A group of five friends who recently got together to open Yas Cycles have also been working tirelessly to promote the safe participation of the sport in the city.

With the arrival of the first Abu Dhabi Tour in 2015, which saw some of the world’s best cyclists fight it out on the capital’s thoroughfares, the sport has surged in popularity around the emirate.

While the city had formerly been considered a poor place for cycling with a lack of tracks and a dangerous driving culture, the past few years have seen the addition of cycling lanes in the city and the introduction of dedicated training nights at Yas Marina Circuit, making it easier for people to train safely and giving a further boost to the sport. Nonetheless the Yas Cycles team want to encourage cyclists to be safe.

“We want to make sure everyone is aware about cycling safety,” explains Amy Carter from Yas Cycles. “It is safe here in terms of you’ve got wider roads and if you go out on weekend mornings the roads are quiet. But you’ve got to be really well lit, wear reflective clothing and a helmet and keep your wits about you.”

“The more people do it and are aware of it, it’s going to grow and it can only get better,” Amy continues.

“As a sport, it’s more accessible and is something more people are catching on to because it’s a social thing, and it’s nice to get out and explore, especially this time of year.”

For more serious cyclists, Yas Cycles also has racing teams that train from the shop on weekends. While there are teams for men and women, Yas Cycles is keen to promote the women’s side of cycling.

Amy adds, “Women’s racing is growing and it’s going to be a big thing for us in the coming year with rides and workshops.”

Yas Cycles is located in Al Zeina, Al Raha Beach. Mon-Thu noon-7pm, Fri-Sat 9am-7pm. To find out more about the store or racing teams, contact: facebook.com/yascyclesuae, yascycles.com