As well as being a magnet for tourists, this cathedral city is one of Britain’s most cycle friendly. Here’s what you need to know about it
York is a modestly-sized city that’s best known for the medieval history visible everywhere you look. It has a castle, extensive city walls and an outstanding Gothic cathedral: York Minster. The Shambles, a street with overhanging buildings that date back to the 14th century, looks like something out of Harry Potter. The city centre’s street layout follows its medieval pattern, making York problematic for drivers, ideal for pedestrians and handy for cyclists.
The city’s history goes back further than medieval times. It was founded by the Romans as Eboracum. Then it became a thriving economic hub for the Anglo-Saxons – up until it was conquered by the Vikings, who renamed it Jorvik. In Tudor times, York suffered economic decline. But it recovered in the 17th century, and the arrival of the railways in the 19th put it firmly back on the map.
Like Crewe, York became a major railway centre, with its own works and with rail connections going everywhere. Those connections spurred on its other big industry: chocolate. Rowntree’s and Terry’s had factories here; the former, now owned by Nestlé, still exists. Today tourism is at the heart of York’s economy.
York is one of the UK’s most cycle friendly cities. While it does have its fair share of cycle infrastructure, the other important factor is that a high percentage of York’s citizens cycle; proportionally, only Cambridge and Oxford have more residents who ride. Drivers are therefore more used to sharing the roads with cyclists – and are more likely to be cyclists themselves.
The best type of bike for cycling in York
York is a flat city bisected by two rivers: the Ouse and the Foss, both of which periodically flood. Most of the ‘hills’ you’ll encounter in the city are bridges over rivers or railway lines. Unless you're hauling heavy loads or have health issues, you’re unlikely to need an e-bike. You won’t need many gears either.
Some York streets are cobbled, and not all of the cycle paths in the area have tarmac. So for improved comfort and control it’s worth having a bike with medium-width or wider tyres. Not a mountain bike; there’s little off-road cycling unless you’re prepared to travel. A city bike or hybrid is all you need.
York is one of the few places in the UK where you’ll see a fair number of Dutch-style city bikes. And for good reason: they’re ideal for York’s flat terrain. The Gazelle Tour Populair (£1,099) is a retro-style roadster equipped with modern components like dynamo-powered LED lighting, weatherproof roller brakes, and an 8-speed hub gear.
If you fancy something sportier, the Genesis Flyer (£699.99) is a more practical option than most singlespeeds. Its wider (35mm) tyres won’t be troubled by York’s cobbles, and it has fittings for full-length mudguards and a rear rack. You could even fit a front rack if you wanted. Braking is by mechanical discs rather than sidepull rim brakes.
York’s transport network
York City Council has done a reasonable job in keeping traffic out of the city centre. Some streets are pedestrianised for all or much of the time, while others – such as Minster Yard – also allow cyclists. There are excellent traffic-free cycling connections to the railway station; the new Scarborough Bridge is a prime example of how to get cycle access right. And there are cycle tracks either side of the River Ouse. You can get from one bank to the other using the (also excellent) Millennium Bridge. For other routes, see the city’s Cycle Route Map.
Rail connections to and from York are among the best in the UK. You can be in London in under two hours and in Edinburgh in about two and a half because it’s on the East Coast Mainline. You can get a direct train to Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and beyond. Services are operated by LNER (usually two to four bikes per train; tandems are carried with certain provisos), CrossCountry (usually two reservable spaces and one first come, first served), TransPennine Express (two or three bikes per train, mandatory reservations), and Northern (two bike spaces, first come, first served). There’s extensive cycle parking at York Station and a bike shop by the front entrance.
Bus services in York are mostly run by First York. Folding bikes are carried as long as there’s sufficient space and they don’t block aisles or access to seats. TransDev York operates many buses to and from nearby towns and cities, as well as the CitySightseeing buses. The company’s conditions of carriage don’t mention bicycles. You shouldn’t have any trouble with a compact folding bike that’s covered or bagged but are unlikely to get anything bigger on board.
The River Ouse used to be an important trade route, carrying freight between York and Hull. These days only pleasure cruisers and other recreational boats ply the river.
Local rides in York
Sustrans NCN Route 65 runs north-south through York, initially beside the Ouse, and is ideal for a traffic-free ride for families or beginners. If you head south from Rowntree Park and cross the Knavesmire, you can Cycle the Solar System. Just north of the bridge over the A64 ring road is a 2.4-metre diameter model of the sun. Over the next 6.4 miles you’ll pass scale models of the planets until you reach the tiny marble of Pluto, just outside Escrick.
Alternatively, head north from York Station to Beningbrough Hall (9.5 miles). NCN 65 follows minor roads beyond Skelton but it’s still a quiet route. If you want to explore within and around York by bike, the city council has a collection of eight short leisure rides.
Road rides from York are slightly hampered by the flat farmland that extends for miles around the city. The countryside gets more interesting once you reach the Howardian Hills (head for Sheriff Hutton, then keep going) or the Yorkshire Wolds (ride east or north east on any of the smaller roads). Interesting destinations with cafés include Castle Howard, Sledmere House and Helmsley. Komoot has a selection of suggested road rides around York. If you’d prefer to join a group ride, Clifton Cycling Club and CTC York run plenty.
For off-road cycling, there are some bridleways around York but the pickings are thin. Expect to travel for exciting singletrack trails. Sutton Bank (25 miles away) has green, blue and red routes. Dalby Forest (approx 30 miles) is England’s largest trail centre, with six routes – including the UCI World Cup trail, which is graded black.
Bike shops in York
York is well supplied with good quality bike shops; choosing just three is difficult. But those below are all five-star rated, according to Cyclescheme customers.
Cycle Heaven has three shops in York, one at the station and the biggest in Fulford near the Millennium Bridge. Well stocked with practical roadsters in particular, Cycle Heaven’s bike brands include Brompton, Cannondale, Gazelle, Genesis, Gocycle, Ridgeback, Riese & Müller, Surly and Tern. Bike fitting is available. Cyclescheme customer comment: “Excellent service. Knowledgeable and I felt they genuinely wanted to provide as much support as possible.”
York Cycleworks is based just outside the city walls by Walmgate Bar. As well as stocking bikes from BMC, Electra, Kinesis, Trek and Whyte, York Cycleworks also offers bike fitting. Customer comment: “Wonderful service from start to finish. Really impressed and would highly recommend. These guys are top quality.”
Cyclestreet is one of York’s newer shops, having been set up in 2010. Despite being in the city centre, there is ample car parking for customers. Bike brands stocked include Bergamont, Cinelli, Cube, EBCO, Merida, Orbea, Quella, Raleigh, Scott and Whyte. Bike fitting is available. Customer comment: “I was really impressed by the customer service I received at CycleStreet. Staff were friendly, professional and knowledgable.”
Keeping your bike secure in York
Like other cities where cycling is popular, bike theft levels are high in York because there are a lot of bikes to steal. By post code areas of England and Wales, York is the 12th worst. As that statistic includes outlying areas of North Yorkshire where hardly any theft occurs, it shows how bad things are in York itself.
Always lock your bike whenever you turn your back on it, ideally with a Sold Secure Gold or Diamond rated lock. Lock the bike through the frame to a sturdy piece of street furniture or a dedicated cycle stand. If you have a high value bike or will be leaving it locked up for an extended period – for example, overnight – use two locks.
The vast majority of bike thefts take place not on the street but in ‘semi-private’ locations at home. That means on your property but not in the house – for example, a garage, shed or garden. Lock your bike to a wall or ground anchor if it will be in one of those locations. Alternatively, park it indoors.