RIDE INFO
Here is all the information you need to do any one of our Quad Events.
Each event is built for the average rider looking to challenge themselves as a step-up from a one day event or club race. Sure you will see some of the best elite riders in Australia at our events, but over 95 per cent of participants are just your average rider, looking for a weekend of fun, on and off the trails!
event format
Prelude
All of our events start with a Prelude on the Friday afternoon. These courses are generally around 9-10km in length and riders go out onto the course one by one from the start line. Most of the course is going to be fun single track with little climbing involved. Overtaking is permitted and you can expect a pretty fun and easy ride.
The Prelude is a time trial format and you just need to ride the course to the best of your ability, as fast as you like! Your time for the Prelude help sets your Weekend Warrior Handicap for the stages to come so it is important that you show up and ride on the Friday. The Prelude time is also included in all of the overall Category places at the end of each event.
Stages 1 and 2
The weekend stages are both similar in distance and design. We usually start these stages early morning (around 9am) when the weather is cooler and aim to have most of our riders finished by 12 noon at the latest. Both stages are planned to be around 35km in total length, but some stages might be shorter in total distance if the elevation of the course is greater than normal. We have a focus on including the best trails in each region, so in most cases fire road and long climbs are minimised in favour of fun, flowy single track – pretty much all green and blue trails too. We want our riders to leave each stage with a big smile on your face, reminiscing about how great the trails were that made up the course, but with still enough energy left to go and enjoy lunch and an afternoon relaxing with friends! Detailed stage information is available for each event in the Rider Guide which is released one month prior via our website and EDM.
HANDICAP SYSTEM
Over the last two years we have put a lot of work into developing our own unique Handicap System. This system is designed so that riders can turn up to our events and “Ride Your Own Race”! Much like a golf handicap system it allows you to compare your performance against your mates on any given day.
The time your ride for the Prelude is averaged against the rest of the field of riders and then this is used to create an expected time for Stage 1. Your stage time is then used again and calculated as an average against the field to determine your expected time for Stage 2. Your results are then compared to the expected handicap time and the riders that records the two closest stage times (the most consistent) will be crowned the Weekend Warrior King and Queens at the conclusion of each event.
The system is supposed to be a bit of fun and take the seriousness out of “racing”, but also to create some banter amongst mates and allow everyone of all abilities to compete for podium glory!
E-BIKES
We encourage those who ride E-Bikes to enter our events. Over the first two years we have experimented with where to best place riders in this category within the overall field. Beginning from 2025 we will be starting all of our stages in waves, with those riding E-Bikes to begin in the final wave. This is to minimise any potential impact on those competitive riders at the front of the field and to also allow event officials to better manage the overall ride time for each stage. By entering the event all E-Bike riders agree to ride a bike that meets Australian manufacturing standards and that the E-Bike has not been mechanically altered (ie: “chipped). The onus sits with each individual E-Bike rider to meet this requirement, otherwise their rider insurance may be effected. E-Bike riders are not permitted to change batteries during any of the stages and must manage their power reserves as part of the challenge of riding each day. All E-Bike riders are eligible for the Weekend Warrior Award under the exact same handicap system as other riders entering the event.
WAVE STARTS
Stages 1 and 2 at each of our events will involve riders starting in allocated waves. These waves will be decided upon based on seeding after the Prelude or entry category. Elite riders will begin in the first wave of each stage. Riders will then be seeded according to their ranking times from the Prelude, ensuring they are riding with others of similar ability, in groups of approximately 30. For the Prelude riders self-seed into the start chute for their individual time trial.
DIVERSIONS
We want our courses to be challenging but still achievable for the average rider so each of the stages also have diversion options to make sure we get our riders toward the rear of the field back to the Finish Line at a reasonable time for each day. If you have doubts about your fitness or ability to ride a multi-day stage race we still want you to enter with confidence as if you have bitten off a bit more than you can chew we will still get you home safely to cross the finish line of each stage. The diversions will be implemented at a set time by the Course Director based on average speed and will generally cut out a more difficult part of the planned course, reducing the overall distance by around 5-10km depending on the stage. The diversions are mandatory to ensure the safety of our riders and a positive experience for all. An appropriate time penalty will be applied to the diverted rider at the discretion of the Course Director. Riders who have been diverted will not be eligible for the Weekend Warrior Awards. There will be no diversions in place for any of the Prelude courses.
WATER POINTS
Each of the stages on Saturday and Sunday will have a Water Point at approximately the half way point of the course. This point will have water and recovery products and is normally manned by a marshall or volunteer. Personal bottles can also be dropped off at Registration before the start of each stage and they will be taken to the Water Point for riders to swap over mid-race. Support crew can also take items for their riders to this point on the course if they wish. There is no Water Point on the Prelude course.
TIMING
We implement electronic timing at all of our Quad Events. This involves a transponder that needs to be secured to your bike fork. It is the riders responsibility to install this transponder correctly to ensure their ride time is recorded accurately. Instructions for installation are included in the Rider Guide for each event. Rider times are available online immediately after each stage.
SOCIAL FUNCTIONS
At each event, we like to choose some of the best socials spots in each region to get everyone together. Fun and very relaxed, the Friday night Welcome Function also includes spot prize giveaways and a free drink for all our riders to start the weekend off right! The Saturday and Sunday functions are also very low key, a chance to catch up with other riders and enjoy a bite to eat once the riding is done. Here we will present awards for each Category and the leader boards for the stage. Sunday also involves the crowning of our Warrior King and Queen – which everyone is a chance to win under our handicap system!