BikeRadar is hosting a social group ride on Zwift this coming bank holiday Monday (25 May) in aid of leading mental health charity, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).
It forms part of our Power of 8 campaign, which highlights the fact that just £8 can fund one potentially life-saving call to CALM’s free and confidential helpline and webchat services. CALM is a leading movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.
Based around the number 8, the ride starts at 8am BST, will last for 80 minutes and will follow the Watopia Figure 8 route. Come and join us for the ride!
You’ll be able to chat with professional riders from the Vitus Pro Cycling team and some of the BikeRadar team as we ride, via the Zwift Companion app (available for iOS and Android). If you can, please also consider making a donation to CALM via our JustGiving page.
How to join our group ride on Zwift
If you’d like to join us for this ride, you simply need to sign-up via the Zwift event page or via the Zwift Companion app.
This will be a category D group ride, so we will be aiming for a social pace between 1 and 2.4 watts per kilogram (w/kg).
If you don’t have a Zwift account already, you can register for a free seven-day trial on the Zwift website, though you will need a few bits of kit to get started.
Other ways to support the #powerof8 campaign
If you’re not a Zwifter, you can still support the campaign by riding outside (in line with the current coronavirus guidelines wherever you live).
Go for a ride that involves the number 8 this bank holiday weekend and use the hashtags #rideforCALM and #powerof8 to share your rides with us on social media.
Get creative with your ride. The distance could involve the number 8 or you could plan a route with 8 climbs. You could even do 8 laps of a local ascent or loop.
More details about the campaign can be found by following the link below.
How to donate
CALM has seen a surge in calls to its free helpline since the UK’s coronavirus lockdown began. Just £8 can fund one potentially life-saving call.
Any donation is welcome, big or small, via our JustGiving page.
Vitus Pro Cycling team virtual Everesting challenge
In addition to our social ride, professional riders from the Vitus Pro Cycling team will be supporting the #powerof8 by riding a virtual Everesting challenge on Zwift.
Starting at 8am on Monday (25 May), five team members, including team manager Cherie Pridham, will be riding up and down Alpe du Zwift eight-and-a-half times for a total elevation gain of 8,880m – more than the height of Everest.
If that’s more your cup of tea, you can ride with them – it's up to you whether you join them for the full challenge!
Just use the Zwift Companion app and select the option to ‘ride with’ one of the following:
- Joe Sutton
- Adam Kenway
- Freddie Scheske
- Tom Mazzone
- Cherie Pridham (ChezPro)
A word of warning though, while the BikeRadar social ride will be run at a relatively easy pace, the Vitus Pro Cycling team may well ride slightly faster!
The Vitus Pro Cycling team also has a JustGiving page for this campaign. It is aiming to raise £500 for CALM, so please consider making a donation if you can.
