Riding our bikes on a Sunday morning gives us the chance to socialise and enjoy a drink or two after the activity. Another good reason for getting together to enjoy a chat and a beer is Christmas! Don’t worry we won’t be putting out rides on Christmas day but if you’d like to meet for a festive pint the evening of 22nd December is the night for you. Meeeting around 7.30- 8pm at the Rose and Crown, if you’d like to have a meal at the pub please book independently and aim to finish so you can join the crowd at 8. Cycling to the pub is purley optional.

This week we have three routes. As we are now in the chilly season rides will begin at 10am at the earliest until the spring, if rider numbers are low at 10am groups can join together to ensure everyone is riding with a group. As (nearly) always rides start and finish in Ivinghoe outside the church and we will split into pace groups if rider numbers are large. Although we aim to leave no one behind having a good idea of the route either committed to memory on plumbed into your headset computer will help avoid lost souls. Rides are designed for road bikes with the occational need to adapt for road closures and dare I say mapping errors.

The longest ride with week, starting at 10am, is a 38 mile trip to Heath and Reach taking in the climb into Great Brickhill, enjoying the end of the autumn colours through Stockgrove while cunningly avoiding central Leighton Buzzard. At 10am the medium short riders embark on a 28 mile ride out to Rocky lane and then a bit of a wiggle home, this ride has the highest hill climb ratio this week. At 10.30 the short route riders will loop round Tring before following the finale of the 10am route. Keep an eye of the forecast, stay safe and enjoy!

10am medium long https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45077564

10am medium short https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45080778

10.30am short https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45080828

Three routes to choose from this weekend. There is no better feeling than sitting in a warm pub after tackling a challenging bike ride, the reward is all the sweeter for putting the effort in! This week the short and medium routes provided by Dave B head north while the longer 9am ride takes riders south through Amersham. The temperature is dropping away with light winds, it might be a bright start but please be aware of the risk of frosty roads.

9am Flaunting Flauden https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45038609

10am Out to Drayton https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45037511

10.30am Cubblington https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45037529

December is just round the corner and it’s time to think about a seasonal get together for an evening where bikes and lycra can be left behind! I’m sure the tribal elders will be coming up with a date in the near future. The idea is to drink your annual milage in calories while discussing festive 500s and what’s on your letter to cycling santa.

Roll on Sunday!

Three routes to choose from this weekend, Sunday seems to be the better day for weather this weekend, some blustery winds, so riding with friends in a tightly formed peleton is the order of the day. This weeks routes are small but perfectly formed to get riders back into the warm embrace of the pub in good time! All three routes have a common final 6 miles, so if riders are at “par pace” groups may see each other for the sprint finish.

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44991842

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44991765

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44991883

This week our rides start at Ivinghoe church and loop back there to enable riders to join the external part of the rememberance service just before 11am. Due to the sensitivity of timings please arrive EARLY for the rides and set off on time to ensure riders return at the correct time at the church.

Once the service is over we will ride a short local loop before returning to Ivinghoe to finish close to the Rose And Crown.

Depending on numbers on the rides we may need to leave our bikes over the road by Ivinghoe lawn when attending the service, so we don’t block the entrance to the church. If riders are able to wear their Ivinghoe Velos kit this weekend it will be a nice touch to see the group together.

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41398716

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41396166

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44869993

11.15am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41398716

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

This week we ride on 5th November, bonfire night. Anyone who knows their history will remember that Guy Fawkes spent a lot of time in Spain fighting against the Dutch Republic, it was here that he developed his love of cycling, enjoying many a thrilling decent in the Pyrenees. Fawkes was a yorkshire man, so probably had a good grounding in hill climbing in his early years, many said he could have been a pro cyclist if he didn’t let politics get in the way. On the night of 5th November 1605 Guy’s cycling career came to an end as the plot to blow up the house of lords was uncovered. In January the following year, while his bike was still chained up outside the Palace of westminster he was hung drawn and quartered, sustaining injuries too severe to make a comeback.

Whilst you can’t always trust everything you read, we do promise the offer of three bike rides starting from Ivinghoe church on Sunday morning. Please arrive before the start of the rides and have a good idea of the route, or a version plumbed into your bike computer.

9am Skyrockets- quick climbs and then it’s great coming down https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37879524

10am Roman Candle: Pretty lights, a few bangs but hopefully no crashes https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44869845

10.30am Catherine Wheel, goes round and round and sometimes makes a pretty pattern https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44869915

Next week we will endevour to get rides to the church for 11am, for rememberance, so shorter local rides will be the order of the day

After an extra hour in bed this Saturday night, we meet at the church in Ivinghoe for riding fun. Three routes to choose from, short, medium and longish. The 9am heads north to Thornborough, while the 10am route tackles the long drag from Markyate to Dunstable Downs. Anyone who feels they missed out on Toms Hill last Sunday can tackle it on the 10am route this Sunday! The 10.30 route is an Eggington loop. So 52 miles, 30 miles or 21 miles, take your pick and enjoy the ride.

