Hundreds brave sweltering heat to pedal from Aylesbury Vale town for charity bike ride event

Winslow hosted this year’s North Bucks Bike Ride with 309 entrants taking on different distances on a hot summer’s day.

It was organised by the Lions Club of Winslow in partnership with the Winslow Wheelers Cycle Club.

Local businesses welcomed the cyclists who needed refreshments on a sweltering day.

Riders were welcomed at Quainton Windmill, Claydon House, Buckinghamshire Railway Centre and The Green Dragon Eco Farm.

The venues opened their doors to participants, their families and other spectators offering special discount tickets for future events.

Volunteers manned water stops throughout the route, which were placed at strategic points to keep riders safe in the hot weather.

As well as ice cold water, cyclists could gorge on bananas, energy bars and biscuits.

Volunteers were drafted in from many local community groups plus Blue Horse Bikes and Corley Cycles.

123 riders did the 100k route, 89 the 60k route, there 71 leisure riders and only 26 did the 100 mile ride.

Experienced cyclists from Winslow Wheelers, The Swan Wheelers, The Claydon Cycle Club, and cyclists from as far as Cumbria, Ashford Kent, Chertsey, Stevenage, Daventry, Woking, High Wycombe and St Neots, braved the 100-mile course.

The event was open to all and people were allowed to compete on tricycles, tandems, and bikes with child seats.

The routes took participants through the Claydons, Marsh Gibbon, Long Grendon towards the infamous Brill Hill, which proved especially tricky in the heat.

The route then wound itself back to Winslow where those doing the 100-mile route had time to have a quick snack, refill the water bottles and set off for another 40 miles.

Organisers hope to make the ride a yearly event, funds were raised for Mind Buckinghamshire and other not-for-profit organisations.

The event was sponsored by Dreams Beds.

At The Bucks Herald we are always on the lookout for interesting and important local stories. Do you have a story to tell or an important issue to raise? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]