FAQ

When / where is it?

The ride leaves on Saturday 29 August 2015 at 6:00am.  Sharp.
Yeah, it's early, but it'll be a long day and we want to keep as much daylight as possible.
Since this is an invitational, the start location is a secret.  The route to the checkpoint will be revealed at the start and the route to the finish will be revealed at the checkpoint.

How much does it cost?

Nothing.  It's free, as in beer.  However, that's what you'll get.  Nothing.  Okay, you'll get a cue sheet and a map, but that's it.  No pint glass, no neato socks, no commemorative plaque.  Unless somehow a sponsor wants to give you stuff.  But that would require us to actually get a sponsor.

Support / Sag / Medical

Yeah.  About that....  There is none.  If you have a mechanical, you need to fix it yourself.  That means you should have a tool kit, extra tubes, and the know-how to use them.  If you forget to bring enough food or drinks on the ride, can't help you there, either.  However, there will be plenty of rest stops to refuel along the way.  If you get hurt, we'll provide comfort while we dial 911.  But that's about all you can expect.  There is no sag wagon or anything like that.

What can I expect?

Well, the good thing is the course is fairly flat, so there shouldn't be a whole lot of climbing.  On the other hand, this ride is during the heat of Summer.  In case you haven't experienced one, Illinois summers are generally HOT and HUMID.  There won't be much shade for the hottest parts of the ride, so you'll need to plan for it.  And there will be at least one mild climb.  Exactly where you want it least.  Really, we only call it a "climb" because it's in Illinois.  People from other states might call it a highway overpass.

What tools should I bring?

Tools are a very personal decision, but here is a typical load-out:

• 2 Tubes
• Patch Kit
• Portable Bike Pump and, optionally, 2 CO2 canisters
• Tire Levers
• Multitool with:
• Allen Wrenches
• Chain Tool
• Spoke Wrench
• Philips Screwdriver
• Presta Valve Adapter (if needed)
• Tire Boot

What gear / bike should I bring?

You can bring any bike you want, as long as it's not a fixed-gear bike.  Outside of that, we strongly suggest a multi-gear bike that you can ride all day at about 15mph.  23mm tires aren't recommended, but you're an adult.  We'd recommend 28mm or larger tires, smooth or treaded.  2.5" knobbies might be overkill.  There is a significant amount of gravel and crushed limestone, but it's generally packed and manageable.  Still not sure?  Fine:

• All-road/gravel/adventure bike:  Yeah, this is the exact purpose of such a bike.  Bring it!
• Cyclocross bike:  Yup.  They work great.  If you've got them, file-tread or even wide slicks.
• Touring bike:  Yes.  Totally fine.  Though you probably don't need a full load-out of racks/panniers.
• Road bike:  If you're confident with your bike handling skills,  bring it.  We'd recommend 25mm tires at a minimum, but we know a certain jackass who did rides like this with 22mm cotton tubulars.
• TT bike:  As long as you don't mind the jokes, bring it.  HOWEVER, if we see you in the aero bars anywhere near other riders, you're out.  In all honesty, TT bikes are really effective on a course like this as long as you can control it on the gravel.
• Single-speed:  Sure, but there's a good chance you'll hate your bike by the end of this.
• Fixie:  No.  Seriously.
• XC bike:  Great choice.  A little overkill, but at least your back won't be killing you by the end of this.  Maybe.
• Trail/Enduro bike:  Way overkill, but go for it.  It'll be like bringing a waterbed to summer camp.
• DH bike:  You know what?  If you wear a full-face helmet and full armor for the whole ride, we'll create a special prize, just for you.  Or maybe just give you a high-five.
• Fat bike:  Yup.  Should work fine.  You're sure to get a lot of high-fives along the way.

You should bring at least two (2) large water bottles (bidons for you PRO folks).  We'll be stopping often to refill bottles, but some people drink more.

Sunscreen.  Let's face it, sunburns suck, cancer sucks more.

A light, packable, jacket.  Yes, if it's cold you should dress warmer.  If it's wet, you should dress for that, too.  But even if it's hot, a light jacket is great insurance for a sudden downpour, or to protect against the sun, or keep warm during a break.

Energy.  It's a long day and you'll be running at a huge energy deficit for most of it.  After a few hours, you'll feel the consequences.  A frame bag or (small) backpack that you can load up with snacks at the rest stops is a good way to ensure food is constantly available for you.

Cash.  Unless you're packing a ton of food, you'll probably want to re-supply along the way.  Hence, cash.  Plus, there's beer at the end and you don't want us to be kicking back with a cold one while you're drinking a water, do you?

Mobile phone.  The sum of human knowledge at your fingertips.  Plus an easy way to contact the ride leaders and/or medical services.  And Angry Birds.

Map/compass/GPS.  Sure, go ahead.  Beats getting lost and winding-up in Iowa or Indiana.

I dunno....  Should I go?

Listen, this is supposed to be difficult.  It's (guaranteed) more than 150 miles in (likely) hot, humid weather with (we're pretty sure) a significant head/cross-wind.  Oh yeah, you'll spend a significant portion of the day riding on gravel.  The rest stops are bout 20 - 30 miles apart.  Budget 12 hours to finish the ride, with 9 - 10 hours actually on the bike.  Everything's going to hurt.  You'll be covered in sweat, dust, and grime.  You're going to smell pretty bad.  If this sounds fine to you, read on.

You're not very fast?  Cool.  Even though it's called a race, it's not.  The measure of success on RK250 is not how fast you reach the finish, but how much you gained from the journey.  Find a teammate who's also not very fast and have a good time.  There's a pretty good chance most of the group will stick together until the last rest stop or two, anyway.

Not very mechanically inclined?  Yeah, you should probably work on that.  Make sure your bike is in sound working order, then find a teammate who has the skills and desire to work on your bike, should you have a mishap.

No friends who ride?  Sorry, you need to have a teammate.  Do Gravel Metric, the Ten Thousand, or any number of other awesome gravel rides in the area, make friends with some dirtbags, then meet us for next year's ride.