9am Great Horwood two ways https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44835174

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44771508

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44775410

The usual bits

We are a group of friends who ride together rather than a club so we don’t have any hard and fast rules, preferring to enjoy the journey rather than worry about our sock length. There are no fees to ride with us, we just ask for some considerations to be made so everyone can stay as safe as possible and have a good ride experience.

If you get out and ride it will encourage others to continue, if you sit at home on a turbo trainer, or in front of the TV there may not be anyone to ride with when you want company in the future!

Ivinghoe Velos rides are routes suggestions based on local knowledge built up over years of riding. Suitable for road bikes and often using quiet road options. Occasionally we need to re-route due to road closures and mapping errors. As a group please solve these problems as safely as possible. Anyone is welcome to provide a ridewithgps course for us to follow in future weeks.

Those who lead out a group, the route planners, those who send the postings out each week in no way make any assurances as to the safety of any rides organised under the ‘ivinghoe Velos’ banner. Each participant is wholly responsible for their own safety, road worthiness of their steed, legal requirements to abide by the highway code and any insurances each individual feels are necessary.

Rides are usually between 14mph and 17mph depending on elevation. When rider numbers allow we split into groups based on pace. Generally our motto is ” we leave no one behind” but riders need to be realistic when joining a group with an expected pace, it’s no fun for anyone if one riders pace is considerably slower than all the other riders. Equally if a couple of riders push the pace beyond what is expected, the rest of the group might not be having fun.

When riding in a group the main benefit is the draft effect, saving around 25% effort when tucked in behind other riders. We expect riders to take a turn on the front when they able to do so and “hold the wheel” of riders in front on flat sections and shallow climbs. Looking over your shoulder and moderating your pace to ensure riders behind are still attached to the group is important wherever you are within your group and communicating if it looks like a riders has become detached (why not drag them back to the group rather than pushing on yourself?). On the flat the group should be close together so everyone benefits from the draft, work as a team, if there is a few bike lengths between riders you are not doing it right! On hills we wait at an appropriate safe spot to allow slower climbers to rejoin, you might want to make sure you are past the strava segment end!

If we get very large numbers of riders the best option is to split into even sized groups to ensure we are not taking more than our fair share of road space. Also if riders have different pace requirements we also split into pace groups (light speed or supersonic)

We have a stylish Ivinghoe Velos team kit which allows the public to identify us. Please be considerate, courteous and respect our reputation when riding in our groups. Shouting at motorists is unlikely to achieve anything other than a raise in your blood pressure. Smile and wave at other cyclists, even those too pro to wave back.

Occasionally due to traffic or mechanicals there can be splits in groups and we lose visibility of parts of the group. For this reason and for your time you spend on the front it’s important that every rider has a full understanding of the planned route.

Please arrive before the expected start time of our rides. We currently meet by the bus shelter outside Ivinghoe church. There is usually a poll on our facebook rear hub to establish who is out and riding which route, however, most people ignore this, so it’s not really a true gauge on who you might find on the start line.

Mudguards are much appreciated on winter rides, without them the rider behind you might as well be riding in the rain.

As we ride in a group, pointing out hazards is vital, riders within the group wont get much notice of dangerous pot holes, gravel and other slip hazards and maneuvers away from the usual line, please give visual and audible signals and also let other riders know if cars are unexpectedly close by.

Stay safe, have fun and enjoy the journey.

Roll on Sunday

Rides

Three rides for your enjoyment this weekend, 56 miles, 32 miles and 21 miles. At 9am the route heads to Butlers Cross via Wingrave before heading down to Kimble, through Askett to Missenden and then back via the Lee and Aldbury. At 10am riders can enjoy a route out to Chequers and then up Frith Hill. At 10.30 it’s destination Eggington. Rides start from Ivinghoe church.

This week the 9am route has two options, the usual 9am start from Ivinghoe church for a non-stop ride as usual or I have a small group of visitors who belong to the John Lewis Velo club joining me to showcase my local roads. This group will be meeting at Pitstone roundabout, so be there at 9am if you’d like to take this option. There are TWO two coffee stops planned at Owlswick’s Orchard View and at Chiltern Velo @ Hawridge.

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44538857

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44775382

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44780666

Latest Kit Order

You have a small window of opportunity to place an order for some of our very stylish Ivinghoe Velos Kit. The shop will be open until the evening of Monday 23rd so please act now.

The way you place an order is different this time round as our supplier has a shiny new website that should be easier to use. Follow the instructions below to see the store.

You will need to create a new account with them as you check-out. Don’t be tempted to use the navigation at the tope of the screen to login with your old account as this might lead you to a dead-end.

