Two weeks to go: a new Retro Ride, rides & talks finalised, live music update and much more in our last update before the Rally!
Dear fellow cyclist, With just two weeks to go it’s time for another York Rally update! We’ve been busy with final preparations so please read on for more details on the following: |
- We’ve a new Retro Ride! Get out your classic steel-framed bike….
- The rides list is now finalised – many thanks to all our volunteer leaders!
- The talks schedule is also finalised – many thanks to our speakers!
- Welcome to American Routes – our new Saturday evening band…
- Rally round-up – congratulations to tricycle riders and trike builders, a big thank-you to clubs and associations supporting the Rally through programme advertising, and a reminder to bring cycling donations!
This will be the last general email newsletter before the Rally, but we will also be emailing booked-in campers with arrivals information etc. shortly before the event, so please watch out for that!
1. New Retro Ride
Polish up your classic steel framed bike! We’re delighted to have a new RETRO RIDE, departing 9:50 on Saturday 22nd June. It’s a gently undulating 26 miles to Tadcaster and beyond, taking the retro riders to a refreshments stop around the midpoint. Many thanks to volunteer ride leader David Kimberley for organising.

2. Rides list finalised
We have a fine line-up of rides for the 2019 Rally! You’ll find many old favourites (some with changed names) but also a number of new items, which you’ll see highlighted in red if you click the link below. The new rides include a 50k Audax (running alongside a lightly modified 100k – for both please do book ASAP so that we can order Audax UK entry cards), the new Retro, and a ride on Sunday morning to see a professionally acted “Historical Promenade” about the Solar System Greenway.

3. Talks finalised
Many thanks to all of our speakers who have volunteered to give talks at the Rally! We’ve everything from classic cycle racing to the latest research illuminating the helmet debate, as well of course as e-bike Q&A sessions where you can explore the latest technology. More speakers are always welcome, especially perhaps with touring talks. Please just get in touch if you’d like to volunteer for next year.

Welcome our new band!
The Foresters, the Rally’s traditional Saturday evening band for many decades, retired in late 2018 and have now sadly disbanded. We thank them for their many fine performances at the Rally – they will be much missed!
Now for the York Rally 2019 we are delighted to welcome country-folk band “American Routes“, featuring Irene and Brian Hume, legends of the north-eastern music scene who with Prelude had a ’70s smash hit with “After the Goldrush”: click below to watch them perform it (on Youtube). Please make them very welcome, from 7:30 pm on Saturday 22nd June!

And finally
Please do book anything you can online ahead of the Rally – this really does help reduce the pressure on our volunteers on the day, and helps us plan. So please do book your campsite pitch, saddlebag sale table, and quiz team table in good time – thank you in advance! All online bookings will close on the Monday (17th June) before the Rally. And do please remember to bring any bikes or kit which you could donate for us to sell to help boost the Rally’s funds, as mentioned in our our previous newsletter.
Thank you again for your support of the York Rally – we’re already looking forward to seeing many of you in June!
With best regards,
The York Rally Team