Route to net zero

what the cop?

The COP26 summit will bring world powers together to protect the future of our planet -show your support for a leaner, cleaner future by riding there.

the details

We have provided a 'mainline' route from London to Glasgow available on RidewithGPS

Plan your own feeder route to join the mainline route at the closest point - once submitted your route will be added to our RidewithGPS map so other local riders can connect with you

Ride self-supported and at your own pace, aiming to meet in Glasgow on the evening of Thursday 11th November 2021

Get your mates to join in and spread the word using #routetonetzero

why ride?

“The future is not a spectator sport” Jeremy Lent, The Web of Meaning

Riding to Glasgow won’t stop climate change any more than banging a saucepan on your doorstep stopped COVID-19. But it’s a statement of intent – a physical expression of our desire for strong leadership and an acknowledgement that we’re all in this together. We have humankind’s greatest invention at our disposal and want to see cycling deliver a cleaner leaner future.

“Humility not egoism, empathy, not apathy” Angus Morton, Thereabouts

If you ride the full distance from London, you will cover over 10,000m of climbing and some ‘mild’ gravel en route. It will not be easy or straight-forward; it will require determination and resolve, strength and humility. And yet it does not have to be a journey we fear or resent – on the contrary, the camaradery between our fellow cyclists will energise and inspire. Once in Glasgow, we plan to join the peaceful marches that will be taking place in the city.

Sign up

It is free to enter, simply:

Join The Racing Collective club on Strava & click "I'm in" on the Strava event (our main communication channel)
Plan your own route on RidewithGPS from a favourite local cafe or landmark to our mainline route
Enter via the Route to Net Zero sign up form (fill this in even if you are not submitting a route so we can gauge numbers)

dOWNLOAD THE ROUTE

The route is predominantly a road route but does include some tow-paths and 'mild' gravel.
It has been split into 7 stages - please download each one by clicking on the route, click View Route, then Send to Device.

FAQs

"Nothing that's worth anything is ever easy” Mike Hall

Is this ride supported?

No! Please note this is a reliability ride not a race or a sportive. This ride is unsupported and you are responsible for yourself and your equipment. There are no officiators, no marshals, no ride leaders, no rescue services. In short, there is no support and it will be hard! By signing up you acknowledge that you ride at your own risk and you are expected to ride in a safe, considerate manner, both to other road and trail users and other riders.

What bike should I ride?

Given the state of the roads, use of the odd tow path and random gravel section (just to keep things interesting), a bike with 25-30mm tubeless tyres would be ideal, but a traditional road bike setup should also be fine. Oh and if you know anything about The Racing Collective it’s that you should expect the unexpected.

where are the meetup points?

We'll be stopping at pubs/cafes in London, Oxford, Burton-on-Trent, Holmfirth, Reeth, Haltwhistle, Moffat, or Glasgow. Click on the 'Show stops' link under the RWGPS map for details. We are aiming to meet in Glasgow on Thurs 11th November - see sign up form for provisional details. Accommodation in Glasgow may be hard to come by but Human Hotel may be a good starting point.

Can i just ride a bit of the route?

Yes! If you can't take enough time off work please join for as much of it as you can.

You may also wish to join in an event closer to home for the Global Day of Action on 6 November 2021.

Do i have to use rwgps to plan my route?

To share with others you must submit a RWGPS link. If planning your route with non-RWGPS software, simply upload to RWGPS so you can share the link.

who should i contact if i have a question?

We are a small team and can't handle lots of enquiries. If, having read the documentation on this site and the sign-up form you still have a question, please post it on the Strava event discussion if it's something the community might be able to answer. If it's something more important please contact us via our contact form on our About page bearing in mind we don't have the resources to answer all questions.

If you have a question relating to sharing your route via RidewithGPS, please contact via clubs@ridewithgps.com

How will climate change impact us as cyclists?

This summer, wildfires have ravaged through southern Europe, Siberia, North America, and the Amazon; whilst unprecedented rainfall caused severe flooding in Germany, Belgium and China. The frequency and severity of these extreme weather events is only set to increase as global temperatures continue to rise as the latest IPCC report makes ‘unequivocally’ clear.

What else is the racing collective doing in this area?

Our objective is to apply the ultracyclist mindset to go Beyond Leave No Trace - to leave the world in a better state than we found it. We do this mainly by encouraging people to explore our wonderful island (instead of taking a flight) by hosting kick-ass grassroots rides, helping to build connections between ourselves and our environment.

Our mission is to rewild over 100 hectares of land for our adventurous ancestors to enjoy. We have been organising tree planting weekends since our inception in 2017. This was paused during lockdown but we hope to run our next one on Sat 4 December 2021 at the Heart of England Forest. Details tbd.