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COLS & CANALS
Get ready for a croissant-fuelled week, with tonnes of achingly beautiful cycling along canals and cols of central France!
The first half is all about cruising alongside rivers and canals, while the second half boasts epic climbs into the Massif Morvan and the Beaujolais hills. Expect sweaty climbs, cooling river swims and the stunning villages of ‘Golden Stone Country’. And croissants. |
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SORRY - WEEK 3 IS SOLD OUT!
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By coming on a week of the ride, you’re committing to fundraise a minimum of £500 for awesome grassroots refugee organisations.
Please note that this is a minimum target and the average amount raised by Thighs cyclists in 2019 was an amazing £767 Together, we’re hoping to raise £60,000. Every penny of this will be given to projects that support refugees to move forward under exceptionally difficult circumstances. |
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
We have a sliding scale of payment options, depending on your situation. For all options, you can pay in one transaction or two equal monthly instalments.
1. Standard = £410
Straight up! This'll be perfect for most people :)
2. Low Income = £250
This is for you if you are not able to afford the standard £410. These places are intended for people who do low-paid solidarity work with refugees and asylum seekers, or for people with low income who often worry about and sometimes struggle to meet basic needs. If this describes you, please take one of these places :)
3. Buy One, Give One = £570
Most tours like ours are double the price. We keep the price lower than most so that it's financially accessible to more people. If you can afford to contribute an extra £160, then that'll help us offer bursary places and low income discounts to those who need them, helping us keep a fun mixture of people from different backgrounds and lifestyles. Thank you! 💚
4. Bursary = £0 + we give you £200 for expenses
Bursary places are usually saved for people who spend lots of time volunteering or who are out of work, particularly migrants who don’t have the right to work. If this is you, please get in touch with us at hello@thighsofsteel.com
NOTE: This money only covers the costs of the trip. The £500 minimum fundraising is separate and goes directly to support grassroots refugee projects.
1. Standard = £410
Straight up! This'll be perfect for most people :)
2. Low Income = £250
This is for you if you are not able to afford the standard £410. These places are intended for people who do low-paid solidarity work with refugees and asylum seekers, or for people with low income who often worry about and sometimes struggle to meet basic needs. If this describes you, please take one of these places :)
3. Buy One, Give One = £570
Most tours like ours are double the price. We keep the price lower than most so that it's financially accessible to more people. If you can afford to contribute an extra £160, then that'll help us offer bursary places and low income discounts to those who need them, helping us keep a fun mixture of people from different backgrounds and lifestyles. Thank you! 💚
4. Bursary = £0 + we give you £200 for expenses
Bursary places are usually saved for people who spend lots of time volunteering or who are out of work, particularly migrants who don’t have the right to work. If this is you, please get in touch with us at hello@thighsofsteel.com
NOTE: This money only covers the costs of the trip. The £500 minimum fundraising is separate and goes directly to support grassroots refugee projects.
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- 630km of downhills
- A bike. But we do have spare bikes available for hire for £70. Let us know in your sign up form if you need one
- A luxury holiday. It's gonna be messy, mucky and a heck of an adventure!
- A daily shower. More often than not we simply head for the nearest body of water, or tip a water bottle over our heads! We DO promise you a shower on the last night so you go home clean :))
- We usually have a quick break at a café, bakery or a shop so you can stock up on caffeine and carbs. Sometimes, depending on the group vibe, we might get lured into a fantastic-smelling restaurant. For all of these, you'll pay your own bills
- Your journeys to the start and finish. Book travel ASAP to get a decent price
- A donation to the projects we support. The ticket price only covers your costs on the ride. You'll fundraise separately to raise as much money as you possibly can!
- Insurance for your body and bike
Stats are in the right ballpark, but don't hold us to account for every last inch! This is an adventure and the route is guaranteed to change for a million reasons we can't even imagine yet
SATURDAY 30 JULY
At 7pm we’ll all come together, have dinner and chat about the week ahead. Then rest our excited nervous heads! We suggest arriving a few hours early so that you have time to put your bike together after the journey. You’re welcome to arrive even earlier, to have a bit of time to explore the city and prepare for the week ahead.
SUNDAY 31 JULY - TUESDAY 2 AUGUST
Wave adieu to the Eiffel Tower and cruise along the rivers and canals south of Paris. We’ll probably be putting in a few extra kms because it’s pretty flat, although technically a slight uphill gradient because we’re going against the flow of the water…
WEDNESDAY 3 - FRIDAY 5 AUGUST
…And, ultimately, that water is coming from the Alps so now it’s time to hit the hills! Almost all the climbing of this week is packed into the second half so you’ll be glad of the warm up. These will be tough days, so come prepared to sweat it out!
Luckily we’re riding right through the famous Beaujolais wine-making country, so there’ll be plenty of celebratory refreshment when we finally make it into Lyon!
SATURDAY 6 AUGUST
Wake up, a mixture of tired and elated, wander around the city in a happy daze. Set off home with Thighs a little steelier.
* NB: All the above details are loosely collated from our route planning, the internet and our imagination. What we do know for sure is that this is a real adventure and that plans and itineraries mock you in retrospect.
At 7pm we’ll all come together, have dinner and chat about the week ahead. Then rest our excited nervous heads! We suggest arriving a few hours early so that you have time to put your bike together after the journey. You’re welcome to arrive even earlier, to have a bit of time to explore the city and prepare for the week ahead.
