Bristol is the UK's first Cycling City, a symbol of our status as one of Europe's most bike-friendly destinations.
Bristol was named the UK’s first cycling city in 2008, and is home to Sustrans, the country's leading sustainable transport charity. As a hub of Britain's National Cycle Network, there are an extensive range of cycle routes in place across the city, as well as plenty of places to park your bike, making cycling a fantastic way to explore Bristol.
Bristol caters for every cyclist. There are on and off-road, car-free paths connecting every district of the city, countryside trails for peaceful excursions, challenging mountain biking routes, and more.
Bike Hire
Not to worry if you've arrived in Bristol without your wheels - there are plenty of choices for hiring the right bike for you!
Take the opportunity to see the sights of Bristol by tandem with Bristol Tandem Hire. They offer guidance and carefully chosen traffic-free routes and even the opportunity to take along a special hamper full of delicious local and artisan food. Riding a tandem is a fantastic and unique experience that you will always remember.
You can hire hardtail and full suspension mountain bikes from Pedal Progression in the beautiful green surroundings of Ashton Court Estate when you want to hit the nearby off-road trails. The company also offers cycle accessories, repairs and skills coaching.
Maps and Route Planning
If you are looking for some maps, route planners, accommodation and ideas for a cycle trip in Bristol and its surrounding areas, here are the must-see websites for cyclists:
Better by Bike is the comprehensive cycling website for Bristol, Bath, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. It includes regional cycle maps and routes, information on bike hire, shops, workshops, cycling clubs, events, and much more.
Sustrans is Britain's leading sustainable transport charity, based in central Bristol. Their website features detailed maps of the National Cycle Network in and around Bristol, including some of the city's most-loved routes, such as the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, Festival Way, and The Strawberry Line.
Strava and Komoot are fantastic platforms for discovering new routes around Bristol and the surrounding area that locals and visitors to the city have posted. Access online, or on your phone using the free apps for iPhone and Android. And if you're feeling particularly adventurous, go ahead and publish your own routes too!
Cycle Streets is another useful cycle route planning and mapping website. The site also has a free app for iPhone and Android smartphones.
North Somerset plays host to some excellent cycling routes, including the ride from Portishead to Bristol city centre via the picturesque Pill Path, which takes you from the pretty coastal town through the smaller nearby town of Pill, then on through the wild landscape of Avon Gorge and under the Clifton Suspension Bridge, before ending at Bristol's Harbourside.
North Somerset will soon welcome an exciting new 13-mile ‘Pier to Pier Way’ route between Weston-Super-Mare and Clevedon, due to open in spring 2024.
For information about cycling in South Gloucestershire, visit the South Gloucestershire Council website and Cyced.
Bike-Friendly Accommodation
Being a cycling city, there are lots of places to stay in Bristol that are bike-friendly, this can be anything from offering a place where you can store or wash your bike, to offering repairs, packed lunched and discounts for cyclists.
All of Bristol's Premier Inns are cycle-friendly, which means that you’ll either be able to keep your beloved set of wheels in your room or store it in a safe place.
We recommend always checking with your accommodation provider before you book to ensure that they offer cycle-friendly facilities. A full list of places to stay in Bristol can be found here.
Cafes and Restaurants for Cyclists
Bristol has hundreds of restaurants and cafes to choose from, many of which will offer something extra for cyclists that visit.
Mud Dock on the Harbourside is a unique, cycling-themed cafe that's a haven for cyclists. Here you can take advantage of a handy repair service, take a shower after a long ride, or treat yourself to a cup of coffee or cold beer.
No.1 Harbourside, also the base for Cycle the City, offers ample cycle parking and a great range of beers and food.
The Crofters Rights, a craft beer pub in Stokes Croft, has wall storage inside the pub for customers to store their bikes.
Mountain Bikes and Off-Road Cycling
Looking for something with a little more adrenaline? The two off-road Nova cycling trails at Ashton Court Estate and various routes at the nearby Leigh Woods are great options for mountain bikers of all abilities, where you can go wild without damaging environmentally sensitive areas. You can hire full suspension mountain bikes to tackle all of these trails from Pedal Progression, based at Ashton Court Golf & Cycle Hub.
For more inspiration on where to enjoy some mountain biking thrills in Bristol, check out the 50 Acre Wood, Leigh Woods Link, and Cycle Cross Loop trails.
Explore more of Bristol’s active side:
