IN THE LOOP: HHV NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER, PART 2
🪑Double Chair 🪑Recruitment
Don’t forget! We’re recruiting not one, but TWO chairs for the Herne Hill Velodrome Trust.
HHV is recruiting new Chairs for its Charitable Trust and its Trading Company, two exciting, impactful and critical positions that will play an influential role in the future of a valued and much-loved part of the UK’s cycling infrastructure. Herne Hill Velodrome has been transformed over the last twenty years since its near-closure in the mid-2000s and today it has a strong community, a well-invested facility and financial reserves that point to a very bright future.
Working alongside Herne Hill Velodrome’s management in one of these roles you will help to take the Velodrome forward in the next chapter of its history. Applications are welcomed from all interested candidates, with a deadline for submission of 5pm on 30 November.
Click here if you’re interested, or forward this to someone who fits the bill.
FESTIVE 50 & 500
How can it be this time of year already? The Festives 50 and 500 are nearly upon us. For the uninitiated, these two all-in-one-go challenges are aimed at different age groups. The youths take on the 50k in a day, and the adults take on the 500k in 24-ish hours.
It is a gruelling endeavour, grimacing through wind, cold, rain. Riders are fundraising for both Herne Hill Velodrome and their chosen charities.
For the musically inclined, there will be a fundraiser at the eternally cool Rough Trade on Thursday 11 December at 7pm.
SAVE THE DATES ✍️
FHHV Christmas classic - SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER
NYD MADISON - THURSDAY 1 JANUARY
Don’t think about it, just sign up!
And finally - 2026 South London Grand Prix will be Friday 25 and Saturday 26 JULY! Watch this space, early bird tickets will be on sale soon…
ROAD BIKE riding REVAMP
NEW SESSION TIMES for our pay-and-ride opportunities
THURSDAYS & FRIDAYS 12.30-1.30PM, WEDNESDAYS 5-6PM
ÂŁ7.25 (ÂŁ5.25 FHHV)
We're revamped our pay-and-ride Road Bike sessions. You'll now be able to come along to HHV and ride your road bike on the track from 12.30-1.30pm, Thursdays and Fridays, for just ÂŁ7.25 (or ÂŁ5.25 to members of FHHV). Great for when you've got a structured session you want to do on your own, or you just want to ride some peaceful miles without worrying about drivers, potholes, stopping at lights, or any other unpredictable stuff that happens out on the lanes!
Booking required: click here to book. We'll also be adding other dates and times that the track is available for uncoached road riding (especially around the Christmas holidays!) so keep an eye on our calendar and on the road bike riding eventrac page to see when it's available.
NEW DATES: BIKE MAINTENANCE classes
Jenni has put new bike maintenance class dates up for 2026
Emergency Roadside Repairs: Sun 11 Jan 202610:30 - 14:30
How to Change a Chain & Cassette: Sun 18 Jan 2026 10:30 - 14:30
Intro to Indexing a Rear Derailleur: Sun 15 Feb 2026 10:30 - 14:30
JANUARY SADDLE FITTINGS
You will soon be able to book 1:1 saddle fittings! Jenni has moved her saddle library to HHV, so you’ll be able to:
a) learn how to adjust your saddle
b) learn what saddle features work for your body (and which ones don’t)
3) test saddles 2 weeks at a time
The saddle library has dozens of Prologo and Selle SMP saddles. It will be ÂŁ85 for your fitting appointment.
SOOOO CLOSE!
We just need the last £586.25 to push us over the edge…
We’re in the final throes of our off-road crowdfunder. You may have noticed that we’ve already started putting in the works - we’re confident that you’re going to help us reach our goal. Whether you can give £3, £30 or £300, every pound counts and gets us closer to the top.
NEW RUN CLUB: TUESDAYS
James Keen's new Run Club is all about easy pace, good chat and community - no racing, no pressure, just shared miles with like minded people.
Whether you’re building fitness, adding variety to your winter training, or returning from injury, you’re welcome here.
📍Meet at Jan’s Cafe ⏰ Tuesday 12.30~1.15 🎒Bring trainers & comfortable clothing.
HHV IN THE NEWS
We got a mention in the Guardian’s best Christmas gifts for cyclists in the UK, riiiiight at the very end! (It still counts)
CYCLE SLEUTHING 🕵️
Our friends at the Marin Museum of Bicycling and MTB Hall of Fame in Fairfax, California have a mystery to solve: they are now in possession of one of Beryl Burton's bikes that they think she rode to victory at the 1963 World Pursuit Championships, but would like some photographic evidence to prove it for sure. If anyone here is an aficionado, have a look.
“We recently picked up one of Beryl Burton’s pursuit bikes. It’s a Viking apparently built up by Charlie Burton. Weighs 17 lbs. It’s possible she won the 1963 World Pursuit Championships at Rocourt, Belgium, on the bike, but I haven’t been able to find any photos of Beryl at the event with her winning bike in hand. Somewhere there must be photos. It’s also possible it’s the bike she rode to 2nd place at the 1964 Worlds. Again, no photos.” - Joe Breeze
Hit reply if you have any leads!
Beryl Burton’s Bike
A huge thanks to everyone who came out to Muddy Hell on the 8th of November. It was a smashing event, and only 10 tailfins went missing! Thank you to the riders who returned their numbers. If you still have yours, no shame, please mail us your tailfin - it saves us money and time.
That’s all for now!
Until next time, keep turning left.
- Herne Hill Velodrome