Bucks Gravel Sportive

December 28 2024

Rickmansworth

Date Confirmed

Distances: 50, 80 km

Difficulty: Moderate terrain with rolling short steep hills or moderate, sustained climbs

We are back, after a 2 year sabbatical we are back organising our Bucks Off Road Sportive now in its 22nd incarnation and with the popularity of gravel bikes we have decided to rename the event the Bucks Gravel Sportive.

In previous years we have always had people on CX bikes taking part and in the last couple of events gravel bikes as well as of course MTBs and even a tandem, which is the best bike or most suited bike, well that’s your decision as I know a number of our regulars have a few bikes to choose from.

So what is the event about well coming just after Christmas this event will be the ideal opportunity to burn of the excess Turkey!

There is a choice a choice of either 50 or 80 kms, the 50 km route will be a challenge but we think will be suitable for most people with a level of fitness but the 80 km will be a toughie, both routes consist of some lovely bridleways/hills/lanes/single track and given the time of year some of these tracks will be tough to ride, with some mud remember the event is in December so i conditions could be harsh!

As a club we have been riding this area for 30 plus years and over this summer/autumn we have had reccee rides over the tracks that this event uses and ridden both routes which have met with approval, we think its a great route-lots of variety, some hard climbs and some good descents, some tarmac to recover on before hitting the next off road section and will be challenging.

Both routes are 1 lap with the 80 km incorparating two extra loops and both will have a feed station en route for refreshments, in addition to this the route passes a couple of lovely country pubs that do both food and drink.

The event starts as a social club which has parking/toilets/showers and where there will be hot drinks available and even a licensed bar.

For any rider suffering a mechanical disaster a sag wagon will be on hand.

Remember 80 kms off road in the middle of winter will be tough and we are certainly not expecting any Strava KOMs to go !

Riders will be sent a GPX file on pre entry closing and the route willl be marked

There will be a point where riders on the 80 km route can divert to the shorter route if they find they have taken on too much.

There will be an event memento for those pre entered riders managing to complete the event.

Any profits from the event will go to the WDMBC the promoting club and it is hoped we can as usual make a donation to charity as we did from this years Bucks Road Sportive which donated to the British Heart Foundation

There will be a special early entry fee discount so don’t delay as it is never to early to enter .

Bucks Gravel Sportive