In photos – hundreds of cyclists take part in Greater Haywards Heath Bike Ride 2026

Riders packed into The Broadway on the morning of Sunday, September 6, for registration and safety briefings before setting off at 9am.

Around 600 people pre-registered for this year’s huge event.

Ruth de Mierre, one of the organisers, said: “They came from far and wide, including Wilfrid from Haywards Heath’s twin town of Traunstein, who came especially to ride! Huge thanks to all who made this day happen – too many to name but you were all amazing. Our goal for next year is to reach 1,000 riders, so our message to everyone is get out there, get fit and come and have a wonderful time with us.”

The ride was organised by the Bike Ride Committee, made up of groups including: Haywards Heath Town Council, Nice Work, Cuckfield, Lindfield and Haywards Heath Rotary Club, sponsors and volunteers. Sponsors of this year’s ride included: SweepTech, The Orchards, Mike Oliver Associates, Mansell McTaggart and Amphibian Scaffolding. A large team of volunteers also helped make the event happen.

The Sunday event was for cyclists of all skill levels, including serious riders, cycling clubs or just friends and families taking part for fun. There were four routes to choose from, ranging from from 74 to 12.5 miles. The shortest route this year was the Sergison ride at just over 12 miles. The 22-mile Cavalier route offered more of a challenge through the countryside north east of Haywards Heath. More experienced cyclists could take on the Highwayman route at 48 miles or the 74-mile Sweeping Valleys route.

The ribbon for the ride was cut by Haywards Heath Town Mayor Duncan Pascoe, who is also president of the organising committee. He called the event ‘bigger and bolder than last year’ and said the annual ride is going from ‘strength to strength’.

The Mayor said: “The committee’s really come together to try to improve the processes we have in delivering this bike ride year on year.”

He said: “It’s a wonderful event. It’s an event that has really been put together by the community and delivered by the community. It’s volunteers that have given up their time to organise this and it’s just a great thing for the community.”

Also at the ribbon-cutting were: Mid Sussex MP Alison Bennett, East Grinstead and Uckfield MP Mims Davies, SweepTech’s Chief Executive Officer Martin Smith, SweepTech’s Chief Technical Officer Shaun Gilbert and Mike Oliver, of Mike Oliver Associates.

Martin Smith, of SweepTech, one of the event’s major sponsors, said: “We’re a company that started in Sussex and we’re now a national business. But we pride ourselves in where we started and I’m a very big believer in wellbeing and these sort of events to bring everybody together. I think it’s really good that people are out there exercising.”

Alison Bennett said: “It’s absolutely great to be back at the Haywards Heath bike ride. It’s fantastic weather, loads of people have registered and I hope everybody has a great ride.”

She praised the event for being inclusive and raising money for charity, saying: “It’s not just for really good cyclists, it’s for everybody.”

Mims Davies said she saw a ‘massive queue’ of people registering as she arrived. She hoped everyone enjoyed the ride, saying: “It seems to be a thriving morning here on The Broadway and the routes are fantastic.”

The bike ride’s chosen charities this year were Kangaroos, who provide clubs and trips for people with learning disabilities, and Crawley Open House, a Sussex charity for young homeless people that also provides life-skills training.

One rider said after the event: “I never realised how beautiful our countryside was.”

Another said: “We’d never done it before but so great – we’ll be back next year!”