Olympic Velodrome Taster Session — Lee Valley VeloPark

Lee Valley VeloPark, inside Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, is the velodrome built for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games and designed by Hopkins Architects. Its taster sessions introduce members of the public to riding the 250m indoor banked timber track on fixed-gear track bicycles, which have no brakes or freewheel and require a short skills briefing before riders are allowed onto the banking. No prior track cycling experience is needed — sessions begin with an induction on flat ground covering how to start, stop, and pedal a fixed-gear bike, before instructors guide the group up onto the lower part of the bank. A reasonable level of general fitness and basic cycling competence (being able to ride a normal bicycle confidently) is expected, and there is typically a minimum age requirement, so checking current age limits before booking is worthwhile. Track bikes and helmets are provided as part of the session fee; cycling shorts or padded shorts are recommended for comfort but not compulsory. The venue is run by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, the same operator that manages the park's outdoor BMX circuit and road cycle circuit, both open for casual and taster sessions alongside the velodrome. Because the track is indoors, sessions run throughout the year unaffected by weather, and taster slots must be booked online in advance since capacity per session is limited for safety.