The classic entry point for any budding cyclist wishing to spice up their interest in the sport by competing for the first time is their local cycling club ten-mile time trial or “ten”.  Cycle Club Ashwell runs its club evening ten-time trial series on Wednesday evenings throughout the season centred on the village of Guilden Morden.  For variety, we alternate each week between two courses.  The roads are generally quiet and for a small fee to cover expenses a dedicated bunch of organisers and helpers put up signs to warn traffic and ensure safe conduct and will time you over the course.  And in the current environment it is nearly the perfect Covid-safe competitive cycling experience.  There’s great camaraderie between the competitors and you’ll meet new friends.  There’s no need for any super low-profile bike or teardrop-shaped helmet: anyone with a road bike can compete.  I can almost guarantee that you’ll be back sometime in the following weeks to see if you can better your previous time.  So, why not take the plunge, come on down to Guilden Morden, pin on a number and give it a go?

As spring approaches in it’s fits and starts of teasingly warm days/half days/hours interrupted with the occasional week or two of freezing, stormy, rainy horror the desire to get out on the bike in the sun and work on those tan lines naturally increases. Whether you’re new to cycling or have been at it for years you’ll recognise springtime as one of the most exciting times to ride. If you’ve been slogging away all winter out on the wet and windy roads the prospect of riding in possibly minutes of dazzling sunshine is enough to convince you to go that extra mile. If you’ve been holed up staring at some sort of avatar of a cyclist you’d like to look like miraculously riding straight through other cyclists whilst sweating all over your nicely varnished, now (less) nicely tarnished wooden floor on a stationary bike you’ll be keen to get out there and see if you can stay upright again.

If it’s all a bit new to you, the idea of riding 50k can be pretty daunting, I can remember my first ride of around that distance. I hadn’t ridden a bike in years, I was working on a touring musical that was parked in Bristol for a few months when one of my colleagues suggested bringing my bike down from home to go and cycle to some of the cider farms and pick up some of the good stuff to imbibe in on our return back to the digs after work. It all started with a 10 mile round trip (with ample tasters to keep us rehydrated). 2 weeks later and we’re heading to further farms, a 15 mile trip (in belting rain) and then a 20 mile trip. As my confidence grew I decided to buy a new bike and do this cycling thing a bit more often. I came back to my folk’s place in Letchworth for a break from the tour and got on the bike, an early ride in clipless pedals. I had all day to go wherever I wanted, it was sunny and I could vaguely remember driving to friend’s houses near Whitwell/Kimpton way so decided to cycle those roads. I rode out on the country lanes past Hitchin, out to Gosmore, Preston, Whitwell, Kimpton, Wheathampstead then out towards Luton and back through Offley etc. When I got home I sat down with a map and a piece of string (although I’m not that old I just didn’t know about all the gadgets yet) and figured out how far I’d gone. 45 miles! I celebrated by falling asleep on the sofa in a dribbly mess for a few hours. I think my dad took some pictures for the family album.

Within three years of that ride I’d ridden Land’s End to John O’Groats, Santander to St. Malo and all of the big Alpine climbs near D’Huez. Within another 3 years of that I was riding road races as a 2^nd cat and time trialling vaguely seriously (as serious as you can be whilst trying to fold yourself into a skinsuit that gives you cleavage on your wrists). My longest single ride to date was (and still is) a hugely enjoyable 252 miles with another club member riding the Dunwich Dynamo. We rode Letchworth – London – Dunwich – Letchworth. I’ve ridden to Wells-next-the-sea and back with the club a couple of times (pretty much exactly 200 miles from Letchworth) and pub crawled from Letchworth to the Col de Tourmalet with a mate in 5 days to watch Le Tour/eat chocolate and banana pizza/experience hangovers at 2000 metres. These days I’ve found myself working in Cambridge as a cycle courier for a company there (as my usual profession has shut down during Covid) so most of my riding is commuting to and from Cambridge and riding around on a cargo bike/trike all day delivering parcels.

