![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_LC_240425cycling_02jpeg.jpg\")
With legs spinning and spirits high, the Shone brothers train indoors \u2014 balancing the chaos of family life with relentless preparation for their charity ride.<\/p>\nTwo Bristol brothers are cycling 770km to honour their father and raise awareness of alcohol misuse\u2019s devastating impactWith legs spinning and spirits high, the Shone brothers train indoors \u2014 balancing the chaos of family life with relentless preparation for their charity ride.<\/p>\n
Their dad died because of alcohol. Now, two brothers from Bristol are cycling 770 kilometres to Fort William to raise money \u2014 and awareness \u2014 for a cause they wish had entered their lives sooner.<\/p>\n
For Olly and Sam Shone, Cycling the NaShone is more than a charity challenge. It\u2019s an emotional tribute, a personal reckoning, and a public stand against the quiet devastation alcohol misuse can leave in its wake.<\/p>\n
Olly Shone, 32, lives in Brislington<\/a> and leads the Energy Division at Rise Technical Recruitment. His older brother, 34-year-old Sam, lives in Warmley and teaches at Staple Hill Primary School. Though their careers differ, their bond is unmistakable. “We\u2019ve always been close,\u201d Olly says. \u201cNaturally competitive, sure, but more like mates than brothers really.\u201d<\/p>\n Growing up, the pair were inseparable \u2014 whether it was ice hockey matches cheered on by their dad or five-a-side football in later years. \u201cOur dad was at every game he could make, and always following the scores when he couldn\u2019t,\u201d Sam says. \u201cHe had a big heart and a laid-back nature that was both calming and chaotic, in the best way.\u201d<\/p>\n Phil Shone\u2019s character was larger than life \u2014 always the one to lighten a room. But like many families touched by addiction, behind the humour and warmth was a long battle with alcohol. \u201cIt had a massive impact on our family,\u201d says Olly. \u201cAnd the loss of our dad \u2014 largely due to alcohol \u2014 is something we still struggle to come to terms with.\u201d<\/p>\n Their reflections are honest, not sugar-coated. \u201cHe won\u2019t see our children grow up. That\u2019s tough to take,\u201d Sam adds. \u201cWe\u2019re not teetotal, but we definitely view alcohol differently now.\u201d<\/p>\n The decision to take on this epic ride wasn\u2019t born out of spreadsheets and strategy sessions. \u201cIt was impulsive,\u201d Olly admits. \u201cWe knew we wanted to do something in Dad\u2019s memory \u2014 and we knew he loved cycling when he was younger \u2014 but we definitely underestimated the planning involved.\u201d<\/p>\n So much so that when they committed to the journey, Olly didn\u2019t even own a bike. \u201cI hadn\u2019t had one since I was ten.\u201d<\/p>\n The route they chose \u2014 from Bristol to Fort William \u2014 holds a particular emotional resonance. \u201cFort William was our first stop on a holiday with Dad,\u201d Olly explains. \u201cWe hadn\u2019t planned anything really. Just pointed at a map and went. Maybe that\u2019s where our spontaneous streak comes from.\u201d<\/p>\n Sam added: \u201cWe were both insured on my car but I drove the full eight or nine hours from Buckinghamshire to Fort William. I just didn\u2019t trust Olly behind the wheel.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, they\u2019ll retrace some of that distance, but this time on two wheels, averaging 110km a day with nearly 1,000 metres of daily incline.<\/p>\n With full-time jobs, families, and other sports commitments \u2014 Olly still plays ice hockey for the Bristol Pitbulls \u2014 fitting in training hasn\u2019t been easy. \u201cWe\u2019re doing what we can around the madness of life,\u201d says Sam. \u201cWe\u2019ve both had to deal with illnesses \u2014 ours and our kids\u2019 \u2014 which has made consistency hard.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, they\u2019ve pushed through, with indoor bike trainers and apps like Rouvy and Zwift helping them rack up mileage from home. In typical Shone fashion, even marathon running became part of the prep. \u201cSam stepped in to run a marathon with six days\u2019 notice. Finished in 4 hours 40. Maybe the less we train, the better,\u201d Olly jokes.