Born at Sea. Built on Wheels.
Bringing inclusivity ashore through cycling adventures, because the open road, like the open sea, belongs to everyone.
Our Origin
We're a passionate group of individuals brought together by a shared experience aboard SV Tenacious, one of only two tall ships in the world designed specifically to enable disabled and non-disabled individuals to sail together as equal crew members. Built by the Jubilee Sailing Trust and launched in 2000, she has carried over 20,000 voyagers on adventures across the globe.
Her design was a masterclass in inclusive engineering: wheelchair-accessible lifts throughout the vessel, a speaking compass for visually impaired sailors, Braille signage, hearing loops, power-assisted steering, and ascender systems so wheelchair users could climb the masts. Life aboard was a shared endeavour, a floating classroom for practical inclusivity.
When JST faced financial difficulties in late 2023, we were determined the spirit of Tenacious wouldn't stop at the waterline. Cycling, one of the most adaptive sports in the world, became our deck. With the right equipment and the right team, everyone can ride.
Our Journey
Four years. Four endurance challenges. One growing family of mixed-ability cyclists proving that the open road belongs to everyone, together.
David Bainbridge and Abi Bubb, who has Arthrogryposis affecting the muscles in her arms and legs, were supported to the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) by a team of JST volunteers coordinated by Graham Strudwick. Four members dropped out the night before, leaving a team of 10 on the day. David used a wheelchair he modified himself, adding a BMX front frame, larger mountain bike wheels, and anchor points for harnesses. The team took turns assisting Abi and pulling David across sections the mountain path is not considered accessible for. The challenge raised £20,100 for the Jubilee Sailing Trust. The idea for Race the Ship was born on the journey home.
A 14-strong mixed-ability team raced SV Tenacious from Great Yarmouth to London by any human-powered means: bikes, a tandem, a Duet wheelchair-bike, and Abi's bespoke Race Runner. John, who is blind and hearing impaired, co-piloted the tandem with Lauren at the front. The route tracked through Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and along the Lee River through London's Olympic Park to the Thames Barrier. Five days; 197 miles; nine knots of tide pushing the ship upstream at the finish.
A three-day mixed-accessibility ride through South Wales and the Severn Valley, passing Lord Nelson laid up in Barry Docks and paying respects to Tenacious at Sharpness. The team crossed the Severn Bridge on a mixture of bikes, trikes, a tandem, and Abi's Road Runner. Brian joined from Pedal Power Cardiff on his pedal-assisted electric trike. ITV Wales covered the event; BBC Radio Wales gave the team a mention. Three days, three counties, one very appreciative piece of cake from a garage in Sharpness.
Six team members, David Bainbridge, Rosemary Scott, Graham Strudwick, Tim and Ruth Tayler, John Churcher, and Lauren Bean, tackled 144 miles of Kent's Cantii Way over two and a half days. The 3,523 feet of elevation included a memorably brutal section between Deal and Folkestone, softened considerably by a well-earned café stop at the Battle of Britain memorial in Capel-le-Ferne. The spirit of Tenacious: ashore, alive, and moving.
Ways to Ride
Like the watch system aboard Tenacious, everyone rides at a pace the team can share. We mirror the crew structure that made the ship extraordinary, brought to two wheels.
Short, accessible group rides with a café stop. Designed for all abilities: the ideal introduction to riding with a mixed team, no experience required.
One or two-day trips along relatively flat, low-traffic routes. Achievable for a broad range of cyclists, with overnight logistics supported by the team.
Multi-day, fully supported endurance adventures. The whole team supports one another across every mile. Disabled and non-disabled riders complete the same route as equals. No one is left behind.
2026 · Our Most Ambitious Event Yet
Beicio Gyda'n Gilydd 200
The UK's first inclusive ultra-endurance coast-to-coast: 221 miles from Liverpool to Cardiff. One road. Every rider. A cooperative ultra where a mixed-ability team rides at a shared pace and crosses the finish line as equals.
Consistency and teamwork determine success. The whole team completes every mile together. No one sprints ahead; no one is left behind.
All information, marketing, web content, and event signage will be fully bilingual. Beicio Gyda'n Gilydd 200, Cycling Together 200.
Disabled and non-disabled riders completing the same 221 miles at a shared pace. Adaptive equipment arranged via our charity partners.
Linked with Pedal Power Cardiff (Pontcanna), local organisations in Montgomeryshire, and a growing network in Liverpool and across North Wales.
The People Behind the Pedals
Tenacious veterans, keen cyclists, and adaptive sport pioneers. Most have sailed together; all ride together. The team that shows up is different every time, and that's the point.
Founder · Route Planner · Route Tester
Former wheelchair user from Peterborough, also known as 'The Tenacious Cyclist'. 19 years as a wheelchair user, ending January 2023. In September 2022 he summited Snowdon in a wheelchair he designed himself. On the way home, he came up with Race the Ship. In January 2023 he rode for the first time since childhood. Six months later: London to Brighton, 54 miles. Three months after that: 197 miles, Great Yarmouth to London. 1,800 miles that year. Over 6,000 since.
"What people think is impossible is just another puzzle to be solved."
Route Planner · Route Tester · JST Watch Leader
Climber, avid fundraiser, and JST watch leader. Chair of JST's London branch. Graham pre-checks every route for adaptive vehicle access: barriers, gradients, surface quality, and has been integral to the planning of every challenge since Snowdon.
Rider · Chronicler
Keen cyclist with Portsmouth CTC. Sailed Tenacious around Cape Horn in 2017. Tim joined for Race the Ship and has been part of every ride since, taking on the O Pair tricycle for Barry to Gloucester while wishing he'd taken training more seriously on the hills. He's also written the best accounts of every event.
"It is not that disability doesn't matter; it is the ability to adapt that matters more."
Support Driver · Co-Navigator
JST stalwart. Sailed Cape Horn in 2017. The backbone of every ride. Ruth drives the support campervan, manages luggage, handles breakdowns, and keeps the team fuelled. Her most important responsibility: sourcing coffee and bacon rolls when no café is available.
Long-Distance Rider · JST Stalwart
One of the group's most seasoned long-distance cyclists and a deeply committed JST supporter. Rosemary has been part of the team since Race the Ship and brings a quiet consistency to every event. The kind of rider who just gets on with it, whatever the weather.
Adaptive Cyclist · Snowdon Veteran
Living with Arthrogryposis, Abi has sailed on Tenacious and was part of the Snowdon challenge team. She co-piloted the Duet wheelchair-bike during Race the Ship, famously managing descents with a single knee-operated brake, and rode the Severn Bridge on her Road Runner during Barry to Gloucester.
Tandem Pilot & Stoker
Lauren pilots; John stokers. John is both blind and deaf. He pedals and steers while Lauren calls direction from the front. They arrived at Race the Ship on a livid green tandem having previously sailed on Tenacious together, done rock climbing, and (in John's case) returned from climbing in the Himalayas. Part of the Cantii Way 2025 team.
Rider · Volunteer · Supporter
New riders are always welcome. Standard bike, trike, tandem, adaptive: there's a place for you.
Get in TouchWhether you ride a standard bike, a trike, a tandem, or need adaptive equipment; there is a place for you in this team. Experienced cyclists and complete beginners both welcome.
