Founders – Leg 5 Rome to Bari
What is Ride25?
Ride25 is a mission to cycle from the UK to Australia over 25 legs spanning 25 years. The adventure began in 2012 with a group called “The Pioneers”. The Pioneers completed Leg 11 (of 25) from the UK to Sydney in June 2024. The group have now cycled 4,400 miles from the UK to Baku in Azerbaijan. Pioneers help to define the journey and adventure to Sydney. Leg 14 from Jaisalmer to Tijara in India is scheduled for November 2025 with Leg 15 from Tijara to Kathmandu in December 2026.
Who are The Founders?
The Founders is a new group that are following in the steps of the Pioneers. They completed Leg 1 from London to Paris in September 2022; Leg 2 from Paris to Geneva in September 2023, Leg 3 from Geneva to Milan in September 2024, Leg 4 from Milan to Rome in October 2025. Leg 5 from Rome to Bari is in October 2026.
For those Founders that started in London the journey to Bari over 5 legs is a total of over 2,900km! You can see the journey here.
You can watch the short film about Leg 4 here:
The ride is open to Founders of fast growth businesses and is supported by the following organisations:
See below for a full list of 2025 sponsors.
Ride25 is a proud member of Helm, London’s most established entrepreneurship club for scale-up founders.
To get a flavour of the previous legs visit the Photos and Videos. Or watch this short animation explaining the idea:
Snapshot of Leg 5
- Pre-start roof top drinks and dinner at the Mama Shelter in Rome
- Start by the Vatican before meandering across Rome past the Roman Forum and Colosseum
- Cycling along the Appian Way to the outskirts of Rome
- Undulating countryside to the coast before dinner on the beach in Gaeta
- The wild and peaceful countryside of central and eastern Italy
- Quiet roads with outstanding views for the vast majority of the trip
- Night in the hilltop town of Potenza before descending into Puglia
- Celebration Dinner in Bari in the Square
- Inspiring conversations with like minded Founders
- Endless camaraderie, eating, drinking and fun
- Return home with a smile on your face, exhausted, energised and inspired
See full route for Leg 5 below (best viewed on desktop):
To see what you have in store you can look at the photos and video from the Pioneers Leg 5 in June 2016.
Start:
07.30 Thursday 1st October 2026. Mama Shelter Hotel, Rome. Official start / photo at the Vatican (2KM from the hotel).
Finish:
18.00 Sunday 4th October 2026. The Adriatic Seafront, Bari.
Days Cycling:
4
Distance:
654 km
Total climbing:
8,196m climbing
Max capacity:
100 people
Here are a few quotes from existing Pioneers / Founders about their experience of Ride25:
“After three legs Ride25 has become one of the highlights of my year. I was inspired by the vision John and Rob painted of a group of like-minded business founders riding across the world to raise money for a fantastic cause. The reality has far exceeded my expectations: faultless organisation, and superb riding through stunning scenery in the company of inspiring and supportive entrepreneurs. I’ve made some great friends and learned a lot about myself. And I‘ve laughed, a lot! It’s a genuinely enriching, life-enhancing experience. Ed Simpson, Founder / EOS Visionary The Legal Director
“I can honestly say that the experience of pedalling with fellow Ride25 Pioneers for over 4,000 miles over 10 years has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I’ve discovered new friendships, interests, fitness levels, countries, cultures, foods, wines and beers whilst also helped transform the life opportunities of those children supported by 1MoreChild. Each year’s leg is a protected date in my diary and highlight of my year. The final destination may be Sydney but it’s on the journey, and in the community, where I’ve found that life affirming magic.“ Paul Lindley, Founder Ellas’s Kitchen.
“I’ve been part of the Pioneers for quite a few years, every ride is a wonderful experience – a beautifully organised voyage into the unknown made even better by doing it with a wonderful group of people. We’ve still got a massive distance to do, but still the thought of cycling into Sydney together is highly motivating. On top of this, it is great to see the good which 1moreChild is doing with the funds raised through this amazing adventure.” Erik Fairbairn, Founder Pod Point.
