Faq

Browse our list of frequently asked questions on the Ride It! series

What are the rides?

These rides are designed for everyone, so from novice, enthusiast through to pro riders there’s something here for you. Just starting out or want to ride with your family? try the fun ride. Want to do a good ride in an area you’re not used to or need a training ride? try the midrange rides. Fancy something harder? How about the long routes? Whatever your aspirations, there’s something here for you!

Do I need my own bike?

Yes, although at most of the events there will be Demo bikes available. These will need to be booked in advance through the website.

What type of bike is suitable?

For the off-road ride your bike should have been design to do just that. The most common type of bike is a Mountain bike and this would be suitable for all length of rides. If you have a Hybrid (Half Mountain/half road with thin knobbly tyres) we would recommend keeping to the Fun ride. Road bikes are not suitable.

For the Tarmac rides you can ride what you like. Saying that, please bear in mind that the distances involved can be substantial and that 70 miles on a cheap, heavy MTB is not going to be enjoyable, and you will not be having fun for a long time! We recommend the use of a Road or Racing type of bike.

What Brands will be there?

We will be arranging Demo days at the events and inviting along all brands of bikes and accessory manufacturers. Keep an eye on the website.

I’m a beginner, are these rides suitable?

Definitely! As long as you’re fit enough to complete the distance there is no reason you can’t take place. As these rides are not races, there is a friendly atmosphere and people are willing to help you out if you are in mechanical or physical trouble!

How long are the rides?

Off road rides:

Short - 10-12 miles
Medium - 25-30 miles
Long - 30 miles plus

Road rides:

Fun - 10-15 miles
Short - 30 miles
Medium - 60 miles
Long - 90 miles

These distances are approximate and will vary from venue to venue and are dependent on route availability, route conditions and the time of year.

All route options may not be available at all events.

How many people enter the events?

How long is a piece of string? It all depends on lots of factors, weather, time of year event position etc. so numbers can vary between 50 and 300.

How fit do I need to be?

Well, you should be able to ride the distance of the category that you are entering. Once you’ve done this for the first time you should be able to gauge if you’re fit enough to move on to the next length of ride. Simply put, start off small and move up as you get fitter. We don’t want you to overstretch yourself, have a bad day and not come back.

How old or young should I be?

There are no age restrictions for our rides but please see parental consent section below. All we ask is that you are physically and mentally fit to complete the particular ride you’ve entered. On the family rides, we will try to design the route to allow young children to participate, either on their own or with tag-a-longs. You know the ability of yourself and your children and are in the best position to decide if they can tackle the ride.

What about Parental consent?

If you are under 16 you will only be able to ride with an accompanying adult, who themselves are over 18. From 16 to 18 years old you will be allowed to cycle unaccompanied, providing that we have a signed parental consent form and emergency contact no for your parent/guardian.

What do I need to carry?

We recommend you carry a small tool kit, water, food and spare clothing if the weather looks like changing. The toolkit should have as a minimum – Spare tube, puncture repair kit, tyre levers, a pump and a multi-tool. Water will be available at the start and at points around the route. Energy bars will be available to buy at the start and there will be limited free energy food at checkpoints on the road rides only, otherwise you should carry enough of your own food to get you round the course. Remember, there will be hot drinks and food available at the event centre after your ride.

Can I buy spares?

We carry a small range of spares with us for you to purchase. This includes items such as tubes, puncture kits, pumps, Allen keys and a limited range of clothing. If there is anything specific for your bike, we won’t carry it, so please purchase it before you arrive.

Do I have to wear a helmet?

Yes, we insist that all riders wear a helmet during our events. This is to comply with our responsibilities and ensure insurance coverage for the event.

Riders that do not have a helmet will be refused entry to the event on the day.

A limited range of helmets will be available to purchase at the event centre

How do I register?

You can register in a number of different ways. The easiest is through the web site and the online booking page.

You can turn up and enter on the day.

Click here to enter the events

Do I need insurance or am I covered by Evans?

