We are a group of friends who ride together rather than a cycle club, we have no hard and fast rules, no subscription and have no delusions of grandeur. If you are “group ride curious” we must just be a great place to start, we welcome new riders, our rides are on road bikes with pace generally around 14mph to 16mph depending on the wind and hills. When riding in a group you can achieve slightly higher average speeds because you can take a turn sheltering from the wind and the motivation to keep up helps push you harder than when out on your own.

Three rides this Sunday, all starting from Ivinghoe church. looking ahead we are exactly one month away from a weekend is Wells (Somerset) 17th to 20th May. The weekend away features four days of riding on similar outings to our usual Sunday rides but on different roads and with the chance to socialise off the bike before and after rides. The rides are planned to be ridden at “tourist pace” to allow riders to take in the scenery and ride multiple days in a row, each ride has a refrshment stop. Anyone who wishes to join needs to book their own accomodation in or near Wells and be ready to ride at 1pm on Friday afternoon and 10am on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. We have longer and shorter options each day, designed to showcase some of the best riding Somerset has to offer. Riders can join for any or all days and we will look at meeting & eating spots for the evenings.

Back to this week, Please be ready to ride from Ivinghoe church at the stated start time, we may split into different pace groups if there are a large number of riders on a route and the more modest pace group will ensure no one is left behind! Once again the earliest ride sets off at 9.30am as we stretch ourselves towards summer distances…..

Rides finish at the Rose and Crown, handy if you are thirsty or hungry after your morning endevours!

10.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46247686 Wendover Loop 21 miles 680 feet of climbing

10am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46247630 Fighting up Rocky 31 miles 1551 feet of climbing

9.30am https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46261195 The Airport Run 44 miles 2,426 feet of climbing

During the summer months we plan rides for Tuesday evenings, Some riders like advance notice of these so they can plan in the rest of their week’s riding. The rides start at 6pm from the roundabout in Pitstone as long as it’s dry! We will offer 2 distance and 2 paces to ensure everyone gets a chance to do what they want, so the paces will be “ride hard” or “recovery”, “Ride hard” is for riders who want a bit of a stretch, we will aim to push the pace but the group is stonger than the individual so we will try to stay connected. “Recovery” is for riders looking for less intensity, maybe turning the legs after a hard weekend of riding, or building up to something later in the week.

Tuesday 23rd April 6pm short https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46261364 16 miles

Tuesday 23rd April 6pm less short https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46261344 21 miles

Three rides to choose from this Sunday, all starting from the church in Ivinghoe. During the summer months we like to offer longer routes, so as we transition towards that, this week the milage for the longest ride has increased slightly, We don’t want you to think you have to cycle faster to make the all important pub time, so the start time has moved by half an hour to 9.30am. Once we get up to doing over 50 miles we will move the start time to 9.

9.30am Little Horwood 43 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46154459

10am Whitchurch 29 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45032139

10.30amCublinton 20 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45037529

All rides start from the church in Ivinghoe. In the near future some “away day” options will be planned for some rides starting within an hours drive of ivinghoe to give us the chance to ride on some different roads for a change. These will include a chiltern hills ride, the Cranfield classic and North Oxfordshire.

The planners at Ivinghoe Velos Towers have been liasing closely with the national weather forecasting teams to come up with routes giving riders a gentle push on the return legs for Sunday. The longer ride this week is a 37 mile offering called “Little Miss Windy” as once we get to Little Missenden you will hardly have to pedal to get back to Ivinghoe!

The medium route crafted by Dave B also takes riders South first, dipping into Chesham before lanes back via Aldbury, this is a 28 mile loop with col de la Hastoe to navigate after 5 miles.

The 10.30 route is a re-run on last weeks shoter ride so join this one if you missed out on it last time! This carefully crafted option does reach higher ground but takes the shallow side up the hills making the climbs achieveable for all levels of rider.

We meet at Ivinghoe church and rides leave on time so get there early with the route plumbed into your headset computer. Old school printouts with turn by turn directions are also acceptable but you may not have many friends left by the end of the ride.

10.30am short but sweet https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45415357 The Hastoe Loop

10am medium/rare https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46065326 Mount Nugent Loop

10am Long and Strong https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46083156 Little Miss Windy

Three routes for your deliberation this Sunday, starting at 10am or 10.30am. Remember if you forget to put your clocks forward at 1am on Sunday you run the risk of missing the group rides which leave Ivinghoe church on British summer time.

Once again this week we have a 10.30 route suitable for beginners and rejoiners, so if you are new, returning or just a bit unfit this is the ride for you! We leave no one behind.

Naismith’s rule (1 h / 3 mi + 1 h / 2000 ft) helps with the planning of a walking or hiking expeditions by calculating how long it will take to travel the intended route, including any extra time taken when walking uphill. This rule of thumb was devised by Willian M Naismith, a Scottish mountaineer 1892. We all know when route planning on the flat it’s easy to work out how long a journey will take but add in hills and the time taken on any distance can vary.

Over the years several adjustments and recalculations have been made and Tranters corrections added a level of fitness to the equation. When walking, going downhill can also take longer than walking on the flat, luckily this is an area when cyclists can gain a bit of time back!

