A variety of evening rides were enjoyed on Tuesday 21st June all ending at Green Park for a Midsummer get together

VCW beat the sun!

Setting off at sunrise from the east coast in Kent, we made it 205 miles across the country to the west coast in Burnham On Sea before sunset. Lovely picturesque route, through the Kent hopfields, on to Crystal Palace and the Thames, and through the royal forests to Bramley for lunch. Then over the downs to the Vale of Pewsey, Devizes and a testing series of climbs up on to the Mendips via Kilmersdon. Finally a whizzing descent of Cheddar Gorge and a dash through the lanes of the levels to Burnham.

The weather played its full hand: sunny and hot for the first part; showery for the middle part; torrential rain for the last section across the Mendips and Levels.

A tough end to a tough long day – amazing riding from everybody.

A great event, highly recommended.

On a sunny Saturday 35 cyclists cycled 75 miles from Bath to Weymouth.

The bikes were all transported  safely back in a van whilst the riders got the train home.

What a day!

The IOW Randonnee is very well organised and free to enter.

The were electronic brevet stops at Cowes, Wooton, Bembridge Ventnor and Yarmouth. At each stop there was a great welcome and lots of cakes, rolls and drinks to purchase.

The rolling hills, smooth tarmac and company of fellow club members and other cyclists made it a great day out.

it was a pretty windy day and dark and wet by the time the last ones got back – the cake makes it a very special memorable event

In the summer I received a message from a fellow VC Walcot member wondering if I could help with a Bike Maintenance Session for some of the female members of the club.

With some covid restrictions still in place we decided to host the session in the park. We spent a couple of hours together with our bikes and got to grips with;

????Understanding the names and parts of our bikes.
????How to check that our bikes are safe to ride using the MCheck.
????How to keep our chains clean and running smoothly, and how to check for wear.
????How to remove a back wheel, replace an inner tube, re-seat tyres, and reinstall the wheel.

Understanding the workings of your bike, and knowing that your bike is safe to ride because you know what to look for, gives you confidence out on the road. Knowing that you can fix a puncture if it happens stops the worry and means you can get out and enjoy the ride!

Club Events

If you don’t do anything else all year, these are the three-line-whip events because they are our own promotions and we pride ourselves on organising the most fun cycling events on the South West calendar:

Classics Ride tbc

Traditionally the day of Paris-Roubaix. Arran Armstrong is hatching his latest fiendish route, hopefully including two golf courses this time. Afterwards you’ll be able to relax back at the Bath Brewhouse and watch the big race. Other local clubs very welcome, it’s free! Watch out for details in club newsletters and Instagram for non-members.

Midsummer Madness tbc

Get lost in obscure lanes on the longest evening of the year, find your way back to food and beer, what could possibly go wrong? Venue yet to be decided. Lots of groups and starting times from Cadence Cycles. Other local clubs very welcome, it’s free!  Watch out for details in club newsletters and Instagram for non-members.

Dorothy House ‘Bake-Off’ Ride-Out tbc

Based on the success of 2019  event, we’ll be doing this one again and it’s all about our cake-making prowess. Start practicing your recipes now. £10 suggested donation to Dorothy House. We raised £1,400 in 2019 and intend to surpass that in 2022. Watch out for details in club newsletters and Instagram for non-members.

VC Walcot Hill Climb, Claverton Hill tbc

Our longest-standing event with a legendary reputation in the West Country cycling community. This year we are continuing our push to get as many club members riding as possible, plus of course it is an ‘open’ event for all cycling clubs to enter, both local and further afield. The cider barn at the end of the race was a great success in 2021.

Audax Events

Audax: long(er) distance, non-competitive routes, often involving an element of self-navigation and road-less-travelled routes and fabulous cake stops.

Sportives

Unlike Audax events that are simple and self-navigating – which in itself is the challenge for many – Sportive events are signposted with usually well-stocked food stops and finisher medals and the like which of course means they are sometimes a bit more expensive to enter. These are Sportives that we know from experience offer good value for the overall experience. 

UKCE Wiltshire Classic Saturday 12th March 2022

The Wiltshire Classic, crisscrosses the rolling countryside of Cranborne Chase AONB. The area is rich in history with the route passing through numerous Saxon villages including Rockbourne, which is home to an Ancient Roman villa dating as far back as the Iron Age to the 5th-century.