<\/p>\n Olly, new to the world of cycling, has had to get up to speed fast. \u201cI thought you just bought a bike and pedalled. I had no idea about tyre pressure, cadence, any of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Sam, on the other hand, found himself on a crash course in nutrition. \u201cI\u2019ve learned more about energy gels than I ever thought I\u2019d need to.\u201d<\/p>\n At its core, Cycling the NaShone is a love letter \u2014 to their father, to the lessons of loss, and to each other. \u201cDoing this together means a lot,\u201d says Olly. \u201cTo raise awareness in a positive light \u2014 I know Dad would be laughing at us.\u201d<\/p>\n The emotional gravity of the ride is never far from their minds. \u201cWhen we hit that long road into Fort William, I think that moment will be huge,\u201d Sam reflects.<\/p>\n Asked how their dad might have reacted to the challenge, they both smile. \u201cHe\u2019d call us muppets,\u201d Olly says. \u201cAsk why we\u2019re bothering. But he\u2019d love it. He\u2019d be the first one there, cheering and laughing.\u201d<\/p>\n The response so far has been overwhelmingly supportive. \u201cMessages, donations, encouragement \u2014 it\u2019s been unreal,\u201d Sam says. \u201cIf it helps even one person find help through Alcohol Change, then it\u2019s worth every kilometre.\u201d<\/p>\n Support for the ride has come from all corners. \u201cRob Carr, a family friend, is driving the support car for the whole journey \u2014 absolute legend,\u201d says Olly. Their mum Liz, along with Rob\u2019s wife Caroline and their families, will join part of the way, adding an extra boost of morale.<\/p>\n Their Instagram page, @cycling_the_nashone, is where they\u2019re sharing their journey \u2014 from training bloopers to motivational updates. They\u2019re also fundraising through their JustGiving page<\/a>, with every penny supporting Alcohol Change UK.<\/p>\n And what about after the ride?<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve booked some family time up in Scotland,\u201d Sam says. \u201cNo bikes in sight.\u201d<\/p>\n As for future events: \u201cRight now, absolutely not,\u201d says Olly. \u201cBut who knows?\u201d<\/p>\n Sam\u2019s a bit more open. \u201cI\u2019ve really enjoyed it. I\u2019d love to keep raising awareness. Even if we don\u2019t hit the same numbers again, making noise still matters.\u201d<\/p>\n For the Shone brothers, this is more than a test of endurance. It\u2019s a tribute stitched together with every pedal stroke. It\u2019s about saying the hard things, sharing the heavy stories, and showing others that change \u2014 even after loss \u2014 is possible.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s about honouring a dad who\u2019d probably think they were a bit daft for doing it all\u2026 but would\u2019ve been their loudest cheerleader.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_LC_240425cycling_04jpeg.jpg\")
Dressed to the nines \u2014 Olly and Sam flank their dad Phil, whose presence and personality continue to inspire their every move.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_LC_240425cycling_01jpeg.jpg\")
Olly and Sam Shone take a break during a sunny training ride, preparing for the challenge of a lifetime \u2014 770km in memory of their dad.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_LC_240425cycling_07jpeg.jpg\")
Fuelled by purpose and surrounded by love \u2014 Olly and Sam ride on turbo trainers as one of their children watches on, a reminder of the legacy they\u2019re protecting.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_LC_240425cycling_00jpeg.jpg\")
Phil Shone beams with joy as he cuddles his grandchild \u2014 a moment that reflects the warmth and love that defined him as a father and grandfather.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_LC_240425cycling_08jpeg.jpg\")
A snapshot from childhood \u2014 Phil stands proudly behind a young Olly and Sam, already laying the foundations of the bond that drives their journey today.<\/p>\n