SUNDAY 31 JULY - TUESDAY 2 AUGUST
Wave adieu to the Eiffel Tower and cruise along the rivers and canals south of Paris. We’ll probably be putting in a few extra kms because it’s pretty flat, although technically a slight uphill gradient because we’re going against the flow of the water…
WEDNESDAY 3 - FRIDAY 5 AUGUST
…And, ultimately, that water is coming from the Alps so now it’s time to hit the hills! Almost all the climbing of this week is packed into the second half so you’ll be glad of the warm up. These will be tough days, so come prepared to sweat it out!
Luckily we’re riding right through the famous Beaujolais wine-making country, so there’ll be plenty of celebratory refreshment when we finally make it into Lyon!
SATURDAY 6 AUGUST
Wake up, a mixture of tired and elated, wander around the city in a happy daze. Set off home with Thighs a little steelier.
* NB: All the above details are loosely collated from our route planning, the internet and our imagination. What we do know for sure is that this is a real adventure and that plans and itineraries mock you in retrospect.
1 WEEK NOT ENOUGH?
After one week, most people are seeing showers as mirages on the horizon and are shuddering at the sight of a bicycle - but not you. You’re craving adventure and muscle ache, and, dammit, you will not be stopped after one measly week! Good news: hardy souls like you can sign up for 2 weeks. A whole fortnight of punishment and adventure! Crazy enough to be considering 3 or 4 or ALL of the weeks? Sorry! Places on the ride are highly coveted and we have to save space for other people because more cyclists means more money raised for refugee projects. And that is the whole point of this crazy adventure! NOTE: You’ll need to pay £820 (2x £410) and fundraise a minimum of £1000 (2x £500) To sign up for two weeks, simply fill in two sign up forms - one for each of the weeks you want to join. HOW HARD IS THIS GONNA BE?!
WHAT WILL I NEED TO BRING?!
TRAVEL & LOGISTICS HELP!
We understand that travelling is a bit of a logistical puzzle sometimes - especially post-Brexit and Covid!
So... We've done loads of research and found the best overland ways to get to and from the different start and finish cities. We focus on overland routes because this is what we're always asked about, but all our destination cities have international airports and our Travel & Logistics page has some pointers on how to pack your bike for a safe flight. what about covid? do you offer refunds?!
COVID REFUNDS
If for some awful reason - Covid or anything else - we have to cancel the trip, then we will offer everyone a full refund. Our standard refund policy covers all other eventualities:
COVID VACCINATION / TESTING Thighs of Steel won't insist on vaccination or regular testing during the ride. However, we WILL be following the law in whatever country we're travelling through. It's up to you to make sure that you have all the necessary documents to enter the countries you'll be cycling in. We will also be operating in as Covid-secure manner as possible on a camping bike trip. In practice, this means daily cleaning, hand sanitiser and less sharing of utensils and tents than on past adventures! This was how we ran our 2021 adventure with over 60 participants and zero known cases of the plague. There is, of course, no guarantee and the whole bike trip is taken at your own risk. If you have any concerns or questions, please email us on hello@thighsofsteel.com CAN I COME ALONE / WITH FRIENDS?
Yes and yes! Most people on our tours come on their own and we LOVE them. We know it can be a bit scary coming alone, but the vibe is totally collaborative and you might be surprised how quickly you get sucked into the tight-knit biking community that we'll build together. We also get a lot of people who come with a friend or family member and that's totally cool. It's great to know you've got a buddy by your side and friends on previous tours have had phenomenal success by teaming up to fundraise as well. If you do want to come with a friend or family member, then MAKE SURE YOU BOTH BOOK ASAP. We wouldn't one of you to miss out. The other thing we would say about coming with friends is that you might not be riding with them every day. We won't split you up on Day 1 (unless you want to be!), but we do try our best to make sure that everyone rides with everyone else and that might mean you and your pal are in different groups for some of the time. Cycling is a great way to make awesome new friends so embrace the stranger danger! AM I TOO YOUNG / OLD?
If you're over 18 years old, then the answer is a big fat NO. For our rides, it's more about whether you're able to do the distances. And that comes down to training. So take a look at our How Hard?! page to get an idea of the daily distances and where you need to get your fitness. If you're under 18, then SORRY. Please stay in touch, maybe join a club ride in London and check back in a few years :)) BIKE-LESS BUT WANT TO JOIN US?
This year we have two spare bikes that you can borrow. The aim of the game is to make overland travel easier and encourage people who want to avoid flying - but we understand how hectic life is and welcome all-comers. The cost of hiring a bike is £70
You can reserve a bike during the sign up process. It's first come, first served.
worried about fundraising?
Fundraising can be scary, especially if you haven't done it before. Luckily, we've done it LOADS so we're here to help you make the biggest impact you can. Everyone fundraises in their own special way, but here are a load of ideas and tips from some of the few hundred Thighs cyclists who've fundraised with us on past rides. We're confident you won't find it too tough to raise at least £500, but we're always around to help you come up with new ideas - drop us a line if you’re worried. As motivation, read more about your incredible impact as a Thighs cyclists on The Reason page. MORE QUESTIONS??
Email us on hello@thighsofsteel.com and we'll do our best to help |
Fancy a cycle ride?Join our monthly London not-so-serious cycle club
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Get fundraising!
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Past Rides & TestimonialsFirst-hand experiences, anecdotes and accolades from past riders
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