WHAT AND WHEN
The Great British Escapades North and South Downs Way is self-supported long-distance bikepacking adventure ride. It is 65-70% off road and requires a mountain bike, ‘monster cross’ style bike or gravel bike with 50mm tyres (or close to it) to complete.
It starts on Thursday 1st June 2023 at 17:00hrs with the end of the event and the finish closing on Sunday 4th June 2023 at 19:00hrs.
REGISTRATION PROCESS
Registration opens on Saturday 29th October 2022. Places are limited for the event and will be available on a first come, first served basis.
TRACKING
The Great British Escapade North and South Downs will be live-tracked by Map my Tracks. Effectively turning your smartphone into a tracker, the Map my Tracks Endurance App uses very little power to send a signal every five minutes, but your phone does need to be on at all times for it to work. This means family and friends will be able to watch your ‘Dot’ move along the route and monitor your progress along the way.
If you have a dynamo on your bike then happy days, but if you don’t, a decent capacity cache battery will do it and in test riding a 20000 aMh battery pack kept the iPhone and Garmin going.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
The Entry fee for the Escapades is £65.00 per individual entry.
WHAT DO I GET?
Included in the entry fee are –
A bloody great big adventure through all the best bits of the South East of Great Britain…
Live-tracking from Map my Tracks which adds a spectator element to the event!
A full GPX track of the route (which will be released to you two weeks before) for you to download to your navigation devices and follow.
An Enamel Camping Mug with the Escapade branding.
An embroidered event patch and a bike frame sticker (we all love them!)
A Brevet Card for your passage through the checkpoint and as a record of your journey and ride time.
.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
We know this bit is a bit dull but we do need some Rules, Terms and Conditions for the event.
We have produced what we think is a comprehensive yet simple and easy to follow list of requirements for the event.
Please click HERE to download the document – remember you will need to e-mail us a scanned signed copy of these by Friday 19th May 2023
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS AND EQUIPMENT
All participants must be over the age of 18 years at the start.
All participants must have and provide evidence of suitable insurance that covers personal liability. We are Group Members of Cycling UK which entitles you to a discounted Affiliate Membership which includes insurance cover. To join Cycling UK please click HERE and use the Club Code 90193621
If you are a non-UK resident we will also need evidence of medical/accident cover at registration.
All participants must –
Wear a helmet at all times
Have a high-visibilty gilet/vest/strap
Have a least one set of lights (front and rear)
Lights need to be fit for purpose and allow you to ride at all times of the day and both see and be seen. Front and Rear reflectors as well as some reflective material on wheels is highly recommended, as is a head torch or helmet mounted light.
Have a bell on the bike – it helps, and other users of the trails really appreciate it.
A whistle for attracting attention in the event of an accident or other issue is highly recommended and can be easily acquired for just a few pounds.
A suitable GPS device for your navigation.
A means of keeping your smartphone charged – a dynamo system if you already have one is great but a 20000 mAh cache battery should be enough to keep everything running – especially if you can plug everything into the mains during a coffee stop!
RIDER CONDUCT
It goes without saying that you should ‘Not be a dick’! Be nice and enjoy the experience – even when you are suffering and not having a particularly nice time. Remember Type 1 and Type 2 fun and all that!
Respect other users of the trails and the countryside through which you are travelling – leave no trace….
Read the Terms and Conditions before registering for the full requirements on conduct!
GREAT BRITISH ESCAPADES 