“Making friends, finding new business partners, keeping fit, and exploring the quiet roads of Europe and beyond by bike, all whilst raising funds that I know are making such a difference in Uganda. So many great memories, and so many more to come. I can’t recommend Ride25 enough.” Bonamy Grimes, Founder Skyscanner.
“Pioneers has been an amazing and truly memorable life adventure so far – exploring the world by bike, getting fit, and making great friends and business contacts along the way too. Beats the beach or a golf trip in my book – and in aid of a great charity. The ultimate distraction from the stresses of running a startup – I can’t recommend it enough.” Doug Monro, Founder Adzuna.
“Ride25 is something I look forward to and train for every year. It is an amazing way to see the world, enjoy quality time with friends and raise alot of money for a great cause – sign-up you won’t regret it – good for your body and soul.” Zach Douglas, Founder Orega.
“The pride I feel from participating and therefore contributing to 1morechild is priceless. The pay back is every year I continue to pedal, work on my fitness and then have a gathering of friends with whom we shed sweat, tears and bags loads of laughter making this a top life experience I would never trade.” Lara Morgan , Founder Pacific Direct & Scentered.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Thursday 1st October– Rome to Gaeta – 167 km, 1,926m total ascent
An amazing day with the most varied scenery & cycling imaginable in one day. After leaving Mama Shelter we will have the official start at the Vatican.
Cycle along the Tiber River briefly until we head past the Roman Forum and Colosseum until we hit the Appian Way – the very first Roman Road and cycle past the Catacombs. Road bikes weren’t a feature of Roman life so this is a real Ride25 adventure – small sections of the Appian Way (in the first mile) have the original large cobbles and you will need to get off your bike to pass. After the Appian Way we start our first climb of the trip through the Castello Romani Park and through the hilltop town of Marino. We then travel through quiet farmland & vineyards before climbing to 650m and then dropping down to the coast. The last section is along the coast road to Gaeta with a few short tunnels – lights essential. The hotel is close to a decent beach and has a swimming pool. Dinner is at a restaurant on the beach.
Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT.
Day 2 – Friday 2nd October – Gaeta to Avellino– 164 km, 1,497m total ascent
We leave Gaeta and follow the coastline for the first 30km before heading east, avoiding the congestion & general filth around greater Naples! Another day of outstanding views cycling through the Taburno Camposauro National Park in the morning. Lunch is on a hillside at a family run Agristourismo. The afternoon involves a long steady climb with an ice cream stop in the town of Montesarchio. We finish climbing in the Partenio regional park before our descent into Avellino – the home of Tony Sopprano’s father. Home for the night is a quirky 4 star hotel.
Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT.
Day 3 – Saturday 3rd October – Avellino to Potenza – 153km, 3,069m total ascent
Day 3 is a day to remember and probably the best cycling of all 5 legs so far. As soon as we leave Avellino we start cycling on incredibly quiet roads that continue all day with truly outstanding rural views for the whole day. This is the biggest day of climbing of all the trips so far but is also the most stunning and incredibly peaceful. Lunch is at a locally owned restaurant in the hills – in fact the only restaurant for miles. The afternoon continues with more empty roads, and outstanding views until we reach Potenza. This day starts to showcase many days ahead on future legs in the wilderness!
Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT.
Day 4 – 29th May – Potenza to Bari – 170km, 1,704m total ascent
Day 4 continues with more beautiful, quiet, undulating roads as we head east towards the coast. The whole area is sparsely populated with far reaching views galore. Lunch is at another agristourismo restaurant in the hills with great views. We then finish with a relatively gentle afternoon before cycling along the coastline into Bari for a celebration dinner in a Square in the old town by the harbour.
Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT.
What is it like?
The challenge for the Ride25 adventure is to find interesting, quiet cycling on good tarmac with great scenery and good quality hotels. There is always an element of compromise, however the route is almost all very enjoyable with only small compromises required across the trip.
