WHAT AND WHEN

The Great British Divide is a self-supported ultra-distance bikepacking adventure ride. It is 65-70% off road and requires a mountain bike or ‘monster cross’ style bike to complete.

The Full Route adventure starts on Saturday 5th August 2023 at 08:00am at the Pedalar on the Port, Dover and the Short(er) Route on Monday 7th August at 08:00am at The Old Station Hub, Talybont.  

The end of the event and the finish is at the Nevis Range, Fort William in the Highlands of Scotland which closes on Sunday 20th August at 08:00.

The Full Route has a maximum completion deadline of 15 Days and the Shorter Route 13 Days to be included in the final finisher’s statistics. You may of course complete the route after this time but the GBD Team will not be present at the finish after it closes and you will not record an official time.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

Registration will again be hosted by Si Entries and will open in September 2022. Places are limited to 75 for the third year and will be available on a first come, first served basis.

TRACKING

The Great British Divide will be a fully tracked event with live tracking from our tracking partners available for the duration.

All participants will be required to use a Spot Gen 3 Tracker and the cost of the rental of the tracker and the live tracking is included within the entry fee.

WHAT DOES IT COST?

Entry Fee – £295.00 per individual entry (if you have your own Spot Tracker the cost will reduce by £30.00)

We know these type of events seem expensive, and at a glance they are…. They do however come with some big direct costs, with around half the entry fee being spent on stuff you, the rider actually gets. With what’s left we cover our insurance, website, marketing, and the manning of the checkpoints. This doesn’t take into account the hours and hours of route research, plotting and test riding. Our main business is corporate events and we make a decent living from that, the Divide is very much about our passion for endurance cycling and creating an event that will be as memorable as it will be challenging for you rather than making a fortune for us. And at the end of the day, two weeks on your bike for less than £300.00 doesn’t sound so bad!

WHAT DO I GET?

Included in the entry fee are –

A bloody great big adventure through all the best bits of Great Britain…

Rental of a Spot Gen 3 Tracker, batteries for it and Live Tracking from Maprogress – This is a really important part of the event from both a safety aspect and from a spectators point of view – ‘Dot-Watching’ as it’s known is a significant part of these events and allows your family, friends and the world at large to follow your progress. This is clever technology but it does come at a cost (about a third of the entry fee) but it is a cost we have to accept and all we do is pass this onto you the participant.

A full GPX track of the route (which will be available in early June 2022) for you to download to your navigation devices and follow.

A personalised cycling cap.

An embroidered event patch and a bike frame sticker (we all love them!)

A finishers gift

A charitable donation equivalent to 5% of our profits – is shared amongst our 2022 beneficiaries – Cycling UK, The National Parks Foundation and Mountain Rescue England and Wales.

And a little selection of surprises from some of our partners along the route…

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

We know this bit is a bit dull but we do need some Rules, Terms and Conditions for the event.

We have produced what we think is a comprehensive yet simple and easy to follow list of requirements for the event.

The Terms and Conditions document is here and will also be sent to all participants and needs to be returned by e-mail no later than 16th July 2023.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS AND EQUIPMENT

All participants must be over the age of 18 years at the start.

All participants must have and provide evidence of suitable insurance that covers personal liability and for overseas riders, medical/accident cover.

All participants must –

Wear a helmet at all times

Have a high-visibilty gilet/vest/strap

Have a least one set of lights (front and rear)

Lights need to be fit for purpose and allow you to ride at all times of the day and both see and be seen. Front and Rear reflectors as well as some reflective material on wheels is highly recommended, as is a head torch or helmet mounted light.

Have a bell on the bike – it helps, and other users of the trails really appreciate it.

A whistle for attracting attention in the event of an accident or other issue

A suitable GPS device for your navigation

RIDER CONDUCT

It goes without saying that you should ‘Not be a dick’! Be nice and enjoy the experience – even when you are suffering and not having a particularly nice time. Remember Type 1 and Type 2 fun and all that!

Respect other users of the trails and the countryside through which you are travelling – leave no trace….

Read the Terms and Conditions before registering for the full requirements on conduct!