So the Cat is still away in the mountainous Mallorcan regions… and the understudy is entertaining elsewhere… which puts Mary, Queen of Teas, firmly in the throne of control for this weekend’s Tea Ride.

Leaving the Rose and Crown at 10am, this week your travels will take you to the exotics of Cheddington, Long Marston, Puttenham and onto Mead Farm Shop for refreshments.

As always, everyone is welcome – all abilities and bikes, regardless of age or experience, are welcomed.  Going as fast as the slowest rider, the group sticks together throughout.

New to cycling or not ridden for a while?  The Tea Ride is where it’s at!

Team Kit

We have a big announcement. Our resident graphical designer, James Fairburn has kindly redesigned our kit. It keeps the colour ways of the original design whilst updating it to reflect the changes in the types of rides we are going on. James has managed to include the profile of our iconic climb – Ivinghoe Beacon – which completes what we think is a fantastic design. The kit will be supplied by Champion Systems who have an online ordering system meaning you can place the order directly on their website saving the huge effort previously to collect monies from those interested. We will let everyone know exactly how to order later this month.

Champion have sent us some sample sizes to help with gauging which top is right for you. There will be a number of opportunities to try on the samples, starting with tomorrow after the ride, at the Rose & Crown. Full details of what the kit will look like are contained in this PDF file.

Rides for Sunday

We have two on offer, both pretty flat.

10am start, 30 miles

10am start, 19 miles

As always, please bring a copy of the route with you either on paper, or on your GPS gadget.

Which means us mice must play….

Nice easy (fairly flat) route in mind for tomorrow … unless you have your own ideas?

Leaving the Rose & Crown at 10am…. As fast as the slowest rider …

See you there!

The weather is improving so the options are extending. Mr Dave “The Hill” Howe has designed a 40 miler to tempt us. The other rides have been sent in by Mr Dave “More Hills” Bembridge and are hillier but less distance. So your choice this week is distance or elevation gain.

10am start 40 miles 

10am start 33 miles

10am start 22 miles

As usual, we start from the Rose and Crown and always advise bringing a copy of the route with you.

ANOTHER Birthday?!  Well the Tea Ride is All About The Cake… ’bout the Cake…

Yeah it’s pretty clear, We ain’t no size twos
But we can pedal it, pedal like we’re supposed to do
‘Cause we got that boom boom that all the boys chase
All the right junk in all the right places
We see the magazines working that Photoshop**
We know that shit ain’t real
Come on now, make it stop
If you got beauty beauty just raise ’em up
‘Cause every inch of you is perfect
From the bottom to the top
Yeah, my cyclin’ momma told me don’t worry about your size
She says, they all like a little more (bike) frame to hold at night
You know we won’t be no stick-figure, racing triathlon dolls,
So, if that’s what’s you’re into
Then go ahead and move along….

The Tea Ride … As fast as the slowest rider – and PROUD OF IT!  Whoever and Whatever Wheels You Ride……

This weekend sees Miss W’s birthday…. slightly longer pre-tea ride – Chedd, Long Marston. Aston Abbotts, Cublington and back to The Stag at Mentmore for Birthday Cake 11.15/11.30am.  If you’re not able to ride and plan on joining us there, please let us know to expect you!

As ever…. leaving the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe at 10am.

** It is hereby acknowledged that cycling magazines do encourage the average and non professional rider to “get stuck in and give it a go”.  Therefore, no offence towards cycling magazine titles  is intended……

New month, new targets. Get off to a great start with these routes courtesy of Mr Dave “Hillman” Bembridge.

35 mile longer route with 2068 ft Climb

16 mile shorter route with 838 ft Climb

As usual, we start from the Rose and Crown at 10am.

The weather tomorrow looks a little unpredictable- wrap up and bring a waterproof, we’ll have a cycle out- stopping at The Bluebell Tearooms on our way back to the Rose and Crown. See you tomorrow.

As has now become a tradition, our first ‘big’ ride of the year will be the Luton CC Reliability ride. It has proven very popular with velos so we are proposing to meet up together to cycle over to the start at Edlesborough Village Hall.  Entry is £7 on the day and they provide hot and cold refreshments. For those not going to the reliability ride, we have a usual 10am start with routes to choose from, again supplied by Mr Dave “No off-road this week” Bembridge.

8:15am start – Meet up for the ride over to the start of the Luton Reliability at the Rose and Crown

10am start – 33 mile longer route – flat as a pancake 

10am start – 24 mile shorter route – even flatter 

As usual, meet at the Rose and Crown for a lovely gentle bike ride out for tea and cake, followed by a gentle bike ride home to the Rose and Crown for further refreshments. No rider is too slow, so no excuses. We have some lovely new cyclists at the moment, and are waiting to see some of our new cyclists from the autumn back out. It’s nearly spring!!

We are back to the hills this week courtesy of Mr Dave “Hillman” Bembridge.

28 mile longer route

18 mile shorter route

As usual, we start from the Rose and Crown at 10am.