Versus Leg 4 – Just as in previous years it is a challenge that you will need to train for to maximise your enjoyment. Overall we cover 163km per full day – the same as in Leg 4. In terms of climbing we cover an average of 2,049m of climbing per day versus 2,166m average on the three hilly days of Leg 4. Day 3 of leg 5 is the area to focus your training motivation. The peak elevation is 1,083m towards the end of day three.
Traffic – the route is generally quiet and well surfaced roads. There are some busier sections but the vast majority is quiet particularly after the first morning.
Scenery – The vast majority is stunning with a mix of countryside, hills and historic towns and villages.
Road Surfaces – all tarmac with very short sections of compacted gravel. We recommend that you use road or gravel bikes. We have had legs completed on hybrids, Bromptons and even a tandem! No time trial bikes allowed.
Pit-Stops / Food – We will have an organised lunch stop plus stops mid-morning and mid-afternoon. We have endeavoured to find the best places on the route to stop for coffee, cake and ice creams as well as a good lunch. The mechanics will also set-up a service stop here for any tweaks you need.
Your Safety – this is not a ride where you are forced to ride with a group as we want riders to cycle with lots of different people every day. We do however we recommend that you always cycle in groups and not alone. Please also ensure that you wear a helmet.
Baggage – your overnight bags and bike boxes will be transported every day so no need to carry much but due to the size of the group it’s not feasible to have access to a day bag during the day which means you need to carry anything you need for the day – except extra food and water that will be supplied at every stop.
Can I invite others?
The power of the ride is all about the quality of the group so we’d love you to bring like minded founders. Please think about who in your network would make a great addition – particularly if they sponsor.
We will open to people that haven’t already completed a leg on 17th October 2025 if there are any places left.
How will I navigate?
The route is not signposted and so you will need to download the route for each day from the links above and use either one of the following navigation systems:
Best Solution – GPS enabled Bike Computor
A Garmin or similar bike computor with GPS / Navigation that syncs with Strava or enables you to upload GPX files. We recommend a Garmin Edge 530. It is a mid price point, easy to sync with Strava wirelessly and has a long battery life to avoid running out of juice before the end of the day. If you like tech the Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar light is a great accessory to the Garmin Edge. It promotes an extra level of safety to the rider via its advanced warning system for any traffic behind you.
Garmin can take some getting used to so if using Garmin to prevent navigation problems please:
Follow a the route as a “Course”
Ensure that “Autocorrect” is turned off in your settings for each course
Do not “navigate to start” when prompted at the start of a ride
Acceptable Solution – An App on your phone
You can use a phone to navigate and either use the Strava or RidewithGPS Apps – either free or inexpensive. If you are using your phone to navigate we recommend using RidewithGPS because:
- All routes can be downloaded from at home and are available without roaming after you have uploaded them to your RidewithGPS account
- Detailed maps available if you get lost even with no signal
- High quality navigation setting including turn by turn prompts that enables you to navigate with ease
- Zoomable elevation data visible
If you are using your phone please ensure that you have somewhere to mount your device on the bike and that you carry a portable battery charger to get through the day.
Ride25 will provide a cloth map that will get you out of trouble if you are lost with no working devices but to navigate effectively you’ll need to use one of the above.
Do I need to train?
YES. 654 km cycling is a significant challenge for anyone but it is achievable.
Support
You can always call the support team if you need picked up at any point. We will have a total of 5 or 6 vehicles with first aid so you will never be that far away from help. In addition we will operate a sweeper system that means the crew will pick you up if you are too far behind the rest of the riders / are not going to make it to the finish before the sun sets.
We will have bike mechanics on the trip to keep you rolling – however they are not there to change tubes when you get a puncture. You should be able to do this on your own! Please make sure you have had your bike serviced recently, most issues are normally caused by poor bike maintenance.
The trip is in no way a race – everyone can go at their own speed. Those that stop and take in their surroundings probably get more out of it than those that get to the finish first. Breakfast will be at 07.00 each day so that you can leave early.
Everyone will be in a WhatsApp Group for the ride with all communication done through WhatsApp while on the trip, before and afterwards.