Riding 50k is a completely feasible distance for a beginner cyclist. Make sure you’re in no rush and aim for a couple of coffee stops to break up the ride. When the cafes open back up again, this will be a lot easier to do on the fly, but for now it’s sensible to check to see where you can get a coffee and a bit of cake and what their opening hours are. Your check list of things might look something like this:

• Water/food: Take plenty and eat/drink often. When I’m riding distance I will start the day with a big bowl of porridge then eat something every 30 mins and drink every 15 on the ride. The idea is that you eat before you start to feel hungry and drink before you start to feel thirsty. This is generally thought of as the best way to get around long days. Both water and food can be topped up easily on the route if needed. Save the sugary stuff till the end of the ride, real food like a savoury sandwich will be best when you’re not pushing too hard. An emergency gel can always help those last few miles go by quickly if you’re feeling your energy dropping, but lots of sugar too early can lead to a big energy slump.
• Route: if you know where you’re going then you won’t find yourself stopping all the time to look at maps/figure out directions. Have a plan, or if you have one use a GPS unit, they’re really useful. If you don’t own one, see if you can borrow one to try (and then go and buy one, because we’re cyclists and we love an expensive gadget). Why not try some of the club recommended routes? You can always alter them slightly to bring the distance down, but this is a good one to start off with: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/528788 . Some good flat roads and a few very pretty little hills enough to be a challenge towards the end of the route.
• Comfort: This is a general thing, so it starts with a bike that fits and that you like to ride. Everybody has different preferences so whatever you’re used to riding the most is good for long rides. I usually run the widest tyres I can on the frame at 50psi which gives plenty of comfort. A good pair of padded shorts (again everybody has their own favourites due to us all having different bottoms), something comfortable at the other contact points if you want. Some people like to wear padded mitts to soften the road buzz through the bars a bit. Stick a packable jacket in too if you have one, always good if the weather changes. I’d personally recommend a helmet too and some sunnies as well. Safety first!
• Pace yourself: One of the biggest mistakes people make when planning to ride all day is going off too hard at the beginning of the day. If you’re planning to ride further than you have done before, take it easy! Don’t go smashing up those hills as hard as you can, drop down a gear and spin your legs a little quicker, freewheel down the other side and save your energy for the end of the ride where you may be feeling tired. Split the ride up into shorter blocks, have a coffee stop or two to give yourself a rest and re-energise!
• Essentials: Whenever you go anywhere on a bike you should make sure that you have a pump, spare inner tubes (or whatever you’ll need to fix the tyres that you’re running), a multitool and a chain tool with a spare link and the knowledge on how to use these things if you need to. Punctures are pretty common; you will need to know how to change an inner tube at the side of the road. It’s good to practice this in the comfort and warmth of your own home so when it happens on the road you know what you’re doing. If visibility is poor and you’re riding on the road, some flashing lights will always help too.
• Rest up! Once you’ve completed your long ride, give yourself a break. If you’ve pushed yourself harder than before it’s always good to let your body recover fully till you head out next on the bike. Fill yourself with protein and beer to celebrate your glorious achievement!

Stepping things up to 100k and 100 miles are just an extension of what you’re doing for your first 50k. The more you do it, the more manageable you’ll realise these distances are. Have a look on the routes page of the website for some suggestions of local 100k and 100 mile routes: https://www.ccashwell.co.uk/106/Local-Routes. Once you know you can ride 50k, try riding the same route or a similar route a bit quicker, push yourself a little harder. Add another loop to your route so you have a few more miles under your belt, keep doing this and before you know it you’ll have ridden 100k.

As long as you’re comfortable on your bike and manage your eating and drinking well you will be surprised at how long you can spend on that saddle. In my experience the best rides where the miles fly by are those when you’re out with good company having a natter about nothing/everything and gossiping about who’s not shaved their legs even though the sun’s out. When restrictions lift and we can ride with each other again you’ll be finding yourself reaching out for even more miles with friends, hitting distances you never thought you’d be able to hit without even realising it!

