Roar de France: London

Chapter 1: Where adventures begin

7th June // The Roarsome Store, London

Captured by Roarsome's new Chief Storyteller Ryan Libbey

A collection of families gathered outside the Roarsome Store carrying bikes, helmets and varying levels of excitement.

The children arrived looking very professional. New gloves, knee pads, character helmets, matching rider outfits, and even a few bikes that were getting their very first outing.

These are the sort of details that tell you something exciting is about to happen. The atmosphere felt a little like the first day of school. Something that for many of these little ones in attendance, lies in wait come September.

New faces, new friendships waiting to happen. Children sizing each other up before deciding whether they might become teammates. Checking out each other's bikes. Comparing helmets. Quietly assessing character choices. Almost always met with a nod of approval, or in true roarsome style, a fist bump. 

Then, almost without ceremony, we rolled away. A colourful trail of riders winding through South West London. The first challenge was the climb away from Northcote Road and up into Wandsworth Common. Once we reached the park, the riders were free to open the throttle and ride.

Tiny legs spinning. Parents jogging alongside. Others riding together. Laughter bouncing between the trees. And with every turn of the pedals, strangers becoming a little more familiar.

One rider in particular caught everyone's attention. Ralph. Just four years old, but riding with a confidence that suggested he'd been doing it for much longer. Calm, capable and completely at home on two wheels. The sort of rider who quietly reminds everyone what confidence looks like before we learn to overthink it. He was donning the ‘Lion Cub’ outfit, with the helmet sleeve to match. 

Ralph had travelled all the way from Windsor with his mum to join us. Later that afternoon, she sent us a message from the train home. 

She wrote:

"He absolutely loved Roar de France. What a brilliant way to spend a Sunday morning. We love what Roarsome stands for and the way you’re getting kids outdoors and having adventures. If you’re planning any more events, we’d love to hear about them. Ralph is happiest when he’s outdoors, whether that’s on a bike, in the sea, up a mountain, or generally chasing his next adventure!"

That sentence captures what yesterday was really about.

The feeling of being outdoors. The feeling of movement. The feeling of discovering something alongside other people.

Every community starts somewhere.

And yesterday, watching children roll away from the Roarsome Store with excitement written all over their faces, it felt as though we had created something special.

The Roar de France Tour has officially begun.

One chapter down.

Many more tracks still to explore.

Next stop: Manchester.

Adventures await.

Thinking about joining us?

Roar de France is designed for young adventurers aged 2-8 and their families.

Whether your child rides a balance bike, pedal bike, scooter or skateboard, they're welcome to join us.

This tour is for all adventures on wheels. 

The rides are relaxed, inclusive and designed around participation (having fun) rather than performance.

Expect around 45 minutes of riding across mixed terrain including tarmac paths, grassy parks and the occasional muddy trail.

Some tour locations will include pump tracks, skate parks and riding facilities. We'll always let families know ahead of time so you can choose the stops that feel right for you.

All abilities are welcome.

We simply ask that parents stay involved and share the adventure with us.

Every ride includes refreshments from Pip Organic, opportunities to explore the Roarsome Riders collection, exclusive event discounts and the chance to meet the founders and other families who believe childhood is best spent outdoors.

We'll see you on the next start line.

Next Ride:

Graystone Action Sports, Manchester - Register to ride

Graystone is a world-class destination for aspiring action sports athletes of all ages and abilities, in skateboard, scooter, BMX, climbing, parkour, cheer, trampoline, ski, snowboard and WCMX. 

All Roar de France Tour dates

✅ 7th June — The Roarsome Store, London - Stage complete

📍 27th June — Graystone Action Sports, Manchester

📍 25th–26th July — Surf & Skate Show, Cornwall

📍 16th August — Rockwater, Brighton

📍 20th–23rd August — Malverns Classic, Herefordshire

📍 27th August — Calais Skate Park, France

📍 29th–30th August — Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France

View more info