A 1,000-MILE European odyssey has begun for four former Reigate School pupils as they set out to visit five capital cities by bike.
The group of friends set off from London and aim to travel through Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam to Berlin within two weeks.
Jack Wooldridge Stevens, 24, his brother Tom and their friends Laurence Wheatley and Joshua Pearson, all 22, are raising money for charities which help young people.
Jack told the Mirror: "We wanted to do something for charity and my brother and I are both very keen cyclists.
"The other guys are too, so we decided to go for it."
The group have so far raised £1,613 for the Halow Project, which supports youngsters with learning disabilities, and the YMCA Reigate and Redhill's Heads Together project – a counselling service for young people. They aim to pass £2,000 before they are done.
They were looking forward to the challenge before they set off. Jack said: "We have no support team. Everything is going to be on our bikes or on our backs.
"We are extremely excited about it, not quite nervous but possibly a bit cautious."
To support the cause visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/5-Capitals