Leeds Urban Bike Park Cycling For Families

Leeds Urban Bike Park is a gem of a project by Leeds council, the lottery funded and British Cycling & Sports England. At the top part of Middleton park is a mountain bike trail centre and BMX Track, a bike shop with a workshop and a cafe. The bike park consists of multiple different trails across all difficulty levels.

It’s incredibly family-friendly and is suitable for all ages. Best of all it’s completely free of charge. It connects nicely with the wider Middleton park meaning you can enjoy the facilities available including kids park and much more.

It’s run as a community project meaning it’s not for profit. Parking and the bike park are completely free but you can support them by purchasing items in the bike store or in the cafe.

There’s an abundance of courses and circuits that continue into the woodland. Our daughter absolutely loved it and we could have stayed for hours. Even for non-riders Middleton park has plenty of walking trails for you to enjoy.

Where does the ride take me?

Leeds Urban bike park consists of a number of courses and circuits for all ability levels. The circuits continue into the wider Middleton park also and can be enjoyed by all ability levels.
The varying levels of difficulty are distinguished by colours. Green for the easiest followed by blue, then red and finally black. We sometimes found it difficult to find our bearings and identify the respective courses but that may be because we had an overwhelmed and excited 6-year-old with us.

The main hub consists of a pump track, BMX track, and blue and red circuits. I believe the green trail takes you around the perimeter of Middleton Park and there are further circuits through the woods. We didn’t locate the black trails (or perhaps we did but weren’t 100% sure) but they are for experienced riders with high-quality bikes.

We stuck to the circuits close to the Hub area and our daughter really enjoyed the blue trails. They have some small hills but the rider can operate at their own pace so there’s no pressure in that regard.

We also took a route through the woods and on the Green trail down to the park. Middleton Park has a number of play areas and from the Bike Hub car park they are easily reachable.

What level of rider is it suitable for?

The rider level varies depending on which track you take. It starts at the very beginner level and advances through to difficult. As mentioned above this is indicated via a Green, Blue, Red and Black system commonly used throughout bike circuits.

We took our 6-year-old daughter and she really enjoyed the blue circuit and I believe aspects of the red circuit. We also had a long cycle around the park taking the green route which is hard ground and accessible for all types of bikes.

There were some inclines (the park slopes downwards) which could be difficult for some children however it’s very easy to push your bike in spells.

Credit: https://www.trailforks.com/region/leeds-urban-bike-park-20765/

How much of it is traffic-free?

There’s no concern for cars as it’s a completely traffic-free route. Once inside the main entrance to the bike hub and park it’s purely for walkers & cyclists meaning you can be assured of the safety of your children.

Would you recommend it?

100%. It’s a brilliant place to visit in all weather conditions (the surface is apparently suitable in all weather). Our daughter loved it and was able to tackle most of the routes. With bumps and jumps, it teaches children so much about cycling and is a wonderful addition to Middleton park. It’s no surprise it has thousands of 5-star reviews on Google.

The vibe is also really good as there’s no pressure (from our experience) when using the circuits. I believe there were parts we didn’t see (the black runs) so we definitely need to go again so we can get a thorough understanding of all the trails available. The Bike Park has a lovely little cafe called the LUBP cafe and also a shop selling high-end cycling gear.

Middleton park has a visitor centre and cafe at the lower end of the park which offers a selection of drinks and snacks. There’s also a brilliant play area for the kids to enjoy. Overall it offers you everything you need for a fun family day out and best of all it’s completely free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a cafe?:

As mentioned above there are two cafes. One as part of the biking Hub and another part of the main Middleton Park. Both are open throughout the day and available for snacks and drinks.

Are there any hills?:

On the main circuit around the wider Middleton park, there are some inclines however the circuit is largely flat.  It’s suitable for beginner riders. The circuits mentioned above have varying difficulty levels meaning you can choose the right circuit for your ability level.

What is your favourite part?:

I really enjoyed hitting the red trail. I have a fairly good mountain bike and that felt like the perfect level of my (limited) ability. It gave me a huge adrenaline rush and it was amazing to take on these side by side with our daughter. My wife had her old-fashioned Pendleton bike but was still able to get involved in the Blue runs! It was awesome.

Is it suitable for Dog walkers?

The wider Middleton Park consists of walkers and dog walkers alike. There are plenty of routes and the park is accessible from a number of spots meaning it’s perfect for Dog Walkers. There’s also the wooded area of which Dogs can enjoy.

How much is it to park?

This is what makes it amazing! If you are visiting the hub then it’s completely free to park your car. There are no time limits, no restrictions, and you can park as you please

Pros & Cons

Cycle enjoyment rating

Last Updated on February 3, 2023 by Ryan