1. Head to the website: https://www.champsys.uk
2. Click on TEAM STORE button at the top menu bar
3. Enter the (case sensitive) password: IV1

Note that you are not limited to just the clothing shown in the main page. You can select anything from their store and they will make it up in the Velos design. All orders are delivered to us here at the Ivinghoe Velodrome. We will send you a message to know when it has landed and can arrange for collection or local delivery.

If you hit any issues placing your order, please send us a message via our Facebook discussion group , the Rear Hub – https://www.facebook.com/groups/789658201073391

The Usual bit……

We are a group of friends who ride together rather than a club so we don’t have any hard and fast rules, preferring to enjoy the journey rather than worry about our sock length. There are no fees to ride with us, we just ask for some considerations to be made so everyone can stay as safe as possible and have a good ride experience.

If you get out and ride it will encourage others to continue, if you sit at home on a turbo trainer, or in front of the TV there may not be anyone to ride with when you want company in the future!

Ivinghoe Velos rides are routes suggestions based on local knowledge built up over years of riding. Suitable for road bikes and often using quiet road options. Occasionally we need to re-route due to road closures and mapping errors. As a group please solve these problems as safely as possible. Anyone is welcome to provide a ridewithgps course for us to follow in future weeks.

Those who lead out a group, the route planners, those who send the postings out each week in no way make any assurances as to the safety of any rides organised under the ‘ivinghoe Velos’ banner. Each participant is wholly responsible for their own safety, road worthiness of their steed, legal requirements to abide by the highway code and any insurances each individual feels are necessary.

Rides are usually between 14mph and 17mph depending on elevation. When rider numbers allow we split into groups based on pace. Generally our motto is ” we leave no one behind” but riders need to be realistic when joining a group with an expected pace, it’s no fun for anyone if one riders pace is considerably slower than all the other riders. Equally if a couple of riders push the pace beyond what is expected, the rest of the group might not be having fun.

When riding in a group the main benefit is the draft effect, saving around 25% effort when tucked in behind other riders. We expect riders to take a turn on the front when they able to do so and “hold the wheel” of riders in front on flat sections and shallow climbs. Looking over your shoulder and moderating your pace to ensure riders behind are still attached to the group is important wherever you are within your group and communicating if it looks like a riders has become detached (why not drag them back to the group rather than pushing on yourself?). On the flat the group should be close together so everyone benefits from the draft, work as a team, if there is a few bike lengths between riders you are not doing it right! On hills we wait at an appropriate safe spot to allow slower climbers to rejoin, you might want to make sure you are past the strava segment end!

If we get very large numbers of riders the best option is to split into even sized groups to ensure we are not taking more than our fair share of road space. Also if riders have different pace requirements we also split into pace groups (light speed or supersonic)

We have a stylish Ivinghoe Velos team kit which allows the public to identify us. Please be considerate, courteous and respect our reputation when riding in our groups. Shouting at motorists is unlikely to achieve anything other than a raise in your blood pressure. Smile and wave at other cyclists, even those too pro to wave back.

Occasionally due to traffic or mechanicals there can be splits in groups and we lose visibility of parts of the group. For this reason and for your time you spend on the front it’s important that every rider has a full understanding of the planned route.

Please arrive before the expected start time of our rides. We currently meet by the bus shelter outside Ivinghoe church. There is usually a poll on our facebook rear hub to establish who is out and riding which route.

Mudguards are much appreciated on winter rides, without them the rider behind you might as well be riding in the rain.

As we ride in a group, pointing out hazards is vital, riders within the group wont get much notice of dangerous pot holes, gravel and other slip hazards and maneuvers away from the usual line, please give visual and audible signals and also let other riders know if cars are unexpectedly close by.

Stay safe, have fun and enjoy the journey.

Roll on Sunday

Three routes to select from this weekend, with each ride having a common final leg, so you never know, rides might meet up.

9am Classic Aylesbury Vale with a twist, a detour through the pretty village of Oving and then on through Hogshaw, small section on the Waddesden greenway. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44730785

10am climbs out through Wendover and then flat back from Terrick. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44730881

10.30am Through Marsworth then it’s destination Wendover. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44730932

All rides start from Ivinghoe church. Please arrive slightly before the ride start time, we may split into pace groups depending on rider numbers. Please look after those riders behind you and make sure you have a good knowledge or a working Sat nav with the route on, we do our best to leave no one behind but if you take a wrong turn things get tricky.

Three rides on the menu this week, with one starting from Cranfield High Street for an away day on roads not ridden on a velos ride previously. Cranfield is about a 40 minute car journey, or a 90 minute bike ride from Ivinghoe! Our route is 55.5 miles on quiet roads through well kept villages. As this is an away day the ride will start at 9.30am to give riders the chance to get over to the start. The starting point is the junction of Merchant Lane with the high street, plenty of local free parking is available. So if you fancy a chance to ride somewhere new and pretty, come along!

