After mass non participation due to the inclemency of the weather last Sunday, we are doing our bit for the environment and recycling the 9am ride. At least with the spare time riders had last Sunday they would have been able to fit mudguards ready for riding through the rest of the winter. Not only do mudguards protect your bike and clothing, they also protect the vison of the rider sucking your back wheel, so a necessary addition this time of year. Also take extra care around water bottles and helicopters, lets stay safe out there. The 10.30 ride, which is a social ride suitable for beginners as well as seasoned professionals, is also recycled from last Sunday, while the 10am route is brand spanking new this week. Pease ensure you have your route mapped out on paper or uploaded onto your GPS device. We meet by Ivinghoe church and ask that riders arrive before the ride start and quickly navigate to the group of six or less riding at their expected pace.

9am ride: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34277940

10am ride https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34339382

10.30 ride https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34314945

Three rides to chose from this week. Each has a different start time. Depending on the popularity of the rides we may need to break down into pace groups, as we have done during recent Sundays, to maintain the rule of six.

9am 55 miles takes us through some Chiltern hills towards Speen, including the delightful village of Little Missenden and a great climb from the Hughenden Valley, before dropping down from Lacy Green into the vale of Aylesbury for a flat return: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34277940

10am We have a 32 mile trip, heading out to Butlers Cross and Wendover, then we head up Rocky Lane, descend through Chartridge to Chesham before a return through picturesque Aldbury: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34283227

10.30am The beginners ride takes us on a 24 mile route with a couple of testing climbs up to Wingrave and then the pretty Hamlet of Drayton Beauchamp, before a cruise through Tring and Aldbury: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34283255

Please arrive in advance of the planned start time with a copy of your preferred route, either on paper or GPS computer. Groups must be a maximum of six riders, so you won’t be able to join a “full” group if joining further around the route, arriving to join a group at Ivinghoe church is the best option for ensuring an even spread of riders. Head over to the facebook “rear hub” to register an interest in one of the Sunday rides.

9am route 50 miles to Houghton Conquest https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34223098

10am Route 37 miles to Winslow https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34206819

10.30 route 22 miles via Hastoe https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34206878

The usual three routes to choose from this Sunday. To aid our intention to meet, mix and ride in groups of no more than 6, there are three start times. If we do find there are more than six riders arriving at any one time we need to quickly divide into ride groups, usually based on expected pace. Please add your expected ride option to the facebook poll, so we have an educated guess on rider numbers.

Those with sharp eyes will notice that we are trialing using “ride with GPS” as our mapping software this week. Apparently for those who worry about these things, the elevation guide might be a bit more realistic than our usual mapometer software. Your views and feedback on this will be gratefully received.

Hopefully something for everyone this weekend, we ride in groups looking after each other, so join us before the expected ride start time, bring along a copy of the route and enjoy the ride!

The usual 3 routes for riders to choose from this weekend.

Government guidance currently states that six of fewer people can meet outside while maintaining social distancing. We need to make sure groups are formed in advance of start times and late comers won’t be able to join full groups at the start point or during the rides. It’s been noted that cycling insurances may be invalid if riders are not adhering to these guidelines. Your co-operation will be appreciated by all riders and keep us safe and legal.

The 9am route is 50 miles and tackles some hills in the first half before a flat second half https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5146188.html

The medium 10am is a 32 mile route which takes us along Gaddesden Row https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5144888.html

Our shortest option at 10am is a great starting point for newer riders it’s 20 local flat miles https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5144890.html

Dave Bembridge is planning on leading the shorter 10am route at a pace appropriate to the riders present

The 9am route is usually ridden around 16+mph with the group working together draft riders around.

The medium route at 10am, if popular, will be divided into groups based on rider pace.

Head over the the facebook rear hub to indicate your route choice, enjoy the rides!

After a great turn out last Saturday and Sunday we aim to continue the good work this week with three routes heading North. With the 9am route being 15 miles longer than the 10am route they may well join up, depending on legs, mechanicals and biscuit breaks, who will return to the Rose and Crown first?

9am 51 miles: https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5142283.html

10am 36 miles: https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5142098.html

10am 22 miles: https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5142100.html

Please arrive at Ivinghoe church slightly before your expected start time so reasonable size groups can form and head over to the face book rear hub to let us know which route you plan to ride.

We have an extra ride option for you this Saturday and it’s a big one! We are cycling a century (miles). The ride is part of Zoe’s fund raising, replacing the Velo Birmingham sportive which has been cancelled. Zoe is raising funds for the Cliff Richard fan club’s “Woodland house appeal” supporting Birmingham’s women’s hospital. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lottie-zoe It won’t be a summer holiday but hopefully under clear blue skies we will share a dream, travelling light, beat the young ones and take the congratulations. Everyone welcome whether you are a bachelor boy or a living doll!

