Ivinghoe Velos FAQ
Hello. I’m Pete, one of the regular Ivinghoe Velos riders.I started riding with the Velos at the end of 2023. I’ve been cycling most of my life but had never joined a group or club before. I’d often ride solo and occasionally with friends, but always thought cycling clubs were a bit cliquey and not for me.
Moving to a new area forced me to get out of my comfort zone. I didn’t know the area, which roads were good for cycling and I wanted to meet some new people. So one very wet November Sunday morning I turned up at my first Velos ride. I’ve not looked back since and now call many of my fellow riders friends.
At the tender age of 47 (at time of writing in 2026) I find it somewhat amusing (/worrying) that I am one of the “younger” riders in the group. So, in an attempt to encourage others to join the group, I committed to writing this FAQ.
Before the ride questions
Who are you?
We’re a group of friends who like to ride bikes, and value the connection you get through doing this. We’re not a “cycling club” in the official sense so have no committees or rules set in stone. We’re not registered with British Cycling and everyone rides at their own risk. We have a group kit but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Sometimes we ride fast, but fast can mean different things to different people.
Why should I ride with you?
There are lots of benefits to riding in a group Vs riding solo, but these can be boiled down to efficiency, sociability and safety.
Riding with others gives you additional motivation to get out of the door and ride regularly, plus you can learn from those that have been riding for some time.
Why would I want to get into cycling in the first place?
A quick Google search will give you a lot of good reasons to get on your bike, including:
- Physical health benefits: Cycling helps you to lose weight, gain a better body shape, protect you against major illnesses plus you feel less guilty about eating lots of cake!
- Mental health benefits: Cycling helps to clear your head and meeting new people is good for overall mental health
- Environmental benefits: Cycling is very green, and you get to see some lovely countryside at a speed that’s just right to take it all in.
Do I have to be fit? How fast do you ride?
“Fit” can mean different things to different people. If you have not ridden a bike in a while, it’s best to go out on a few rides by yourself to start with to get a feel for your own fitness. If, on a relatively flat route you can average somewhere between 12 to 16 mph (20 to 26 kph) then you are in the right ballpark to ride with us. If you can ride significantly faster than this, then you might want to check out more formal clubs like Velo Club Tring, Berkhamstead CC or Luton CC.
Who rides with you?
Current group demographics range from those in their 40’s to their 80’s. We’re keen to encourage younger riders to join us, and writing this FAQ is one of our attempts to do this.
Our gender split is currently male-heavy but we have a number of strong women who ride with us, and would welcome more to join.
We are currently very white. We acknowledge that we live near towns with large non-white populations and welcome riders from non-white communities to join us too.
We appreciate that the above information might make it daunting to join one of our rides for the first time, so why not encourage a friend or two to come along with you?
The majority of our regular riders live near Ivinghoe, Pitstone, Marsworth and Ivinghoe Aston. We also have regulars joining us from Leighton Buzzard, Berkhamsted, Dunstable and the surrounding villages and they sometimes coordinate to ride to the start of a ride together..
What sort of bike do I need?
The majority of our rides are on the road, and therefore most riders are on some form of road bike, although a few of our riders switch to gravel bikes in the winter. Dropped handlebar bikes are generally more comfortable and efficient on road rides as you can change hand and body positions.
You could join us on a flat-barred hybrid or city bike for your first few rides, but you might get uncomfortable after a while as you only have one hand position. Nobbly-tired mountain bikes would put you at a significant disadvantage on a road ride due to increased rolling resistance and are not recommended.
Many of us have more than one bike, so if you ask nicely we might be able to lend you one.
What about e-bikes?
The majority of our riders are on standard, non-assisted road bikes. If you’re new to cycling and are worried about keeping up, you might find an e-bike could help. However road-legal e-bikes are limited to assistance up to 15mph/24kph, so you might struggle to keep up on flat stretches where our average speed will tip over this.
When do you ride?
We have number of rides throughout the week:
Sunday mornings are our main ride day where the largest number of riders will be out. If you are new, we recommend you join us on a Sunday to start with. We generally post three different ride lengths, short, medium and long, but this may reduce to two rides in the depths of winter. Rides generally start between 9am and 10.30, depending on the time of year and try to converge back at the Rose and Crown for 12-1pm-ish
We regularly organise Tuesday and Thursday morning rides for those lucky enough to be able to ride at this time of day.
During the spring and summer months we also organise “short and fast” Tuesday evening rides. These are best attempted after becoming well integrated with the group, and so are not shared publicly.
All Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday morning rides are posted on our public Facebook group. Sunday rides are also posted on our website and via our mailing list. We post our rides on RidewithGPS, which is free to access. You can download the routes in GPX and FIT files.
Do I have to pay?
No. All of our rides are free to attend. Do bring some money or a card for cafe and pub stops.
Do I need insurance?
No, but many of our riders have insurance cover through British Cycling, Cycling UK or other providers which covers personal indemnity and also provides free legal advice and support should there be a serious accident involving a third party.
What about navigation?
While we ride as a group, everyone riding needs to have their own copy of the route. As mentioned above, you can download our routes as GPX and FIT files. Most people will load these onto a bar-mounted mobile phone or bike computer.
New riders are welcome to come “device free” for their first few rides, but we recommend investing in a phone holder or a dedicated bike computer, such as a Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead if you ride with us regularly. It’s not recommended to bring a paper map, as you would need to stop to read it!
What should I wear?
It depends on the weather. During the summer most riders will wear lycra shorts with a chamois pad (and no underwear!) and a cycling jersey. In the cooler months we add arm/leg warmers, long sleeve jerseys, 3/4 or full length bib tights and waterproof jackets as appropriate. Gloves are recommended but are a personal preference.
Shoes will depend on if you are riding clipless pedals or flats – your call, but most of our riders use clipless pedals of some form for the performance and comfort benefits.
Everyone wears a helmet. This is of course not mandatory, but highly recommended if you value your brain!
Do I have to wear your club kit?
We do have (very nice) Ivinghoe Velos kit, jersey, shorts and associated accessories. However, wearing club kit is entirely optional, and certainly not a requirement for your first ride! Every so often we put out a call on our Facebook group for kit orders.
Do I have to shave my legs?
No! The majority of our male riders are non-shavers, though there are a few who dabble with a razor blade in the summer months.
In case you’re wondering why you would shave your legs in the first place, apparently it’s to make post-ride massages and/or crashes easier to deal with. We don’t experience either of these things regularly, plus many of us are lazy.
What do I need to bring with me?
While we ride together, you need to be self-sufficient. Therefore we’d recommend bringing the following:
- Snacks to get you through the ride – bars, bananas, gels; whatever works for you
- Water: Most riders carry one/two bottles depending on how hot it is, and may add some form of electrolyte.
- Basic tools in case you have a mechanical: A pump, tyre levers, patches, spare inner tube (even if you run tubeless), multi-tool. Many riders put these items in an under-saddle bag.
- Your mobile phone, fully charged before you leave your house
- Cash or cards for cafe/pub stops
- Optional for cafe rides: A lightweight lock
- Optional: Front and rear lights. Many of our riders have lights on their bikes throughout the year as we think (/hope!) that it helps other road users to see us more easily.
Do you ride hills?
Yes! We live in a beautiful part of the Chilterns, and hills are part of the reason why many of us live where we live. That said, many of our rides explore some of the flatter terrain north and west of Ivinghoe, so not every ride will be lumpy. With the medium and short Sunday routes we try to ensure that one route is flat and one is hilly.
Do you ride in the rain?
Yes! Although some of our riders are more “waterproof” than others 😉 Mudguards and a good waterproof jacket are essential when it’s wet. Overshoes are also something to consider.
Do you ride in the winter?
Yes! Again, some of our riders are more “winterised” than others, so numbers do tend to drop off when the temperatures fall. Mudguards (again), bib tights and winter gloves can all help you stay outside longer. If it snows we switch to mountain bikes for crispy off-road goodness.
Do you organise rides and trips outside of the area?
Yes! While the majority of our posted rides start in Ivinghoe we will sometimes post rides that start in another nearby location, usually within an hour’s drive. This gives us the opportunity to explore new roads which are often quieter and less bumpy.
We also organise occasional multi-day cycling trips, both within the UK and overseas. We sometimes also organise trips to see bike races including stages of the Tour of Britain and Tour de France.
In the colder and wetter winter months we sometimes organise off-bike evenings to help keep our motivation up in the long wait until better Spring conditions.
How do you communicate?
The main way to connect with us is via our Facebook page, where we post Sunday, Tuesday morning and Thursday morning rides.. We also have the website and a mailing list, but these are only updated for Sunday rides.
We also have a Strava group and What’s App community, however these are reserved for regular riders.
How do I know who I will be riding with?
For Sunday morning, Tuesday morning and Thursday morning rides we post a ride poll on our Facebook group. You can indicate your intention to ride by voting for one of the options.
