London to Brighton Cycle Ride charity places for 2026 | Macmillan Cancer Support

Timetable

• There will be a staggered start between 06:00-10:30. Participants will be emailed their allocated start time a few weeks before the event.

Ride features

• Fully signed route

  No need to be looking at a map – our route is fully sign-posted so that you can keep your eyes on the road and enjoy the wonderful surrounding countryside! 

• Water stops

  There will be water stops along the route where you can refill your water bottles. There will be toilets at the start and finish and at all the water stops.

• Mechanical support

  If you are confident you’ll make the distance but you’re not so sure about your bike don’t worry we’ve got you covered! Our highly experienced mechanics will be based at all rest stops along the route and you’ll also be able to request assistance if you need help along the route too.

• Pre-event support

  Once you have registered your place you’ll be given access to a comprehensive pre-event website which has full details of the route, training advice and fundraising advice.

• Meet other cyclists

  Cycling on your own and would like to find a cycling buddy? Want to find training partners in your area? Want advice on kit and training from other riders? Access the event's official social group.

• Congratulations!

  Once you have completed the ride you will be rewarded with an official souvenir of your achievement – the coveted London to Brighton Cycle Medal! This is for you to treasure and remember your wonderful day by!

• Photos

  Event photography will be provided during the event for you to view and purchase once you have completed the ride.

Bike type

• Road bikes
• Single-speed (both fixed and freewheel) bicycles are permitted provided they have fully functioning brakes
• Hybrid and Cyclocross bikes
• Mountain bikes are allowed – however we do advise that you fit slick tyres to them to help you save energy
• Folding bicycles
• Handcycles
• Recumbent bicycles or trikes are permitted as long as they have a head height safety flag attached
• Tandem bikes – if you are planning to ride a tandem, you do need two entries as there are two of you riding
• Electric bikes (remember, a sportive is not a race!)
• Bikes fitted with disc brakes

Training

This ride is challenging but achievable. In order to maximise your enjoyment, you will need to train and get out on your bike before the ride.

Event HQ

Clapham Common
Nightingale Lane
London
Greater London
SW4 9AH
UK

The ride will start from Clapham Common, off Nightingale Walk and will finish at the Brighton Seafront on Madeira Drive, 500m walk from the Pier.

From the greenery of Clapham Common, you'll ride along a host of lazy country lanes through gorgeous villages, before reaching the uphill challenge that is Ditchling Beacon, a mile-long climb to the top of the South Downs with extraordinary views, before the downhill descent onto the pebbly Brighton seafront. 

The route is fully sign-posted so that you can keep your eyes on the road and enjoy the wonderful surrounding countryside! 

On your way, stop at the picturesque village of Turners Hill for lunch, stay hydrated at water stops along the route of this challenging cycle ride and take advantage of the stationary and roaming mechanical support to keep you on course to the finish line. 

Refreshments

Free water will be available at our water stops, which will be at 17 miles, 30 miles, 39 miles and 48 miles, at the top of the infamous Ditchling Beacon. In addition, snacks will be provided at the 30-mile stop and a packed lunch at the finish line.

Included

• Fully signed route

  No need to be looking at a map – our route is fully sign-posted so that you can keep your eyes on the road and enjoy the wonderful surrounding countryside! 

• Water stops

  There will be water stops along the route where you can refill your water bottles. There will be toilets at the start and finish and at all the water stops.

• Mechanical support

  If you are confident you’ll make the distance but you’re not so sure about your bike don’t worry we’ve got you covered! Our highly experienced mechanics will be based at all rest stops along the route and you’ll also be able to request assistance if you need help along the route too.

• Pre-event support

  Once you have registered your place you’ll be given access to a comprehensive pre-event website which has full details of the route, training advice and fundraising advice.

• Online social grou

  Cycling on your own and would like to find a cycling buddy? Want to find training partners in your area? Want advice on kit and training from other riders? Access the event's official social group.

• Medal

  Once you have completed the ride you will be rewarded with an official souvenir of your achievement – the coveted London to Brighton Cycle Medal! This is for you to treasure and remember your wonderful day by!

• Photos

  Event photography will be provided during the event for you to view and purchase once you have completed the ride.

This ride is a charity cycle challenge with thousands of cyclists taking part and fundraising for charity. While this is hugely beneficial to the charities it gives the cyclist advantages too, from supporting a cause that is close to your heart to securing a place in the event and much more.

Benefits of riding for charity

Committing to raising money for charity gives you motivation to get outside and train, plus all of these extras which will elevate your event experience:

• Fundraising support

  Charities know that raising money is all part of the challenge, which is why they provide advice, branded materials and a personalised online fundraising page to help the donations roll in. Think videos for social media, branded imagery and testimonials from previous participants.

• Training support

  Whether this is your first ride or your fifth, you'll need to train for it! You'll receive an in-depth training plan with guidance, plus many charities have access to expert coaches and elites too, who can provide exclusive tips to help you prepare. Experts include Full Potential and Olympic champs.

• Branded cycling kit

  When you show up on the day, people need to be able to see clearly that you're supporting a charity. Most charities will give you a branded and personalised t-shirt or jersey to ride in on the big day, and often a training top too.

• Support on the day

  When you're partway through your ride and your energy is flagging, what you need is a boost from cheering spectators to keep you moving. Many charities set up a cheer station along the route, keeping an eye out for you to send up a huge cheer as you ride past!

• Post-race recovery

  Refreshments and an indulgent post-race sports massage are often provided by charities. This is the perfect way to recover alongside other people who have completed the cycle challenge for that cause.

• Exclusive social groups

  You won't be the only person taking part for that charity, so it's well worth meeting other cyclists  through the charity's invite-only social media pages! You can organise to meet up for training rides, chat with the charity's expert coaches and share tips and stories with each other to keep the motivation levels running high.

The London to Brighton Cycle always brings out an amazing team spirit between all of our riders, the charity village allows them all to connect for a moment after taking on this epic challenge. Hollie Llewelyn-Davies

We wanted to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to our 150 Team Marsden cyclists who tackled the London to Brighton 2023 Cycle Ride to support us. Together they’ve raised an astonishing £70,000 (and it’s still rising!), and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievement! 🌟 The atmosphere was amazing – we loved cheering you on along the route, and meeting you at the charity marquee made our day! A special thank you goes to our team of massage therapists, for making this day extra special for our cyclists. Cristina Centelles