The ride starts at 9am at Ivinghoe church. There are two coffee shop stops planned, firstly after 40 miles at The George of Dragon in Quainton (approx 11.45am) and secondly Cafe Belge at Nash after 70 miles (approx 2.30pm) If anyone would like to join us @15mph on a flat route to do the whole ride, the first half or the last 30 miles you are welcome https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5137623.html

On Sunday we have the usual three ride options for you, we have been enjoying a great turn out in recent weeks with riders splitting down into sub-groups based on average speed. Please add your ride preference to our facebook rear hub poll if you can, this encourages other riders and allows us to start planning the ride splitting process.

Not too much climbing on offer this week, the 9am route circumnavigates Leighton Buzzard, 48 miles with just 1,400 feet of elevation https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5138194.html

The longer 10am route takes us to Bishopstone on a 33 miler with a miserly 600 feet of elevation, take it steady, or you will be back before the pub opens! https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_3618649.html

The shorter 10am route is the hilly option with 1,400 feet packed into 23 miles https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_783412.html

Please bring the route you wish to ride, our aim is to not leave anyone behind, but wrong turns can make life difficult. We will meet at the church at Ivinghoe which allows space to meet and divide into appropriate sized riding groups.

Following a recent negative comment sent to the website from a local car driver we would ask you to please consider how your behaviour (particularly in club colours) affects the reputation of our friendly group, we want to show cycling and our lovely villages in a good light at all times, encouraging participation and good will for our great sport

Take care, stay safe and see you at the weekend!

Three route choices as usual this week, Your shortest option this week is a 10am 20 miler https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5130886.html

Mid-distance offering is this 38 mile beauty https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5134308.html

The longest option and earlier start time of 9am takes us to Buckingham for a 60 mile excursion. https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5135128.html

Next Saturday there is a 100 mile ride planned, we will communicate the route on next weeks post, it’s going to be flat! There will be the usual Sunday rides as well.

For anyone wishing to get your hands on some of our lovely kit, head over to the ordering website now as we have an order window currently open https://eucustom.champ-sys.com/teamstore/?IV-Aug2

All rides start from Ivinghoe church, so please arrive with in advance of your intended start time, see you on Sunday!

On Sunday our shorter 10am ride takes in the most recent tourist attraction, the reverse roundabout in Lower Kings Road Berkhamsted. This 22 mile route has a couple of climbs in along with some lovely scenery https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5130886.html

The longer 10am route visits Cublinton and Oving and a tough climb back from Weedon, it’s a 35 miler with some great views over the vale https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5130881.html

The 9m Option this week takes us out through Hertfordshire to the St Albans Area, it looks like a lovely flowing 56 miles after struggling up Bison Hill. https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5131424.html

The routes all start outside Ivinghoe Church and finish at the Rose and Crown, please bring the route with you and arrive before your ride start time so we can make sure we get the group numbers sorted out. Happy riding!

Hi all, with warm weather expected on Sunday it will be important to bring adequate liquid for hydration during the rides. Post ride hydration will take place at the Rose and Crown without our ride groups, starting point for rides is Ivinghoe church.

This weekend we give you the chance of completing 100km with an easy 9am route with just the one hill up to Christmas common, other than that it’s flat all the way so just 1,800 feet of climbing over 65 miles. If required on this route we will stop in Watlington for water top up purchases. https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5128199.html

At 10am you have the choice of a 50km (31 miles in old money) route out to Missenden and Chesham, this route has more climbing than the 9am route! https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5126935.html

or a 20 mile loop to Eaton Bray and back through Aldbury https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5126936.html

Please remember we will need to split into sub-groups to ensure we remain the right side of riding numbers, something which has gone well in recent weeks with groups splitting into teams of up to six riders based on expected average speed. Please bring your chosen route with you whether that be paper based on GPX file, we aim not to not leave people behind but that can get tricky if wrong turns are taken!

A happy Easter to all Ivinghoe Velos. Hope everyone is fit and well. Easter has traditionally been a time when the roads have been quieter than normal so we have ridden routes on slightly more major roads, in 2018 we have an excursion on the A413 between Chesham and Aylesbury (https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_4710173.html) and last year we made it to Gawcott (https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_4900123.html).

Anyone taking their daily exercise on a bike recently will appreciate that quiet roads are not unusual right now. So whether you relive an old ride, stay close to home like last weeks loop (https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5033200.html) or make use of the dry trails on your mountain bike (https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5039784.html) Stay safe, ride alone and enjoy your route.