As mentioned, Tuesday evening rides are reserved for regular riders and are only posted on our What’s App community.
During the ride
Where do you meet?
Most rides meet at the bus stop by Ivinghoe Church. Google maps link and What 3: ///computers.toothpick.privately
Some rides may meet somewhere else locally, if this is the case the ride poster will make this clear.
I’ve heard that cyclists use special hand signals. Do you?
Yes, but don’t worry, you will pick these up when you ride with us. Mostly we are trying to avoid potholes, road furniture and parked cars. Ask any of us for a quick demo before a ride if you’re unsure.
I’ve never cycled in a group before, what do I need to know?
Cycling in a group is much more efficient than riding solo, enabling us to ride further and/or faster. However cycling in a group does come with risks if not done properly. Watch this GCN video for an introduction to group riding. If you are unsure or nervous, please do speak with your fellow riders before the start of the ride.
I’m worried I won’t be able to keep up!
This is probably the number one fear that stops people joining a group ride. There isn’t a simple answer to this one, but hopefully the following offers some assurance:
- Start with us on a Sunday morning ride with the lowest distance ride. This is usually the 10:30 ride. It shouldn’t be too fast or too hilly.
- You may well suffer during and after your first few rides: Don’t let this put you off! I did my first few Velos rides in the depths of November after an enforced three months off the bike. I spent most of the rest of the day on the sofa, barely able to move. My body adapted to the workload after a while and I found myself better able to keep up with fellow riders.
- We try to ride with a “no one left behind” mentality. If you’re close to the group’s pace, but dropping off the back on hills we’re more than happy to wait and regroup at the top. If you bonk (run out of carbohydrates) through an accidental lack of fueling, we’ll try to tow you along.
- However if you are massively slower than the rest of the group, we might stop somewhere safe and work out a way for you to get home on your own. Don’t let this put you off from joining another ride though.
Can I just sit at the back?
Sitting at the back of a group is often seen as the “easy” option, as you are always benefiting from “the draft” of other riders and never in the wind at the front of the group. However there can also be disadvantages to this approach and you may annoy fellow riders after a while!
You are more than welcome to sit towards the back of the group for your first few rides. When new riders are integrated with the group we you to take turns in different positions in the group, but this will depend on many factors, including the group size, wind direction, terrain and the amount of traffic.
What about traffic?
Despite Ivinghoe being relatively rural, we live in close proximity to several large towns, and unfortunately motorised traffic is something we need to be constantly vigilant of. Riding in a group does help us reduce our risk but does not protect us from bad drivers completely.
Do drivers get annoyed at cyclists riding in a group?
Unfortunately sometimes yes. The fact is that it’s perfectly legal to ride in a group and riding two abreast is actually better for vehicles that want to overtake us. However some drivers do not like this and will beep their horns or rev their engines as they go by. This can be quite worrying at first, but sadly you kind of get used to it after a while, and having other riders around for support actually makes you safer.
Do you stop for breaks?
Sometimes! This will depend on the length of the route and if we have any pre-planned stops scheduled. It’s a good idea to make sure your snacks are easily accessible (i.e. pre-opened and accessible via a back pocket or front-mounted bag) should you need to eat on the go.
What happens if I have a mid-ride mechanical?
As mentioned above, we recommend all riders are self-sufficient, carry their own spares and tools and are knowledgeable enough to fix the basics such as punctures. If you have a mid-ride mechanical we will all stop (assuming you’ve shouted loudly enough) and give you a hand to fix it, if possible.
After ride questions
What happens when you finish?
Most of our rides end back in Ivinghoe. On Sundays we head to the Rose & Crown for cheesy chips and refreshments. During the week we may have a mid-ride or end-of-ride cafe stop. If it’s bucketing down with rain we might just head home for a warm shower.
Do I have to go to the pub/cafe?
There’s no pressure to do so, but it can be a good way to get to know your fellow riders and to analyse the ride. There’s limited time to talk while cycling, due to exertion, traffic noise and wind.
A post ride pint is purely optional. Like most pubs the Rose & Crown serves excellent coffee, along with a range of non alcoholic and soft drinks.
Can I get post-ride food?
Most of the time, yes, but that will depend on the venue we stop at. It’s always best to carry an extra bar or gel, just in case. The Rose and Crown in Ivinghoe has an extensive lunch and evening meal menu.
Are you on Strava?
Many of us are, yes, and we will post our rides. Feel free to send us a connection request if you have ridden with us a few times. As mentioned, we do have a Strava group, but this is reserved for regular riders.