Cyclists from Kentish Town Pedals, set up two years ago by Camden Cyclists and the Caversham Group Practice in Kentish Town

DOCTORS are prescribing cycling as a way to tackle loneliness and chronic health conditions.

On the first Saturday of every month, a group of riders set off from the Caversham Group Practice in Kentish Town.

Their destination varies – Finsbury Park, Highbury Fields, Camley Street nature reserve – but it’s always a gentle two-hour ride with time built in for a coffee break.

This is Kentish Town Pedals, set up around two years ago by Camden Cyclists and the Caversham practice, where a couple of GPs are avid cyclists themselves and decided it is an activity that could help many of their patients.

Not everyone in KT Pedals comes via the doctor’s surgery – the group is open to anyone – but for those who are sent by social prescribers at Camden’s GPs, the benefits are many, said chief pedaller Suzanne Weller.

Suzanne Weller (left) who organises the monthly cycling sessions

“The social side of it is really important for those people who experience loneliness or anxiety. But it can also be for people who want a bit more movement, want to stay active, or are dealing with a long-term chronic condition. It’s just a really nice way to meet people and explore the local area.”

Only a handful of riders would show up when the group first started, but now it is booked up every month with around 15 participants, a ride leader and a marshal to shepherd the cyclists through junctions.

Ms Weller, who organises the rides and leads some of them, added: “It’s not just for if you have a condition – it’s a ride that is easy enough that you don’t have to be an experienced cyclist. There are people who have just learned to cycle recently, or people who are coming back to cycling after not doing it for years.”

They even have spare bikes to lend out, so not having your own isn’t a barrier to entry, and Camden Cyclists have recently set up a second group in Kilburn too.

Ms Weller wanted to lead the sessions to “give something back” after her own experience with Camden Cyclists, taking part in family rides that helped her children grow in confidence on two wheels.

She said: “I have had so many benefits from it that I feel really motivated to give that to others. Before doing this, even though I live in Camden, I didn’t necessarily know that many people here and now I have this really rich community of people. I think I feel more part of Camden now.”

Do e-bikes have same benefits?

While electric bikes are making cycling more accessible, there’s no replacement for the manual two-wheeler when it comes to exercise. A built-in motor means lower effort, so an e-bike cycle burns about 30 per cent fewer calories, according to US researchers. So an hour-long ride averages 300 calories on the e-bike, versus 500 on a regular bike.

That said, because people might cycle further and more often with e-bikes, they can still help to improve fitness levels quite a lot, according to a new study in the Journal of Cycling and Micromobility Research.

And of course, in either case you’re getting equal benefit, just from being outside.