Charity champion bikers are gearing up to take on their latest fundraising challenge.

The Leader has reported many times over the years on the efforts of the Ride Cymru/Knievels club, which undertakes annual rides in aid of good causes.

2024 will see the club undertake the first ever RIDE "JoGLE Knievels" - which will entail riding from John o’Groats to Lands End on a non-motorway route.

Riders will travel more than 2,000 miles in order to reach the start location and return home from the finish.

As is the norm for the disciplined event - all entrants must raise sponsorship as a condition of entry. 

And as it stands, £10,000 has already been pledged via the event's JustGiving page - half of its overall target.

The club raised £30,000 last year for children’s charity NSPCC, and indeed since the event's inception in 2012, more than £230,000 has been raised for charities. 

Participants this year will be raising funds for the NSPCC once again.

The annual charity ride and tribute to Evel Knievel is the only UK event endorsed by the Knievel family.

And organiser Jason Lewis, of Corwen, said the club has just had a massive boost - after receiving a video message from Kelly Knievel, the son of the legend Evel Knievel.

He told the Leader: "Kelly sent a special message of best wishes to all riders whilst sat on one of his father's motorcycles at the Evel Knievel museum in Topeka Kansas. 

"Everyone is really excited to do this challenge - it's the most famous challenge route in the UK and we're taking a bit of a quirky route with not using the motorways.

"We have already passed £10,000 towards our target, so we're really pleased.

"People can still apply to take part - if there are riders out there who want to do a fun and challenging event, they're more than welcome to get in touch.

"It's three full-on days of riding and this year we have two guests with us; former Scottish ace racer Niall Mackenzie and Welsh rocker Richard Jones of the Stereophonics."

This year's event departs from John o’Groats at 9am on Friday May 24, to the sound of a Scottish piper to see them on their way.

Rhyl Journal: Participants in a previous eventParticipants in a previous event (Image: Archive)Relying on A and B roads to keep to a non-motorway route, the event has brief stops over its three day duration at Perth, Carlisle and Liverpool. 

The route makes a diversion to include Wales briefly to incorporate all three mainland countries.

Jason, 53, said: "It's only right to do so, with the event being conceived in North Wales. 

"Wrexham will be the Wales stop at 3pm on Saturday, May 25."

The Caped crew will arrive at Land's End at 6pm on Sunday, May 26 - followed by an evening of celebration at Penzance.

All event enquiries can be made to founder and organiser Jason Lewis at info@ridecymru.com