Tri-Vets 2019

By Julie Rand

Are you aged 50 or over? Can you ride 100 miles or 100km in under 12 hours? Photo by Mark Waters, West Surrey CTC

Tri-Vets are longer distance cycle rides for people aged 50 and over. Tri-Vets have been organised by our Member Groups since Cycling UK's 50th anniversary back in 1928 and they take place every three years - hence the official title, the Triennial Veterans' Rides.

Usually, riders have up to 12 hours to complete a 100-mile route. Some groups might run a 100-km ride to encourage more diverse range of participants. Most rides take place in June, with some in July.

There were around 16 Tri-Vet rides in 2016, which took place in all corners of the country, from Stirling to Swansea and Coventry to Kent.

In 2019, we have rides listed so far in:

Group Name	Date of Ride	Distance
Group Name	Date of Ride	Distance
Coventry	02-June	100 miles
Ayrshire	09-June	104km
Ayrshire	09-June	100 miles
Cycle Bristol	09-June	100 miles
Swansea	09-June	107 km
Eden Valley Cumbria	12-June	100 km
Eden Valley Cumbria	12-June	100 miles
Huddersfield and District	16-June	100 miles
South West London	19-June	100 miles
South West London	19-June	100 km
Oxfordshire	30 June	100 miles
Alfreton	02-July	100 miles
Portsmouth	6 July	100 miles/100 km
Teesside	06-July	100 km
Teesside	06-July	100 miles
Chester and N. Wales	07-July	100 miles
West Kent	14-July	100 miles
Oxford	14 July	100 km
Essex	21-July	100 miles

Please see the maps for further details and information on how to register.

Fun, friendly and informal

The Tri-Vets rides are designed to be fun, informal events and nearly always include coffee, tea and lunch stops, along lovely routes taking in pleasant countryside.

Group organisers are encouraged to plan routes that avoid main roads where they can and are not too hilly so as the rides are accessible to as many people as possible.

Very often, the routes form a figure of eight so participants return to a central location for a relaxed lunch before venturing out again for an afternoon loop.

There may also be a leader for each group of riders riding at different paces and distances. This means that riders feel very supported and can also return to base more easily if they wish.

Save the date - June and July 2019

The Tri-Vets are a popular social event, with many old friends completing the rides together year after year, taking pride in collecting another date bar to add to their collection. Many riders carry on taking part well into their eighties and beyond. Let us know if you think you or somebody you know has the most date bars currently!

Badges and date bars are available to order on completion of the ride and certificates may also be awarded by some groups.

Cycling UK is very grateful to all the wonderful volunteers who put time and effort into the Tri-Vets rides, enabling thousands of people to take part in a great day out in like-minded company, completing a personal challenge and enjoying all the benefits of cycling in later life.

Keep checking back here for details of all the Tri-Vets rides for 2019 as and when they are registered.

If you would like to take part in a Tri-Vets event, please contact the organisers directly using the links in the map on this page.