A local dad who started a cycling project called From Rusty to Riding in June, which started in Bushy Park, is now changing the project's focus.

Angus Effemey, who lives in the Molesey/Hampton Court area, works in fitness and manages a local indoor cycling studio and created the project "for adults who have a bike sitting in the garage but don't feel confident enough to use it properly".

However, Effemey told Nub News that due to the success of the project, the idea has grown into Pedals & Pints which he said is a "relaxed social cycling event built around good routes, good pub / café stops and getting people back on bikes without the pressure of a race or serious club ride".

The first Pedals & Pints ride went from the Guildford / Shalford area down the Downs Link towards Shoreham / Brighton, with around 60 riders taking part.

Effemey said: "It ended up being more popular than I expected, and the biggest thing that stood out was the social side with people turning up on their own, meeting others, riding together and making a proper day of it.

"Since then, the Pedals & Pints Facebook page has grown to around 1,200 followers, and I'm now getting regular messages from people asking about future rides, bike suitability, fitness levels and whether rusty riders can come along."

The next ride is now confirmed for Saturday, 26 September and will go from Weybridge to Richmond along the Thames, finishing around Richmond riverside.

Effemey added: "It will be around 17 miles / 27km, mostly flat, with pub and café stops along the way.

"It's already sold over 20 tickets, and I'm capping it at 50 riders to keep it relaxed and manageable.

"The whole point is to make cycling feel more social and less intimidating — no judgement on bike, pace or fitness. E-bikes, hybrids, gravel bikes, mountain bikes and older bikes are all welcome."

Speaking about the success of From Rusty to Riding, Effemey told Nub News: " I'm probably still a bit shocked by how well it's been received.

"I'm self-employed and have always had my own little businesses, so I'm used to having to push hard to get things off the ground. But this one started very differently.

"From Rusty to Riding was originally about helping people get back on bikes without feeling intimidated.

"Then that turned into a slightly bigger group ride with a few people I knew. We passed some good pubs on the way, people wanted to stop for a pint, then we rode on, stopped somewhere else, and that was really where the Pedals & Pints idea came from.

"It wasn't some big business plan at the start. It was just people on bikes, good stops, good company and it seemed to really work.

"Another part of it is supporting local pubs and cafés. A lot of venues are having a tough time, and Pedals & Pints gives people a reason to stop somewhere, spend a bit of money locally and hopefully discover places they might come back to again."

He added: "I'm honestly blown away by how well Pedals & Pints has been received. What started as a simple idea getting a few people together for a social ride with some good stops along the way — has clearly struck a chord.

"The best bit has been seeing people who wouldn't normally join a cycling event asking if they can come along, whether their bike is suitable, or whether they're fit enough. That's exactly who I wanted this to be for.

"Pedals & Pints is really about making cycling feel more social and less pressured. It's not a race, not a sport and not a serious club ride. It's a proper day out on the bike, with good pub / café stops, relaxed riding and no judgement on bike, pace or fitness."

Tickets for the next Pedals & Pints can be booked here.