At 10am we travel to Chesham and then back through lovely lanes at South Heath and The Lee, there are a few climbs on the route but at 28 miles riders should be back soon after opening time at the pub!

The 10.30 option sees riders circle round Mentmore, Eaton Bray and Slapton, at 22 miles with 600 feet of climbing it’s the shortest option with the smallest climbing ratio.

9.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44523821

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44660400

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44670078

Our stylish bespoke blue kit is the envy of many other clubs, you can have a chance of getting your hands on some as we are about to open a new kit order. We will open the order for a period of time to allow everyone the chance of adding their requirements.

The weather looks very kind for cycling on Sunday, so get out and enjoy the rides!

Three routes to choose from this Sunday, with the popular 1st Sunday of the month coffee ride back at 9am. The route heads to the less travelled north of the chilterns up The Clappers at Sharpenhoe and then follows lanes to Redbourn and back through Ashridge and Aldbury. Riders have a choice of coffee stops, either two thirds of the way round at The Hub in Redbourn, or at the end of the ride at the grand opening of Church Farm Cafe in Aldbury. Please see the bottom of this mail for details of the coffee stop options.

At 10am the route is a Brickhill loop created back in March 2022 we think all the roads are still ridable! For those wanting a shorter ride the 10.30 option visits Wingrave and Tring. Route Master Bembridge has suggested the Sunday miles will be kept on the shorter side as we enter the cooler months of the year, so enjoy the last throws of warmth, unless you are on that plane to Mallorca next week!

9am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44563986

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38734739

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34283255

AWAY DAY: On Sunday 8th October we have the option of a ride away from our usual routes in more ways than one! A select group of riders are taking on the roads of Mallorca for a few days and those left at home can complete a ride starting from Cranfield at 9.30am. It’s a 55 mile ride on very quiet roads with rolling terrain but no proper hills. Having recently road tested the route I can confirm there is 75% less traffic that we are used to and there are some great road surfaces along the route. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44523821 There is plenty of free parking in Cranfield and it’s just a 40 minute drive from Ivinghoe (or a 22 mile bike ride if you are really keen!). We will still have the usual 10am and 10.30 ride options.

We are a group of friends who cycle rather than a cycle club so we don’t have rules, subscriptions or races. Unless someone is keen to ride solo we will do our very best to leave no one behind out on the roads. It’s great to see plenty of riders out on our rides on Sundays and Thursdays and the summer Tuesday nights, It’s even more impressive when everyone is wearing lovely blue Ivinghoe Velos kit. Watch this space for our next opportunitity to order some clothing, maybe you are new to the group, or maybe you need to upgrade some winter essentials.

Church Farm Cafe:

The Perfect Pit stop for cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts.

Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Chiltern hills, Church Farm Café is excited to announce its grand opening on the 1st October as the ultimate destination for cyclists, runners and walkers looking to refuel and relax amidst the natural beauty of the Chilterns.

Church Farm Café, located within a refurbished barn at Walter Swinburn’s old stables (The jockey who trained and rode Shergar to victory in 1981) provides charm and character that marries perfectly to the warm welcome you will receive.

The café features a delightful outdoor seating area overlooking the rolling hills, providing the perfect spot for patrons to soak up the beauty of the Chilterns while enjoying a well-deserved break. Inside offers a cozy, warm retreat for those wanting to shelter from the elements.

A classic café menu is on offer along with a delicious Vietnamese option provided by the renowned “Viet Kitchen” who have quickly established a reputation for providing delicious, authentic, healthy and fresh Vietnamese street food.

“We’re thrilled to open their doors to the vibrant community of cyclists, runners and walkers who frequent the Chilterns” said Simon, co-owners of the Aldbury’s new café. “Church Farm Cafe is more than just a place to grab a bite; it’s a place to recharge, soak in the scenery and make new friends who share your passion for the outdoors.

For more information about Church Farm Café, please visit www.churchfarmcafe.com or follow CHURCHFARMCAFE on socials.

The Hub:

The Hub, conceived in Spring 2012, to provide good coffee, genuine “home made” food, and bike essentials for cyclists et al! It has become more popular with all the community, far and wide, than we could have dreamed. Set in the rural village of Redbourn the building dates back to the 17c and creates an atmosphere of ambience and friendliness.

With a warm snug feeling in the cold and outside seating in the Spring and Summer we welcome all (including dogs) although parties of more than 8 are advised to book ahead.

We also use biodegradable take away cups and lids and paper straws not plastic. The Hub is completely backing this forward thinking initiative.  The popularity with cyclists has created the need for more space and the workshop and cycle sales are also available a few hundred yards up the High Street trading as THE BIKE LOFT. We stock Most bikes and parts can usually be obtained within a few days.