Our girl Jude talks bike rides…
Once upon a time I had a big Birthday approaching. I was in a good place and feeling ok about it. That was until people started hounding me with ‘what are you doing for Birthday?’ questions. I really didn’t want to organise myself a party or worse, let people throw me a surprise party where I turn up wearing an outfit that is not what I would have planned as my Birthday outfit. To avoid this world of stress I signed myself up for a London to Brighton charity ride and declared that THAT was what I was doing for my Birthday and everyone was welcome to join me. I thought that this would get everyone off my back and I could cycle away from my twenties and into a massive meltdown in peace. To my surprise lots of my friends were well up for it and signed up too.
When my Birthday came we all met on Clapham Common had a picnic, pimped up our bikes with ALL the fairy lights, put on party hats and lit sparklers. Then we rode our bikes through the night with people shouting “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” at me as they rode past all they way to Brighton where we went straight in the sea, ate cake on the beach and had a group nap. It was the best.
Birthday bike rides have now become something of a tradition among my friends and any excuse we have to bust out our party hats and get a Birthday cake in a pannier bag, we are all over it.
Bike rides are a great way for friends to get together, enjoy the great outdoors and have fun without spending a fortune.
Here are my 5 top tips:
1. Do your prep. Get together in advance and have a bike maintenance session to make sure all your bikes are fit. Put on your Daisy Dukes, grab a sponge and give your bikes a good clean too. Make sure you all have working lights, tools, and spares. Split the weight amongst yourselves. Oh and music, get portable speakers and make some playlists.
2. If your ride isn’t organised plan your route together. Sustrans have some great routes for you to follow including urban adventures, art trails, routes for nature lovers, for families and long distance rides. https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/walking-and-cycling-routes
3. Be well fed and watered. Stock up on snacks. Choose a café to meet where you can have a not too heavy pre ride meal and have a final use of a real toilet.
4. Get dressed up. It’s good to wear something that distinguishes you as a group, I swear by party hats. Treat it like a festival both in terms of fun and preparing for the changes in weather that may occur on long rides. Don’t wear anything that might turn out to be uncomfortable so make sure you test ride your outfit.
5. Most importantly look out for each other. The ‘all for one and one for all’ rule definitely applies so make sure no one gets left behind.
Here are some rides you can go on with friends or on your own to make new friends:
In celebration of cycle culture these guys organise monthly fun, free, social rides
rides. Previous themes have included nautical, Halloween and Easter. Um, FYI this month’s theme is superheros so get your capes out.
Feel the need for tweed? This oh so stylist ride is so popular that tickets sold out in 90 seconds. Not all hope is lost, you can add yourself to their waiting list or keep an eye on their website for competitions and give aways.
17th May
Critical Mass
Cycle the streets with a carnival atmosphere. This ride has happened on the last friday of every month since April 1994 without being organised by anyone.
On the last Friday of every month .Meet from 6pm under Waterloo Bridge, South Bank and set off about 6.30pm.
https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/events/london-to-brighton-bike-ride
This informal ride cycles roughly 200k through the night from London Fields in Hackney to Dunwich on the Suffolk Coast. It is a fairly flat route so your main challenge is staying awake. It isn’t an organised ride as such as there are no mechanics or marshals. It’s very organic which adds to its charm. You can end it with a swim in the sea or a pint in the village pub. Hell, do both.
British Heart Foundation London to Brighton
For every Lycra-ed up serious cyclist attending this ride there is someone’s dad dressed up as batman. You get all sorts, all levels at these. Obviously you need a certain level of fitness because you are in the saddle a long time but saying that you can take it at your own pace. It’s not a race.
Day ride (the big one) Sunday 15th June
Ride for charity with Macmillan Cancer Support. Cycletta host a number of rides throughout the UK just for women featuring spectacular routes between 20km, 40km and 100km offering rides for all abilities. Cycletta has now opened it up for children 12 and up which is ideal if you have a young family member, start them young.
“Gather the girls and get ready to jump in the saddle!” There are seven Action DIVA rides in the UK this year with distances to suit all abilities. Supported by Davina McCall who is passionate about road cycling. Action are a charity raising funds for medical research for children.
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