How to Prepare for Your First Charity Bike Ride
Congratulations on signing up to your first charity bike ride! Whether you’re joining our London to Brighton Cycle 2024 or one of the other amazing routes in the UK, we’re sure you’re going to love your first charity bike ride. Preparation is key, so before you start, we’re here to help you get the most out of this iconic event.
The london to brighton cycle will take place on the 15th September this year. The route is a 55- mile ride starting at Clapham Common, Central London, and finishing in the coastal town of Brighton. Passing through Mitcham, Carshalton, Chipstead, Banstead and Haywards Heath. The most challenging part is a 1-mile climb up Ditchling Beacon which is totally worth the effort when you see the breathtaking views across the South Downs.
See below for how to prepare for your first charity bike ride:
Training
As with any endurance sport, sufficient training is essential for having enough stamina for the big day. Distance cycling requires a suitable training plan that is tailored to your individual needs. Depending on your experience, we recommend approximately 10 weeks of training before the event. This will be based on 3 – 4 training days per week, with sessions starting at around 20-30 minutes and gradually increasing over time. Rest days in between each training day are vital for allowing your body to recuperate. If you’re able to cycle to work and/or take brisk walks on your lunchtimes, it will make it easier to increase your fitness levels gradually over time. To prepare for the ascent up Ditchling Beacon, make sure to add in a hilly training route as uphill cycling uses a lot more energy than flat roads. Once you have secured a place at our event, you will have access to our extensive pre-event website including full details of the route and our top tips for training. If you’d like to train in the company of others, our London to Brighton Facebook group is brilliant for finding training partners in your area. You will be sent a link to this upon registration.
Nutrition
Hydration is so important for endurance sport. Some people choose to use a water bladder for ease, but a large bottle will be sufficient. On the day, there will be plenty of water stops along the route where you can refill your bottle and, thankfully, use the toilet if needed. You may like to try energy drinks, gels or glucose tablets also to see if they work for you.
Regular fuel is another essential part of distance cycling. Carbohydrates will be your main source of nutrition, alongside lean protein sources and healthy fats. You will probably find little and often is needed once you start training. Your body is burning far more calories than normal, so energy bars and healthy snacks are crucial for maintaining energy levels in between meals.
To start the day, a combination of both starchy carbohydrates, like toast or porridge, with protein such as eggs or peanut butter are a good choice. These foods are digested quickly and provide longer lasting energy. For snacks, nuts, energy bars and fresh or dried fruit are excellent pick me ups for mid morning and afternoon slumps. For lunches and dinners, it is best to stick with lean white meat and fish which are lighter on the stomach, coupled with starchy grains, potatoes, pasta or rice, and of course vegetables are always essential nutrients for our bodies.
The Kit
An extensive kit list will be sent to you when you sign up, but here some basic things you will need to make sure you have in advance:
- Your Bike!
- Gloves
- Shoes
- Socks
- Helmet
- Cycling Shorts
- Sunglasses
- Drinking Bottles
Check Your Bike
Our London to Brighton cycle route is entirely on road so please make sure your bike is suitable in advance. Please see below for a full list of permitted bikes. Any configurations that vary from these should be cleared in advance by sending details with photos to the event organiser at info@londonbrightoncycle.co.uk.
The following bikes are permitted:
- Road bikes
- Single-speed (both fixed and freewheel) bicycles are permitted provided they have fully functioning brakes
- Hybrid and Cyclocross bikes
- Mountain bikes are allowed – however we do advise that you fit slick tyres to them to help you save energy
- Folding bicycles
- Handcycles
- Recumbent bicycles or trikes are permitted as long as they have a head height safety flag attached
- Tandem bikes – if you are planning to ride a tandem, you do need two entries as there are two of you riding
- Electric bikes (remember, a sportive is not a race!)
- Bikes fitted with disc brakes
The following are NOT permitted:
- Fixed wheel with no brakes
- Fixed wheel with only a front brake
- Any bicycle with only one brake
- Penny Farthings
- Quadcycles
- BMX bikes
- Towed trailers
- Child carriers
- Tag-a-long trailers bicycles
- Trailer bicycles
- Cargo bicycles
- Specialist time-trial bicycles are not allowed as they do not allow for immediate control of the bicycle
- Any bicycle without 360° rider visibility
- Unconventional handlebars (including triathlon bars, aero bars, clip-ons, prayer bars, Spinaci bars and cow bars)
- Handlebars without bar-end plugs
The Day Itself
The London to Brighton bike ride can take anywhere between 3 – 8 hours, but on average will usually take people 5 – 6 hours, including stops. On the day itself, the route will be fully sign posted so you can keep your eyes on the road and take in the beautiful scenery. At each of the rest stops, we have highly experienced mechanics to assist you if anything goes wrong with your bike. You’ll also be able to request help if anything happens along the way. So rest assured, help is there if you need it. As mentioned, there will be water stations and toilets at frequent points on the route too. At the end of this amazing achievement, you will be rewarded with the London to Brighton Cycle medal. Happy planning!
