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An early Cycle Safe Dubai group ride
Home / Our story
Community history

Built by showing up.

From quiet desert roads to a city-wide cycling culture, the CSD story has always been about people, practical support and riding together.

The people who started it

Meet the founders.

A shared ride between Nick Brooks and Stewart Howison became the beginning of a community that would help more people ride, improve and belong. Today, Cycle Safe Dubai is operated by Nicholas Brooks, who is its primary public contact.

Nick Brooks cycling in Bormio, Italy, with the mountain road behind him
Founder & primary contact · Cycle Safe Dubai

Nicholas “Nick” Brooks

Nick first visited Dubai in 2007 while on holiday from Melbourne, Australia, where he was already an avid cyclist. Within months, Dubai had become home. With a multi-sport background and education connected to sport science, he was keen to maintain his own fitness while helping others through personal training before work.

A chance meeting with Stewart—and an invitation to go cycling—proved to be an important one. Away from the bike, Nick’s career has ranged from MMI’s wine team, where he worked as a category manager, to sustainability, business development and operational roles.

Today, Nick is a partner in Revolution Cycles and other businesses while continuing to enjoy the variety of consultancy work. Cycle Safe Dubai is part of life rather than a job: a daily commitment to engaging with a cycling community in the city he now calls home.

Stewart Howison wearing Revolution Cycles kit during a CSD ride at Al Jiyad Stables
Co-founder · Cycle Safe Dubai

Stewart Howison

Arriving from South Africa in 2008, Stewart met Nick through a mutual friend soon afterwards. Their early rides showed that Dubai needed a safer, more welcoming place where cyclists could build confidence together. A Facebook post built momentum, formally taking shape in 2011 when the Cycle Safe Dubai name appeared on a jersey.

Working with partners in 2012, Stewart helped launch the original Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, beginning his continuing role as race director of what is now the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge. That same year, Revolution Cycles officially opened, giving the community a specialist shop, workshop and practical base for its rides. Stewart remains its managing partner.

His work brings together sport, infrastructure, safety and coordination with government departments, helping to deliver major participation events including Dubai Run, Dubai Ride, T100 and NAS Sports Tournament events.

The open desert landscape around the early Al Qudra cycling route
Al Qudra before the cycling network became the landmark it is today.
The road that changed everything

From one quiet road to Al Qudra Cycling Track.

What began as a question—“Why aren’t more people cycling?”—grew into weekly rides, support vehicles, a major community challenge and a lasting relationship with the development of cycling in Dubai.

A living history

This account brings together CSD’s first-hand memories and independently documented milestones. Personal recollections are identified in the story.

The long read

How a desert road became a cycling home.

The complete CSD account—kept here so the detail, character and people behind the story are not lost.

01

Before the track

Before the bridge over Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road opened, riders would head out onto Al Qudra Road from Layan. The quieter road helped create the beginnings of Cycle Safe Dubai and kept returning one simple question: why weren’t more people cycling?

Soon, the roundabout at what is now known as the Bottom of the Stick—BOTS—became the starting point. The roads that now lead into Town Square and the car park had yet to be developed.

Wind along Al Qudra Road was broken by multi-faceted billboards, some around ten metres high, advertising new developments, hotels and themed amusement parks. Many of those plans are now long forgotten; the billboards have given way to the ghaf trees familiar to riders today.

02

A community takes shape

As the numbers grew, volunteer cyclists took turns driving support vehicles behind the different groups. More riders brought a wider range of speeds and distances, and the single road demanded more cars to help everyone ride with confidence.

The groups became more organised, the support became more practical and the community needed an end-of-year goal: a cycle challenge.

Riders racing in the criterium organised by Cycle Safe Dubai at the original Al Meydan Cycle Track in February 2014
From the archive: riders contest the criterium organised by CSD at the original Al Meydan Cycle Track in February 2014.
03
Cyclists gathered at the end of Build-Up Ride 2 near the original Al Qudra roundabout in September 2011
End of the ride: the Al Qudra roundabout that later became today’s much larger BOTS meeting point.

