Two rides option to tackle from Pitstone roundabout this Tuesday, for those nearing the end of the strava July climbing challenge, these should get you a bit closer to your target! Remember longer doesn’t mean faster, join which ever route you fancy.

10am/10.30am route master Dave Bembridge is on “holiday” from planning for Sunday 1st August so if anyone has a route suggestion for a 35ish mile and a 20+ mile route please plot it using our preferred “ridewithgps” navigational tool and drop it in an email to davehowe@aol.com by Wednesday afternoon. Otherwise I will choose a horrible one from our archive!

A heads up for Sunday 8th August we plan an “away day” cycling in the Cotwolds. We have a 54 mile route planned with a trip parking in parking in Eynsham, cycling through Upper and Lower Slaughter, Bourton On The Water, Burford and Minster Lovell. It’s a an absolute delight and we will ride at a pace to enjoy the countryside!

6.30pm Tuesday 27/7/21 longer https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36917444

6.30pm Tuesday 27/7/21 Shorter https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36917474

Three routes to choose from this Sunday. All starting from the church in Ivinghoe. Please download your route onto your sat nav device , phone or a paper map. On a Sunday we aim for groups to stick together leaving no one behind and working together to share the draft. Please arrive before the planned start time and split into groups (if there is a large number of riders or a clear difference in expected pace).

The 9am ride tackles a few nice climbs within the chilterns AONB, with 3,000 feet of climbing it will be a good challenge across 55 miles. The 10am route has half the amount of climbing over 31 miles. At 10.30 we have 24 miles with just a little climbing

These routes should bring groups back in time for some post ride refreshment at the rose and crown.

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36868562

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36862593

10.30am https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_4155557.html

As always through the summer months we meet at Pitstone roundabout on Tuesday evenings at 6.30pm. The evening rides stay local and can be quite a sprint! After a hilly Sunday for everyone this Tuesday the routes are reasonably flat. A 23 mile option and a 19 mile option, both routes have the same first 15 miles.

20/07/21 longer https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36831881

20/07/21 shorter https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36831902

Three rides to choose from this Sunday with the later two starting from our usual starting point, Ivinghoe church, by the bus shelter. Our earlier option is the Hemel Hillbuster 100km. This is a charity sportive which sets off at 9am after registration at 8.30am. There is an entry fee with funds going towards Dens, a Dacorum homeless charity. Booking a place in advance is recommended and we have a team of at least four riders committed to tackle 4,400 feet of climbing. We will meet near registration at Gadebridge Park.

Please arrive before the stated ride start time and agree your pace group, looking after all riders within your agreed group. Last weekend we had a record number of Velos “blues” cycling tops on show, great to see, so please wear your Sunday best velos kit if you can.

9am Hemel Hillbuster https://www.dens.org.uk/event/hemel-hillbuster/

10am ride, Amersham on “Le Lumpy Loop” https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36766520

10.30am Hilly Chesham archive classic https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_4005295.html

The weather looks perfect to attack those hills, so enjoy the rides and stay safe!

Sunday is a classic day of sport with some big events taking place: The conclusion of England’s Euro 2020 campaign, stage 15 of the tour de france : possibly crowning the king of the mountains, the Wimbledon men’s tennis final AND three classic Ivinghoe Velos rides including a 100km route which passes Spokes cafe just after the half way point.

On Wednesday a cyclist set off with his mates and cycled for nearly six hours, finishing 40 minutes behind the first group, he did this because he enjoys riding with mates, looks forward to the banter and getting some shelter from the wind, occasionally when he feels good he has a little sprint. His name is Mark Cavendish. So this weekend “be more Cav”, get out on your bike and join us, whether that is in the breakaway, the Peloton or the groupetto. Maybe some 10am riders fancy taking on the 100km route at a conservative pace? the big question is who is doing your lead-out back to the pub?

The 9am route is 100km of rolling roads, the 10am is a hilly Chilterns ride including the 16% climb of Whiteleaf and the 10.30am route is a retro trip first ridden in 2013, on local roads.

9am route https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36700184

10am route https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36679910

10.30am route https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_2956664.html

A standard and a short cut route for Tuesday 6th July, meeting at the roundabout in Pitstone at 6.30pm

standard 23 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36671894

short cut 20 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36671968

On Sunday we will be offering a lovely 60+ mile route for anyone keen on earning their strava monthly 100km badge!

As we all know 4th July is American Independence day and as we also know the best way to celebrate anything is to ride your bike. The usual ride options this week, special thanks to Andrew B for providing the 9am route and as always to Dave B for the shorter options.

9am The flying dragon ride https://ridewithgps.com/trips/69788138

10am 37 miles Aylesbury Vale https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36611125

10.30am old school/retro 2015 Mapometer ride https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_2169920.html

This week we offer the same ride choices on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings: 6.30pm start from Pitstone Roundabout. Those wanting to watch England’s last game in the Euro 2020 tournament can join us on Wednesday evening, while the football haters can stick to the usual midweek Tuesday spot!

Each evening has the same short and long options, both of which climb Hastoe Hill before descending to Chesham Vale, The shorter route returns via Pitstone Hill, while the longer option heads through Ashridge and under the zoo before returning through Slapton.

6.30pm 22 miles: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36578184

6.30pm 32 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36578149

Midweek rides can be fast and furious, so get yourself into a suitably paced group, keep up with the pack and enjoy the ride!

Three ride options this Sunday, 58 miles at 9am out to Grendon Underwood, 33 miles at 10am up Dunstable Downs and 22 miles at 10.30am up Dancers End.

Each ride starts at Ivinghoe church with the 9am ride usually ridden slightly faster than the 10am ride and the 10am ride slightly quicker than the 10.30 ride.

Sunday 9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36531264

Sunday 10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36526603

Sunday 10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36526660

This weekend the best sporting event of the year starts, so no doubt there will be plenty of TDF chat on the rides, If you fancy a go at gaining bragging rights join the Ivinghoe Velos Fantasy Tour de France league and see if you can out-wit the rest of us with your own top team. Follow the link https://fantasybytissot.letour.fr/… joining the league 8017 Ivinghoe Velos

The usual route planners Dave B and Dave H have crafted this weeks routes, next week we have a guest planner with Andrew B providing the 9am route, if anyone would like to step up to plan the shorter routes email davehowe@aol.com with a “ride with GPS” link by Wednesday.

Next Tuesday some riders may be keen to watch some football at our normal ride time, so we will offer the same routes on Tuesday and Wednesday evening at 6.30pm. I’m sure this will enable anyone riding on Wednesday to get over the celebration hangover after a great English victory!

Finally anyone who has ordered team kit during the recent order cycle can now arrange collection from John H and enjoy some rides in our lovely team blues.

For those wishing to get done in time to watch England v Czech Republic on Tuesday we have some flexible options for you! Starting at Pitstone roundabout.

For those able to ride earlier, at 5.30pm we have a 17 mile Wingrave loop. This loop will lead into a 15 mile Dancers End loop.

At 6.30pm we have a 15 mile Dancers End loop. This loop can continue onto the Wingrave loop, to make the ride up to 31 miles or you can choose to stop and watch the football after the 15 miles.

The 6.30 group should not wait at the roundabout for the 5.30 group and vice versa.

5.30pm start: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36492914

6.30pm Start: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36492955

Routes are fairly flat, so there should be time to get a beer on the go before the football starts!