FRESH from a 3740km cycle tour of Europe, husband and wife team Pat and Tracey Esler are ready to tackle this year's Great Victorian Bike Ride.

Roadies: Pat and Tracey Esler prepare for the Great Victorian Bike Ride on Saturday.

Winding its way from Portland to Geelong via the Great Ocean Road, the ride covers 550km over nine days.

This year, the ride, staged from Saturday to December 6, is supporting Diabetes Australia Victoria.

The Eslers, of Albury, are not only passionate cyclists but also keen to spread the word about living with diabetes.

Their son, Tim, now 20, was diagnosed with type-one diabetes during National Diabetes Week in 2007, two weeks shy of his trial HSC exams.

"We have now learnt this is a particularly serious disease for the community," Tracey said.

Pat, a surveyor, threw himself into fund-raising for Diabetes Australia, collecting $2300 on the 2007 Great Victorian Bike Ride.

He followed that up with $2250 last year and so far has raised $2000 in donations this year.

Pat and Tracey, a teacher, have warmed up for this year's event with a three-month, 3740km cycle tour of Europe covering seven countries.

"We love sharing the experience of the Great Victorian Bike Ride with our friends," Pat said.