Bristol Cycling Centre is Celebrating 10 Years!

published on 15th July 2026 Bristol, Cycling events, Disability cycling, Learn to Ride, News

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Bristol Cycling Centre opened the site on the Old Whitchurch Athletics Track in 2016. Come and join the celebrations this summer on Saturday 25th July, 2026.

Bristol Cycling Centre 10 Year Anniversary – Better By Bike

For one day only, all the cycling sessions will be free to celebrate cycling from 9:30am until 4pm. This free event will give both regular visitors and first-time riders the opportunity to experience everything the facility has to offer. There will be 6 cycling sessions of 45 minutes, these will be free to attend but require signing up in advance. Other things to enjoy on the day will be cycling games, Dr Bike, a smoothie bike and other fun activities.

Book here for a free cycling session on 25th July

History of Bristol Cycling Centre

A selection of logos and newspaper clippings for St Anne's Park wheels for all cycling

2009 – 2016 – Newspaper clippings about St Anne’s Park.

Bristol became a City of Cycling in 2009 and Bristol City Council started an Wheels for All inclusive cycling project in St Anne’s park. This sparked the idea for the need for a cycling centre in Bristol.

A Photo of the 3 storage shipping containers being put in place surrounded by a muddy ground.

2016 – Storage and toilet containers being installed onsite

In 2016 the shipping containers were lifted on site. Installation was stalled due to a storm. The team came together to paint the office, install the office furniture and start to organise the shipping containers and cycle storage.

Finally Bristol Cycling Centre was ready to open! Many thanks to the volunteers, staff and team who worked hard to prepare everything for the opening celebration!

A Photo of the Mayor in 2016 on a bike surroudning by a crowd of people on bikes and standing, all of them smiling at the camera.

2016 – Opening the Centre in Hengrove/Whitchurch

Bristol Cycling Centre opened with great fanfare and a large celebration in 2016. There was an opening party celebration in which the mayor at the time visited, plus other councillors and lots of families and bike enthusiasts.

A Bikeability stock photo of a cycling snake of rider on their bikeability level 2 cycling on a road away from the cmaera.

2017 – Bikeability Courses

The cycling instructors are all Bikeability trained and the centre starts to provide courses on site for anyone wanting to book for level 1 and level 2 Bikeability courses. These normally run throughout the holidays.

A photo of the place the pump track was built on with 2 diggers and a big pile a stones.

2018 – Building the Pump Track

Work on the pump track started in 2018. Before only the track and courts were used for cycling. This added an extra element to the centre and has been a popular place to cycle for teenagers.

A handwritten colour card which reads 'To Family Cycle Centre your a super star you have taught me alot about riding a bike. I have really enjoyed doing lessons with you. Thank you so much from.@ The name is hidden by a splash a paint and a bike image over the top.

2018 – 2019 – Cycle Superheroes

Cycle Superheroes was a 6 week course delivered in collaboration with Bristol Bike Project. It offered cycle skills and maintenance workshops to groups of pupils who struggle in the traditional class room environment, teaching basic cycle maintenance skills.

2020 to 2021 was a different time for everyone due to covid, and the centre was no exception. Being an outdoor centre we could safely provide 1 to 1 inclusive cycling for riders to continue to get outdoors and exercise. We sadly did close during the January lockdown in 2021.

3 photos next to each other of the BFCC world tour. One with flags laminated and the opther 2 with a sign wth a painted world with BFCC World Tour written around it.

2021 – Covid 1 to 1s and the Centre celebrating coming together after Covid

In March 2021 we reopened with reduced numbers and a huge amount of cycle cleaning. Celebrating for Easter we toured the world with ‘BFCC World Tour’. Each day riders cycled a different continent (with flags decorating the track), counting laps to see how far everyone could travel.

A photo of the old entrance to the cycling centre with the gate open and a sign that reads Bristol Family Cyclind Centre.

2022 – Old entrance to Bristol Family Cycling Centre

Originally the Centre was named Bristol Family Cycling Centre. But in 2022 the name changed dropping ‘Family’ to be more inclusive to all riders.

2 photos next to each other one of the electric side by side in a workshop and the 2nd of the electric wheelchair cycle in the sun with some bike wracks on the front.

2022 – The arrival of the Electric Cycles

We went electric in 2022, with some of the most popular cycles being the electric VanRaam Velo a wheelchair cycle and the Electric Fun2Go, a side by side tandem. The electric assist has made lots of people’s lives easier to cycle round the track multiple times.

2023 was a more difficult year for the centre with a fire at Old Action Indoor Sports and a shortage of instructors. But we powered through and hired some brilliant new people.

2 photos one of a green smoothie bike, a stationary bike that powers a smoothie on the front which a sandwich board stating smoothie board which shows flavours and prices. The 2nd of a gazebo and a group of people facing away from the camera chatting with a display of maps on a table.

2024 – Events and the popular smoothie bike

Summer becomes a celebration with each July launched by a Summer Celebration. With cycling games, Dr Bike, our roadshow team handing out maps and giving advice. We even bring our our popular smoothie bike for a healthy snack.

A group of photos of people dressed in halloween costumes, including a ghost with a sheet, a robber, an old gentlement in a suit and top hat and an elf on a handcycle.

2025 – Spooktacular and even more fun events and Bikeability courses

The Centre thrived in 2025 with it’s brilliant team of staff. We held summer celebrations and a Spooktacular event for Halloween. Even more bikeability courses took place and many many children learnt to ride for the first time.

The flier for the 10 year anniversary event with a photo of a selection of cycles in the background.

2026 – Our 10 Year Anniversary

And now it has been 10 Years!! With highs and lows, saying hello and goodbye to brilliant team members! We have welcomed over 130 thousand visits to our centre. Taught thousands of children and adults how to ride a bike. Let’s celebrate!!