Intro to Off-Road Riding

Had such a great weekend. The organisation of it was perfect from the camping, the food, the cycling routes and the safety and guidance on the bikes to suit all abilities Amazing hosts, increadible cook, and the most infectious upbeat encouragement from our 2 bike tour leaders. We had the most lovely group of people to enjoy the weekend with too Highly recommend this weekend

Enjoyed finding the peace and being looked after by J&B Meeting new people and sharing stories added to my the lovely landscapes of the ride

Had a brilliant weekend camping and cycling off road. Jonathan and Beatrice were excellent hosts, Alessandro and Nunziella kept us happy and safe cycling some beautiful off-road routes, the food was excellent, the campsite and its facilities were spacious and clean, and it was fun sleeping in bell tents. And it was a pleasure spending the weekend with a group of such friendly, down-to-earth people. Thanks all!!

Thoroughly enjoyable weekend across great scenery with great company. The rides were a bit of a stretch for me but in the best possible way of nudging against my limits, and people were supported and encouraged to ride at their own pace. Had a great time!

It was an amazing weekend. The group were amazing bunch of people. The organisers were excellent. Could not fault anything.

What a fantastic weekend, so well organised, beautiful routes, with fabulous people. Thoroughly enjoyed it and would 100% recommend it!

This trip was so well organised, with a great amount of thought and care into ensuring everyone had an enjoyable experience. A brilliant, friendly group, much laughter. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone wanting to ride off road in a relaxed and social way. And the food was amazing! The hosts and guides went above and beyond to make everyone welcome and well looked after.

Very good weekend, great company and well run would highly recommend it

I had an absolutely brilliant time on the Wild Cycles introduction to gravel riding! It was incredibly well-organised, and John deserves a huge commendation for making sure everything we needed was sorted and communicated in such a timely manner. The routes were perfectly set to accommodate the weather, which allowed us to completely relax and just enjoy ourselves while taking in all the great views. The leaders were fantastic—so friendly and incredibly patient with our million questions. And Beatrice's cooking was truly out of this world; I still can't believe she managed to create such delicious meals from a campsite! Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I recommend this to anyone looking for a fun weekend spent on a bike

I had a super time at the Intro to Gravel Riding weekend. The guides were very friendly and helpful, and the routes they picked were an excellent mixture of trail types with beautiful views. The food provided was amazing. Would thoroughly recommend!

Despite being close to home, this trip felt like we were miles away! The weather was mixed but it really didn't affect our spirits. Our very knowledgeable guides were able to tailor the riding based on the weather and abilities of the group, making sure we were all learning new techniques but not pushed too far that we didn't feel safe.

Beatrice's food was phenomenal! Having a group meal every day out in nature brought everyone together, and naturally encouraged us to make friends.

Thank you so much to John and Beatrice for creating Wild Cycles!

Set in a beautiful location, camping and riding around ivinghoe beacon. The whole weekend was an escape from reality, everything was taken at a relaxed pace including the riding. John and Beatrice set up a fantastic base camp with lovely attention to detail to make you feel at home and catered for. Beatrice's cooking is delicious and perfectly pitched for 2 days of riding- fuelling but not heavy- with great desserts.

The group was welcoming and chatty with a huge range of riding experiences- from fairly experienced on off road to complete beginners- all of which were made to feel comfortable.

The ride leaders were great cheerleaders and were eager to share knowledge about everything from bike tricks to advice on what gear to get.

I had a blast and am itching to get out to ride the ridge again! Thanks wild cycles.

A random choice for a local (for us) weekend of gravel biking. We weren't quite intro level, but the group attending the weekend were all lovely people. Hosts John and Beatrice could not have been more helpful, and guides Alessandro and Nunziella were really supportive and full of good advice for beginners ith even more tips for those wanting to take the next steps in off-road touring. The riding was suitable for beginners as expected, more of a social pace, with plenty of stops to take in views and refreshments, better than making things a challenging mission. We will certainly be upping our game in the bikepacking stakes, and enjoyed the terrain we were riding so much we will return soon to explore more.

If you are looking for a weekend of cycling, activity, fitness, comeradie, beautiful views, great company, superb food and a weekend distraction away from a busy working life, then press ‘book now’. You will not be disappointed.

You do need to be fit, there are lots of climbs along with lots of terrific descents and woodland paths. And it was the perfect weekend in all respects. Thank you to our superb hosts John (Mr World Bike Knowledge!) and Beatrice (The Magician) for our tasty food, and to our fantastic Italian guides Alessandro and Nunziella, who kept us focused and safe throughout the two days of riding.

The campsite is in a brilliant spot of the country and albeit we were blessed with superb weather, you couldn’t get a better location and weekend camping experience.

MBA customer service is excellent, please keep up the great work and I am looking forward already to booking my next adventure.

John and Beatrice were the best hosts leading to a very social group. Alessandro and Nunziella were such great ride leaders and the entire trip was one of the best weekend getaways you can find. Highly highly recommend!

Intro to gravel was actually intro to riding for me. Although I can ride a bike and have a very good level of fitness, balance and confidence on a bike were not on my side. I learnt so much and improved miraculously. John and Nick were so patient and dumb down all the instructions to keep me pedalling. So grateful and I’m already thinking about trying some new biking adventures gravel or otherwise.

