{"id":4668,"date":"2025-05-04T15:04:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-04T15:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bendingtherules.co.uk\/home\/?page_id=4668"},"modified":"2025-05-04T15:04:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-04T15:04:11","slug":"the-tweed-run","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bendingtherules.co.uk\/home\/the-tweed-run\/","title":{"rendered":"The Tweed Run"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Tweed Run is a metropolitan bicycle ride with a bit of style. We take to the streets in our well-pressed best, and cycle through the city’s iconic landmarks. Along the way, we stop for a tea break and a picnic stop, and we usually end with a bit of a jolly knees-up.\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

October 2012, Jane, a Pino owning friend phoned up… were we free with our hase Pino to go to London to take part in an Alan Titchmarsh Show for an item on different forms of cycling? They couln’t make it because her hubby and Pino pilot was unable to ride. We were in the same boat, as Karon was also unable to ride, so we agreed Jane and I would fulfil the requirement \u2013 Jane would drive up from the New Forest, with their Pino in the back, collect me and we would head for Thames House on the South Bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After cycling across the stage \u2013 Jane and her Pino with me onboard and Alan Titchmarsh with Ned Boulting on the slot about cycling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We parked up between a couple of reserved bays… one for Alan and the other for Terry Wogan. As it was, we spent most of the day in the ‘Green Room’ with a couple of other cycling guests. Joff Summerfield, who had ridden a penny farthing around the world, as you do, and a lady by the name of Jacqui Shannon who had organised the first Tweed Run in 2009. Theyt were recording three shows that day and so it was a long wait, but at one point ex PM John Major swanned past with an entourage in tow. Anyway, those hours waiting for our short slot gave us plenty of time to discuss and through Jacqui I learned all about the Tweed Run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back home I told Karon about the day, and the Tweed Run, and we detirmined to try for tickets for the 2013 run in April. There are a limited number of tickets and they usually go pretty quickly but we bagged a couple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All photos from previous Tweed Runs can be found on my Flickr Page.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2013<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stayed overnight on the Friday in the Royal National Hotel in Bloomsbury and the next morning set off for the start area at University College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We arrived early, before the place got really packed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The start is usually kept secret and only participants are told to discourage ‘outsiders’ joining in. The route usually sticks fairly close to the city centre, sometimes crossing the Thames. A late morning tea stop acts a s a regroup then a lunch stop for a collective picnic. That first year we took part, the run finished at a pub and there were gin & tonics covering the bar \u2013 free for all! Since then the finish has been in a small park but there are always refreshments and a prize ceremony for the best dressed, best bike etc. That first year we were awarded the most eccentric couple! Probably on account of the Pino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tweed is the order of the day and if one has a vintage cycle, all the better.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Old tandem complete with foot brake.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Not so old triple.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Adding to the Saturday London traffic chaos. In those early days outriders would escort us across junctions while they held back the traffic, but on the more recent rides we have all been required to obey traffic signals, so the group ends up subdivided into smaller packets.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Readying for a group photo at The Duke of York Column just off the Mall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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It started to rain about 20 minutes before the end of the ride and wet tweed inside a small pub does not produce a pleasant atmosphere! On arrival at the pub, we were greeted with the sight of a bar completely covered in gin & tonics, courtesy the organisers.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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