In Howe’s rule I’ve added five rider characteristics to a cycling equation to help work out where individuals fit on the scale, working hard to ensure riders arrive at the Rose and Crown at a similar time!!! The five charateristics are as follows; 1) Goat- loves a mountain and handles any slopes up or down well, 2) Feather- doesn’t weigh very much but lacks power, tends to float around on the wind not going up or down at any pace, 3)Rock- heavy, quite an effort pushing up, but once crested get out the way! 4)all rounder- keeps a reasonable pace on all but the steepest of slopes 5)sofa rider- stays home and rotates through poor weather, less important hobbies and other commitments as excuses, when they do go out they get left behind by the goats, feather, rocks and all-rounders.

This is how the equation unfolds: 30 miles with 1,500 feet of climbing: goats-16mph 1hr 52 minutes; feathers- 14.5 mph 2hrs 4 minutes: rocks- 14mph 2hrs 8 minutes; allrounders-15mph 2 hrs: sofa riders- toast, coffee and the Sunday papers.

At Velos Towers we know the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts (not every cycle group has Aristotle quotes in it’s weekly posts) So we welcome goats, feather, rocks, allrounders and even sofa riders looking to get back on two wheels, so come along and enjoy the ride.

10.30 beginners/returners https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45415357

10am medium ride https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45990528

10am longer ride https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45990496

Routes have been wind checked and characteristics applied, so back for a beer and cheesy chips in good time.

Three routes to choose from on Sunday all three heading in the same direction. We have a new starters/rejoiners/steady group at 10.30 suitable for anyone to join and feel supported in a group outing and then two options at 10am. The 10am routes cover the same distance however one has Pitstone Hill, Toms Hill, Darrs Lane and Mount Dunsmore on the route and the other one doesn’t but still has a reasonable level of elevation over the ride! So rider can choose to add 450 extra feet of climbing and finish on the same last 10 miles.

10.30 short https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45365256

10am feeling a bit flatter https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45921243

10am The hills are alive https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45921182

Rides start on time at Ivinghoe church entance and return to the village sometime after pub opening time!

Some early ride fun this week for both 10am routes which share a common start, we will have our annual downhill challenge, no pedaling after the top corner off the B489 onto Chapel Lane & the winner is the rider who comes to a halt furthest past the Village Swan pub in Ivinghoe Aston.

10.45 new joiners and restarters steady pace https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45324812

10am medium route benchmark pace over 13-15mph https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45835683

10am longer route, benchmark pace over 14-16mph https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45835452

Ivinghoe Velos rides take place on Sunday mornings and start from outside the church in Ivinghoe, we are a welcoming and friendly group of friends, most of us are the other side of 50 but with great age comes great wisdom, we have a bank of well researched routes and a reasonable kowledge of the workings of a bicycle. New riders young and old are welcome, although we may not be able to keep up with you! With this in mind Dave Bembridge has crafted a set of “new starters and rejoiner” rides starting this Sunday, these rides will be easy routes ridden as a pace to suit every riders. Local legend has it that Dave carries a rubber ring with him, this isn’t for a more comfy seat in the pub after a long day in the saddle, it’s to help rescue riders stuck in puddles along the route.

During the winter months our rides start from 10am. During warmer summer months we extend the distances slightly and start a longer option at 9am, this is usually around mid April to October and during these longer riders we pop in the occasional coffee stop.

Rides conclude back in Ivinghoe close to the Rose And Crown pub, which welcomes riders with a range of isotonic beverages and carb replacing snacks for some post ride chat.

We also arrange ad-hoc weekday coffee rides and evening pre-beer rides which we arrange via social media so we can be agile with timings.

In May each year we have a change of scenery, planning a series of rides over a weekend in another location, we’ve previously visited The Peak District, Suffolk, Tewekesbury and Yorkshire, this year we head to Wells in Somerset and do 4 days of rides with plenty of time around the rides to enjoy the location (plus more isotonic beverages and carb replacing snacks).

We have also arranged trips to sunny destinations with real mountains, taken part in sportives, ridden the odd mountain bike ride, travelled back on the Grand Union from London and completed charity rides, so there is something for everybody

Our aim is to leave no one behind, so riders should look after and wait for riders behind as well as keep up with riders in front, a little communication helps keep the group together and having a good knowledge of the route means you can be confident when the route makes turns. We try to ride close together to benefit from the draft (reducing wind resistance for the riders behind) on the flat and gentle up hills and will regroup after more severe climbs as everyone has their own pace to get up these!

Three rides this week with a longer and medium 10am options plus the new joiners and returns route at 10.45am (if you already regularly use your bike you are welcome to join the longer options!)

Riders are responsible for their own safety and mechanical reliability, we help with changing tubes after a puncture, but if your pedal falls off it’s a long walk home!

Roll on Sunday

This Sunday is mothers day, so those lucky enough to be able to spend time with their mum may not be riding with us, we still have three routes available to enjoy for everyone else and if you do get out and ride quickly enough, you might make it back for apple pie at lunch time!

