CW5000
13.7 miles - or roughly an hour of cycling - every day, for one year - can you join the community-driven 5000 mile club?
Join one of our four challenges in 2024
Are you ready to give your riding a boost in 2024? To take your fitness to the next level? Sign up to one of our four ride challenges and we’ll help inspire you to ride further than ever before. From 500 to 5,000 miles we’ve got a challenge for everyone.
Alongside the motivation that comes from setting a clear goal, we send all riders two monthly challenges on the first of each month. These range from reaching a set distance in one week, to riding multiple days in a row, and we have the ever popular photographic challenges. Sending you out to explore your local area and find new places you’ve never been to before.
The Mini - Ride 500 miles. This could take you one month, three months or all year. It doesn’t matter. 500 miles in a year is just 41.6 miles a month, so there’s no rush to start riding in the middle of winter. That’s why the monthly challenges for The Mini will at first focus on general health and fitness, before getting you to venture out on your bike when the daylight hours stretch out and the temperature starts creeping up.
The Midi - Ride 1,000 miles. To complete this challenge you’ll need to hit just under 100 miles a month. That might not be too hard in the middle of summer, but in winter it can be a big ask. For those who hit the distance sooner than they think, there’s always the chance of moving on to The Maxi
The Maxi - Ride 2,500 miles. A serious task for any rider, no matter how committed you are. Completing this challenge will require you to ride over 200 miles a month, that means 49 miles every week. As per the other challenges, all miles count toward the total, including indoor miles logged in virtual worlds.
CW5000 - Ride 5,000 miles. The original challenge and still a mammoth task for any rider, requiring consistent riding all year round. We’ve never had more than 1,000 people complete the challenge in the four years it’s been running. Could 2024 be the year we see a record number? You can find out who completed this challenge in 2023 with our finishers list. Sign up to add your name to the 2024 list.
Sign up for free
How it works
Sign up: It’s simple, quick and free. Enter your details to the form above, select which challenge you want to tackle and get involved. There’s a Facebook group to join and a club on Strava. You’ll get a welcome email, but a lot of these end up in SPAM folders. Please check yours and update your settings to let your email provider that we’re not spam.
Get riding: This is the important bit. Get out and ride your bike. Or stay in. All miles count whether they’re on a turbo ably assisted by an avatar on a screen in front of you, or out on the road IRL. Remember, it’s an individual challenge for you to complete, you’re not in a race with anyone else.
Log your miles: Keep a record of every mile you’ve ridden and watch them add up through the year. Most of our riders log their miles on Strava, but there are lots of ride logging platforms available and we don’t mind which one you use. You can also log them on a spreadsheet or on the CW mileage chart. We’ve been printing it in the magazine for over 100 years, and thousands of cyclists have used it in that time.
Get involved: The private Facebook group linked to this challenge is a supportive and friendly place where people post about their riding. You can also join the Strava club or the all new WhatsApp channel where we'll be posting fitness, riding and training content. We love hearing about your two wheel adventures, and the best stories and photographs are used in our monthly round ups. You’ll also be set two smaller challenges every month to help keep you riding.
Order your medal: Once you’ve completed the distance send us proof of your mileage and you’ll be added to the challenges finishers list. You’ll also be able to order your medal that we’ll send out along with a finishers certificate.
Latest
-
Big Ride Challenge 2024 Finishers List
From 500 to 5,000 miles, a list of everyone who has completed the CW challenge in 2024
By Simon Richardson Last updated
-
Big Ride Challenge: September challenges
There's still time to log some long rides as you discover new areas to ride
By Simon Richardson Published
-
'My riding companion proceeded to fragment into countless tiny particles and dissolve into the night sky — I was hallucinating': Inside a 500km ultra ride
Keen to test the limits of his well-matured endurance, Steve Shrubsall hurls himself headlong into a 500km ultra-endurance adventure across England's North and South Downs
By Stephen Shrubsall Published
-
Order your Big Ride Challenge finisher's medal
If you've completed your chosen distance in 2024, now's the time to celebrate and order your medal!
By Simon Richardson Published
-
The leaves may be falling, but I find the idea that cycling should take the back seat now defeatist
Gilet? Knee warmers? Gloves? As we enter transition, staying on two wheels isn’t up for debate
By Adam Becket Published
-
Hot weather cycling: 6 tips to help you keep your cool
A spell of hot weather needn't stop you enjoying your riding, as long as you take some precautions to prevent over-heating and dehydration
By Anna Marie Abram Published
-
Big Ride Challenge t-shirts now available to buy
If you want to let others know how far you plan to ride in 2024, you can now get it printed across your chest.
By Simon Richardson Published
-
21 ways to get your season off to a flying start
Motivation is key: achievable, aspirational goals with clear checkpoints is a great place to start. Structured training, bike servicing and joining a club will all help set you on the right trajectory, too
By Charlie Allenby Published
-
Eight-step guide to crafting your achievable goal this year, according to a cycling coach
How to come up with a target you can hit - plus some pointers on how to stay on track
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published