Classic
Sun 31 Aug 2025 Chelmsford, Essex, UK 10% off

RIDE Essex | Classic

Close your cycling season on a stunning ride through the Essex countryside, as you journey through quiet villages and farmlands. The Classic route, part of the RIDE Series, is a great challenge.

  • Sun 31 Aug 2025
  • 10% off
Writtle University College, Chelmsford

Classic

10% off exclusive to TimeOutdoors

07:45

Age 16 & over

£38.50

  • 68 miles road cycling + 1985 ft ascent

Event overview

One of the most popular events in Action Medical Research's RIDE series with over 900 riders! Three routes to choose from through quiet villages and the farmlands of Essex with plentiful feed stops to make it a cracking event!

The historic Writtle University College is the new venue which offers beautiful quaint gardens for your friends and family to enjoy while they wait to cheer you over the finish line.

Enjoy a great day in the saddle with the Action Medical Research team on this cycling event with first-class support throughout the day. Help raise vital funds to help sick and disabled babies and children.

Let me compliment you on everything being perfect and we all rode our hearts out.

Highlights

  • Summer ride

    Part of Action's popular, annual RIDE Series.

  • Excellent cycling terrain

    Journey through quiet villages and farmlands of Essex.

  • Complete day out

    Enjoy a great day in the saddle with first-class support throughout and the 'pro' feel of motorcycle outriders.

  • All levels of cyclist

    Short, medium and long rides cater to a wide range of abilities.

  • No fundraising target

    Easy entry online with no sponsorship minimum - simply raise as much as you can.

  • Support Action Medical Research

    Ride to raise awareness and funds to help sick and disabled babies and children.

This event is part of RIDE Essex.

  • Event village
  • Families
  • Newcomers
  • Spectators
  • Teams

Start times

  • 07:00-07:45 | Champion Road Route
  • 07:45-08:30 | Classic Road Route
  • 08:30-09:00 | Cool Road Route
  • 18:00 | Cut-off time for finishers

E-bikes welcome

This is a traditional road sportive; the most suitable bike would be a drop handle road bike, although hybrids and e-bikes are perfectly suitable also.

  • Accommodation
  • Cafe
  • Changing facilities
  • Free parking
  • Rural
  • Toilets

Event HQ

Writtle University College
Lordship Road
Writtle
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 3RR
UK

Writtle University College

Situated on a stunning 220-hectare estate Writtle University College is the event's home for the day.

Established in 1893, it is one of the oldest specialist institutions in the UK and offers a range of land-based, design and sport courses and will be putting in their own team to ride on the day. There are exciting plans to create an event village for the whole family on ride day!

  • Cut off time
  • First aid
  • Food stations
  • Marshals
  • Out and back
  • Sweeper
  • Undulating
  • Water stations
  • Way markers

A journey through quiet villages and the farmlands of Essex where the undulations will have you in and out of the saddle.

Map

map

Sustainability

  • Public transport links

  • Chip timing
  • Massage
  • Medal
  • Training plan

Ride for a reason

All events in the RIDE Series are organised and run by children’s charity, Action Medical Research. By taking part in an event, not only will you have a great time with first-class support throughout the day, but you’ll also be helping to raise vital funds to help sick and disabled babies and children.

There is no sponsorship target; you are simply encouraged to raise or donate as much as you can.

  • Age 16 & over
  • Entries open
  • Enter online

16 and 17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

10% off exclusive to TimeOutdoors!

Entry fees

Early bird entry fee

£38.50

I must thank you and all your wonderful staff for organising the most amazing Ride Essex, I rode with a group of guys from VCC cycle club and we all had the best day, everything was perfect - even the British weather behaved. We appreciate how hard this event must be to organise so let me compliment you on everything being perfect and we all rode our hearts out. Thank you so much, see you next year! Bradley J

Amazing route, I really enjoyed it, thanks. Alex M


A well organised event. Lovely ride the the Essex countryside and villages. Good signage which is a plus for me. Good stations were well stocked with nice food to keep us going. Even got cheered in at the end. Loved my wooden medal, eco friendly which is good. A great ride with my daughter. Julie B


A brilliant event, well run and fun to ride. Not everyone thinks Essex is a pretty county but this might change your mind!

Great, well planned event. Volunteers were amazing - they are the unsung heros. Can not fault it; will be back again. Gary P

Excellent organisation with the clearest signage I have ever witnessed on a sportive. Stuart A

Action Events offer some of the best cycling sportives in the UK. Epic routes, very well-organised and all for a great cause as well. Not to be missed. Stephen R

Fabulous ride on a stunningly beautiful day. Essex countryside at it best. Everyone was super friendly. Support was excellent. See you next year. Gareth N

A very well organised event, helpful people and smiling faces everywhere. Susan P

I had a great ride very nice event well organised. Will definitely do it again. Matthew G

Reviews thanks to RaceCheck

Other races at event

  • Sun 31 Aug 2025
  • #2 of 3
Writtle University College, Chelmsford

Champion

07:00

Age 16 & over

£40.50

  • 100 miles road cycling + 3209 ft ascent
  • Sun 31 Aug 2025
  • #4 of 3
Writtle University College, Chelmsford

Cool

08:30

Age 16 & over

£28.50

  • 36 miles road cycling + 1079 ft ascent