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Trials Demo
Event Report: Tesco Bike Active Bedgebury
18th September 2006
The Tesco Bike Active 2006 got underway in fine style at Kent's Bedgebury Forest yesterday, with around 350 riders of all ages taking on the challenge.
Riders began rolling in and signing up from around 9 o'clock until well after 3, cashing in on the remarkable weather, fine trails and arboreal delights of Kent's premier woodland venue.
Riders had a specially designed 4.5km loop taking in gentle climbs and swooping descents on gravel fire roads.
Back at the event village, the RJ Ride Guide's Rich Johnson wowed the crowd with some truly jaw-dropping MTB trials manoeuvres. If you think you've seen trials demos, think again. Rich was radio-miked up through the entire show, talking eager spectators through the intricacies of each trick, while the RJ Ride Guide crew delivered a pumping soundtrack and showered the crowd with freebies and giveaways. Check out the galleries for highlights of RJ's routine.
Any of the younger kids in the audience had the opportunity to pop next door to the Go-Ride Skills area, where they could begin to brush up on their on-bike balance, with the help of British Cycling coaches from the South East region. Thanks guys.
We've got tons of photos in our event galleries, with riders of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities, resplendent in their red Everyday Cycling T shirts, having a great time on the Bedgebury Trails. To my mind, the abiding image of the day was seeing families, bedecked in their red t-shirts, scattered along the Tesco Bike Active trail and crossing the line at the end to collect their medals.
Thanks must go to Dave Hiscock and his Forestry Commission team at Bedgebury, for making our stay so memorable. Thanks also to our team of volunteer marshals from clubs throughout the South East, who made sure that everyone was kept on course.
After a weekend's break, Tesco Bike Active is heading north to Greater Manchester's Heaton Park on 1st October. Big and beautiful, and sandwiched between Manchester, Bolton and Bury, the event is sure to draw-in bikers by the bucketload to enjoy another slice of Tesco Bike Active fun. If you're in the area, get yourself entered today! Following on from Heaton Park, we've got a further three events, taking place at Roundhay Park, Leeds (8th October), Sherwood (15th October) and Bath (22nd Oct).
For more information on how to get involved, go to www.everydaycycling.com/tesco