If you’re reading this beginner’s special, then there’s a chance that you’re new to cycling. It’s an exciting time, one of discovery and pushing of boundaries, but also one of information overload and contradictory advice. We hope you can take some solid gold nuggets with you from this guide, such as Rob Ainsley’s top 10 new rider routes and rides. We also hear from four women who are part of the phenomenal rise in female cyclists over the past two years and the bigger riders who prove that cycling is far more than a skinny person’s game. We also reveal the rites of passage – the inevitable ups and downs – for new riders.

Welcome aboard!