A huge number of local residents got out their bicycles to enjoy the Hillingdon SkyRide on Sunday, 31 July, and perhaps discover the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit for the first time. While being well known to many of the racing fraternity, with several hundred participating the previous day in youth club, senior and women-only races, its siting away from housing estates has both advantages and disadvantages.
Beautiful weather ensured a great turn out and kept the refreshment stall busy run by the circuit based Minet Ladies Cycling Club in aid of the local Hayes Hospice, in addition to test themselves in head to head racing on the RollaPaluza roller mounted track bikes.
Fancy dress abounded and there was the occasional victory salute as riders sprinted under the circuit's Tour de France style inflatable finishing arch. A more leisurely pace was necessary to negotiate the demonstration Go Ride cones and limbo bar laid out by Central Region BC manager Josie Heffernan, who later in the day led a local Sky Ride group up the canal path from Brentford. They popped into the clubouse where more refreshments were available and where a Go Ride video was being screened.
And if that wasn't enough, some riders took advantage of trying out roller skiing laid on by the London Nordic Ski Club, one of the main users of Hillingdon cycle circuit from its outset, along with a number of other non-motorised sports.
