Prince of Wheels! Beaming Prince Charles hops on a bike to launch charity cycle ride in Highgrove and jokes: ‘I haven’t worked out the gears’

• The Prince of Wales, 72, got on his bike to launch a charity cycle ride today 
• Prince Charles took to the saddle at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home
• More than 30 riders set off on their 250-mile Palaces On Wheels event 

The Prince of Wales got on his bike to launch a charity cycle ride today but joked: ‘I haven’t worked out the gears.’

Charles, 72, took to the saddle at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home, as more than 30 riders set off on their 250-mile Palaces On Wheels event in aid of the British Asian Trust (BAT).

The cyclists will stop at a number of royal residences during their adventure, including Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Sandringham.

As he gripped the handlebars, the prince quipped: ‘I haven’t worked out the gears. I hope I don’t bump into you or get stuck behind you later on.’

The Prince of Wales (pictured) got on his bike to launch a charity cycle ride today but joked: ‘I haven’t worked out the gears.’

Charles (pictured), 72, took to the saddle at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home, as more than 30 riders set off on their 250-mile Palaces On Wheels event in aid of the British Asian Trust (BAT)

Charles, who was joined by actor and BAT ambassador Sanjeev Bhaskar, admitted having a quick practice a week ago but said he had not cycled ‘for years’, and was a little wobbly as he started.

Their path was lined by Indian Dhol drummers and the prince quickly warmed up and sped off down the lane leading to his home.

Earlier, he had jokingly told the riders after seeing them in tight fitting riding gear that they were ‘a very good demonstration of why I don’t wear Lycra!’

‘It’s a nightmare getting into it,’ he added.

The cyclists (pictured with the royal) will stop at a number of royal residences during their adventure, including Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Sandringham

As he gripped the handlebars, the prince (pictured front) quipped: ‘I haven’t worked out the gears. I hope I don’t bump into you or get stuck behind you later on.’

Charles (pictured riding a bike) admitted having a quick practice a week ago but said he had not cycled ‘for years’, and was a little wobbly as he started

And he got a fit of the giggles when he was handed a tiny Lycra top by Rohit Chadda, one of organisers of the charity ride.

‘Oh, have we got the wrong one?’ Mr Chadda joked at Charles’s bemused expression.

‘I mean, I have heard about Lycra,’ he said, stretching the top comically, ‘but really!’

Rohit Chadda, organiser of the event, presents a cycling vest to Prince Charles (pictured)

The prince was presented with the cycling vest, which was two sizes too small, before he joined representatives of the British Asian Trust at Highgrove

The Prince of Wales chats with actor Sanjeev Bhaskar before joining representatives of the British Asian Trust at Highgrove

The prince, dressed in beige trousers and jacket, with a shirt and tie, was riding a borrowed British-made Pashley bike.

Asked why he was not tempted to go for a sportier model, he joked: ‘I don’t think my back could take it!’

The British Asian Trust was founded in 2001 by Charles with a group of prominent Asian business leaders, and works to reduce poverty and disadvantage for communities in South East Asia.

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