[andystow]

I plan to retire in the middle of next year, and my wife and I will probably kick around the UK and Europe for at least a few months, possibly close to a year. Looking for ride and/or event suggestions for me. She would not be participating unless there’s also a very short (~30 miles max) option. 1-3 day events ideal, but I’m open to a week… we’re not glued together. Preferably the start and end of the event could be easily accessed without hiring a car, but that’s not a “must.” I’ll probably be on my Brompton, but am willing to get a more suitable bike if the event calls for it.

If the event is also beer-related, that’s a plus for me.

I’ve done LEJoG. I see there’s no Ride London for next year. LEL isn’t until 2029. So far I’m interested in…

London to Brighton (June)
The New Forest rides in April and September https://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events
Tour de France Grand Départ in July (probably Edinburgh but could be convinced to do one of the other two days)
A Critical Mass in London
Brother in the Wild (May?)

What are your bucket list rides that could become my bucket list rides too?

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[andystow]

Perfect, thanks!

[Rezis]

The Wold Top brewery does a Sundown 60 ride in the Yorkshire Wolds, normally end of May ish.
Starts and finishes at the brewery and camping available for the evening (normally with entertainment I think).

Also the Yorkshire Spirit distillery to visit not far away…

[kinderje]

If going anti-clockwise you get a nice flat warm up along Military Road before any hills. Looks like just under 5,000 ft of climb over 64 miles when I did it 6 years ago.
Check out my ride on Strava: https://strava.app.link/GEOpNOjRt7b

[andystow]

Isle of Wight sounds great. We took a hovercraft over and did a bus tour on it almost exactly 15 years ago. We also visited the dinosaur museum. My wife would probably be up for visiting again. I recall the roads looked a bit lumpy.

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[kinderje]

If you’re down south the cycle way around the Isle of Wight is a good 60 miler (you can extend it by going to view The Needles rock formations). I’ve found it best to do it anti-clockwise as there are less bottlenecks and also use the Limington-Yarmouth ferry as it is not as expensive as Southampton-Cowes.

[Dnnnnnn]

If you’re looking for non-organised rides, and depending where you’re basing yourself, I’d always recommend this ride:
https://fionaoutdoors.co.uk/2020/06/five-ferries-cycle-tour-on-scotlands-west-coast-islands. Island/peninsula-hopping around the west coast of Scotland is always a good option, esp. in the Spring.

Worth having a look at the Audax calendar too – much cheaper and lower-key than commercial sportives. Some of them are silly distances but there are plenty shorter ones. The Tour of the Hills in Surrey in August is one of those – although it’s brutally hard!

Maybe if you give us updates on where you’ll be based when in the UK (and Europe) then those familiar with the area can offer some tailored ride suggestions?

[andystow]

Thanks, signed up to the email list for the 2027 edition.

[kinderje]

Liverpool-Chester-Liverpool is usually the first Sunday in July and you have various options – 25, 50 or 100 miles from Liverpool and a 50 mile from Chester. All of the Liverpool starts use one of the Mersey tunnels (great fun)
Don’t know what’s happening next year yet as the first Saturday in July sees TdF stage 2 finish in Liverpool as well.

[andystow]

I’m usually the fastest in the slow group, or the slowest in the fast group. Solo I can do a moving average of about 14 MPH, or 12 MPH with a camping load. I can hang in a group that averages 16-18 (about 20 on the flats.)

I’ll be comfortable enough, but do have fuzzy plans to earn a little extra beer money doing ISO 17025 auditing a few times a year. At my current savings & benefits, the general rule of thumb is that working three more years will give me 10% more per year to spend once I’m retired. It’s just not worth it to me. I’ve got shit to do.

[SecretSam]

I too am packing it in next year, at 58 – for similar reasons. I won’t be ‘well off’ in my dotage, but I might get a few good years.
Cycling wise, I’d love to do a daft audax like LEL, so maybe I should focus on distance and stop worrying about speed…because I’m unimaginably slow…!

[mdavidford]

The East Devon Spring Classic Sportive route takes you from Sidmouth to Seaton – I’d imagine it probably goes through Beer on the way – does that count?

[anorcha]

(Awaiting moderation)

[HoarseMann]

Every year I say to myself “maybe I’ll do the Dun-Run this year” 🤔

Dunwich Dynamo XXXV

[andystow]

Thanks all so far. Taking notes.

Rendell, although my wife is not “into” cycling like I am, I bet she’d appreciate seeing the Tour de France Femmes Grand Depart, so that’s a great idea. Oh, and I’m 55 which is early, but it’s what I’ve been working toward. I’ve seen too many people, including two who seemed quite healthy, work into their sixties and only get 3-5 years of retirement after working for 35-40 years.

[Daveyraveygravey]

Coast to coast rides? South Downs Way – NOT suitable for a Brompton though!

Two sportives that stand out for me are the Fred Whitton in the Lake District. Entry is by ballot and you may have already missed out by now. If you get a dry not too windy day it’s stunning, and hard. If it’s windy or raining…I also did the Dartmoor Classic which I found almost as tough as the Fred, it’s also very heavily influenced by the weather.

[Author]

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