You do not need insurance to ride at our events but you are not covered by our policy either. Should you cause an accident or injury during our event you may be held personally responsible by the aggrieved party. It is therefore your choice if you wish to take out an individual insurance policy.

Do I need to be a member?

No. These rides are open to everyone.

I’ve entered online, what do I need to bring?

You should bring a copy of the acknowledgement page or confirmation email that confirms your event entry order at the end of the entry process. If you can’t print this off, don’t worry too much as we will have a copy on the day. Having Pre-entered, you can jump the queue on the morning and pick up your rider card at the Pre-entered area.

Can I get a map before the day?

As the routes are put out a couple of days before the rides, we don’t know until then if there are any problems or road closures etc. We therefore can’t produce an accurate map until a few days before the ride. The practicalities of putting this on the web before the event outweigh any advantages. You can however view the provisional route in 3D in Google Earth by clicking on the link on the event page.

Can I enter on the day?

Yes you can, we accept cash, cheque and credit/debit cards. You will be charged an On-the-day supplement of £2.50 per person (adults only), so save money and Pre-enter. Pre-entered people don’t have to fill in forms on the morning and can also jump to the front of the queue!

How much does it cost?

Entry fees for the event are:

Adult - fun road route - £5
Adult – all other routes - £10
Child* (under 16) - FREE

On the day entries incur an additional £2.50 surcharge *Child entry free when accompanied by a paying adult

How do I pay?

You can pay either:-

Online via the website (via debit or credit card)
On the day (via cash, cheque, credit or debit card)

Can I get a discount?

From time to time we may offer discounts, offers or incentives on entry fees – please refer to the terms and conditions published with promotions. We do not offer discounts for membership of organisations such as the CTC, LCC or British Cycling.

What’s your refund policy?

Event entry fees can not be refunded or transferred under any circumstances.

How do I find the Event Centre?

Visit the event detail page on the website. Here you’ll find address information and a link to an online map.

When you get close, the Event Centre will be sign posted with Evans signage.

How do I get to the Event Centre?

By Car Parking will be available at the event centres. Some locations have limited parking and you may need to park on the street or may be directed to other nearby parking areas. Evans Cycles and the event centre do not accept responsibility for your vehicle or its contents during the event

By Train Not always a real option due to the positioning of the events. Please check with the National Rail service to find the nearest station, and also rules for taking bikes on trains.

By Bike You can also ride to the start!!

What Facilities are available at the Event centre?

Each event centre varies in what it offers but as a minimum will have toilets, washing facilities and a room to congregate in if the weather’s bad.

What do I do on the day?

Check the start times for you ride, turn up at least 30 minutes before you want to ride or the last start time. Visit registration and either register or if pre-registered, pick up your map and rider card. You then need to get ready to ride and present yourself to the starter, who will note your number, give you some instructions and send you on your way. Once you’ve completed the ride you should present yourself to the finish line where your time will be noted. You are then free to visit the canteen to replenish you lost energy!

Do I need to report back to the event centre at the end of the ride?

Yes, it is very important that you report back after the ride where you will be marked as having completed the ride. Failure to report back at the end of the ride may result in you being presumed lost and emergency services being called.

Is there anything for non cyclist to do?

Obviously the Event Centres are chosen for their access to good trails and riding rather than surrounding attractions. That said, we will be in some beautiful areas of the UK, so there will be local trails for non cyclist who fancy a walk. Try searching the internet for things to do locally and see if you can find something that they’ll enjoy.

Is food and drink available?

There will be water and free SIS energy drink available at the start of all rides. There is also a water stop on the route and, on the Medium and Long Road rides, a food stop with limited free food!

We offer hot and cold drinks for you to purchase at the start and finish of the ride. There will also be a selection of food available in the form of cake, bars and other savoury snacks.

For the ride, we sell a range of energy bars and powder to make energy drinks.

Riders are advised to carry enough food on them for the duration of the ride.

If my bike breaks on the day, what do I do?