We’re lucky in CCA that we have such a large variety of riders, from mile munchers to super-speedy track racing youths, riders who just want to get out for a nice sunny couple of hours at the weekend and riders who train hard all week to race throughout the season. All of whom are more than happy to share their knowledge and experiences. Joining CCA and riding with the club was the biggest jump I made in my cycling, speaking to the more experienced riders and finding out what you could do with cycling on the club runs was a huge eye opener. Being involved in a such a friendly and welcoming sport that is getting more accessible by the day is such a wonderful thing too. Cycling is as much a solo activity as it is a team activity, if you’re putting in the miles on the road on your own then why not come along and find out how the other side of it all works? If you’re worried about joining a club, don’t be. My only regret about CCA is that I didn’t join sooner!

Why is the winter a good time to do it?

For a start, a warm and dry gym can be quite appealing during the winter! However, unless you are a cyclo-cross or track rider who is racing during the winter, the main reason is that the commonly experienced short-term drop in cycling performance that the novel and additional load of strength work can cause will have little impact during the winter when peak performance is not really an issue.

Why should I do off the bike training?

Off the bike conditioning work has been shown to make you faster on the bike but it will also deliver a host of other benefits. It will slow and even reverse the loss of muscle mass associated with ageing, improving strength, health and facilitating weight control. It will improve bone health, specifically bone density, which is an issue even for Grand Tour riders. Finally, by being more robust and resilient, you will be less likely to injure yourself lifting the kids out of the car, carrying shopping, or working in the garden. Less time laid up with an injury means more time out on your bike.

What should I do?

Every rider is an individual, with their own specific strengths and limitations, so you should be wary of generic strength routines. Many cyclists, despite having strong legs, are relatively weak in the trunk and have poor flexibility. This means that an exercise such as a barbell back squat, which is often thought of as being a good movement for a cyclist, might not be suitable. Unless you already have strength training experience, it would be a good idea to consult with a fitness professional for advice on a routine specific to your needs and some technique instruction. Off the bike training does not have to mean lifting weights in the gym though. Yoga, Pilates or at home mobility work can all be beneficial for cyclists too.

How often should I train off of the bike?

For strength training through the winter the ideal would be to do 2-3 sessions a week with 48 hours of recovery in between workouts. As you move into the season, you can drop this down to two sessions or even just one for maintenance. For more restorative off the bike training, such as Yoga, Pilates or mobility work, there is no reason why you cannot do a little every day.

Will there be any negative effects on my cycling?

As previously mentioned, strength work can leave your legs feeling a bit heavy, sore and can have a small short-term detrimental effect on your cycling performance. However, this is far outweighed by the long-term gains you will have from a solid winter strength block. Your cycling can also have a limiting impact on the strength gains from gym work but there are some steps you can take to minimise the interference that the two types of training have on each other.

Try to allow at least eight hours between strength and cycling workouts. If doing a split day, doing both in one day, this should still be possible without too early a start or late a finish. On split days, try to do your strength work in the morning and cycling in the evening. Prioritise protein after your strength session consuming 20-40g as quickly as possible.

Some cyclists worry about gaining unnecessary bulk through gym work but, especially if you are continuing to ride, any weight gains will be very small.

Finally, do not make the mistake of lifting low weights for high reps to mimic the endurance requirements of cycling. This is a complete fallacy as, even if you perform three sets of 50 reps, this is still nowhere near the thousands of pedal strokes you will make during a typical ride. To build strength you need to keep the weights fairly heavy and the reps relatively low. Take the advice of a fitness professional but you should be aiming for sets of 6-12 reps.

Always remember…

Do not worry about muscle soreness, especially after your first few visits to the gym. It is perfectly normal and will ease as your muscles get conditioned to lifting.

Extract taken from the British Cycling Winter Training Guide, click here to join British Cycling and for further information on training plans and a whole host of other information!  www.britishcycling.org.uk 

Introduction

Off road cycling covers many different disciplines and comes with an equal number of different bikes on which you can ride in a safe, traffic free environment. This article will look at the different types of riding you can do off-road and which bikes would be suited for each. From easily accessible multi use paths, perfect for a family ride to full on downhill racing, the local area has plenty of off-road riding options.

