After a spring which was the brightest or record, our first summer rides start this Sunday!

As usual on the first Sunday in the month the longer ride at 9am has a coffee stop. This time we head to Spokes CC in Codicotte, a cycle specific cafe with lots of character. We will ride as one medium paced group like we did for last months coffee ride.

At 10am riders can do the favourite “fast and flat” route to Bishopstone with just 1,000 feet of climbing over nearly 40 miles, this is the flattest route in our catalogue.

at 10.30 riders can visit Wingrave on another flat option, ideal for new starters and returners this is likely be the more gentle of the three rides.

We aim to leave no one behind, so it helps if you have the route on a turn by turn navigational device, look out for the rider behind you, it’s your responsibility to make sure they remain part of the group. All rides leave from Ivinghoe church at the stated times. Be early or risk riding solo!

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50926024 ROLLING

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44869845 FLAT

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50850791 FLAT

A big FOUR ride choices this weekend, including something a bit different! For those who fancy a change and maybe those who don’t join us on road rides, we have a traffic free option for you starting in Milton Keynes. Details follow the usual ride information below.

Please arrive BEFORE your ride time with the route planned in your head or your bike computer. We aim to leave no one behind, which means you need to check on the guy behind you, call out when there is a gap and wait for them.

9am from Ivinghoe church https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50849493 Steeple Claydon 52 miles climb ratio 42 feet per mile (flat/rolling)

10am from Ivinghoe Church https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45534905 32 miles to Latimer, climb ratio 41 feet per mile (flat/Rolling)

10.30am from Ivinghoe church https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50850791 21 miles to Wingrave with a climb ratio of 30 feet per mile (flat)

10am from Caldecotte Lake Milton Keynes https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50105778 26 miles with a climb ratio of 34 feet per mile (flat)

For riders joining the Milton Keynes ride, you will need to get to Caldecotte Lake Car Park, READY TO RIDE at 10am. The location is Bletcham Way MK7 8HP. (what three words= ///locked.trucks.press) You can park your car here, or further afield if you would like to extend your ride! The ride will take the form of a treasure hunt for the team to solve. The answers will all be multiple choice letters which will give a location on the “what three words” app, so it could be worth downloading this app to play along.

The ride is suitable for mountain bikes, Hybrid, bikes, Brompton bikes, single speeds, gravel bikes but maybe not your most precious road bike. Canal tow paths are the roughest surface we use. The current forecast is for a dry day following light rain on Saturday so the paths may be damp. The pace of this ride will be SLOW as we use shared paths and will be looking out for clues. If you fancy a few more miles why not start somewhere outside Milton Keynes and ride in? From Ivinghoe a ride along the canal is 17 miles and would take 2 hours, or from Stoke Hammond 6 miles, 45 minutes. There are also plenty of trains from Berkhamsted or Tring with a 4 mile ride from the station.

Clue sheets will be provided for everyone who joins on the day, we can ride as one team or split up if there are lots of riders. We will be visiting historic sites, dinosaurs, code breakers houses, totem poles, stepping stones and of course concrete cows. There is an optional coffee stop built in at 18 miles at Canal Street Coffee (recommendation from our friend from Berkhamsted, Verna).

The good people of Bletchley Park have helped reduce the length of the war by decoding German messages. The top secret base has now been disbanded but code breaker Ivor B  Brain has been left alone in Milton keynes to make his own way home. Sadly while Ivor is super amazing at cracking codes, he has no sense of direction or common sense, so needs you to rescue him from a mysterious MK location.

You must ride the 26 mile traffic free route, stopping at sign boards to answer questions, each correct answer will reveal one letter in a “what three words” location.  Simply travel through the history of Milton Keynes on your bike, find the correct letter from the 17 multiple choice answers, pop your final answers into “what three words”  to reveal the location to find and save Ivor.

The first clue is on the sign board with information about Caldecotte lake.

Roll on Sunday!

We have three routes for your enjoyment this Sunday, last week we tried to gain the youth interest with a post aimed at a younger audience. To be honest it didn’t make any difference and I may as well have been talking Shakespeare!!

Prithee beareth in intellect yond a contingent of our group art hence in Ludlow having a voyage in the Welsh hills, so our numb’r way beest down on usual. Thence shouldst still beest enow fellows to enjoyeth the local sights. So behold aft’r each oth’r, looking out f’r the sir behind as well as the one in front of thee. As usual aft’r the rideth we can take enjoyment from the hospitality at the Did rise And Diadem.

