CHILTERNS GRAVEL X- 16TH JULY, 2022

RIDE OVERVIEW

Close to London but far off the beaten track, the Chilterns Gravel Xplorer takes in parts of the famous Ridgeway and the glorious hills in the heart of this region. Nearly all of the route is off road including some secret local spots & a few climbs both on tarmac and gravel. A cracking summer gravel day out ??.

DISTANCE: 92KM | ELEVATION: 1228M

RIDE DIFFICULTY 3.5/5

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY 3/5

PERCENTAGE OF ROUTE OFF ROAD 75%

Bike & Tyre Choice: Mid summer on a mix of wide gravel paths, a bit of singletrack, some grass & 25% tarmac. This definitely favours a gravel bike over a mountain bike though as with all off road rides, there is no perfect bike and on some sections wider tyres would be ideal. On our recon rides we used 38mm Schwalbe G One All Rounds, anything with a similar tread will work.

RIDE HIGHLIGHTS

 – Close to London but quiet & picturesque gravel riding

 – Ride parts of The Ridgeway, the oldest road in England

 – Secret local gravel sections in the heart of the Chilterns

 – Social drink at the finish village

THE ROUTE

Kingston Blount: 92km, 1227m

In the middle of August, the perfect summer gravel day out. We start at Kingston House Park Estate in beautiful Kingston Blount and get on The Ridgeway almost straight away and stay on this for almost 15km before heading into the heart of the Chilterns. Over the next 40km we take in 7 climbs on a mix of tarmac and off road with some amazing views. The last 25km is quick on some less known gravel sections before we arrive back at Kingston Blount for a well earned beer & chips.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: 3.5/5

FAQS

WHAT TYPE OF BIKE SHOULD I RIDE?

This route is ideal for gravel bikes with wide (40mm plus) tyres. A mountain bike would be fine as there are few road sections. Road bikes are not suitable for this ride. We have carbon gravel bikes from Pearson available to hire for the day. E bikes are not allowed on this ride.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MY START TIME?

We will send you an email after you have booked to choose your start time between 8am and 10am, if you are riding with a friend you can choose to start with them.

WHERE IS THE START / FINISH?

The ride starts and finishes next to Kingston Blount. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A MECHANICAL / ACCIDENT?

We have first aiders & mechanics at all the feed stops and ride captains along the route to support.

WHAT SHALL I PACK WITH ME FOR THE RIDE?

You need to have a water bottle, basic kit to repair punctures, inner tubes & riding with a helmet is compulsory. Our feed stops have water, coke, cake, fruit & the best tasting sports nutrition bars & nut butters from Outdoor Provisions.

WHEN WILL I GET MY GPX FILE

Our local team do a final recon ride 1 week before the event and can make final tweeks then based on route conditions. We will then send out the route GPX within one week of the ride.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

ROUTE GPX

GPX sent to you a week before the ride with a full route description & packing list.

FEED STOPS

We have feed stops approx every 30kms with fruit, cakes, coke, water, hydration tabs & tasty ride nutrition from the experts at Outdoor Provisions.

FULLY MARKED ROUTE & TIMING CHIPS

Focus just the stunning views & thrilling ride. The route is marked out all the way & you can check your time for the route at the end.

RACE VILLAGE AT THE FINISH

After an epic ride, grab a pint, coffee or cake at the end. Free parking for the day, toilets & bike wash also included in your entry.

BIKE RENTAL & MECHANICS AVAILABLE

New to gravel riding? Hire a Pearson Off Grid gravel bike for the day. We also have mechanics on site to support with any issues before & during the ride.