Home > Rides+Events

The 5 funniest rides of 2020

These creative cyclists really thought outside of the box

Photo by: Ruben Lopez/ @rubydrummr
December 9, 2020
Share on SMS

This year has been challenging for everyone, but these cyclists managed to make lemonade out of some less-than-ideal lemons/situations. With some big efforts and creative thinking, they proved you can still have fun while staying safe.

1,300 laps of the back yard

In April, when long-distance gravel event The Dirty Reiver in Northumberland was cancelled, British former pro Molly Weaver decided to put on her own 130km solo event. Entirely in her back yard. The effort involved 12 hours of riding more than 1,000 laps of a short 100m circuit she created.

With her massive effort she also raised  £12,000 for the Women’s Aid Federation of England, which works to end domestic violence.

Homemade Italian indoor mtb rollers

In maximum DIY fashion the organizers of the Ortler Bike Marathon XCM got by with what they had when Italy was in lockdown. Their set up used a rolling pin and two blocks of firewood – which look like they’re rubbing perilously close together – and a system of straps to maintain tension. Two doors of a cabinet, strapped together around the front wheel, keep the bike in place. Read more…

Cycling Italy in the Netherlands

Photo: Michiel van Looijengoed

If you can’t go ride in Italy, how do you bring Italy to your ride? A few Dutch cyclists came up with a creative solution. Rene Koppert created a local Strava route in the shape of Italy, winding around the city and outskirts of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Michiel van Looijengoed saw the route and knew he had to ride it, and posted the result on Twitter. Read more…

“Riding” a bouncy ball up the Col du Tourmalet

This isn’t technically cycling, but Belgian triathlete Glenn Valentin’s heroic effort had to be included in this list. Raising money for Les Petits Princes, a Paris-based organization that fulfils wishes of critically ill children, Valentin hopped up the entirety the Col du Tourmalet on a space hopper (also known as a moon hopper, skippyball, kangaroo ball, bouncer, hippity hop, hoppity hop, sit and bounce, or hop ball).

The 29-year-old bounced the full 18km, 2,115m of elevation climb on his orange ball.

Poo Poo Point to Pee Pee Creek

A true legend of potty humour, this summer Ruben Lopez spent 36 days riding 4,000km from Poo Poo Point in Washionton, to Pee Pee Creek, Ohio.  The cyclist completed his viral journey to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Read more…