Cycle Live Festival of Cycling weekend & Great Nottinghamshire Bike Ride Fri 13-Sun 15 July 2012

  2012 Great Nottinghamshire Bike Ride and the Cycle Live Weekend Festival of Cycling in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, Friday 13 - Sunday 15 July 2012, with the GNBR starting now from the Victoria Embankment (and not the NWSC, Holme Pierrepont):
- more information here or from Chris Simon at Perfect Motion, email: chris.simon [at] perfectmotion [dot] org
- Watch this space for more information nearer the time!

2011 GNBR flyer:

BACKGROUND INFO (December 2010)

Nottinghamshire County Council in November 2011 decided as part of their financial cutbacks to end their 'active involvement' in the Great Notts. Bike Ride.

The ride is now organised, managed and owned in its entirety by Perfect Motion in conjunction with partner Pennine Events. The County Council remains an official partner.

  • To find out more directly contact Chris Simon of Perfect Motion,
    email: chris.simon [at] perfectmotion [dot] org
 

Some history of the Great Notts Bike Ride and pictures of past events:

Pedals started the GNBR in 1982.

This photo shows the start of that ride, in June 1982, from The Forest (Goose Fair Site), heading for Newark via Arnold and Dorket Head.  In the early years riders were left to find their own way back.

The first Ride was organised by Dave Law and Steve Parry of Pedals, inspired by the London to Brighton Ride which had started a few years earlier.
Nottingham Evening Post cutting about Dave Law on the 1996 Ride

One of the most successful charity rides in the UK, it is now organised by Nottinghamshire County Council. Following 50 mile (long ride) or 18 mile (short ride) circuits through the Trent Valley, the GNBR is staged each year in early summer. A 70-mile route has also now been added. Some pictures from the early GNBRs including the first refreshment stop at Bleasby (later moved to Thurgarton where there is more space):
refreshment stop opposite Newark Castle:

The GNBR passing through Fiskerton

Entertainments on the ride:

older and younger cyclists, on single bikes and tandems:
Nottinghamshire County Council took over from Pedals as the main organisers of the GNBR in 1985, starting that year at County Hall, and in 1986 the start was moved to the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont (with a choice of 50- and 18-mile circular rides), which has remained the start ever since:
The photo below shows the start of the 50 mile ride in 2004, Pedals 25th birthday and with Pedals riders in special T-Shirts.

Nottingham Evening Post cutting of the 25th GNBR in 2006:

A longer ride was added in 2008 (100 miles), and this has now become a regular part of the ride in 2009 as the 70-mile 'Sportive' Ride.

 See the BBC website for more details of the 2008 ride.

 
 

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