I think most people in the cycling world have heard of the Cingles: the challenge reserved for people of a foolish disposition who think it’s good fun to climb Mont Ventoux not once or twice but three times in the same day. But did you know there was an arguably even tougher multiple ascent challenge of an Hors Categorie Tour de France col where the requirement is for four climbs between dawn and dusk?
Read MoreWhat's it really like to ride the Tour de France?
Thousands of amateur cyclists ride the Etape du Tour each year and for many it’s a huge achievement to complete that one stage of the Tour de France. But what’s it like to ride the entire parcours over three weeks? Mark Roberts completed Le Loop last year - a charity cycling event that does just that. Find out about the pain, fatigue, camaraderie and exhilaration of riding one of the toughest cycling challenges around.
Read MoreMallorca 312 Registration Open
“This is what bikes are made for. This weather, these roads, these landscapes.” So said one of last year’s participants of Mallorca 312, one of the best cycling sportives in the world. With closed roads on the entire route which starts on the east coast of the island and climbs into the Tramuntana mountains this is a bucket list ride on the same level as the Etape du Tour. And registration is open!
Read MoreWoody, The Wonder Bike
What would your choice of bike be if you were off on an adventure through South America? The Cinelli Hobootleg looks like it would fit the bill while the Surly Long Haul Trucker is a popular choice among many a hardy bike tourer. But Kate Rawles decided to build her own, and it wasn’t steel but bamboo that she used as a material to fashion into her trusty steed.
Read MoreDiscovering the Beauty, Wildness and Drama of Patagonia by Bike
“Montanus is an attitude, an intimate journey…the call of the wild buck… Montanus is the smell of moss on your gloves, the dry red mud on your bike, the frost on your sleeping bag. Montanus is life outside the comfort zone, an inspiration for those who want to experience nature. It’s about enjoying the slow ride, perceiving the smells and taking in the colours.”
Read MoreThe Ten Best Views in Europe from a Road Bike
There’s no doubt that there are some views that are only possible from your road bike. Whether it's Stelvio’s 48 snaking bends or Lake Como’s peace and tranquility, your road bike is your vehicle to embrace some of Europe’s stunning views.
Ernest Hemingway famously said that ‘It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best’. You could take that one step further by arguing that you can discover a country's best views from your bike.
Read More5 Star Cycling in Mallorca with Ashmei and Cycology
Do you like a bit of luxury on your cycling holidays? High-end clothing brand Ashmei have teamed up with tour operator Cycology for a long weekend in Mallorca which offers five star accommodation, guided rides in some of the best cycling terrain the world has to offer and some exclusive Ashmei kit. Hurry to secure a place on this limited availability trip – there are only twelve places.
Read MoreCycling Heaven in the Pyrenees
There is nothing better to do on a bike than cycle up a mountain. No, not the Surrey Hills on a wet Saturday or the Ashdown Forest on a very wet Sunday. I mean a bright, sunny, 25 degrees kind of day, cycling up something over 1000m. I remember my first Col – Alpe d’Huez on a hot summer’s morning in 2012. The battle of body against machine, the stunning scenery, the knowledge that you are cycling in the shadows of the greats. I loved it.
Read MoreWhere to Watch the 2018 Tour de France?
Reaction to the announcement of the 2018 Tour de France route has generally been positive. With both a cobbled and a gravelled section, Alpe d’Huez, the Tourmalet, a super short 65km mountain stage in the Pyrenees and a lumpy time trial on the penultimate day, it’s an inventive and exciting parcours.
With so many iconic stages that refer back to the Tour’s heritage, the question is, where’s the best place to head to if you want to watch the riders in the flesh? Is it the Vendee and the beautiful west coast, the cobbles on the road to Roubaix? Or should you head to head to the Alps or Pyrenees?
Read MoreFrom 7 Hills to 7 Passes, the Cycling Adventure of a Lifetime
With the increasing popularity of bikepacking there are quite a few people who have succeeded in crossing the entire planet by bike. At the moment Mark Beaumont is on track to beat the world record by circumnavigating it in 80 days. He does, of course, have the benefit of a back up vehicle and a team to support him.
But most round the worlders aren’t record breakers – they want to do it unsupported and their motivation is to view the planet from the best position you could possibly get – from the saddle. Ride Velo were inspired when we came across Becycling.net a website set up by a couple of Italians called Daniele and Simona who are pedalling across the world in support of World Bicycle Relief which provides bikes for students, health workers and private enterprises in inaccessible parts of the world.