9am Local Hills 47 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50733254 climb rating Hilly, 60 per mile

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50739568 climb rating lumpy 53 feet per mile

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46895158 climb rating below average, 43 feet per mile.

Several regular riders have completed a piece of work, producing some guidelines to help us ensure everyone can benefit and enjoy riding in our groups. This is a thoughtful idea to give our rides some consistency and enable new riders to join us and understand the basics of group rides. There will no doubt be some conversation around this in the great debating chamber of the Rose and Crown beer garden. High on endorphins and testosterone and fueled by some of the finest real ale around, the conversation is bound to flow in a respectful and encouraging way. So please have a look at the following guidelines to sense check how we ride as a group and how we can all contribute to excellence on the roads!

The Ivinghoe Velos are a group of social cyclists unconstrained by rigid rules of many cycling clubs. Most rides will finish either at a local coffee shop or at the Rose & Crown Public House in Ivinghoe.

Several different length rides are available each week, but the aim is to ride at the pace of the slowest rider in each group and not leave anybody behind.

Friendly advice:

1. You are responsible for the rider behind you. Call ‘dropping’ if a gap forms.
2. If on the front of a small group (say five or less), look to stay in front for a mile or so before safely peeling off and retiring to the rear.
3. Roads vary in width so use your judgement as to whether it is safe to ride two abreast and still provide for vehicles to safely overtake.
4. When coming to the front of the group, maintain the then current steady pace and try not to increase the speed, leaving individuals or the peloton behind.
5. Please do not ride from the back of the peloton directly to the front as a sudden increase in speed can cause the group to break up.
6. Watch out for the signals of the riders in front of you and mirror those signals back through the peloton such as alerts for potholes or indications of direction. Similarly pass messages up the through group to alert the peloton to gaps or punctures for example.
7. Try to keep the peloton short or break into smaller groups (4-6) to allow other road users to pass safely.
8. Try to keep pedalling. By freewheeling, your bike slows, which has a concertina effect back through the entire peloton with riders at the rear constantly having to speed up and slow down to maintain their position.

Finally, the various routes are published on the Ivinghoe Velos website. Please make sure you carry a copy of the route (either printed or downloaded into a directional device) in case you should become detached from the group.

Further information is available in British Cycling’s advice at Riding in a group – Top 10 tips It is also worth looking at the highway code which includes clarification on the expectation of drivers when driving in the vicinity of cyclists

ALSO… (sorry it’s a long one) Next weekend, Sunday 25th May there is going to be a traffic free Milton Keynes Parks ride option. This ride will be around 25 miles and is a traffic free treasure hunt style ride with 17 clues to solve as we ride round. The route will take us to concrete cows, a Roman Vllla, a stone circle and several lakes, we will cross a river by stepping stones and discover lots about the history of Milton Keynes. There is even a BMX track if anyone is brave enough!!! The route can be ridden on a mountain bike, gravel bike, hybrid, Brompton or a single speed, even a road bike if you don’t mind riding it on canal tow paths. We will start the ride from Caldecotte Lake (Bletcham Way car park). You can arrive by car, by train or ride all the way by bike. This ride will be great for anyone who is not keen on road rides but fancies riding with us. Will you help us find and rescue code breaker hero Ivor B Brain. He is lost in Milton Keynes (like we all have been at some point!) and needs our help to get home!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50105778

In an effort to encourage some new riders to join the fun we have put out a couple of easy routes over the last two weekends. Sadly we didn’t have much interest So a new approach this week, I’ve found a translator that will turn the post into something the younger people of today will understand, maybe this would help recruit some new faces?

Yo, check it! Three sick rides this Sunday, fam. Perfect chance to hit those two wheels and vibe in the Hood. With Ivinghoe Velos, no one’s gonna be ghosting (as long as your route’s all set in your app). Next weekend, we’re bouncing to Ludlow for a crew trip, so this week, we’re crushing some local hills on the longer ride. Time to whip out your slay ride and roll with us!

Rolling with a crew saves energy ’cause you ain’t fighting the wind as much, so you usually zoom faster than riding lonesome. We’ve got three rides that totally fit your vibe, truly. Longer rides mean faster speeds, ya know? Work together, dream together, our best is your best, so jump in a group, have a blast, and maybe chill for some brews and cheesy nachos after!

