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!

We start with an interesting extra option this week from Dave Howe.

10am start from Little Berkhamsted, 48 miles

If you are bored on the same local routes, this could be the day out for you! As usual we will moderate the pace to be inclusive of all riders as long as you can maintain 15mph. The ride starts at 10am at the church in Little Berkhamsted (SG13 8LZ). Parking is side roads around the village. It’s about a one hour drive from Ivinghoe. The ride is 48 miles at an expected 15-16mph, so 3 hours of riding, I would expect you could be back home for 2.15pm. It’s about 2,400 feet of climbing, so similar to our usual rides. Due to Covid19 restrictions and people travelling from different start points, we suggest meeting there on your bike ready to ride at 10am.

9am start from Ivinghoe Church, 52 miles

10am start from Ivinghoe Church, 37 miles

10am start from Ivinghoe Church, 20 miles

As always, please bring a copy of your chosen route with you. A reminder that we are strictly sticking to the rules, therefore we must only gather and ride in a group of 6 or less.

Another great turnout last Sunday ! Here are your choice of rides for this Sunday.

9am start, 52 miles

10am start, 30 miles

10am start, 20 miles

As per the last few weeks, we must stick to the 6 riders at most in a group both on the road and when we assemble at the area between the Ivinghoe Church and the Windmill Close bus stop.

Please bring a copy of your chosen route either on your fancy pants GPS device or old school on a bit of paper.

The turn-out last Sunday was even better than the previous week. Again, we were in our groups of a maximum of 6 riders which keeps us legal and relatively safe.

9am start, 55 miles

10am start, 29 miles

10am start, 22 miles

As is now the norm, we are starting our rides from the area between the Ivinghoe Church and the Windmill Close bus stop. Please bring a copy of your chosen route with you.

We always welcome new riders and have a commitment that no rider gets left behind so if you are thinking of coming along, please do.

Last Sunday was a very successful return to socially distanced cycling for three small, but perfectly formed, groups (one at 9am and two for the 10am ride). We did enjoy the fact that most riders were wearing the club kit so we did look the part. Again, this Sunday, we will be continuing the same “distancing rules” as detailed in last week’s post. Mr Bembridge has reserved us a couple of tables in the Beer Garden at the Rose and Crown where we can catch-up in our distinct groups after the ride.

9am start, 53 miles

10am start, 31 miles

10am start, 24 miles

As a reminder, we meet in the area between the Ivinghoe Church and the Windmill Close bus stop. As usual, please bring a copy of your chosen route with you.

Hello … it has been a while

As the Covid rules are starting to be relaxed, we here at Velos Towers thought we might start a very gentle journey back towards riding as a group again. To ensure we all stay safe, we will be strictly sticking to the Government guidelines and rules explained in detail on the Government Covid Website.

The Rules

If you have any of the symptoms, please stay at home. Or, if you are in a vulnerable group please don’t join us – it’s better to go solo to absolutely eliminate any chance of picking up the virus.

We plan to change our meeting spot to the car park area by the entrance to Ivinghoe Church and Windmill Close in Ivinghoe. This gives us plenty of space to ensure that, if there are more than 6 of us, we gather into distinct groups that are self contained and do not mix with the other groups. There must not be any chance that an onlooker might thing that we are a single group of riders numbering more that 6 people.

If there are more than 6 riders, then each group must leave the start at different times and must not join up with another group during the ride at any time.

When riding keep a minimum of 2m apart. Give your fellow riders more space if you can.

Each rider must take responsibility for their own safety and adherence to the Government Covid Rules. Please don’t take our interpretation of the rules as advice. You should read the linked site above and decide for yourself if your activity is within the guidelines.

The Rides

9am start, 50 mile ride

10am start, 33 mile ride

10am start, 25 mile ride

The Beer

The wonderful Mr Brembridge has reserved two outside tables at the Rose & Crown in Ivinghoe for use by The Velos. This means a maximum of 6 people per table and we need to socialise as these distinct groups. When you arrive at the pub you are obliged to give your details to a member of staff as per the Government rules. There will be a table service for for food and drinks.

We must not leave our bikes at the front of the pub. The landlord Mick has arranged for us to be able to store our bikes safely in the shed at the back of the pub. The door to the shed, alongside the pub, will be open.

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.