Ride Coordinators
Want to know a little bit more about our ride leaders before coming along? Check out their bios below, they’re favourite type of riding should give you a feel for what their rides are going to be like!
Anna
What type(s) of riding do you enjoy?
It’s all pretty great isn’t it? I’ve previously enjoyed roads, gravel & cycle touring. But nowadays mountain biking gives me the best buzz and I don’t think there are too many things better than whizzing down a cool descent!
How did you get into cycling?
I had barely ridden a bike when I was younger! In my mid twenties I entered an off road triathlon. I remember quite enjoying the uphills and being terrified of going fast downhill!! I entered the Glentress 7 in 2014 and around the same time met a very bike enthusiastic boy who later became my husband. Biking stuck and I now prefer the fast downhills to the ups!!
Why did you start coordinating rides?
Since becoming a mum a few years ago, I’ve found it harder to get out for regular rides in amongst work and general life chaos. Hervelo week night MTB rides encouraged me to get out more and have allowed me to meet, and become involved with a great community of riders. Always love the night ride chat and wanted to give something back, to help out when I can and to hopefully encourage others as I was encouraged.
Favourite ride snack?
On the trail - I always have a nature valley bar or a stoats with me.
In the cafe - it would have to be something like a chocolate coated flapjack!
If I’m with my daughter - Haribo!!
Carmen
I got my first road bike in 2019, and not long after, I joined Hervelo. I quickly realized that cycling with a group of like-minded people was far more enjoyable than solo rides along the local cycle paths.
Regular club rides and the encouragement from fellow members have really boosted my fitness - I’m now riding longer distances at a faster pace. I get a real buzz from making it to the top of a climb and then the downhill that follows. We’re lucky to have such fantastic cycling areas nearby - East Lothian, the Borders, and West Lothian - all offering great routes.
Regardless of the distance, the recipe for a great ride is always the same for me: fresh air, a bit of sunshine (though this is Scotland, so I always carry my rain jacket!), beautiful scenery, quiet roads, great chat from other members and of course, a good café stop.
Some of Hervelo’s more ahem “experienced” members are a real source of inspiration - I can only hope I’ll still be riding as well as they do when I reach their age.
Carolyn
I got my first bike when I was 8 but always thought of cycling as a free way of getting from A to B around town and didn't start road cycling until 2012 when I did my first sportive (Tour de Forth).
I had really enjoyed training for it, going out with a Cycling UK (CTC) group on Sundays. So when I was on the start line amongst all the skinny tyres/jumpers with pockets at the back for a Mars bar and banana and I had a pannier on my hybrid, I decided to get a road bike and a jumper with pockets in the back.
A couple of years later I discovered Hervelo and really enjoy riding with the friends I've made there - no pressure, no male egos. I've also done quite a few triathlons of all distances over the last 12 years and have just started road touring - London-Paris last summer and NC500 planned for this summer.
When I can, I lead a Hervelo ride - it's fun introducing people to a route /cake stop (although I'm a big fan of a cheese scone) they don't know.
Jodie
What type(s) of riding you enjoy?
Any type outside, but generally the muddier the better.
How did you get into cycling?
I was born into it and despite some efforts to get out of it, it always drags me back.
Why did you start coordinating rides?
I don’t like riding on my own so I needed some friends
Favourite ride snack?
Usually anything someone else has brought to share 😉
Who is your biggest inspiration/hero ?
My mum
Katie
What type(s) of riding do you enjoy?
I really love it all but any kind of big day out that warrants two café stops.
How did you get into cycling?
I started commuting to uni (on my mum’s ancient Raleigh hybrid) when I lived in London. I then joined my local bike shop’s club (Brixton Cycles ❤️💛💚) and this somehow morphed into cycling taking over my life and racing on the velodrome! I then moved to Scotland in 2020 and really fell in love with gravel and mountain biking.
Why did you start coordinating rides?