10.30 short: Mamma Mia, here we go again https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45115258

10.00 medium: Some mothers do ave em https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45777687

10.00 long: Mum’s the word: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45786463

Rides Start at by the church in Ivinghoe and return to the village, please arrive before the ride start time with a good idea of your choosen route. We aim to leave no one behind so look after the riders behind you as well as keeping up with the riders in front of you!

Captain Ridely’s Shooting Party was the cover story used for Bletchley Park’s early codebreakers in 1938. The site was choosen close to a railway station serving the Varsity line between Oxford and Cambridge. Locals were told a shooting party had arrived at Bletchley mansion, the inital 150 staff swelled to over 9,000 by 1945 as the Ultra intelligence factory contributed to the success of victory in Europe and shortened the second world war by between 2 and 4 years. As we have this historic landmark within range, this week’s longer ride heads towards the home of Collossus, Alan Turing, Enigma machines and a league two football team that used to play in South London. The route travels within 200 meters of the Bletchley Park enterance on Sherwood drive, a detour for a photo might be in order!

The shorter rides also head in a similar direction but loop back from Cublington.

Please have the route you intend to ride plumbed into your headset computer, arrive before the ride start time and look after those you are riding with. Rides start from Ivinghoe chruch and finish close to the rose and crown where you will be able to code break some local ales.

10am 38 miles Captian Ridley’s Riding party https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45715283

10am 26 miles Cublinton-Weedon Loop & return https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43518405

10.30am 21 miles Cublington-Wing circular ride https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45710779

We ride on Sunday starting from Ivinghoe church at 10am or 10.30am. Routes have been carefully selected to feature some of the best of our local cycling. You can’t beat riding in a group, so dust off your lycra and join us for fun on two wheels.

10am longer option. Riding up towards Quainton we cut through Oving and then back via Dunton, rolling rather than hilly 36 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45644388

10am medium option a fairly flat loop heading towards Leighton Buzzard, 27.5 miles with a couple of minor bumps https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45652393

10.30 shorter option a 17 mile loop heading through Tring, with no noticable climbing https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45080828

We are not a cycle club, there is no membership fees, riders can come along as often or as little as they like but do remember if no one rides the enthusiasm for the group will wane and riders will look elsewhere for group options. We have various distance and pace options to suit most casual riders. While our quickest rides can go along at a reasonable pace, If you are training for the Olympics we are probably not the group for you! Our top speed average rarely exceeds 16mph while our lower mileage rides are often around 14mph, depending on how much climbing is involved! Riding in a group saves a good 20% of your usual solo effort so join the group for some easier miles!

Rides Start and finish in Ivinghoe, at the junction by the church, our general aim is to leave no one behind unless they are dead set on wanting to continue solo (we often hear riders say they are happy to continue on their own but we know it’s always easier in a group so we moderate the pace to get everybody back, or split into pace groups)

While we meet and complete suggested routes each week, we can make no guarentees about traffic safety and road conditions, anyone joining us must be responsible for their own safety, ensure their equipment is in good order and ride with due caution.

Roll on Sunday

Anyone around on Saturdays for some gentle riding with tea and cake as incentive….. “the tea ride” leaves the Rose and Crown at 10am on Saturday morning.

Sending this one out on St Valentines day. A favourite time of year for lovers, flower sellers and the card factory. If you are able to tear yourself away from reading your cards on Sunday we have some love themed rides for you!

Cycling has always had a close relationship with romance, many love stories have roots in cycling culture and I’m not just talking about you and your favourite bike, the most obvious one is the tragic love story of young Romeo the road cyclist falling for Juliet the mountain biker, they came from different sides of the track and family and friends couldn’t understand the attraction, sworn enemies the two young cyclists couldn’t help fall in love but it didn’t end well, Romeo became the record holder on at the local bike park so Juliet left him out of jealousy.

Lovers Marie and Pierre Curie were the first married couple to win the nobel prize, What you may not realise is that they were both keen cyclists, sharing the passion of riding together as an escape from work in the lab, embarking on cycling adventures across Europe, often saying cycling provided a surge in brain power. If Marie hadn’t spent all her time inventing radiation therapy she probably would have invented disc brakes or clipless pedals.

Cleopatra and Marc Anthony started up all 11 year romance when cleopara found out the Roman General had a passion for cycling, dressed in gold embroidered lycra the queen of Eygpt was led into Tarsus by a Peloton of youths dressed as Eros, with Domestiques spraying purfume towards the gaping crowds lining the route. The sight of Cleopatra’s gold plated Specialized S Works Aethos was too much for Marc to resisit and they become the most glamourous couple on the weekly coffee ride.

So where should the 10am longer ride go to this Sunday? Love Lane of course! We head to Chipperfield to pick up Love Lane on a route of 39 miles of loveliness. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45569130

Thanks to Dave B (or Mr Romance as he likes to be known) for the medium and short routes this week!

10am Longdown Lover Loop 28 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45593136

10.30 It’s the Halton Heartbreaker 24 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45593165

Please remember we are a group of friends not a cycle club so while we stive to publish fact checked postings and reliable routes occassionally there may be the odd inacuracy. Your patience and understading is appeciated.