United Energy Around the Bay
Ride options
Family-friendly bike rides
Some say you can’t buy happiness, but riding a bike at the United Energy Around the Bay with the whole family in tow is pretty close. With seven ride options to choose from there’s a ride for everyone. Choose your ride and experience it for yourself – kids 14 and under ride free on the Family Ride and 50km ride options!
Family Ride
The perfect option for families and new riders. It’s a challenge but absolutely achievable for the vast majority of ages and abilities. It’s also not too far for mums and dads towing trailers or tagalongs.
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50km
A great option for bigger kids with experience riding on the road. The mighty Westgate Bridge is literally the high-point of this ride with an entire traffic lane closed off for riders.
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100km*
Recommended for those who have a bit of on-road riding experience and are looking for a challenging goal to work towards. Children must be aged 12 years or older to participate in the 100km ride.
Please note children must be 12 years or older to ride on the 100km and 135km options. Children must be 15 years or older to ride on the 200km+ options. All riders under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a registered rider over the age of 18 to take part.
Get active and enjoy a day on the bike with the whole family!
With The Family Ride, 50km and 100km family friendly ride options there’s something for bike riders of all levels and abilities. United Energy Around the Bay is a great day out for the whole family to enjoy – don’t forget, kids 14 and under ride free on the Family Ride and 50km!
Choose a rideGetting started
Riding with your family
Bike riding with the family is a great way to have fun together, while also supporting your health and wellbeing. Get the most out of your day at United Energy Around the Bay with our training and preparation tips, and ensure you continue your post-ride celebrations in the Kids Zone. This really is the ultimate day out for the whole family!
Prepare for your ride
You can ride further than you think
Almost everyone who joins us for United Energy Around the Bay (kids included) find that they can ride further than they thought because of all the excitement this event entails.
As you know, kids also have way more energy than most people give them credit for, so you might be surprised just how far they can cover on the bike, especially when it’s packed with fun.
If you’re not sure where to start – take a look at our family-friendly ride options for some ideas.
Ride. Ride. Ride.
Get plenty of bike riding in before the event to help build up your muscle memory and confidence. This will also help you understand each other’s rhythms, the pace you can expect to ride at and of course, you’ll condition your bodies for riding. It’s also a great opportunity to practice your communication on the bike and learn how to ride comfortably together as a group.
To give you an idea on the amount of training you may need to do, check out our training plans.
Get the bikes ready
Getting started
Before you head out for a family ride, you don’t want annoying mechanical issues holding you back or slowing you down. Bikes in regular use need a service every year to replace worn out parts. Bikes that haven’t been ridden for ages need a service to replace rusted parts and perished tyres.
Before you take any bikes to your local bike shop for a service or get ready to do one yourself, check out Ride2School’s easy safety check.
Organise a bike service
Your local bike store can service your bike. You’ll need to book it in but they should be able to do it within a week. We recommend that all riders get their bike serviced before the event. A service should check and fix any problems with:
- brakes
- gears
- wheels and tyres
- headset and crank bearings
- suspension (if you have it)
- loose accessories, like luggage rack, kickstand, basket, etc.
You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes to have everything running smoothly.
Riding with kids
Kids in front
Ride behind the kids instead of out in front. From behind you can see them and what’s ahead and communicate what to do. Try to keep together in a compact group and stop together when someone needs to pull over.
Have a chat
Talk about every little point of interest along the way like the different kinds of bikes around you and what they can see, as well as to other riders alongside you. On United Energy Around the Bay, the Family Ride is packed full of fun so there will be plenty to talk about and there’s no doubt the 50km ride’s highlight is the Westgate bridge. The celebrations continue post-ride at the Event Village’s Kids Zone, so you can also talk about what you can do there once you’ve crossed the finish line.
Take breaks
Stop often, just about every time the kids want to. It might seem like too many interruptions to an adult but it breaks up the monotony. They never want to stop for long anyway, in a minute or two you’re back underway.
Keep eating
Carry plenty of snacks and drinks and encourage your kid/s to eat and drink constantly.
What to take
Ride essentials
- Lots of snacks
- Sunscreen
- Water (at least one bottle per person)
- Layers (It’s Melbourne – anything can happen)
- A set of tools to fix basic mechanicals including; spare tubes, tyre levers, a pump, Allen keys and a spanner for wheel nuts if required.
At United Energy Around the Bay our on-route mechanics and WARBY (We Are Right Behind You) team have the tools and expertise to fix most mechanical issues you could have during the ride.
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