Bridleways and multi-use paths

The simplest way to get off-road is to head out on to your local bridleways. These are signposted and should not be confused with footpaths. Cyclist can enjoy bridleways and byways but are not permitted to cycle along footpaths. Most bridleways are also used by pedestrians and horse riders so it’s a good idea to have a bell fitted to your bike to make other users aware of your presence. Route planning can be done in advance but heading out and exploring the countryside and finding new tracks can add to the enjoyment of off-road cycling. Just make sure you are on a permitted track and explore the local area. For those that like to plan ahead an OS map can be used to plan a route that takes in bridleways and road sections linking them together. There are online sources too such as :

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/recycling-waste-and-environment/countryside-access/rights-of-way/current-rights-of-way/the-definitive-map.aspx#close

The Letchworth Greenway is a fantastic multi use path that takes you around the town, passing through Hitchin and Baldock on its way. Again, this is enjoyed by pedestrians too and can get busy at weekends so a bell is very much recommended. At 13 miles and around 90% off-road it is very suitable for families with children of all ages.

Bridleways and multi-use paths can be ridden on any bike suitable for off-road cycling. Most commonly this would be a mountain bike but you could also ride a gravel bike or cyclocross bike, more of which later. The Letchworth Greenway could even be ridden on a hybrid or road bike with wider tyres.

CCA organises off-road club runs taking in the many bridleways of the local area (subject to current government guidelines on group riding). Routes will be determined in advance by a ride leader and being all inclusive, the groups will wait for all riders at the end of off-road sections. Longer runs generally take place on Sundays with shorter higher paced rides happening on summer evenings.

Cross country trails

Designed specifically for mountain bikes these are often purposely created trails that may be slightly more technically challenging than local bridleways. A good local example is Chicksands woods near Shefford. Criss-crossing the woods are trails that will vary in their difficulty from wide family friendly trails to narrow technical singletrack that may include features such as drop offs and jumps. Generally, the more technical trails are suited to some form of mountain bike (MTB) with either front suspension forks (hardtail) or both rear and front suspension (full suspension). Further afield Thetford Forest has similar trails with optional technical features that can easily be avoided.

For those wanting something a bit more adventurous Chicksands has a dedicated bike park full of purpose built trails that will test your skills to the highest level. Day tickets cost £7.50 and a decent quality MTB designed for such trails is highly recommended.

If your looking for something more competitive the Eastern region has one of the best cross country (XC) racing series in the country. Mud, Sweat and Gears provides racing for all levels of ability at venues in Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex.

Gravel riding

Also called adventure riding, gravel riding is not a new concept but has risen in popularity with the rise in the number of bikes on offer for it. A gravel bike in essence is a do it all, go anywhere type of bike. It will have drop handlebars, wide tyres and a big gear range to enable you to ride it in a wide range of situations. As the name suggest they are perfect for an adventure, particularly suited for longer rides that includes a mix of road and off-road. Recently there has been an increase in the number of adventure/gravel sportives on offer in the UK, with the gravel bike being perfectly suited to long days out off-road in some of the more scenic (and hilly) parts of the UK. Locally the excellent Tour of the Cornfields, which takes in the bridleways of South Cambridgeshire and North Hertfordshire is held every September. CCA also run a gravel ride for its members, usually in May, the G-ride is a mixture of gravel tracks, unmade roads and road around the local area.

Cyclocross

Cyclocross in its purest form is a racing discipline that has risen in popularity over the last decade. Held over the autumn and winter months, the races consist of multiple laps of a course set over varying terrain. A cyclocross bike is the predecessor of the aforementioned gravel bike and both bikes are interchangeable in their use. Gravel bikes differ in their ability to fit wider tyres whilst cyclocross bikes will have a geometry that is more suited for the tight twisty nature of a race course.

CCA has a very active cyclocross community and during the winter, members of all ages will take part in races throughout the region. Cyclocross racing is one the most accessible cycle sports and is a great way to dip your toe in to the racing scene. At the regional level any off-road bike can be used and the nature of the racing means that no matter your ability there is always someone at your level that you can have a battle with.

CCA organises its own cyclocross events too, an Eastern league event usually in October and smaller events at the grass track field in Ashwell during the summer.

1. Up the mileage

Lockdown and WFH has given many cyclists the opportunity to get a lot more riding in during 2020. Why not look at what you managed in 2020 and try and add a bit on? Keep a look out on the CCA club forum https://forum.ccashwell.co.uk/ for details on club runs on Wed, Sat & Sun and off-road club runs and TT’s on Wed evening (subject to current government/British Cycling rules). There are lots of virtual club events taking place as well including a Monday night social ride, Tuesday night race league, Thursday evening BC TT and a pop up Sunday virtual club run for those bad weather/lockdown days so plenty of ways to get your mileage up.