Yo, all our vibes kick off at Ivinghoe church, and wrap up at the Rose and Crown, slay. Make sure to roll through before we dip, hit up the FB poll to let us know which ride you wanna crack. Yo might snag some Strava bling if you roll with us.

9am 53 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50631100

10am 30 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50629636

10.30am 21 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50629362

A variety of rides to delight local riders on Sunday 4th May, all starting from Ivinghoe church

At 10.45am we have a new starters and re-joiner ride specifically for those who haven’t ridden too much lately and want a short easy introduction back into cycling or those just starting out on their road bike journey. This ride has a leader who is experienced in riding and can held with advice and support for joiners, thank you to Richard for offering up his services this week after Dave B took a turn last Sunday.

Three other routes of various distances, generally the longer the ride the quicker the average pace (we aim to leave no one behind)

Your next shortest ride option after the beginners ride is a 10.30 outing of 21 miles around Leighton Buzzard

At 10am riders can join a 32 mile ride which travels on nice quiet roads to Evershot

As we have now entered summer mode the longest ride of the day starts at 9am and on the first Sunday of each month (this one) the ride includes a coffee and cake stop half way round. For May our destination is Monkey Puzzle garden in Thame. If the weather dictates the need for an indoor setting, option two will be Bradmoor Farm in Haddenham. This 9am route is 48 miles without many hills, so good to keep a group together with some steady rotation of the rider sitting at the front of the group

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50516984

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48000996

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50526819

10.45am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50526601

Roll on Sunday!

FOUR ride options for local riders this week including a beginners and returners ride at 10.45 specifically for people who have not ridden with the group before and are fairly new to cycling or those who may have ridden with us in the distant past but had forgotten they had a bike in the garage/shed/spare room. We welcome new faces to our rides, whether that be individuals or small groups. Our rides are non competitive, non racing and usually finish with beer and chips or coffee and cake!

All rides this week start from the bus shelter outside Ivinghoe church. General rule of thumb is the shorter the ride the lower the average pace. The new starters ride will be ridden at a pace to suit the slowest riders, on the other rides the Pace ranges from 13 mph to 17mph depending on the amount of hills on a route. New riders are welcome on any of the rides if they have the legs and experience to fit in. If riders are looking for higher speeds some local cycling clubs have a few quicker options for you!

9.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50463253 38 miles to Kinsbourne Green

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50340017 29 miles through Wing and Cubblington

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50435815 21 miles through Eaton Bray and Wingrave

10.45 am starters and returners https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45284748 14 miles local miles without any big hills

As we enter May next week we operate “summer mode” the longer rides revert to 9am and on the first Sunday of the month rides will include a coffee stop. The 9am rides will stretch out to around 100km on some weeks with destinations such as Benson, Silverstone, Brill and knebworth. There will also be several opportunities to “park and ride” where we set a start point an hour’s drive from Ivinghoe so we can enjoy rides in different counties.

Extra read if you have nothing else to do! Below is a little extract from a post sent out a couple of years ago, I think most parts of it are still applicable today

Ivinghoe Velos are a bunch of cyclists who enjoy getting out together sharing rides on local roads as well as the odd trip away. We are a non-competitive group who pride ourselves on our friendly appoach to road cycling, enjoying the health and social benfits that go along with regular exercise as well as the odd well earned beer after a ride (optional!) The group has no fees or membership and has been planning routes on a purely voluntary basis every Sunday since 2010

Route planners and post publishers by no means guarantee the safety of riders while out on the roads, suitable care and safety equipment is needed for each individual, who takes part in rides at their own risk.

Riding together makes the miles a bit easier with some shelter from head winds, some conversation (when not completely out of breath) and a group to latch on to when every part of your body is telling you it’s time to stop! Usually when riding in a group you have a higher average speed as you spend less time pushing against the wind- unless you are super-fit and ride at 17mph+ on your own, in which case we are probably not the group for you.

On the flat and shallow hills we try to ride close together as the group will function better as a cohesive unit rather than dropping riders and stopping for them to catch up, The sum of the parts should be greater than the individuals. Teamwork makes the dream work! On steeper hills (up and down!) everyone has their own pace, so we will regroup once the hill has been completed, either stopping completely or slowing the pace to allow everyone to catch up. No one should be left behind until we get to the final sprint a mile or so from home and then if you have anything left in the legs you can push on!