With all three routes starting out from Salisbury Racecourse in Wiltshire the route crosses into Dorset, then Hampshire before returning back to Wiltshire.

https://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/products/the-wiltshire-classic-sportive

UKCE New Forest Classic  Saturday 9th April 2022

Another popular event with VCW riders

https://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/products/the-new-forest-classic

Flanrou , Somerset Levels- 2022- tbc

 120km or 80km, mixed, mainly road terrain, flattish profile with some Classics inspired surfaces,

www.flanrou.com

Tour de Bristol  Saturday 9th April 2022

40/65/100k rides with the two longer ones into Wales which our member Peter Corcoran says was useful practice on some of the same roads as the longer Black Rat later http://tourdebristol.stpetershospice.org.uk/support-us/join-our-events/tour-de-bristol/

Cotswold Spring Sportive Easter Monday 18^th April 2022

Route options and not too far to travel if you fancy an outing on Easter Monday http://www.veloevents.co.uk/csc/

Taunton Flyer Sunday 1st May 2022

3 route options over the Blackdown hills, 163/100/60km with some quite challenging climbs, event HQ is Taunton Racecourse. Well established, friendly event: https://www.tauntonflyer.co.uk/

Isle of Wight Randonee – Sunday 1st May 2022
 
This has been a well loved VCW event for the last few years, not least because it is FREE to enter. Ferry and places get booked early, so be quick if this one interests you, and it should: https://www.cycleisland.co.uk/

Caledonian Etape Sunday 15^thMay 2022

A Scottish classic that has received really good reports from the likes of Jon Cameron and the Buxtons,   if you fancy an event further afield then this seems to be a favourite
https://www.etapecaledonia.co.uk/

Sunday 22nd^hMay, always the busiest sportive day of the year, this year’s options: 

Somerset 100 Sunday 22nd May 2022
 
Hosted from the legendary Sweets Tea Rooms, flattish route profile, normally attracts a good turnout from VCW. https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/193345/The-Somerset-100

http://www.somersetcycling.com

Black Rat Sunday 22^thMay 2022

Another VCW favourite, if a hillier profile appeals, with a glass of Black Rat cider at the finish: https://www.blackratcycle.co.uk/

Ride London Sunday 29th May 2022

RideLondon – the world’s greatest festival of cycling – returns on Sunday 29 May 2022, with a new format, exciting new routes and a new partnership with Essex County Council.

At the heart of this celebration of all things cycling is the RideLondon-Essex 100 challenge – a unique opportunity to ride 100 miles on traffic-free roads through the heart of London and neighbouring Essex.

The event will start on Victoria Embankment and finish to rapturous applause at Tower Bridge, with 65 miles through some of Essex’s most beautiful countryside and villages in between. The full route will be announced in early 2022 https://www.ridelondon.co.uk

Bike Oxford date tbc 2022

Organised by Iconic Events, the same folks who organise Bike Bath, the deal with this one is you get free entry if you help at Bike Bath later in July. This year there will be options to start either at Oxford University Rugby Club or Chipping Norton Rugby Club so we’ll decide later which one when we have more of a concensus on who’s riding. Stand by for full info later on the volunteering plan, there will be a discount code issued to claim your free entry: https://www.bikeoxford.co.uk  

Rugby Sportive not sure if this is happening in 2022

A new event this year from the Bath Rugby Foundation, easy to get to from Bath and sure to attract a good contingent from local clubs, choice of distances starting and finishing at Corsham Rugby Club: www.therugbysportive.com
 

Mendips Lakes & Lumps Sunday 12th June 2022

43miles including Cheddar Gorge and Burrington Combe and includes free entry to the National Trust’s Top of the Gorge Festival over the weekend: https://www.mendipsride.com

Dragon Ride Sunday 19th June 2022

A popular epic ride not for the faint-hearted in the Brecon Beacons: https://www.dragonride.co.uk/

Bike Bath  Sunday 26th June 2022

Bike Bath is back for its 10th edition enjoy 25/50 or 80 mile routes. Registration opes 1st Feb 2022.

Our home sportive and based at The Rec, routes are currently being finalised. Like last year and in exchange for a free entry to Bike Oxford or next year’s Bike Bath, we will be looking for volunteers after a fabulous VCW turnout for both volunteering and entering last year. Let’s see if we can top that for 2022. Stand by for full info later on the volunteering plan, there will be a discount code issued to claim your free entry, especially if you helped last year. www.bikebath.co.uk

The Mendips Classic Saturday 9th July 2022

The Long, Middle and Short routes all make their way through the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, creating a wonderful experience for all riders, with stunning scenery all around. Riders taking on the Long and Middle routes will experience the stunning surroundings of Cheddar Gorge. https://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/products/the-mendips-classic

We have also organised longer cycling trips in the UK and abroad