Looking forward to warmer days and Beccles Cycle for Life

Conditions for road cycling have not been ideal in the wintry weather, with only the main roads suitable at times.

Most of the club cycling at this time of year is done on the country lanes and they have been unsafe to use, leaving the real enthusiasts to train on their turbo-trainers until the thaw.

Off-road riders are likely to have had fun in the snow.

Looking forward to warmer days, those who have spotted that the Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride is open for entries have started to sign up despite the fact that the event is not until May 12.

The first entry was received just before the end of December and the Rotary Club of Beccles who are organising the event report that at the last count there were eight already.

So although the main campaign to sign up riders for this ride has hardly started it is not too soon to look at the website www.becclescycleforlife.org and enter on line or download a form.

As before, the headline charity for half the profits is the East Anglian Air Ambulance and the other half is for the charitable trust of the organisers.

Distances on country roads to the south of Beccles are 7, 15, 25, 40 and 50 miles.  These distances are made up using one or more of the three interlinked circuits, the longest of which is 25 miles.

This year on-line sponsorship pages with Charity Giving are also offered through the website to those who would like them.

There is a clash this year with Suffolk Sunrise ride, but the organisers of Beccles Cycle for Life are hoping that, as in the past, clashes with other events will not reduce the numbers, expected to be between 300 and 400 riders.

Next Sunday, February 3, Velo Club Baracchi has some 100km reliability rides from Oulton Community Centre organised for the club by John Thompson.  Start times are 8.30am – 4.5 hrs, 9am – 4 hrs, 9.30am – 3.5 hrs.