London to Brighton
El classico! The most popular single day challenge ride in the UK. Done the Red Fox way, a 69-mile
countryside meander starting in London ending at the bustling city of Brighton, the pride of Britain’s
southern coastline. Take morning coffee and cake in Shere (a village made famous by three Hollywood
movies), enjoy a delicious sandwich, salad and savoury pastry lunch from the Dabbling Duck brasserie
and mark the achievement with beers and luxury burgers at one of Brighton’s fancy craft ale pubs. The
ultra-adventurous can even take a dip on Brighton Beach!
At a glance
A solid one-day challenge.
The shortest route is 54 miles, but a quieter route using primarily country lanes means fewer cars, plenty of opportunities for side-by-side riding and a calmer environment to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Surrey hills and the Sussex downs.
There is also endless flexibility in the route.
You could choose to explicitly include or exclude the iconic (but fairly punishing) climb to Ditchling Beacon or opt for the 62-mile off-road route if you’re a group of mountain bike or gravel riders. We can help you decide on the best route and ride style.
What you need to know
Duration
1 day cycling
Distance
68 miles
(avg 68 miles per day)
Elevation
1051m
(avg 1051m per day)
Start point
London
End point
Brighton Beach
Day 1: 69 miles
Starting early to maximise time on the beach, kick back with coffee and a carb-loading bacon sandwich whilst our team checks your bikes and delivers the all-important health and safety briefing.
Our recommended route takes us into the heart of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and weaves across the open farmland and sleepy villages of the South Downs National Park to Brighton. We take a morning stop in Shere, the pride of the Surrey Hills and a cyclist’s mecca. Expect to see lycra!
For lunch we sometimes partner with a great country pub. The Fox Inn at Rudgwick and the George and Dragon at Dragons Green are two of our favourites. Alternatively, there is an incredible deli in the Surrey Hills which can give us takeaway sandwiches, salads and pastries. This can be a better option if time is tight!
We hit the ocean at Shoreham and we like to stop for a seaside beer or G&T before the final push to Brighton. After the customary arrival photo (it has to be done) we guide groups up to one of the fancy craft beer pubs near Brighton station for drinks and / or dinner.
What our clients say
"Very friendly team and were very accommodating for cyclists of all abilities. I had great fun throughout the ride day despite not having much cycling experience and would 100% like to do a trip with them again. Also the range of snacks they brought for the ride was a huge bonus."
Paul E, Tripadvisor