There’s a real lack of diversity in cycling, especially in mountain biking! I have personally found my journey into MTB a bit of an (ongoing!) uphill struggle and I really hope I can encourage and support other women to give it a go and push their limits.
Favourite ride snack?
Mini Soreen bars
Who is your biggest inspiration/hero?
Beryl Burton! Rhubarb farmer and long-distance cycling extraordinaire. She set the women’s 12 hour time trial world record in 1967 (277 miles!) which was undefeated until 2017! If you’ve never heard of her watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHDFCedcQaU
Lauren
I started commuting to uni when the price of a bus pass went up and it escalated from there! I discovered road racing while living in Bristol and suddenly cycling became my whole personality.
When I moved back to Scotland in 2020, I gradually fell into the roadie to mountain biker pipeline. The off-road riding in Scotland is so good, it’s hard not to! Forever grateful for the Scottish access laws that give us so much freedom to explore by bike.
My transition from a pure roadie to a jack of all trades has been rocky (pun very much intended) to say the least. All the amazing women organising Hervelo rides have given me so much confidence in myself and my riding. I want to be able to do the same for others! There are lots of other brilliant groups out there doing lots for women at an entry level but what Hervelo does, builds on that and enables women to push themselves even further whether that’s riding further, faster or adding more gnar!
I’m generally happiest on a big ride that involves a lot of pedalling. Big days out, big climbs and big descents where my wheels can stay glued to the ground.
Louise
What type(s) of riding you enjoy?
I love nothing more than a long ride out in the open air especially if it's at night and pushing me out of my comfort zone! Getting these rides in have become more challenging since becoming a mum but there is nothing more amazing than going on family rides!
How did you get into cycling?
Growing up on a remote farm, messing about on my bike with my siblings passed the time. It wasn't until Uni, when I bought a battered bike, that I started using it as a mode of transport then when I moved to Edinburgh in 2007 I started dabbling for fun in some endurance racing.
Why did you start coordinating rides?
It began when I was asked last year to coach the Go-Rides with ERC. Seeing a distinct lack of female coaches and girls riding gave me the push to realise I needed to be a very small part of encouraging more females into cycling. Whilst undergoing my MTB award I thought it would be fun to help out with the Hervelo rides - not anticipating at the time the positive uptake we'd have out East for gravel riding.
Favourite ride snack?
I've a terribly sweet tooth so anything sweet is good for me - unless it's after eating sweet stuff 5 days in a row on the bike and ending up with terrible mouth ulcers from all the sugar!
Who is your biggest inspiration/hero ?
As an all-round amazing women, it has to be my mum.
Lizelle
What type of riding do you enjoy?
All of it! I love the peace & beauty up in the hills on a gravel ride & for every hill there’s a magical decent. I love the adrenaline buzz flying down a gravel descent.
I was only introduced to Cyclocross in 2024 and absolutely love it. It’s an incredible fun, muddy, crazy 40 minutes. The supporters are as much fun as racing.
Tried Crit racing for the first time this year and 4 races later it’s going to be a thing going forward. It’s a fantastic community and the support amongst the women is amazing. There’s so many skills to gain from the events and I learn something new every time.
I got my first ‘proper’ Road bike in February. It’s completely different to the riding I prefer and although I enjoy it and the social riding that comes with it I’m still to develop a love for rolling on tar for hours. At the moment it’s a means to getting the long distances done in the shortest time possible.
How did you get into cycling?
I did a little bit of cycling as a kid, never had my own bike but borrowed anyone’s bike that was available and would just go ride for hours.
I managed to get a MTB at the start of lockdown and disappeared everyday up into the hills. This lead to swopping the MTB for a gravel bike at the end of 2020 and it’s progressed from there. Next bike purchase will most likely be a MTB again. No idea how I’m going to make space for another bike 🤣
Why did you start co-ordinating rides?
It’s more fun riding with others and you don’t even notice the distance covered or how steep a climb is.
Favourite ride snack?
The cafe stop 😁
Who’s your biggest inspiration/hero
Every woman pushing her personal boundaries is an inspiration.