Lee Valley VeloPark road circuit: closed-road bike training in Stratford

The Lee Valley VeloPark road circuit is a 1-mile floodlit closed road circuit in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford. You book a slot up to 7 days ahead, wear a helmet and ride without traffic. Pay and ride cost £7.60 when we checked on 6 October 2026, with bike and helmet hire at £13.50.

For triathletes in East London, a closed circuit is a safe place to ride hard efforts that are difficult on busy roads. This page covers what the official Better page said, the rules, and how to use the circuit for triathlon training.

About the Lee Valley VeloPark road circuit

The circuit is part of Lee Valley VeloPark, which GLL runs under the Better brand. It is a closed loop of about one mile (around 1.6 km), with floodlights, so you can ride after dark in winter. With no traffic on the loop, you can hold a steady effort for longer than on most London roads.

The same venue has a velodrome. That is a different activity with its own booking, covered briefly below.

Opening hours and booking

For the week of 5 October 2026, the road circuit was listed as open:

• Monday to Friday: 07:00 to 21:00 (times vary)
• Saturday and Sunday: 07:30 to 18:00

Last entry is one hour before closing. Booking is required and opens up to 7 days ahead. Hours change from week to week, so check the timetable on the Better page before you set off.

Rules on the circuit

The page does not say whether triathlon or time trial bikes with aero bars count as conventional bikes. If you want to ride one, ask the venue before you book. Our triathlon bike guide explains the difference between a tri bike and a road bike.

Prices

On 6 October 2026 the Better page listed:

• Pay and ride, individual: £7.60
• Bike and helmet hire, adult: £13.50

Clubs are asked to contact the venue by email. Prices change, so confirm the current price when you book.

How to use the road circuit for triathlon training

In a triathlon bike leg you usually ride a steady, hard effort on your own. Drafting means riding in another rider's slipstream; British Triathlon rules set a 12 m draft zone, measured from the leading edge of the front wheel, and give you a maximum of 25 seconds to pass through it. A closed circuit suits that kind of solo riding. The sessions below are general guidance: choose the ones that fit your plan and current fitness.

Steady laps

Ride continuous laps at the effort you plan to hold in your race. Practise eating and drinking on the bike and staying in one position. For a sprint triathlon the bike leg is 20 km, roughly 12 laps; for a standard distance it is 40 km.

Intervals

Use laps as natural intervals. For example, ride one lap hard and one lap easy, repeated four to six times after a good warm-up. Over time you can lengthen the hard part to two laps. Intervals raise the pace you can hold, but they are tiring, so one session a week is plenty for most people.

Bike handling

Practise cornering, changing gear before bends, drinking from a bottle while riding and looking behind without wobbling. These skills matter on race day and are easier to learn without traffic.

Brick sessions

A brick workout is a bike ride followed straight away by a run, so your legs learn to run after cycling. After your circuit session, change shoes and run for 10 to 20 minutes on the paths in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Keep the run easy at first: the aim is to get used to the heavy-leg feeling. Our brick workout guide has more session ideas.

Planning your visit

• Book first. Slots open up to 7 days ahead. Book early for weekend mornings and evening sessions.
• Check the hours for your week. Weekday times vary, and last entry is one hour before closing.
• Bring the right kit. A helmet, topwear, water, a snack and a spare inner tube. Hire is available if you do not have a bike.
• Warm up and cool down. Ride two or three easy laps before any hard efforts and finish with easy laps too.
• Ride predictably. Hold your line, look before you move across, and call out when you pass slower riders.

If you are building towards a race, our Olympic triathlon training plan shows how a circuit session fits into a week alongside swimming and running.

The velodrome: an optional taster

If you want something different, the VeloPark velodrome runs a 60-minute taster session for £46, with bike hire included. Riders must be aged 12 or over and at least 145 cm tall. There is also an 80-minute flying lap session at £59 (both checked 6 October 2026). For track sessions you should arrive 30 minutes early, cover your shoulders and wear track mitts. Track riding is a change from triathlon training and a good way to practise a smooth pedal stroke.

When the circuit is not an option

Dark evenings and wet weekends make outdoor riding harder in winter. A turbo trainer lets you ride indoors on your own bike. See our turbo trainer guide. For other closed circuits and the rules in London's Royal Parks, read our guide to cycling training in London.

Frequently asked questions