Flights / Bike boxes
You will need to arrange your own travel both to Rome and back from Bari with your bike. Traveling with a bike by plane is quite straightforward as long as you pack your bike in a bike box. When booking your flight you can add Sports Equipment to your booking (usually for circa £50) and check-in as normal. You will normally be sent to the “Outsized Bag” area to deposit your bike but this is always close to the check-in desks.
Bike boxes can be bought, borrowed or rented.
You will need to be in Rome by Wednesday 30th September and can leave Bari on or after 5th October. Aim to be ready for dinner with your bike ready by 19.00 on the night before we start. We can do the briefing in the evening during dinner.
Where do I stay in Rome?
The package includes all the hotels and meals including Rome the night before we start and a hotel in Bari the night we arrive. We will have a group dinner at the Mama Shelter on the night before we ride at 19.00.
The Start
We will start from the hotel in Rome. You can register and build your bikes the night before so we are ready to go straight away at 7.30am the 1st October. Built bikes will be stored in a meeting room.
What is the cost?
£2,700 per person for a twin room or £3,300 for a single room (limited availability). As in all Pioneer trips this is a not for profit – ie the cost is a sum of the direct costs of running the trip only – the excess in the ticket price above direct costs is donated to charity. We aim to raise a minimum of £1,200 per person for 1moreChild. The actual mount will depend on the number of cyclists – there are certain fixed costs for the trip so the more cyclists the higher amount raised per cyclist.
We see this as a networking event so the vast majority will invoice this through their company – but we’re not giving tax advice!!!!
We are aiming to raise a minimum of £120,000 on this leg.
£300 deposit due on booking, balancing payment (£2,400 or £3,000) due in May 2026.
Any payments donated to 1moreChild in the event that you cancel for any reason.
The package includes:
- 5 x nights accommodation in Rome, Gaeta, Avellino, Potenza and Bari. Rooms will have twin beds and we will allocate you a room partner unless you specify who you would like to share with. You may select a single supplement in the booking process if you prefer not to share.
- 5 x breakfast
- 4 x lunch
- 5 x dinner including pre start dinner and celebration dinner in Bari
- 8 x tea / coffee / cakes / ice cream stops
- Drinks with all meals inc soft drinks, wine & beer
- 6 x manned support vehicles with a crew of 8+ including 2 x bike mechanics & first aid.
- Water, fruit and emergency supplies in the vehicles
- Transportation of bags each day to the finish
- Transportation of bike boxes from Rome to Bari
- 4 x personalised cycling shirts including the badges achieved – ensure you enter the correct shirt size when you register – don’t be too optimistic about your weight loss plans from now to October!
- GPS files of the routes & maps
- 5 x “get out of trouble” cloth maps
What’s not included?
- Travel to the start in Rome
- Travel from Bari back home
- Personal travel Insurance – make sure Cycle Touring is included in your policy particularly if you have an annual policy. Details of your policy required before travel. See Yellow Jersey as an example of cycling specific insurance.
- Bike
- Bike Box
Optional extras:
- Single room
What are the opportunities for sponsorship?
We have put together a number of packages but are also open to offers from anyone for anything. Meet our 2025 sponsors:
Sponsors get to stay in the best hotel if there is more than one hotel and can also bring guests that fit the right profile.
Cyclists pay for the costs of the shirts, banners etc so all the money given in sponsorship goes directly to charity. The more you sponsor the largest exposure your logo will get. The noise created on Linkedin was enormous in the business community so you should get great value. As well as the ESG benefits sponsors generate significant new business and / or investment on the rides.
Some sponsors donate a larger amount that includes a place on the ride. Contact Rob Hamilton (rh@ride25.com) if you’d like more information on sponsorship.
What about individual sponsorship?
Please do create your own personal sponsorship page using Givestar or use the Group page to raise money by sending it to all your contacts. Alternatively you can donate direct to 1moreChild or make a donation from overseas through the 1mC website.
Which hotels are we staying in?
