The Cobble Wobble returns on 14 September 2025, following a hiatus since 2012.
Update: The Event has been postponed as of 11/09/2025 due to a weather warning:
The Met Office has today issued a weather warning, forecasting wind gusts of more than 47mph this Sunday. After consultation with the authorities and safety partners, it’s clear that we cannot safely proceed, and so the Cobble Wobble must be postponed under force majeure.
The event will absolutely go ahead on another date, and I’m very pleased to share that every single sponsor and partner has confirmed their full support. This means we’ll still be able to deliver the Cobble Wobble with all the spectacle, joy, and eccentricity that make it so special — simply at a safer time.
Thank you so much for your understanding and support. I’ll be back in touch very soon with the new date and further details.
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The event, held in Frome, Somerset, sees riders take on a bicycle hillclimb sprint up 179 yards of a steep, cobbled hill. Starting at the bottom of Stony Street, the course takes a sharp turn as it joins Catherine Hill before finishing when the cobbles run out at the top of the hill, 179 yards later. Incredibly narrow and lined with 17th-century buildings, the organiser says the course is as impressive to look at as it is to ride.
The Cobble Wobble is so much more than a race. It’s a big, silly party that just happens to be stretched out over 179 yards of cobbled hill. With bikes. And fancy dress, and the odd world champion athlete thrown into the mix. It’s quirky and positively life-affirming.
Having organised four events from 2009 to 2012, I took a break to start a new company called The Bicycle Academy. Over the 10 years that TBA was in business, I had so many commitments that the event never quite happened. The first event was run with a bit of tape, some radios and a stopwatch; it was charming. But the following three events were so much bigger and fantastical that the low-fi approach just wouldn’t work, as it was just far too popular. Putting on such an event isn’t easy, and the industry has been in such a pickle that it’s been hard to put enough sponsorship in place to make it happen. As far as I’m concerned, there just wasn’t any point in considering it unless it could be done properly.
So here we are, 13 years later, now in our 40s, organising a great big silly bicycle party on a cobbled hill. There are no age restrictions, fancy dress is encouraged (but not mandatory), and the best bit…. everyone’s invited. We can’t wait!
The Cobble Wobble is to Frome, what Cheese-Rolling is to Brockworth in Gloucester – Andrew Denham, Event Organiser
According to the team, with the narrowness of the streets, the backdrop of 17th-century buildings and a cheering crowd packed along the full length of the course, the Cobble Wobble is like nothing else. Attracting a wonderful mix of international pro elite athletes from multiple cycling disciplines, and members of the public of all ages, the event is no more about going fast than it is about getting involved and having fun.
The winner of each category, along with the 20 fastest overall riders, qualify for the prestigious evening spectacular to crown the ‘King & Queen of the Cobbles’, the overall winners of the event.
Launched in 2009, the event was created by organiser Andrew Denham. It has attracted participants from across the country and media coverage from across the world. Credited for inspiring events such as the Cobble Hoppel in Germany, and being the inspiration for the Red Bull Hill Chasers event, held in cities across the world.
With thousands of cobbles, varying gradients and that tight turn to contend with, the Cobble Wobble course promises to test the riders’ strength and skill.
Fastest times:
2009 – Neil Cousins – 23.54 seconds
2010 – Chris Akrigg – 21.51 seconds
2011 – Lewis Lacey – 22.71 seconds
2012 – Michal Prokop – 22.96 seconds (wet)
Neil Cousins. Photographe: Tom Rickhuss
New for 2025: Expanded Categories
Cobble Wobble Junior – For young riders on pedal bikes — whether charging to the top or getting a bit of encouragement along the way, every child gets a hero’s welcome and a cheer to remember.
Cobble Waddle – Kids on balance bikes take on the final stretch of the hill, cheered on by roaring crowds with full fanfare and live commentary. Big smiles, happy kids, pure joy.
Queen of the Cobbles – Celebrated on the top step of the podium, alongside the King, during the night-time finale.
Cobbl-E Wobble – For riders with limited mobility, reduced strength — or just a healthy respect for gravity (!). Riding E-bikes is a fun twist that opens the event to more people.
The event is also actively welcoming adaptive riders using trikes, hand cycles, wheelchair cycles, and more. Everyone deserves the thrill of the hill.
Lewis Lacey, 2020. Photographer: Tom Rickhuss
Check out the Cobble Wobble event website for more information.
