‘Going Above And Beyond’: UK Cycling Team Embarks On Epic Saudi Arabian Desert Ride
LONDON — Cycling 300 miles (482 kilometers) across a hot desert in just three days as a pilgrimage between Mecca and Medina is not for the faint of heart. For a group of British Muslim riders, this month’s Hijrah ride will be the fourth time they have embarked on such a quest.
The Hijrah riders are unique. They are the only cycling group ever to attempt this grueling ride as a way of both practicing their faith and also raising funds for charity. Their target is to raise $620,000 (£500,000 British pounds) to help children suffering from congenital heart defects in Africa.
The route pushes the cyclists to their limits. They face unrelenting desert heat with temperatures reaching a scorching 104 degrees (40 degrees Celsius), through rugged terrain, crowded highways, brutal headwinds and the sheer exhaustion that comes from cycling for days in such extreme conditions.
It is a route that was first conquered by the H&K Cycle Club Hijrah riders in 2022 — and despite the knowledge of the extreme challenge involved they now go back every year.
Their ultimate goal — a Hijrah pilgrimage combined with the need to save children’s lives — makes the hardship worth enduring.
Shamsul Abdin, head of the H&K Cycle Club who also takes part in the ride, called it “really rough.”
The bike ride between Mecca and Medina is a grueling stretch that features deserts and high temperatures. (YouTube screenshot)
“Especially going from training in an English winter to the hot weather of Saudi Arabia,” he said. “We build up our training in endurance riding, but cycling through the U.K.’s lush green fields and stopping at traffic lights is not the same as riding through the desert. Riding in the heat on long straight roads with same landscape all the time, you don’t realize you are moving.”
Undeterred by the extreme challenge, the number of potential riders is always high — 160 people applied to take part in the 2025 Hijrah Ride that goes from Meccca to Medina, two of Islam’s holiest cities.
There is space, however, for just 40 riders, while another 60 remain on the waiting list ready to take over if anyone has to drop out.
“During the Hijrah ride we start very early in the morning before the sun rises and aim to finish the day’s ride by midday so that we are not riding through the hottest part of the day,” Abdin said. “We stop for short breaks and find what shelter we can, even if it is in the shade of our support lorry. There is no shelter, no shade when cycling. It can be very deceptive because you can get some breeze and feel alright when cycling. Underestimating the heat can be dangerous. A couple of riders have suffered from heat stroke because they didn’t realise how hot it was.”
Riders help each other maintain speed and momentum by chatting as they ride. Frequent encouragement and recognizing potential problems, such as the effects of heat stroke, are important.
Money raised by the riders supports Muntada Aid’s Little Hearts, a vital initiative that has been transforming children’s lives since 2012.
The project delivers free, life-saving surgery for children from disadvantaged backgrounds across Africa and other parts of the world, reaching nearly 3,000 children across 15 countries to date.
A rider takes a short break while looking at the rugged terrain ahead. (YouTube screenshot)
Kabir Miah, who serves as program manager at Muntada Aid, said, “The dedication and resilience of the H&K Cycle Club serve as a beacon of hope. Every single pound raised provides a fighting chance for a child who may otherwise face a life cut short. This ride isn’t just about cycling — it’s about giving children a chance to live long and healthy lives.”
Set up in East London over a decade ago, the H&K Cycle Club is a popular facility with over a 100 members, most of whom are Muslims, providing social contact along with physical and mental wellbeing. Their regular cycle rides have also become a way of training for the Hijah and other endurance cycle rides.
The group recently completed a European-wide challenge riding from London to the edge of Asia and are now embarking on a Global Cycling Challenge involving going to a different part of the world each year.
In 2024, Abdin said, the group rode an area known as the “Andalusian Triangle,” a journey that started in Seville, Spain. and stretched across nearly 370 miles (594 kilometers).
“We rode to Cordoba, then Cordoba to Granada, then back to Seville,” he said. “We cycled it at the end of August and beginning of September during the extreme heat. Stopping for a break, we spoke to some of the local people. They were amazed and said, ‘you are crazy!’”
Yet for this group of Muslim riders, these are challenges worth undertaking. Charity is a key element within Islam, something these rides embody. Over the past 11 years,
Abdin said the group has raised $1.24 million (£1.8 million British pounds) for charity.
“We try to raise as much money as we can,” Abdin said. “We decide each year which charity we want to help and arrange for the money to go direct to the charity. All donations have to made direct to them. We set a target for riders, but never stick to it. We just aim to go above and beyond it.”
Angela Youngman is a freelance journalist who has written for a wide range of national and international publications.