The nature of the Ride25 adventure means that the routes and accommodation is dictated to by the inventory of hotels along our journey. We aim to stay in the best hotel in town or 4* hotels in the larger cities however due to the lack of stock or availability there is sometimes some compromises.
Pre-start
4* Mama Shelter Hotel close to the Vatican with Rooftop Bar, Pool & Spa.
Night 1 Gaeta
4* Hotel Mirasole International Hotel near the beach with Outdoor pool and spa.
Night 2 Avellino
Split between two hotels – 4* quirky Hotel de la Ville with its heart shaped pool & 4* Viva! Hotel.
Night 3 Potenza
Split between 4* Grande Albergo & 2* Hotel Tourist.
Night 4 Bari
TBC Probably Mövenpick Hotel Bari
What are we raising money for?
All participants or their companies will pay all their own costs and all money raised shall go straight to 1moreChild.
We are also introducing a second charity that we will support alongside 1moreChild – details to be announced shortly.
What is 1moreChild?
1moreChild was set-up by Harry & Hen Ferdinando in 2008 to help enable street children in Jinja, Uganda to go to school and prosper. Ride25 raises money for 1moreChild for the following key reasons:
- A small amount of money goes along way – as little as £15 per month can transform a child’s life. 100% of all money donated to 1moreChild goes to tackle the problem. There are no western overheads, admin costs or wastage. In addition Harry & Hen pay all their own costs. The money raised from the cycle will make an enormous difference to 1moreChild and enable them to take many more children out of the slum.
- 1moreChild provide school fees, 3 meals a day, school uniforms, school supplies, shoes, clothes, medical care, tutoring, mentoring, a football club and various other activities.
- For more information about 1moreChild:
Watch a short film made by Pioneers visiting 1moreChild in Uganda in 2017.
Visit 1moreChild.org.
What impact has the money raised had?
The Pioneers / Founders cycle trips are the most significant fundraising initiative for the charity with over 70% of their overall funding coming from this trip. We have raised £2m+ for the charity across legs 1 to 14.
As a result of our trips 1moreChild has taken nearly 200+ children off the streets and given them everything they need to go to school.
There have been so many amazing success stories but stand out examples include a former street child now studying Medicine at Kampala University and two children now representing Uganda at cycling at the world championships – inspired and funded by the Pioneers.
How to book a place?
What else do / don’t I need to do beforehand?
- Bike Service – make sure you book a Bike Service before you travel – you may need to book this a few weeks in advance but will seriously reduce the chance of issues on the ride.
- Bike Fit – if you haven’t it’s worth getting your bike fitted properly by a professional – it will help prevent injury.
- Book a transfer from the airport to Rome
- Buy & Pack an Apple Airtag / Android Tracker for your Bike Box – very useful if there are issues with bike boxes.
- Routes NOT suitable for Time Trial Bikes – Road or gravel bikes are most suitable.
- Apply for and bring your UK GHI Card – it’s free but vital if you need care in Europe.
What else do I need to bring?
- High Quality Bike lights – neccessary as there are tunnels on Day 1.
- Hydration Tablets – such as Precision Fuel & Hydration – critical for multi day long distances particularly if it’s hot.
- 2 x large water bottles for hydration drinks and water
- Hard wearing tyres
- Helmet
- HIGH quality cycle shorts such as Assos – worth the money – they will save your arse!
- Large saddle bag with – 2 x spare inner tubes, puncture repair kit and tyre leavers
- Cycle pump or gas canisters
- Sun cream
- Phone mount if you are using RidewithGPS as a navigation tool
- Portable battery charger for mobile
- Garmin (or similar GPS navigation device)
What happens after Leg 5?
In 2012 we plotted the following legs / badges – with only some minor changes to the badges so far. Founders Leg 6 is Bari to Thessaloniki in Oct / Sep 2027 – 4 days cycling ending on the coast in Greece.
Sound Cycling Advice
Read one of our rider’s Tricia’s blog with advice for people doing their first long trip Part 1 and Part 2 – including a bit about why you should always ride commando!