Gravel ride series - biking.ie

https://gravelrideseries.ie/slieveblooms/ opens on Feb 6th

Actually yeah I just went back and checked how much I paid. Bit of a jump for sure. W200 levels after one event….

Big jump in price but I'm booked in anyway, interesting to see if anything is different/improved this time around. I'm sure the organisers are up against it anyway with every single little thing in Ireland costing absolute fortune.

Would like a nicer finisher medal, appreciate the eco aspect of the wooden medal and all that but I'd still like something a bit more substantial to add to the collection. Marathons with lower fees and bigger hurdles in organisation manage to offer higher quality.

Yeah, sorry, 10.55 day licence, 6.50 booking fee, €107 total, or there abouts. Still pricey, in fairness

I had no idea who biking.ie were so I looked them up, they are very experienced in the MTB with loads of event experience so I'd imagine it'll be very well ran.

The trouble with a commercial venture is you have to pay for nearly everything and certainly not have near the volunteer inputs for charity/community events.

The man-hours needed to put on a top quality gravel event, or any bike event over a large area is enormous.

Off the top of my head just some of the areas that hoover time and good will!

*Route planning

*Risk assessment

*Route marking

*Organising a suitable base/facility

*Food

*Organising marshalls for parking, traffic, route marshalling

*Tidy up of base and car parks

*Tidy up of route, sign removal

*Social media promotion/complaints

*Organising insurance/permission/indemnities

I've seen how the local crews have turned themselves inside out to make event as good as possible but it hoovers up some time from everyone.

Personally I haven't ridden any events in years as I can personally plan routes that are going to be better than any event; that's not arrogance it's just the dumbing down of routes for events that you don't have to for solo/small group cycles.

Imagine the FBD rep looking at the above on a route

Ah yeah I know that just trying to put a bit of context around the headache of organising these things.

The gravel grind event is effectively Marrey cycles doing an event in his home town, where he's still active in cycling. I'd imagine there's a big local buy in.

That might help with keeping prices down and help on insurance/indemnity side of things.

I'm the same as you I wouldn't pay over 100km for a cycle around the back roads and woods.

I'm in a WhatsApp chat that Marrey is in, he was doing an unofficial but pretty hardcore gravel ride last summer. I might give it a go if he puts it up again this year

It's all relative lads, if events are good I dont mind paying the fee.

How much are people paying for concert tickets?

In the motorsport world the entry fee for a 1 day rally is over 800 bucks.

For biking.ie and the like they are trying to put on a decent event while making a living.

The entry fee wouldnt be the gating item to stopping me doing something I love.

Hey lads, I got coaxed into signing up for this. I'm going to be borrowing/renting a bike for the day.

How rough is the 100k circuit? Would I get away with road shoes and pedals? I can get a lend of MTB shoes & pedals for the day, if needs be.

Thanks saccades, l'll borrow the shoes so.

Yep he also had a 200km version as well. Always wanted to do that. Wonder is it still running

Just by way of comparison I signed up for the Tuscany trail; there's 450/550km options over 6 days but you can ride quicker if you like.

It was €99.

No idea how they are making money at that, I assume there's other sources of income/support be in tourism associations or sponsorship.

It sold out in early January