Rides and route info.

Help and info.

Help for hosts

Communication is key. Try to keep your group together, but if not, allow them to form into a regular speed group and a faster group.

We have a No Drop rule. No one must be left behind. The Host must stay with the last rider or the last group unless the last rider specifically requests to be left to ride on their own.

Instruct your front group to wait for everyone following every 5-10 miles or so to allow regrouping, if you feel this would benefit everyone. Try to be flexible, if not.

Remember that drafting helps a lot, so support the slower riders.

Strava Club

Many Farcycles are Strava users. Why not join our Farcycles Strava Club and keep up to date with what your fellow riders are doing each week?

Café stops

One of the focuses of our Saturday rides is a good café stop. Most cyclists enjoy a piece of cake on a ride and Farcycles are no different. We try to maintain a list of stops to assist our route planners each week. You can find the list of our café stops here.

If your café isn’t listed, please contact us and we’ll be sure to add you.

Database of routes

As part of our weekly route planning, we use Ride with GPS to plan and share routes. Over the years, we have developed quite a database of rides around Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Gloucestershire. Please feel free to look through our Ride with GPS database and select a route!

You need to have created your own free account to access the site.

Saturday ride rider advice.

  • We have 3 rides each Saturday which are published on the preceding Wednesday or Thursday via the weekly email list, Facebook, and Twitter. Pink Rides are the longest (50-65 miles) and tend to be a little faster; Red Rides are the medium length (35-45 miles) and Blue Rides are the shortest (20-30 miles)

  • Pink Rides, Red Rides and Blue Rides have a Host according to our rota.

  • Cyclists should arrive at the meeting point at the designated time knowing which group they intend to ride in for the day. This will facilitate setting off as promptly as possible.

  • If on any day there are more than 8 riders in a specific group, it should be split appropriately to facilitate overtaking. This helps maintain mutual respect with motorists and maximise safety.

  • Our priority is to leave no one behind UNLESS the last rider is happy to be left and chooses to ride on their own.

  • It is the Host’s responsibility to determine if their hosted ride may contain a “regular” speed sub-group, and a “faster” speed group ensuring they make everyone aware of this.

  • The integrity of the group is the priority of our rides. Keeping the group together comes ahead of the speed of the riders leading the group.

  • Formed groups are encouraged to re-group at convenient stopping points (eg. junctions) every 5 to 10 miles, after a climb or at the coffee stop, but only if this is practical.

  • Going off the front. If a rider wants to ride more quickly for a while or needs to get home they must be allowed to do so. Riders feeling strong should be happy to push themselves if they wish, however, it is essential that riders going off the front communicate their intention with the rest of the group in order to maintain the integrity of the remaining group.

  • If a cyclist has a mechanical issue, group members should wait with that person until the problem is resolved. This may be relaxed slightly in the case of the Pink group provided that at least one volunteer is prepared to stop to help or provide moral support.

  • During the autumn and winter months, ride distances will be shortened. Blues will be averaging 25 miles, Reds 35-40 miles and Pinks around 50 miles. Routemeisters will be advised accordingly.

Rides and adverse weather.

We organise weekly rides and ride in most conditions including cold, drizzle, grey skies… that’s all part of cycling in the UK.

But Farcycles will only delay or cancel an organised Saturday ride when conditions are likely to be dangerous (not just unpleasant).

Normal start times

  • 8:30am during the lighter/warmer part of the year

  • 9:00am when the mornings are darker (after the clocks change)

What counts as “dangerous”?

We’ll consider changing the ride when conditions significantly increase the risk of crashes or unsafe riding in a group, for example:

  • Ice / snow / freezing conditions (including black ice risk on lanes, bridges, shaded sections and descents)

  • Severe wind / gusts that make it hard to hold a steady line, especially on exposed roads

  • Severe rain / storms / flooding where visibility is poor, standing water is likely, or road surfaces become hazardous

  • Met Office severe weather warnings that affect our area/route

Cold, drizzle, or “I don’t fancy it” weather doesn’t trigger an official change — but every rider should make their own call based on confidence, clothing, and comfort.

What we might do

If we need to act, we’ll choose the safest and simplest option:

  1. Adjust the route (shorter / less exposed / avoid known icy lanes or fast descents)

  2. Delay the start (usually to allow temperatures to rise above freezing)

  3. Cancel the organised Farcycles rides

Who decides

The decision is made by the ride organisers, and if needed they’ll consult a Farcycles director. To keep things clear and consistent, the ride organiser’s call is final.

When we’ll communicate a decision

To avoid last-minute confusion:

  • We’ll do a forecast check on Friday evening

  • If a change is needed, we’ll post a clear update in on the Farcycles WhatsApp group

  • If the ride is cancelled, we may also send a cancellation email

If there’s no official update from the ride organisers, the default is: the ride is on at the published start time.

A note on Sunday rides

If a group chooses to ride on Sunday instead, that’s absolutely fine — but it is not an official Farcycles organised ride.

Your choice still matters

Even if the organised ride goes ahead, you’re always free to opt out. If it’s too cold, too wet, or you’re not feeling it — no judgement.

If you would like to raise an opinion regarding the conditions around an upcoming ride, please message the rider organisers and avoid posting to the Farcycles WhatsApp group to prevent confusion amongst your fellow riders.