RIDGEWAY GRAVEL X- 3RD APRIL, 2022

RIDE OVERVIEW

A glorious 87km gravel loop through Berkshire, Oxfordshire & Wiltshire taking in white roads, quiet backlanes and the best section of The Ridgeway, Britain's oldest road and one of the most famous Off Road sections in England. Mostly off road over mixed terrain, there are few major climbs but the route is up and down for most of the ride.

DISTANCE: 87KM | ELEVATION: 1058M

RIDE DIFFICULTY 3/5

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY 3/5

PERCENTAGE OF ROUTE OFF ROAD 80%

Bike & Tyre Choice: The route is largely off road with most sections being on hard packed gravel trails. A mountain bike will be suitable on the ruttier sections of the Ridgeway but overall a gravel bike with 40mm tyres is preferred.

THE ROUTE

Newbury Showgrounds: 87km, 1058m

A rolling route along the Ridgeway, gravel roads and backlanes in Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. Starting in Newbury, we head north for nearly 20km over a couple of climbs before following the Ridgeway for 35km. We then head into the backlanes and gravel roads of Wiltshire. The route is lumpy throughout with a quick & mostly downhill finish.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: 3/5

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 on parts of the Ridgeway but slow on the lanes. 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?

Riders start in groups of maximum 6 at a 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 in Newbury Showgrounds. 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.