2. Events

With so many events cancelled during 2020 why not make 2021 the year to do a big event. The club hope to be running the classic 3 cafes, Wells-next-the-Sea and the G ride in 2021. These are great days out and worth considering if you’ve never taken part in one of these before.

3. Follow a training plan

If you’re planning a big event for next year or thinking of racing then training is a great way to improve performance. Hill repeats, Tabata, rollers, Openers are just a few of the many options or why not take it a step further and get a coach for 2021. The club offers Cyclocross coaching to 1st claim youth and adult members during the winter and grass track sessions to youth during the summer, we hope to restart Monday night roller sessions in Autumn 2021.

4. Get off road

There are plenty of bridleways local to us but some can be hard going in winter, I’d recommend an OS map, these now come with digital downloads so you can map out a route and follow it on your cycling computer or phone. I’d avoid Google maps and apps like Komoot as they often show routes on footpaths that you shouldn’t be using with your bike. Chicksands is local and well worth a visit, you can ride the perimeter of the park where there are plenty of technical features or pay £7.50 to go into the bike park. Thetford is also worth a trip but if you want to improve your skills then Hadleigh is a great place to go. If mountain biking or offroad isn’t your thing then how about grass track. The club runs sessions in the summer months on Monday nights with bikes available to hire.

5. Enter a race

Covid-19 made a big dent in the 2020 race calendar and with the very latest lockdown measures it looks like 2021 could make it difficult to get the chance to pin a number on your back. Some racing did take place in 2020 though so if you want to get into road racing, time trialling, grass track, Cyclocross, MTB racing, hill climbing or virtual racing on Zwift why not post a message on the forum to get some advice on how to get started.

As a rule, in winter its best to stick to the wider, flatter roads that have more chance of being gritted rather than twisty, tree lined country lanes. Also be aware of ice on the roads, if you can delay the start of your ride till later in the morning/early afternoon when any ice will hopefully have melted away. Also make sure that your bike is winter ready and your tyres are in a good condition. You can get winter specific tyres that are designed to give more grip in the colder months and Continental 4 seasons seem to be the tyre of choice in the club. Mudguards are also a good investment for winter and will keep you and the bike protected from the debris and muck on the road. Even your bike doesn’t have eyelets to fit them, you can get clip on versions that will fit to almost any frame.

Probably the most important thing to get right in the colder months is your clothing. Unlike running, it’s the windchill with cycling that really cools you down, so make sure that you wear plenty of layers. There are loads of options out there for winter cycling clothing from the cheap to eye wateringly expensive. You don’t need to splash out on the latest technology to get out and enjoy it, but just need to think about what you are wearing. For example, more thin layers are better than one thick one as this gives you the option to unzip/remove if you get too warm & make sure that the outermost layer is a windproof one. Lastly, and maybe most importantly look after your hands, feet and head. These are probably the three areas where you will feel the cold most, so a good pair of gloves is a must along with socks that will keep your feet warm and dry. If you have cycling specific shoes then overshoes will do a great job in keeping your feet warm and dry. As for your head, a simple buff under your cycling helmet will keep your head warm.

So to get you started, here are a couple of tried and tested routes. Both are pretty flat and on wide roads that aren’t too busy with traffic. The first heads out from Bassingbourn and does a loop through Meldreth, Shepreth, Barrington, Foxton, Fowlmere, Melbourn and back Bassingbourn (18 miles). There is also the excellent hot numbers café in Melbourn for some warming coffee and cake !

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/35775861 

The second route starts from Ashwell and is a two loop winter course. Loop 1 is 16 miles and loop 2 is 14 so you can either do one or both depending on how far you want to go. For loop 1 this heads out of Ashwell up Loves lane to Edworth before a gentle climb up to Sutton/Potton and then a return to Ashwell via Wrestlingworth and Guilden Morden. Loop 2 add Steeple Morden, Shingay, Bassingbourn and Littlington before a return to Ashwell via Ashwell station.

https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/26049432 

Hope that these top tips are enough for you to get out and enjoy the lovely Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire/Bedfordshire countryside in all seasons.

