As the British summer blends into autumn, and the green landscapes of July and August begin their slow transition towards the glorious reds, yellows and golds of autumn, cyclists can continue to enjoy a winning mix of pedal-perfect temperatures, decent daylight hours and quieter postholiday-season roads, making September a beautiful time for two-wheeled adventures.
However, many riders ease off far too soon, with Strava reporting a 17% drop in UK cycling activities in September 2022 compared to the previous month. At first glance, it's easy to see why: September can certainly feel like the end of summer, with meteorologists bluntly marking September 1 as the start of autumn, kids shuffling back to school and many bike races in the rearview mirror.
But curtailing your rides this early is like quitting a race 20km from the finish. With the clocks not going back until October 29, there are weeks of short-sleeved rides and light evenings still to come. You're probably on your best form too, after months of quality summer training.
We reveal some of the best September rides, escapes and challenges to help you stretch out your cycling season and keep you pedalling long after most other riders have entered premature hibernation.
01 Smash a September sportive
Find a spectacular latesummer sportive to fire up your motivation and boost your fitness into autumn.
Cross Border Sportive,
3 September
This story is from the October 2023 edition of Cycling Plus UK.
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This story is from the October 2023 edition of Cycling Plus UK.
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