Before the start we have a trained Mechanic on hand to sort out any minor problems. He will have a limited supply of parts and if at all possible, will get you going.

Once finished at the event centre the mechanic will relocate to the water stop to help riders en-route.

If I need First Aid how do I get it?

For serious injuries either out on the ride or at the Event Centre your first contact should be the Emergency Services on 999. For less serious incidents you should contact a member of staff. At the centre come and see one of us and you’ll be looked at by a trained first-aider. On the trail, phone the emergency contact on the rider card and we’ll give you instructions or come and get you.

What time does it start?

Registration opens 8:00am. Riders may start anytime between 8:30am and 10:30am.

How do I follow the route?

Once you set off from the event centre the route will be marked with the use of arrow signs and marker ribbons (except certain sections of the Long off-road route). Arrows signs will be at all junctions on the route.

So quite simply you follow these signs and as you come to a junction, if the ribbon is on the left, you turn left and on the right, you turn right.

At certain points on the ride the routes will divide (into the various, fun, short, medium and long routes) – these route divide points will be signposted – simply follow the signs for the particular route you are riding.

Although the routes are marked we recommend that you keep an eye on your Memory Map OS map, as it’s not unheard of for riders to miss turns or for members of the public to remove or turn signs around. At least if you know approximately where you are it will be easier to find your way back onto the route.

What happens if I get lost?

The first thing you should do is try and physically locate yourself. Ask a walker; knock on a door or read sign posts. Then look at your map and see if you can find your way back onto the route. If this is not possible, call the emergency number on your rider card (NOT 999) and we will try and direct you back on to the route. In extreme circumstances, we will come and get you, but it might not be possible to put you back on route, so you will be returned to the Event Centre.

What is the navigation stage of the long off-road route?

Part of the long off-road route is a self-navigated section approximately 5 miles long. This section of route is not marked and is designed to test your map reading skills.

Use the provided Memory Map OS map to navigate to the marked checkpoints on the map. At each checkpoint mark your rider card with the checkpoint orienteering clip.

The self-navigated section will rejoin the way marked medium route, continue to follow this route back to the event centre and complete the ride.

What happens if I have an accident or mechanical?

If you or anyone else is seriously injured on the course the first point of contact should be the Emergency services on 999. You should then use the contact number on your rider card to let the organisers know the situation and they will then act appropriately.

If it is a minor injury you should use the contact number on your card and we will respond appropriately. If you have a major mechanical break down you should attempt to make your own way back to the event centre. If you are a long way from anywhere, please call the contact on the rider card. Please bear in mind that it may not be possible to recover you immediately and this should be a last resort.

Can I wash my bike afterwards?

We will provide a hose and cleaning equipment if a suitable supply of water and place to wash your bike is available at the event centre.

How do I see my results?

We will publish your times alphabetically on the website so you can see how you did. We do not publish times in speed or place order.

Is racing okay on public roads and trails?

These events are NOT races. We do not publish times in speed order and do not encourage race type behaviour. The rides are a social event that allow people to meet other riders whilst enjoying a good ride that they don’t need to plan or route find on.

From a legal point of view, we mark out the route with arrows and tags as a suggested route. You do not need to follow this route and you are free to choose how you navigate around the course. If you want to cut out sections due to mechanical and energy problems, that’s fine.

We do not insist that you follow our route; however we recommend you follow the route and map to avoid becoming lost.

How do I apply for a job?

Your first point of contact should be event manager Dean Stacey by post at:

Evans Cycles,
Camino Park,
James Watt Way,
Crawley,
RH10 9TZ

Or talk to him at an event.

When do pre-entries close?

Pre-entries close at 7pm on the Wednesday preceding the event. After this, riders will be required to purchase an on the day entry at the event centre. On the day entries incur an additional £2.50 surcharge.

Can I advertise at your event?

You will need to contact our Marketing Department at evans.marketing@evanscycles.com

In association with:		Supported by:

Servicing

UK's largest quality cycle retailer

Faq