Happy pedalling!

To use Zwift, you put your bike on a turbo trainer or rollers, you link your setup to your computer, tablet or phone. With the Zwift App installed, you are free to ride online courses. Think of Zwift as an online computer game with your legs controlling your performance.

What equipment do I need?

First and foremost you’ll need a bike, of course, and some kind of indoor trainer. Then you’ll need a device to run the Zwift app on, and some means of sending data from one to the other.

The Zwift app runs on PC and Mac desktop computers and also on Apple TV, iOs and Android, so you’ll almost certainly have at least one device already that’s capable of running the software: your laptop, tablet or smartphone will do the job. The bigger the screen, the better the experience! I use a very mediocre all in 1 PC running Windows 8. IF you are into your tech, then power powerful devices running through a 4k screen will give you the ultimate simulation of real-life cycling.

Riding within Zwift is based on your power, so if you have a power meter on your bike, or you have a smart trainer that can transmit your power (and cadence) directly, you won’t need anything else. If you have a standard trainer or rollers, then you can fit speed and cadence sensors, and the Zwift app will take that information and estimate your power based on your speed, and the type of trainer you’re on.

If you have an electronically controlled smart trainer, you can take things to the next level. The resistance of the trainer will increase and decrease as the gradient changes in the game, and if you sit behind another rider you’ll find it become easier. Some smart trainers will even simulate road surfaces, so you’ll feel the cobbles or the planks of a wooden bridge as you ride over them. Clever eh?

Smart trainers can be expensive, but not all of them are. For example, the Wahoo Kickr Core is available for around £700, but smart trainers such as the Elite Novo can be had for around £250 if you shop around. To get Zwifting on a budget, the Tacx Blue Matic Turbo (circa £150) has built-in speed and cadence sensors to get you up and running straight away.

More accurate and realistic turbos are direct drive. This involves installing a separate rear cassette on your trainer and removing your back wheel, installing your chain drive around the cassette fitted to the trainer. Cheaper trainers, like the Tacx Blue Matic, mentioned above are 'Wheel On' trainers. This means you drop the back of your bike onto a frame with the wheel on which engages with a roller.

Go to Zwift’s website for a full, up-to-date list of compatible power meters, and smart and conventional turbo trainers. There’s a list of supported smart bikes on there too and even some rollers!

Other equipment

As mentioned above, if you’re not using use a power meter or one of the smart trainers, you need to have a speed sensor attached to your bike – working from the rear wheel, or if on rollers, either wheel.

If you haven’t got one already, you can buy a speed sensor for not much at all (£20-£30)

Some speed sensors also measure cadence (pedal revolutions per minute). If yours doesn’t and you want it, you can add a cadence sensor. You can also add a heart rate monitor if you like; it’s pretty useful to have that data too, and they’re not expensive either.

Smart devices and nearly all computers can talk natively to Bluetooth devices, and many smart trainers and sensors will connect that way. If your trainer or sensors only use the ANT+ protocol, then you'll need a USB dongle for your computer to receive the Ant+ information coming from your turbo or sensors.

Gym fan

One last thing: you’ll really want a decent fan. Because if there’s no wind rushing past you, you'll quickly heat up on an indoor trainer, especially if you’re in a warm spare room and not relegated to the garage or the shed! Floor-standing gym fans and office-style pedestal fans both work well.

Zwift on the cheap: what do you need?

If you want to give Zwift a go, but don't want to spend a fortune, here's some inexpensive gear we'd recommend to get you started. The cheapest way to get going is with Bluetooth sensors, as nearly all laptops, tablets and phones support Bluetooth. A heart rate monitor is a useful addition to any setup, so consider that as an option.

• Magnetic Trainer – from £50 on eBay
• Bluetooth speed/cadence sensor – £22
• Heart rate monitor (optional) – £18

So the minimum setup can cost you under a hundred quid, even factoring in a couple of months' subscription.

