training.

It's our most frequently asked question: just how tough is the cycling?

We won't lie to you, up to 500km over 5 days is no walk in the park, but its really important to underline that Ride Africa isn't a race - its about getting to the finish line, together.

Below, you’ll find our 12 week training guide to get you prepared for Ride Africa. Time in the saddle is key, as is getting used to lumps and bumps. Remember, static bikes and spin classes are your friends, and particularly helpful if you’re short on time.

Training is part of the experience. It can, and should (!) be fun. The more you prepare, the more enjoyable your experience will be.

Your training guide.

Pre-preparation: General fitness and getting used to the saddle.

First things first. If it’s been a while since you’ve done any meaningful cycling, take a month or two to build up your familiarity with the saddle and working on your general fitness.

Whether you’re dusting off the bike in the garage for a few family rides or cycle commutes, or getting on the static bike/exercise bike at the gym - refamiliarise yourself and start building your cycle fitness back up.

Any cross training (other exercise) to help build your general fitness is valuable and helps shake up the cycle training.

Ready for the training plan? Download the 12-week guide below.

Gear, routes and what to focus on.

We’ll be using Diamondback mountain bikes in Kenya. They are entry level, robust machines perfect for tackling the varied terrain. When training, make sure you are used to and comfortable cycling distances on a heavier bike (i.e. not just a road bike). You can rent mountain bikes/hybrid bikes from most bike rental shops/trail centres.

Vary your training so that you have experience on trails (trail centres, parks) as well as tarmac. A list of trail centres in the UK can be found here. Entry level trails (greens and blues) will be perfect prep.

Other gear: get used to cycling with a water bottle and practise reaching down to pick it up, drink, and return. Learn what you are comfortable riding in and with (favourite snacks, electrolytes and gels). We’ll brief you on nutrition and hydration, and how to prepare for the heat.

Make your training work for you.

We all have busy lives. The key to nailing your training for Ride Africa is to make it work for you.

Our suggestion: map out the 12 week lead-up to Ride Africa and timetable in your training rides. If you have a busy week, a holiday, work events - don’t panic. Work around them - you can start the plan earlier and have a fallow week (you won’t lose fitness).

Make the most of it: rope in friends/family for some adventurous long cycles, consider spin classes, or set up a static bike/turbo trainer at home and pedal while you watch Netflix!

Training kit.

Here’s the kit you’ll need to get training.