When Sir Bradley Wiggins won last year's Tour de France, and Sir Chris Hoy secured his sixth Olympic gold medal, Great Britain's elite cyclists won a permanent place in the nation's heart. But it's not just these outstanding athletes who can excel at – and enjoy – riding a bike; people of any age, ability and location can embrace the sport.

Creating a range of ways to get people on their bikes, Sky Ride is a collaboration between Sky and British Cycling. From organising big, traffic-free events in towns and cities to offering an easy-to-use website for people to make contact with other local cyclists, Sky Ride offers something for everyone. So far, the programme has encouraged more than a million people to cycle regularly, and Sky and British Cycling are committed to getting even more people on their bikes, supporting cycling from the grassroots up.

"I've been involved since Sky Ride first started," says Sir Chris Hoy, the most successful Olympian Britain has ever produced.

"As long as you can ride a bike, Sky Rides are suitable for all ages and abilities. If you're riding in groups you ride with different people and get a chance to chat with them along the way, and it's a great thing for families."

British professional track and road racing cyclist – and London Olympic Games silver medalist – Lizzie Armitstead agrees that cycling is a sport for all: "This is about people of all abilities just enjoying cycling. It's not always about competing. And I have met so many people through cycling at all levels."

Hoy and Armitstead agree that summer is the perfect time to start cycling. "You can get out when the days are longer so you don't need to worry about lights on your bike," says Hoy. There are four fantastic options available through Sky Ride to get you started.

Sky Ride City events are large, organised, traffic-free rides. "There's a good sense of community," says blogger Paul Hooker (imwellconfused.me.uk), who took part in Sky Ride Milton Keynes. "If anyone had an issue we would stop and help. The level of respect for others on the route was amazing." The Sky Ride gave him a new perspective on Milton Keynes: "I discovered the City Park and many other great areas away from the usual visitor spots."

If you're looking for a small-scale route into cycling, Sky Ride Local rides are led by British Cycling ride leaders. Abbie Orton, a project manager at the University of Plymouth, is a qualified ride leader. "We have everyone from kids with stabilisers to riders who are coming back after ill health or injury. It's a friendly bunch," she says.

Orton fell in love with BMX biking as a child, and qualifying as a Sky Ride leader has given her a new appreciation for the sport. "I love motivating people and introducing children to cycling. If people don't feel confident at first, we can support them, and we split the group according to ability so you can ride at a comfortable pace."

If meeting new people is your motivation, join or create your own social cycling group. Janet Saville runs Quest Adventure, an independent bike shop in Worthing, West Sussex. She started a group with Sky Ride to reach more cyclists in her area. "It's easy to use," she explains. "Register, then complete an online form with the details of your cycle ride. Then you can make contact with potential 'buddies' who have an interest in rides in your area. We also post details of our rides on the Sky Ride Facebook page and tweet details using the hashtag #ridesocial."

And female cyclists who prefer to ride with other women can join the Breeze initiative. "Lack of confidence can be a big thing for women," says Breeze champion Michele Radant, who works as a cycling officer for Torbay council. "Just to go out on a bike alone can seem like a scary thing to some women and childcare issues can also be a barrier.

"Breeze champions are qualified British Cycling ride leaders who provide a supportive environment for women. Nobody is ever left behind and it's an amazing way of networking and forming new friendships. We also promote female-friendly bike shops so women are able to go into a bike shop without feeling intimidated. They just want good, clear advice; lots of local, independent bike shops are brilliant at this."