Read MoreBrighton to Exeter: a Bikepacker's Tale
It was the first big climb of the day. Earlier on we’d spotted it on the map of Dorset – a chevron marking a particularly steep section. As the road began to rise, a 17% road sign announced the gradient we were going to have to attempt. I looked up ahead to what really seemed like a wall and wondered if I’d be able to get up this one. It would have been tough on my light skittish road bike, but here I was loaded down with 30 kilos on the back of my touring bike.
Read MoreMallorca's Top Ten Rides
When you think of Mallorca it’s the climbs that are the really big pull for many a bike rider. Stretches of road that look like spaghetti strewn across the flanks of towering mountains feature vertiginous drops and coastal vistas that take your breath away. But it also has pan flat plains and rolling countryside that offer welcome recovery rides if you’ve only got a week or so to explore the island. Here’s Ride Velo’s guide to some of the best rides on this Balearic jewel.
Read MoreEthiopia: a truly adventurous cycling destination
At Ride Velo we love cycling abroad: Alps, Pyrenees, Mallorca. These are truly wonderful cycling destinations. But our imagination, adventurous spirit and wanderlust were stirred even further when we heard about Tadele Travel who are offering cycling holidays in Ethiopia.
We spoke to Richard Nerurkar who runs the company with his business partner, Ethiopian born, Girma Tadele. If Richard Nerurkar’s name is familiar it may be that you remember him as a former 10,000 metre and marathon runner from the 1990s who competed in two Olympic Games for Great Britain and was once tipped as a favourite to win the London Marathon.
Read MoreA pilgrimage to the spiritual home of Italian cycling
Lake Como may well be known for its celebrity mansions nestling on the shores of its tranquil waters, but for a cyclist, this part of Italy holds a particular draw. Because if you go to Bellagio just along from George Clooney’s lakeside retreat, there is a famous climb from Como’s shores to the Madonna del Ghisallo, a beautiful chapel dedicated to famous cyclists of the past as well as a modern state of the art museum.
Read MoreGirona Gran Fondo 2016
The number of UK based sportives has exploded in the last couple of years, giving amateur cyclists a huge choice of opportunities to experience well-organised, semi-competitive, supported rides in our beautiful countryside. The only downside is our unpredictable climate – who can forget the wash out that was Ride 100 in 2014? In August! So it is that many of us have started to look further afield and beyond our shores and dark satanic mills for our next cycling challenge.
Read MoreThe Japanese Odyssey: An Epic Cycling Adventure
Done the Etape, the Marmotte, the Tour of Flanders sportive? What next? If you’re looking for an original cycling challenge that’s going to test you further, something truly epic where you’re going to discover something about yourself and experience a real adventure, you should think about taking on The Japanese Odyssey.
Read MoreMediterranean Cycling Holidays
Last week Ride Velo looked at bucket list cycling holidays of a lifetime. This week we come back down to earth a little, exploring seaside and coastal holidays near the Mediterranean and along the Algarve. There is such an array to choose from, we've just picked out the best road cycling holidays for fairly able riders, but if you're into MTB, ebike or family holidays, don't stop reading now, as all the companies we've featured have a whole host of different trips to try and locations to experience. There really is something for everyone!
Read MoreWorldwide Cycling Adventures
Are you fed up of going out for a ride and coming home unable to feel your feet, which have turned to blocks of ice? January is traditionally the month to start flicking through the holiday brochures to give us something to look forward to during the unkind winter months. There's no better way of experiencing the culture, landscape and way of life of a new country than on a bike. What's more, you can come back feeling heathy and invigorated. Help is at hand as Ride Velo brings you our best holiday guides, starting with long-distance worldwide trips to whet your cycling appetites.
Read MoreChristmas Cycling Around Copenhagen
What better place to be in over Christmas than the cycling capital of the world, Copenhagen. This was Ride Velo's first visit to the Danish capital and we were eager to see why and how Copenhagen has earned its place as the most successful cycling city. So armed with Rapha's City Cycling Copenhagen guide, we hired bikes, donned our warmest clothes and set out on our latest European adventure.
Read MoreWarm Showers
Ride Velo always suspected that cyclists were very lovely people but now we have the evidence to prove it. Did you know that there is a worldwide network of cyclists offering showers, a bed for the night, laundry, food and more to their cycling sisters and brothers - and all for free?
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