non-pedallers had stabilisers removed and were encouraged to practice balance biking and braking before having a go at pedalling. Whilst these younger children were occupied learning to pedal, parents were persuaded onto bikes to have a go too (instead of watching their children) and a combined session was delivered with both parents and older children. The focus was on basic cycling skills, including braking and using gears, as well as tips on how to cycle safely as a family, the importance wearing a helmet and M-checking a bike before setting off.

Above: Laura Benson, Cycling Project Activator from Sport Aberdeen

Suzy was one of the parents who turned up with her child hoping for them to learn to ride but not expecting to ride herself.  Having not been on a bike since she was a child, she was understandably nervous but with her son engaged in a learn to ride session, Suzy had the opportunity to have a go at cycling for herself. She clearly enjoyed being back on a bike and remarked at her surprise and delight at being able to remember how to ride! Turns out it really is “just like riding a bike”.

Suzy was invited to join Rock Up & Ride Thursday morning sessions riding from the Aberdeen Cycle Hub @ Seaton, near the beach. Initially, Suzy was extremely nervous and lacked confidence on her bike, but slowly over the months she attended, she grew in confidence.

The weekly rides are short and social, designed to build up participants’ cycling confidence and are usually based away from main roads. Suzy – along with her peers – has transformed from an initially nervous, unconfident rider, to one who encourages others along to the weekly rides. 

Rock Up & Ride provides bikes and helmets to participants who don’t have their own and led rides are a welcome break from the stresses of parenthood. They combine gentle exercise with the experience of being outdoors in a friendly group environment. Over weeks of pedalling together, the group has chatted and enjoyed each other’s company cycling in a variety of weather conditions. Dolphins, skylarks, cold water swimmers and a traditional Shetland herring fishing boat have been spotted – to name a few and the riders have toured the local community hydropower scheme situated on the nearby River Don.

“The rides are relaxed and a good way to switch off for that hour and just enjoy the scenery, chat and building confidence each week“.

– Suzy, Rock Up & Ride participant

Leading into winter, Suzy expressed a concern that cycling in the cold might negatively affect her health, expressing that as a single parent, she couldn’t afford to get ill. The project decided to trial using basic turbo trainers located at the Aberdeen Cycle Hub @ Seaton whenever the weather was particularly cold or unpleasant. Initial comments were that cycling on a turbo was harder work than going outside for rides, but the ladies got stuck in and it is the intention to continue with these sessions whenever the weather isn’t conducive to outdoor cycling, although the preference is always to be outdoors where possible.

Looking forward, Suzy is still cautious cycling anywhere near a road but now rides short, shepherded sections on quiet roads and has voiced an interest in being able to cycle a little further in the future. Her overall aim is to teach her youngest to pedal and take her kids cycling in the future, whilst feeling confident doing so.

“To begin with I was unsure, however Laura makes you feel at ease and the group cycling has increased my confidence at using a bike safely and each week this is growing as my main goal is to take my son for a cycle and if it wasn’t for Laura and her team this wouldn’t be possible“.

– Suzy, Rock Up & Ride participant