Got a dinner at the NEC on Wednesday (glam I know) and I’d like to get there in time to do a couple of hours on quiet roads or maybe take the gravel bike. Is that just the realms of fantasy or does anyone have a decent route they could suggest?

There’s quite a lot of nice riding only 5/10 minutes away from NEC, I’d go towards Hampton-in-arden -Knowle – Balsall Common – Meriden – Coleshill then back to NEC, should take about 1.5 to 2 hours and generally nice quiet roads. Sorry I’ve no gpx file.

You’ll be fine. The worst bit will be getting off the NEC site, once you’ve done that head south and there are some pleasant roads around Catherine de Barnes, Knowle, Lapworth and down towards Henley. In fact you could save a bit of the nasty bit and get the train from Birmingham International (the station at the NEC) 1 stop to Hampton-in-Arden and ride from there.