Getting set up for Zwifting

To provide an example, this is the equipment which I use:

• Elite Direto OTS Smart Turbo
• 10-speed cassette (for direct-drive turbo)
• Wahoo Tickr Heart Rate Monitor
• Cheapo eBay Ant+ USB dongle
• PC

Okay, now what?

First, you need to go to Zwift’s website and sign up. It's a paid-for subscription service that’s non-contract. It costs you £12.99 per month to use Zwift.

Once you’ve joined up you need to download and install the Zwift software on your computer or get the app on your smart device. That’s simple; you just follow the instructions.

Then you launch Zwift, set up your profile, pair up your trainer or sensors (Zwift guides you through it), and you’re good to go. Whether you’re using a smart trainer, a power meter or a speed sensor, it’s pretty simple.

If that all sounds easy, it is. Genuinely, it takes a matter of minutes. 

Once online, CC Ashwell has a lively Zwift community with inclusive group rides, as well as races being offered on a weekly basis. Check out the CC Ashwell forum here... forum.ccashwell.co.uk

What a strange year so far – first of all Jan and Feb were dominated by tropical storms every weekend, leading to the cancellation of many club activities due to strong winds (and rain), closely followed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the above notice becoming a familiar sight!

It has been a challenging few months and whether you are a key worker working all hours, home schooling, working from home or furloughed, it has no doubt been a strange time and hopefully everyone has been finding ways to cope and to stay sane. It has been a very positive message for cycling though with many people choosing it as there one form of exercise per day. Bike shops have never been busier and the turbo training scene has really taken off – see later in the newsletter for the club activities that have taken place on Zwift. As restrictions start to ease, we are hopeful that some club activities will be able to resume in the not to distant future and so please keep an eye on the forum where we will provide updates as and when Government and British Cycling guidance changes. We are all desperate for a club ride and a cake stop – until then keep yourself entertained with a cycling quiz and prepare your own Chocolate Guinness cake in the comfort of your own home for after an intense turbo session.

Stay Safe!

CCA Committee

(Roles such as timekeepers, commissaires and accredited marshals are not part of the allocation as these are handled separately by the organisers).

The excel file has 3 tabs. One for the club's allocation for 2020, another the list of events and finally a list of who entered the ECCA events that were not cancelled last year.

For each of the two roads races we need 2 volunteers per car and there are 2 lead cars per race. The drivers of the cars need to be BC members for insurance purposes. For the last two years the drivers of the lead cars have been reimbursed for mileage for the race distance.

Many thanks!

It has been a fairly mild winter (if not slightly wet!) and fingers crossed it continues to stay this way so that we can all get some base miles in ahead of the new season which is just around the corner, I’m sure we are all looking forward to the lighter evenings again. Club rides take place every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year and we have the ladies Tootle rides running on regular Fridays so there is always an opportunity toget out and ride with fellow club mates. The season kicks off with both the Hard riders and 3 cafes ride in March – everyone is welcome. This year we also have the excitement of a new TT course – continue reading for more info and upcoming dates for your diary so that you can start planning.

In future editions we would also like to include ‘meet the member’ articles so that you can get to know various members of the club and how they began their cycling journeys so please do send any proposals to us along with any other photos/stories/events. The next issue will be end June 2020.

In the meantime, please do join us for our annual social & celebration for both Adults and Youth at The Three Horseshoes, Norton on Sat 29th Feb from 6pm.

Happy cycling! 

CCA Committee

2019 marked the 20^th anniversary of Cycle Club Ashwell. The occasion was marked with the introduction of a special-edition club jersey.

This year was a great year for women’s cycling in the club, with the introduction of weekly women-only ‘Tootle’ rides, designed to be totally inclusive of every ability and cycling ambition. CC Ashwell women also did well in 2019 competing in time-trials, road races and cyclocross races and picked up some great results. The club organised a very successful women-only road race in addition to its established men’s road race event, as well as a women-only cyclocross race. The club is very keen to encourage and inspire more women to enjoy cycling at all levels.

The club won a major regional trophy this year, by winning the Interclub Time Trial Championship. The championship features a series of time-trials on quieter lanes and roads. Individual times are then grouped to find a team score. CC Ashwell won all but one round to take the trophy.

