Escarabajos Cycling Club London

Escarabajos CC is a cycling club based in London. They tell us about their members, rides, and what makes them proud to be part of this team.

Have you always been into sport?

As a cycling club, our members not only share a love for cycling, most of us have different sports background starting at an early age. We have boxers, triathletes, ultra marathon runners, and yoga instructors to name a few. There is so much diversity that sharing such passion for sports makes us stronger and resilient.

What has been your favourite race to date and why?

We are based in London. Our favourite race/sportive event has always been Prudential RideLondon 100. It's the world's greatest festival of cycling and we are proud to support and gain experience throughout the years. Competitiveness and enjoyment thrive within us; however, we always celebrate each other’s achievements knowing how tough the preparation has been to get to the finish line.

What is your proudest achievement?

Being able to form a cycling family – Escarabajos London Cycling Club!

It all started with five close friends going for a ride. Since then, we managed to gather up more than 50 members. We are growing in number yet each member contributes with such positive energy that keeps us going forward. “We are determined to push boundaries hand to hand”.

Have you ever had any racing disasters?

Fortunately to this day, there has not been a major accident. The common misfortune whilst riding is having a puncture or not having a spare inner tube, but we always keep an eye out for each other, and a helping hand is always there.

How do you overcome setbacks?

Speaking to one another. We are a team, we like to listen to all sort of experiences and overcome our obstacles and learn from them. It is comforting knowing there is a family that you can rely on and take care of our wellbeing.

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

Maintenance of your bike and equipment such as deep clean and puncture repairs. It may be intimidating not knowing the essentials and being stuck halfway your ride. We tend to socialise after a long ride over the weekend and ask questions to more experienced cyclists.

What are your goals?

To cycle around the world and have as many experiences as possible in the saddle.

We are planning to go to Colombia and climb El Alto de Letras, one of the longest road climbs in the world at 80.4km. It passes by the second-highest active volcano in the Northern Hemisphere and one of the highest mountains in Colombia at 5,321m.

Who inspires you?

The elite cyclists from Colombia, where our name comes from “Escarabajos”. The term, meaning "the beetle", was first used to describe Ramón Hoyos, who was Colombia’s most feared cyclist in the 1950s. The nickname came from his slight physique and rolling climbing style but has since been adopted to describe all Colombian cyclists, even today. Since then, Colombia has won all three grand tours and has a long list of stage winners and classic one-day races.

Why work with Sundried?

It is easy to work with a brand that has the ethos, quality and customer service that Sundried offers. It is also very important to us working with a team that puts, sustainability at the top of their priorities.