This is a retro cycling event, which basically means that your gear and your bike will be from the era before 1990. Generally, that means downtube shifters and exposed brake cables, your frame will probably be steel or bonded aluminium and your jersey will generally stretch to your knees if it gets wet!!

But here’s an important point. At Velo Retro, we’re all about inclusivity and encouraging new people to join the scene. What does this mean? It means that turning up on your new carbon beast and Ineos kit wouldn’t be acceptable, but if you’ve made an effort to be and look retro, that will do for now. That means that your retro replica, that looks the part will be fine. In our experience, once hooked, most people then go off and find themselves the real thing! We don’t do bike snobbery either, we love to see the brilliantly restored classics, gleaming in the sun, but what we love most is seeing the smiles of riders who’ve battled around a tough course on an old bike and had a great day!

Top tips – keep an eye on your supermarket sales boards, there’s regular £50 bargains to be had. Going to France in the car? Pop into every brocante, they frequently have ancient bikes, they're usually cheap, and sometimes, there's a gem!