The weekly summer series of 10-mile time trials around the ‘Guilden Morden circuit’ proved as popular as previous years. Next year, plans are in place to introduce two new courses and spice up the competition more! Time-trials can be an easier way into competitive cycling and the weekly series are open to everyone, member or not.

The club’s involvement in cyclo-cross continues to thrive. CC Ashwell organise an event each year as part of the Eastern Region’s league. This inclusive, muddy, Belgium-inspired side to the sport is highly inclusive: young and old compete in different races through muddy fields, over hurdles and up and down slippy hills.

Ashwell is well-known in cycling for its grass track racing. The club organises two national racing events each year on its purpose-built cycle track on Small Gains field, off Station Road. On this field, the club also run youth cycle coaching sessions throughout the year. These sessions are designed for children who want to take their cycling further and explore competitive bike racing. The club organises two regional youth race events a year that will see children and complete novices, as young as 3 years old, take part.

The club organised a trip to the Dolomites in Italy, raced again in the Tour of Malta and saw a rider succeed in the legendary Paris-Brest-Paris audax ride, among many other achievements. The club continues to organise regular weekly bike rides from Ashwell. Anyone interested in developing their cycling skills or wanting to know more about the sport in general should visit the website, www.ccashwell.co.uk

The races will be on the same circuit as last year around Elmdon.

Event Date: 5th April 2020

Event Type: Road Race (Competitive)

Venue: Go the the website homepage and click on the FORUM link to view the PRIMAVERA road race link

Series: Eastern Road Race League

Entry close date: Sunday, 22nd March 2020

Find out more and book now

Exclusive offer for bike clubs:

During July and August 2018, 7 nights full board, airport transfers and FREE bike trails in Tignes and Val d’Isere from £375 per person based on 2 people sharing.

EXCLUSIVE for summer 2018 we are also offering 1 FREE PLACE in every group of 6 (based on 2 sharing).

For more information on pricing and availability or to book please either:

Visit www.mountainsunfrance.com/bike, email ellie@mountainsunfrance.com or call Ellie on 01273 257 008 ext 3.

On the Hill

• Great Bike Park with varying trails
• Free uplifts
• Free shuttles from the chalet to the resort hub of Tignes Le Lac
• Fantastic 4km single track Enduro Style trail back to the Chalet
• Easy access to our neighbouring resorts of Les Arcs, Ste Foy, La Thuile and La Rosiere, with transport available (POA)
• Guides and bike hire through our partners in resort (POA)

Off the Hill

• Secure indoor bike storage
• Bike cleaning facilities and bike servicing stands
• Great food
• In-house fully licenced bar with Sky TV and pool table
• Sauna, hot tub and a sunny chill out terrace
• Great home from home atmosphere, friendly staff and fellow mountain bikers
• FREE activities card for Tignes

Can’t make it this year? Why not join us on Facebook to keep updated for Summer 2019?

Thanks for your time and happy riding!

The Samaritans Cycle is a spectacular cycling sportive consisting of 3 routes for cyclists of all abilities that will take you around the outstanding natural beauty of the Chilterns. All routes start and finish in West Wycombe, in the grounds of West Wycombe Estate.

This great value event includes:

• Event HQ and parking
• Free Cuppa and Bacon Sarnie before the ride
• Full route marking
• Delicious home baked fare at the feed stations
• Electronic chip timing
• Free gourmet burger and Malt the Brewery beer at the finish
• Shiny medal
• On site cycle mechanics
• On site fine Ale
• Photography
• Retail Opportunities
• The outstanding natural beauty of the Chilterns

This is the second time the Chiltern Samaritans have organised this event. Last year we attracted 420 cyclists and we hope to get even more this time. The Chiltern Samaritans is a very worthwhile cause, supporting over 35,000 calls a year with people in distress. Our branch needs to raise about £30,000 a year to keep going and these rides will be a significant contributor.

The 25 mile ride will cost £15 and the 50 and 80 mile routes are £30. To register for the ride please visit Samaritans Cycle or visit their Samaritans Cycle Facebook page for more information.

Download the event flyer

‘Members’ section contains all the pertinent information for both adult and youth riders that have already joined the club and primarily want news, calendar events or to view their club results!