Event Info

FAQ

Our race directors have answered some of our frequently asked questions below.
Get in touch with our athlete services team if you still need some answers.

Registration and Merchandise Collection

Registration Packs – Collection of your Registration pack is compulsory for all riders. Registration packs can be collected from the Registration marquee. Please check the Event Schedule for registration opening times.

Friday – As we know most of you will want to take the day off work and enjoy the little town of Berry, we will have Registration open at the Race Hub from 2 pm to 6 pm

Saturday – Registration will open Saturday as per the Event Schedule.

Merch – Eligible riders who registered during the ‘Early Bird’ and ‘On Time’ entry periods will be able to collect their included merchandise at registration.

ID & Insurance – Please bring your Personal ID. ALL riders MUST be insured to participate. Our insurance is through Cycling Australia, so if you are a member, you will not be charged. If you are NOT a member, you will be required to pay a one-day membership of $16.

Getting to Berry

Car – Berry is situated approx 2 hours from Sydney and 2.5 hours from Canberra. Driving here is easy with dual-carriage freeways most of the way.

Train – Berry has one of the sweetest little country railways down south. Trains leave Sydney (mostly on the hour) with electric trains from Sydney to Kiama and the good old country carriages from Kiama to Nowra. Berry is the second last stop on this South Coast Line.

Parking

As Berry is a bustling little town on the weekends, we suggest you park inside the Berry Showground and ride or walk your bikes to the Race Village (approx 400 m) – Click HERE for easy directions.

Baggage Drop

While you are out enjoying your ride, we will take care of your personal belongings. We ask that all your gear is in a bag and write your event number (ticket supplied at the Baggage Area) on your bag and we will take it from there.

Mechanical Support

Having trouble with your bike, feel like your brakes are rubbing, or is it just the body crying out. We will have a mechanic at designated spots to help you sort your brakes, but won’t be able to sort your crying legs. Remember, mechanics are here for emergency repairs and not to have the annual service of your bike

Bikes & Gearing

We would suggest not to use a TT (Time Trial) bike for any of these events, especially the Challenge, Classic and the Climb. Suggested gearing ratio for the Challenge, Classic and Climb would be a small gear of 36/28 (36 refers to the number of teeth on your small front chainring and 28 refers to the number of teeth on your rear gear in the largest ring).

eBikes

Feeling as though you may need a little help on some of these climbs, we welcome eBikes on all our courses and will most likely have demo bikes for you to try at the Race Hub.

Rest & Recovery

R&R – If you are feeling a little weary, we will have designated R&R stops. R&R is what we call, Rest & Recovery. Sadly there will be no beer here, but we will have nutrition, fruit and refuel points to fill your biddons. Also remember, that phone coverage in some of these areas is limited so no calling for an Uber.

Porta loos – We will have Portable Toilets situated on the course at (roughly) halfway of each loop and at the start/finish line. We ask that you use these at all times and don’t contribute to nature.

Rest Break – Some of these climbs can be a little challenging after a few hours of riding, so if you need to disembark your bike for a rest or walk, please keep to the far left and if stationary, stay to the side off the road.

Dress Appropriately – Berry in July can be clear skies and crisp mornings. When climbing it can get quite warm, with excessive sweat and moisture build-up. The wind chill from the descents can turn that buildup of moisture icy cold, so please dress for the occasion as your clothing choice could be the difference between a great day or cold and shivering one. If you are not accustomed to arm warmers, leg warmers, knee warmers, full-finger gloves, and in some cases booties and skull caps, take a peep online as these are a great addition to any cycle kit. And as always, use sunscreen.

Course Hazards

Gravel – During the climb loop/s, you will find approx 2km of hard gravel. Riding through this with care and caution is safe and many locals do this with ease on most weekends. So don’t be alarmed, take this bit easy and it is safe to ride on all forms of bikes.

Berry Township – Some of these rides will take you through the town of Berry. This is where we ask you to be extra careful and take caution as there could be some visiting traffic or locals moving around. Riding through the streets of Berry is NOT where you need to go fast.

Local Traffic – as you would realise, most of these courses will pass by many residents who live on farms and in the mountains that may need access during your rides. We ask you to be patient and courteous as they make their way to or from their homes and we will also ask the same from them. Remember, this is a Ride, not a Race.

Descents – There are a few quite steep descents on the climb section of the course (refer to the profiles of your event). This is not, and we repeat, not the time to push the limits. We are offering free entries to the next year’s event for the 10 SLOWEST down Berry Mountain, it will be signposted. Also, keep in mind that the roads are not completely closed and cars may be coming towards you on blind corners. If you are found to be riding too fast, erratic, and dangerously, you will be BANNED from future Berry events.

Cut Off Times

As you would understand, it would be great to have everyone home within safe time limits and also to allow local residents and traffic back onto the semi-restricted roads. With this in mind, the cut-off times for each event are;

Challenge (Social): 1st lap 2 hours / 2nd lap 3 hours / 3rd lap 3 hours. If you are doing this event and you are not back to the start/finish by these times, our team will suggest you take a rest and enjoy the Race Hub and all it has to offer.

Classic: 1st lap 2 hours / 2 lap 3 hours

Climb: 3 hours

Charge: 2 hours

Cruise: 1.5 hours

We will have a pick-up van at the rear of each event and if you are in need of a lift, we will do our best to support this option, however, you may not be transferred directly to the finish due to the safety of other riders.

First Aid & Emergency

We always say that our medical team is the only one we love to pay to do nothing. If our medical team does nothing, it means you have all been good boys and girls and rode safe and smart rides. However, if you or anyone around you need medical support, please call the Race Director and they will get support to you asap. Keep in mind that immediate support is not always possible, so look after each other and look after your mates.

Challenge (Social) vs Challenge (Competitive)

We have deliberately split this one into two classifications. Challenge (Social) means that you are just out there to cover the distance with no real time aspirations. Maybe you are new to riding, maybe this is the first attempt at a ride like this or maybe you just want to take your time and enjoy the spectacular views with your friends. Challenge (Competitive) is for those that want to push themselves a little harder, as always we advise that all cyclists ride within their abilities.

KOM & QOM

KOM & QOM – if you are not aware of this terminology, it refers to King of the Mountain and Queen of the Mountain.
There are two major climbs and these will be timed for awards after the event and for post-event bragging rights.

Cancellations & Refunds

Request for withdrawal must be sent via email to Athlete Services
Refer to the Refund & Transfer Policy for details

Spectators / Community

Road Closures and Restrictions – In collaboration with Council and Police, our team has designed courses for the safety of riders, residents, and visitors. 90% of the rides are in all one direction. This does not mean you can use both sides of the road. We will endeavour to have limited traffic on most of these courses during the busiest times of the event, but can not guarantee that residents, etc will not be on the same roads. Please be careful on all these roads and obey all NSW road rules.

Where to watch – As this event is a looped course, the best and safest places will be at the Race Central