Are these rides for me?

To make sure our rides are fun for everyone it's important only to sign-up if you're comfortable with the criteria in the checklist below.

Event checklist

1. You have your own cycle insurance
  • ​Please only sign-up if you have your own cycle insurance and understand this is a do-it-yourself ride.
  • The routes have not been tested, there is no medical or mechanical support, you're at the mercy of other road users, the elements, land-owners etc etc

2. You are physically fit
  • Do you need to be a die-hard lycra-loving cyclist to participate?    No, our rides are for active people who want an adventure.  We'll typically do 60-80 miles per day.  Of course there'll be a lot of experienced roadies on the ride too to help but if you've never cycled over 40 miles before in one day don't come on our rides.

3. You have a suitable bike
  • We'll be travelling on small roads and sometimes on cycle paths/disused railway tracks with hard surfaces.  A touring bike would be ideal (you can rent a Dawes Touring Bike in Oxford for <£50 for 5 days) or try Spinlister or alternatively any touring bike you can find on ebay >£200 should be fine.  
  • The advantage of a touring bike is that you can use panniers.  If you don’t have a touring bike, the next best thing would be to buy a rack that attaches to your seatpost.  Failing that you’re stuck with a rucksack although that'll be seriously uncomfy.  There will be no  bag-drop van.
  • Also make sure you bring good lights for your bike, we might well be riding in the dawn/dusk.

4. You have suitable camping equipment and share the 'leave no trace' principles of wild camping
  • Wild camping is where you camp somewhere discretely i.e. you don't have permission to camp there, but by being courteous and following the leave no trace principles  there should be no issue
  • Make sure you have a tent/bivvy bag, sleeping bag, cooking equipment, head torch etc. 

5. You're prepared for bad weather and smile in the face of hardship
  • Our rides are organised by volunteers on a shoe-string budget.  We may get lost and end up on a dual-carriageway, we may get shouted at by farmers or walkers who don't like us wild camping, yada yad yada.  Please respect that this ride is a do-it-yourself ride so just roll with it.
  • You'll have to navigate by yourself, feed yourself, and so on.  Only sign-up for this ride if this is your idea of fun and you have a sense of adventure.

6. You try and bring along a friend
  • Our rides are for people who care about environmental protection but the idea is to reach out to others.​  See if you can bring a friend or two along who's not yet been on a climate march/equivalent.