I absolutely cannot think of anything critical to say about this spectacular weekend! John gave us a brilliant introduction to gravel cycling, talking us through the different types of terrain, and guiding us around varied and beautiful routes through the Chiltern Hills. The support and camping offer was next level - Beatrice's sourdough bread and overnight oats and homemade pizza were as much highlights as reaching the top of Ivinghoe Beacon, and then we digested and chatted around the fire before rolling into our bell tents for the night. I cannot recommend it highly enough - smiles all around.

John and Beatrice who run this trip couldn’t be friendlier and make you feel super welcome. Whilst John takes care of the cycling and takes you on route that are both enjoyable and challenging, Beatrice provides delicious and abundant food. The campsite is clean with good facilities and easy enough to access. Would definitely recommend this trip

I had such a fantastic time. We were truly looked after throughout. Fantastic guides, exquisite food, great company. I was on my own but felt immediately welcomed. Highly recommend. Thank you for a brilliant weekend.

Had a fantastic time on this trip! John and his fellow guides were excellent and ensured everyone was enjoying themselves - even in rainy conditions on the Sat morn! Camp is in a gorgeous location & the meals were wonderful. We had a lovely group which was a mix of solo’s, duo’s & one family. I had only done a bit of road biking in London prior to this weekend and this trip was the perfect insight to gravel riding - something I will defo try again :) exceeded expectations all round - highly recommend!

Well done to John and Beatrice and our great guides Nic and Jon. Despite the damp weather the weekend was all in all brilliant. Delicious food, (Beatrice's Cheesecake is something to behold), beautiful location and a really fun group of people to ride with. Would highly recommend.

Wonderful weekend for our whole family - a mixture of abilities and ages and John and the gang couldn’t have been more accommodating. The whole weekend was organized brilliantly with a fabulous campsite, the most amazing food all weekend and a brilliant team of guides. Can highly recommend to anyone who wants to do something a little different.

A fantastic weekend learning to gravel bike. Even as a competent road cyclist John taught me some brilliant tips to help me with off road riding. Beatrice and the team were amazing. Delicious homemade food, chat, camaraderie and the routes were varied, scenic and a little bit challenging. Just 10/10. And this was despite having the most shocking weather! All day rain, but that didn’t dampen our spirits. I’ll be back again.

Great guides (John & Nick), great food (Beatrice), picturesque countryside, quality biking, nice group. Top weekend all round

It was a wonderful weekend with lovely, like-minded people - most of whom had booked solo. Bikes, guidance (thanks Nick and John), campsite and all meals (thanks Beatrice) were great. I can't wait for more gravel adventures after this epic taster.

I had the most memorable weekend doing this intro course. I'm a newbie to cycling as I only started cycling this year and it is every other weekend. I don't have any road or gravel experience and um, John could tell, but John is such an excellent instructor and ever so patient with me when I was struggling just starting on the bike (I am used to upright bikes). He offered alternative routes which made me enjoy the whole day and appreciate the views. I also came away with so much knowledge which I will take away with me forever. Not to mention his knowledge of the Chilterns and he took flattering pictures and videos 😆! Also special mention to Nick for being an excellent guide and being so encouraging as well on the tough climbs, he also took amazing photos and videos. Beatrice provided amazing food and was accommodating for all types of diets, not to mention she has a great sense of humour because she found me funny.

Camping is a different story as this would have been my 3rd time camping but first time bringing my own equipment. Regarding the facilities, they are just right. I would recommend getting a lot of layers as the overnight temperatures are very unpredictable. The views are so amazing to wake up to I must admit and will dearly miss it. This experience has definitely made me want to cycle and camp often!

I would highly recommend this trip, even if you are not an outdoorsy person which I am most certainly not!

(Video in this review was taken by John)

This trip was absolutely delightful. John is an amazing guide, his care and helpfulness were incredible. Beatrice made us feel at home in the middle of the campsite. The food was delicious and plentiful. The bikes were great and very smooth. Nick gave us gave us great tips as we were riding. What else can we ask more. Thank you so much for such a great experience.

What more could you ask for! John was a great instructor, giving the very best intro to gravel cycling, with great leading from Nick. The scenery is stunning and every level was catered for. The food Beatrice prepared was absolutely delicious and perfect for the energy needed. I would not hesitate to recommend this trip!

I really enjoyed this gravel bike weekend. I'm not a very experienced cyclist and I wasn't really sure what to expect but it exceeded all expectations. John, our host and guide, was a brilliant teacher and I learned so much over the time there. Beatrice made the most delicious food and welcoming camp. Alessandro and Nunziella who helped out were full of useful information and cycling inspiration. I felt challenged on the rides but nothing was unachievable (as I say, I'm not an experienced cyclist) and the views and scenery were just beautiful. I would definitely recommend this trip.

From start to finish I had the best time. Led by John who inspired confidence to us gravel newbies with some fantastic rides, with support from Alessandro and Nunziella who were also great. The food by Beatrice was excellent. The bikes were perfect. My fellow riders were all great company, on the rides and around the campfire in the evening. If you are considering this, do it, you will have a brilliant time!