Roll on Sunday!

Three rides for your enjoyment this Sunday, your shortest option is 22miles, up Crowns next past cow roast and up new road. The middle distance is 30 miles up over Dunstable Downs and back through Markyate to Ashridge The longer distance a 46 mile loop of Aylesbury Vale, visiting a new road layout at Waddesden

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50340117

10amhttps://ridewithgps.com/routes/50323948

9.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50355358

All rides start outside the church in Ivinghoe, we aim to keep groups together by looking out for riders behind as well as holding the wheel in front.

Roll on Sunday!

This week flat is fast! The medium and longer routes don’t have too many slopes to slow riders down, so everyone should be back at the pub knocking on the door at opening time! The 10.30am 20 mile route bucks the trend with a few hills to tackle and has as much elevation as the 10am 33 mile route!

9.30am Great, Little Horwood https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50241046 41 miles through Winslow

10am Aylesbury Vale Flatlands https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50241046 33 miles out to Ford

10.30am Rossway Loop https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50242205 20 miles including Dancers End and Rossway.

Thanks to Richard and Dave for the finely crafted 10am and 10.30 routes, delivered as usual for your Sunday enjoyment!

Thanks to the riders who have responded “going” to the event on Facebook

Dave J +1, Dave H, Trevor, Judy, Linda, Debs, Paul, Alan, Janice have all confirmed, meal bookings have been made based on these. If you are planning on joining the group now is the time to make it known!!

The rides start at 1pm on Friday and 10am on the other days, riders can join us for all rides on dip in and out depending on how the legs feel. Plenty of nice walking locally for those who don’t fancy all the rides! The pace will be tourist pace, like last year typically 13mph-14mph.

Arrival Friday 16th May 2025, all routes start from Ludlow High Street

Friday route Leominster and Tenbury Wells 1pm start

32 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/47581646

A fairly easy 32 miles enjoying some of the local countryside after a big climb out of Ludlow to wake up the legs. Coffee/tea break is planned for the 24 mile mark in Tenbury at Mr Toms coffee shop

Friday evening meal: 7pm Rose and Crown https://www.theroseandcrownludlow.com/menu 

Saturday Route Welsh Adventure

60 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/47581493 10am

A great route exploring the England Wales boarder with some challenging climbs, the lonest being a 750 feet gain over a 4 mile climb The magic of this route is that after 35 miles the climbing is over and it’s an easy return to Ludow. Coffee stop at Coffee House or Rose Cottage after 20 miles and at Offas dyke visitor centre after 40 miles

Saturday evening meal 6.30pm The Blue Boar http://www.blueboarludlow.co.uk/evening-menu

Sunday Route The Long Mynd & Much Wenlock 10am

62 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/47582127

A beautiful route with one stand out climb, The Long Mynd, a 5 mile rise gaining 1,220 feet at an average of 5% but topping out in places at 25%. In the second half we visit the pretty medieval town of Much Wenlock which used to host athletic games which inspired the modern Olympic games. Coffee at Carding Mill Valley after 27 miles and maybe a refuel stop at the fox inn in Much Wenlock

Sunday Evening meal: Freestyle various options like a harvester type pub called the squirrel, Golden Moments Indian Restaurant or the old bakehouse burger bar, all three are open on Sunday nights for food, unlike the town centre pubs

Monday Route Clee hill 31 miles 10am

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49341482

The final day hits the heights of Clee Hill with some spectacular views, your finish line is really after 24 miles as you won’t need to pedal for the final 7 miles, a great way to wrap up the weekend!

coffee at “Brewe” Clee Hill after 24 miles

Any questions please ask!

It;s the first rides of April and we are not fooling around, some hills and some thrills on the agenda for Sunday. While there will be climbs the overall elevation for the routes is not too high, so some good flowing rides ahead! Good to see a large number of Ivinghoe Velos out wearing the blue kit last Sunday with at least 17 riders across the three ride options.

All rides start from Ivinghoe church, the 9.30 ride goes through Great Missenden, making it’s way to descend the mighty Kop Hill. The 10am route takes riders out to Oving and then back via Aston Abbots. The 10.30 ride climbs out of Berkhamsted and travels through Ashridge and under the zoo.

9.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50169816 41 miles

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50122514 30 miles

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50169068 23 miles