Training plan · London and Sussex
London to Brighton Bike Ride training plan 2027
Sunday 20 June 2027, Clapham Common, London. 86.9 km with about 830 m of climbing.
In short
Give yourself 12 to 16 weeks for the London to Brighton Bike Ride on Sunday 20 June 2027, or 8 to 10 if you already ride most weeks. It is 54 miles (86.9 km) from Clapham Common to Brighton seafront, 80% of it on closed roads, and the one hill that matters is Ditchling Beacon at mile 46: 1.45 km at 9%, with ramps of 16%. Build up to a three-hour ride, practise climbing seated in your lowest gear, and plan to eat at the checkpoints, which come about every 11 miles. On WattPlan's model of the course, a rider with an FTP of 230 watts weighing 75 kg rides it in about 3 h 03 min, and takes 7:02 on Ditchling Beacon at about 231 watts.
The London to Brighton at a glance
| Date | Sunday 20 June 2027source |
|---|---|
| Start and finish | Clapham Common, London to Brighton seafrontsource |
| Distance | 86.9 km (54 miles), climbing not published by the organiser; about 830 m on WattPlan's model of the coursesource |
| Roads | 80% of the route is on closed, traffic-free roads; the rest is open to traffic.source |
| Start | Waves every 25 minutes from 06:00 to 09:00.source |
| Checkpoints | Five on the 2026 route: Walcountians Sports Club (mile 11), the Dog and Duck at Outwood (22), Ardingly Showground (33), the Mac's Farm (44) and the top of Ditchling Beacon (46), with water, toilets, mechanics and medical help. Bring cash.source |
| Highest point | 742 ft (226 m) on the 2026 route map.source |
| Riders | About 14,000 in 2025.source |
| Entry for 2027 | The ballot closed on 27 September 2026. General entry, at £70, opens in November 2026, and charity places, at £40, are open now.source |
| Bikes | Road, hybrid, mountain and folding bikes, tandems, e-bikes and handcycles are all welcome. Riders aged 14 to 18 need parental consent and an accompanying adult.source |
The course and its climbs
Profile from WattPlan's model of the course (88.2 km routed over OpenStreetMap roads with SRTM heights, © OpenStreetMap contributors). The organiser's figures are in the table above, and their route is the one that counts on the day.
Your power and time on each climb
Enter your FTP and weight and WattPlan's route model rides the course for you the way a long day is best ridden: harder on the climbs, where a watt buys the most speed, and easier on the flat, at an effort you can hold to the finish. The figures below are for 230 W and 75 kg until you do.
| Climb | Summit (km) | Length | Average | Steepest | Your power | Your time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ditchling Beaconsource1.45 km at 9%, up to 16%, top at km 77 | 77 | 1.45 km | 9% | 16% | 231 W | 7:02 |
Eat at about km 21, 43, 65. Riding something else? The free pacing calculator does this for any route from its GPX. In the app, Route analysis adds your own fade over a long day, the wind on the day and a pacing file for your bike computer.
How long to train for London to Brighton
Twelve to sixteen weeks suits most riders, which means starting by the beginning of March for 20 June. The BHF's own plan runs for 16 weeks and comes with a guide to Ditchling Beacon, written with the coaching company Full Potential. If you already ride most weeks, eight to ten weeks of steady building is enough.
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to 20 June around the days you can ride, starting from what you ride now, and moves them when a week goes wrong.
Training for Ditchling Beacon
Ditchling Beacon comes at mile 46, after the Mac's Farm checkpoint, and climbs 1.45 km at an average of 9% with ramps of 16%. Riders can walk it, but most want to ride it, and on a climb that steep gearing matters as much as fitness: a compact chainset with a cassette of 32 teeth or more lets most riders stay seated and keep the pedals turning.
In training, find a hill of five to ten minutes and ride it seated and steady, two or three times in a session, once a week. The calculator above shows the power WattPlan's model gives you on the Beacon and the time it takes.
Riding in a crowd
About 14,000 riders take part, leaving in waves every 25 minutes from 06:00, so the road is busier than on any training ride. Practise riding steadily in a group: hold your line, look ahead and call out before you slow down or stop.
Most of the route is closed to traffic, but some sections are open, so ride as you would on any open road there.
Fuelling and the checkpoints
On the 2026 route there were five checkpoints, at about miles 11, 22, 33, 44 and 46, with water, food, toilets and mechanics, and the BHF asks riders to bring cash. You can carry less than on an unsupported ride, but still eat every 45 minutes from the start, around 60 grams of carbohydrate an hour, and drink before you are thirsty on a warm June day.
Your plan to 20 June
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to Sunday 20 June 2027 around the days you can ride, and eases off before the day. Take a rider with 230 W of FTP who rides 3 to 5 hours a week now and has an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays and up to 3 hours on Saturdays: a 16-week plan starting Monday 1 March 2027 has 6 weeks of base, 6 of build, 3 of peak and 1 of taper. It opens at 4 hours a week and builds to 6.5, with a longest ride of 3 hours. Pick your own days below to see yours.
Free to start, and the London to Brighton Bike Ride is filled in for you. Premium adds the whole plan to race day and adjusts it when you miss a session or ride harder than planned.
Questions riders ask
How long should I train for the London to Brighton Bike Ride?
Twelve to sixteen weeks suits most riders, and the BHF's own training plan runs for 16 weeks. If you already ride most weeks, eight to ten weeks of steady building is enough before Sunday 20 June 2027.
How hard is the London to Brighton Bike Ride?
It is 54 miles (86.9 km), most of it rolling and 80% of it on closed roads. The hard part is Ditchling Beacon at mile 46, which climbs 1.45 km at an average of 9% with ramps of 16%. Riders on everything from road bikes to hybrids and tandems finish it every year.
Can you walk up Ditchling Beacon?
Yes. Riders can walk or ride it. If you want to ride it, fit low gears and practise climbing seated on the steepest hills near you.
How long does the London to Brighton Bike Ride take?
It depends on your fitness and on the crowds: about 14,000 riders share the road and the checkpoints. Enter your FTP and weight in the calculator on this page for WattPlan's estimate of your riding time, then add time for your stops.
When can I enter London to Brighton 2027?
The ballot closed on 27 September 2026. General entry, at £70, opens in November 2026, and charity places, at £40, are open now.
Is the London to Brighton Bike Ride on closed roads?
Mostly. The BHF says 80% of the route is on closed, traffic-free roads. The rest is open to traffic, so ride as you would on any open road there.
More event training plans
Sources
- London to Brighton Bike Ride, official site
- London to Brighton Bike Ride FAQs
- London to Brighton training plan and Beat the Beacon guide
- London to Brighton route map, 2026
- Brighton Journal, 14,000 riders in 2025
- Ditchling Beacon
WattPlan is not connected with the London to Brighton Bike Ride or its organiser. We've done our best to make sure everything here is accurate, from the details the organiser had published when we checked on Wednesday 7 October 2026, and we'll update this page as more details come out. Confirm dates, routes and rules on the official site. Times and power figures come from a physics model and are estimates, not predictions of your result.