- Sun 30 Aug 2026
07:45
Age 16 & over
£42.50
- 68 miles road cycling + 2587 ft ascent
Event overview
One of the most popular events in Action Medical Research's RIDE series with over 900 riders! Three routes to choose from through quiet villages and the farmlands of Essex with plentiful feed stops to make it a cracking event!
The historic Writtle University College is the new venue which offers beautiful quaint gardens for your friends and family to enjoy while they wait to cheer you over the finish line.
Let me compliment you on everything being perfect and we all rode our hearts out.
Highlights
Summer ride
Part of Action's popular, annual RIDE Series.
Excellent cycling terrain
Journey through quiet villages and farmlands of Essex.
Complete day out
Enjoy a great day in the saddle with first-class support throughout.
All levels of cyclist
Short, medium and long rides cater to a wide range of abilities.
No fundraising target
Easy entry online with no sponsorship minimum - simply raise as much as you can.
Support Action Medical Research
Ride to raise awareness and funds to help sick and disabled babies and children.
Enjoy a great day in the saddle with the Action Medical Research team on this cycling event with first-class support throughout the day. Help raise vital funds to help sick and disabled babies and children.
This event is part of RIDE Essex.
Event photos
Event community
Innocent M.
- Event village
- Newcomers
- Spectators
- Teams
Start times
Bike type
Road bikes.
This is a traditional road sportive; the most suitable bike would be a drop handle road bike, although hybrids and e-bikes are perfectly suitable also.
- Accommodation
- Cafe
- Changing facilities
- Free parking
- Rural
- Toilets
Event HQ
ARU Writtle
Lordship Road
Writtle
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 3RR
UK
Writtle University College
Situated on a stunning 220-hectare estate Writtle University College is the event's home for the day.
Established in 1893, it is one of the oldest specialist institutions in the UK and offers a range of land-based, design and sport courses and will be putting in their own team to ride on the day. There are exciting plans to create an event village for the whole family on ride day!
- Cut off time
- First aid
- Food stations
- Marshals
- Out and back
- Sweeper
- Undulating
- Water stations
- Way markers
2026 route to be confirmed.
Sustainability
- Public transport links
- Chip timing
- Medal
Included
- Chip timing
- Aid stations
- Signed routes
- Medal
- Free parking
- Mechanical support
- Medical assistance
- Roadside assistance
Optional extras
- Food and drink
- Photos
Not Included
- Insurance (Yellow Jersey will give 10% discount on bicycle and travel insurance)
- Any spares required for your bike
Action Medical Research
This event is organised by Action Medical Research, which has been funding medical breakthroughs for 70+ years.
They have helped to beat polio, fight meningitis, prevent stillbirths and develop ultrasound scanning in pregnancy, helping to save thousands of children’s lives and change many more. Today they continue to tackle the challenges disease and disability present by funding high-quality research to save and change children’s lives and are driving forward research to help protect children.
By taking part in an event, not only will you have a great time with first-class support throughout the day, but you’ll also be helping to raise vital funds to help sick and disabled babies and children.
There is no sponsorship target; you are simply encouraged to raise or donate as much as you can.
- Age 16 & over
- Entries open
- Enter online
16 and 17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Entry fees
Early bird entry fee
£42.50
I must thank you and all your wonderful staff for organising the most amazing Ride Essex, I rode with a group of guys from VCC cycle club and we all had the best day, everything was perfect - even the British weather behaved. We appreciate how hard this event must be to organise so let me compliment you on everything being perfect and we all rode our hearts out. Thank you so much, see you next year! Bradley J
Amazing route, I really enjoyed it, thanks. Alex M
A well organised event. Lovely ride the the Essex countryside and villages. Good signage which is a plus for me. Good stations were well stocked with nice food to keep us going. Even got cheered in at the end. Loved my wooden medal, eco friendly which is good. A great ride with my daughter. Julie B
A brilliant event, well run and fun to ride. Not everyone thinks Essex is a pretty county but this might change your mind!
Great, well planned event. Volunteers were amazing - they are the unsung heros. Can not fault it; will be back again. Gary P
Excellent organisation with the clearest signage I have ever witnessed on a sportive. Stuart A
Action Events offer some of the best cycling sportives in the UK. Epic routes, very well-organised and all for a great cause as well. Not to be missed. Stephen R
Fabulous ride on a stunningly beautiful day. Essex countryside at it best. Everyone was super friendly. Support was excellent. See you next year. Gareth N
A very well organised event, helpful people and smiling faces everywhere. Susan P
I had a great ride very nice event well organised. Will definitely do it again. Matthew G
Reviews thanks to RaceCheck