The first challenge

The Dubai Cycle Challenge and its Build-Up Rides developed from CSD’s established ride distances: 35, 45, 65 and 85 kilometres. The final ride took place in December, before schools closed for the winter break.

For the first formal start, the team worked through the night and finished preparations just before riders arrived. Stewart then called the event away in his well-known radio voice.

Weekly Friday and Saturday rides—then the UAE weekend—became busier as more first-time riders took up the sport. The original question of “Why aren’t more people cycling?” was being answered on the road. It felt like a familiar Dubai principle in action: build the infrastructure and people will use it.

A cyclist passing the roadside water station during the 45-kilometre Build-Up Ride 2 on Al Qudra Road in September 2011
Build-Up Ride 2 · 45 km: the roadside water station along Al Qudra Road in September 2011.
04

Coffee, cleats and Bab Al Shams

The Legendary Coffee Ride became a defining morning. What began with ten or twelve riders around a table for coffee and breakfast eventually took over the Al Sarab rooftop at Bab Al Shams, now known as Anwā.

The memorable clip-clop of cycling cleats passing hotel guest suites early in the morning eventually led to a slipper-changing station in the car park—a very Dubai surprise for visitors and new riders alike.

05

The conversation that changed Al Qudra

The well-known story of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed commenting on the growing number of cyclists is true. CSD riders regularly saw him out on Al Qudra Road in his familiar white G-Wagon, watching and waving as the groups passed.

On a return ride in late 2012, His Highness spoke directly to Nick, Stewart and the riders. He said that there were—positively—too many cyclists for the single-lane road, that Dubai needed a dedicated cycling track and that the RTA and The Engineer’s Office would contact them to discuss its development.

Those discussions followed, with CSD contributing its practical knowledge of the road, the riders and what a safe long-distance cycling facility required. It was a clear example of Dubai’s ability to turn a visionary conversation into practical infrastructure.

06
Italian trials cyclist Vittorio Brumotti riding on a cycling track through the UAE desert
From the archive: Vittorio Brumotti riding through the UAE desert.

From desert tarmac to a cycling network

The Dubai Cycling Course was formally opened on 4 January 2013. The network available at that stage was commonly described as approximately 67 kilometres: the 18-kilometre straight section now known as the Stick, linked to an approximately 49–50-kilometre desert loop.

The opening was celebrated with fireworks, a laser show, a cyclist racing a horse and a performance by Italian trials cyclist Vittorio Brumotti. CSD was there, and its historical archive includes this earlier UAE image of Brumotti riding through the desert.

Nick Brooks, Stewart Howison and Desmond riding in the original yellow and blue Cycle Safe Dubai kit at the Al Qudra Cycling Track opening on 4 January 2013
Opening-day archive: Nick, Stewart and Desmond ride together in the original yellow and blue CSD kit at the Al Qudra Cycling Track opening.
06B

A network that keeps growing

The network expanded in stages and is now officially known as Al Qudra Cycling Track. The surrounding area has grown with the Love Lakes and waterways, tunnels and bridges, cafés, a petrol station, bike shops, parking and camping facilities.

Conversation continues about how to improve and extend the network and make Dubai and the UAE a cycling destination for beginners, intermediate riders, experienced cyclists and professionals—whether they live here or are visiting.

A cyclist and camel beside the Al Qudra track
A modern cycling destination, still surrounded by the character of the desert.
07

Then and now

Nick remembers the strange looks he once received when telling people he had to go home because he was cycling in the morning.

Today, it is unusual to be out socially on a Friday or Saturday without hearing someone say they need to head home because they have to ride in the morning.

The archive continues

Every photograph carries another story.

Dated photographs, ride memories and former members will extend this history through two recurring CSD series.

Remember When

Archive photographs, early rides, event milestones and the stories behind them—preserved as dated memories rather than lost in a social feed.

Open the photo archive

Where Are They Now?

Reconnecting with past riders, finding out where they now live and ride, and seeing the CSD kit continue its journey around the world.

Meet the former members