The Home of the 03
New Zealand’s Longest Brevet

27 December 2023 – 21 February 2024

The Course

 

The 03 2023
The 03 2023

 

The Event.

This ride is 4038 kms long and is the pinnacle of “type2 fun” self-supported multi-day navigation that are Brevets.
There is 45,000m of climbing.
It’s a no-frills “you are on your own” self-supported type affair.
There is one official ride – the Brevet, but remember you can do as much as you want. Yes really.
The mix is approximately 50% seal, 40% gravel, 10% other (singletrack, dirt,grass, etc)

This will be an annual event.

2023. The course will be run Clockwise.

If the dates don’t suit you, we can adjust to suit you, within reason…

There will be a leaderboard with timings for finishers and a special memento to keep for everyone who completes 100% of the route.

Finishers Medal

You do have to finish 100% of the course to earn it, but it’s worth it!

Categories.

Race & Tour

You can drop out of race into tour.
You can’t move from tour to race

Race
You must follow the rules to the letter – failure will lead you to be beaten with rubber hoses by your peers
There will be a lot of scrutiny
You must share your ride log
No e-bikes
No sneaky support
No spot doping aka stealth mode

Tour
Relaxed rules and scrutiny.
Take photos, take your time
Mum can drop off those yummy sammies you like
e-Bike friendly

If you intend to take short-cuts select Tour.

Entry Details.

You must register. Click on this link http://register.trackme.bike
There are two rides – Race and Tour.
This includes three steps:
1. Individual entry – you can ride as a team of two or three and share the SPOT (or inReach) between you all, but you each must enter individually for safety reasons. Enter a common team name when you register. The entry fee is a donation to the McQueens Valley Mountain Bike Club
2. Booking a SPOT (or inReach) device or you can use your own
3. Arrange tracking
This can all be done via the online registration page above.

SPOTs (orInReachs) and tracking are compulsory – for your safety – and for friends, family and the Flahute to stalk you!
There is a special deal through TrackMe for these events.

An electronic map in .tcx, .kml & .gpx format, cue sheets and a ride guide will be emailed out on receipt of registration and donation from 90 days before the event up to the Wednesday evening before the event.
IF you withdraw after the Wednesday prior to the event or don’t turn up on the day, there will be no refunds.
There is some room for movement at our discretion.
This will help the planners relax and if you register early, to get great rates on accommodation.
You will need to prepare everything else – your legs, your bike, your kit, food, maps, backup, transport, you name it.
It is highly recommended that you have a physical map as a backup. Your device will run out of batteries at some point.

The Rules.

Stolen largely from the Kiwi Brevet – www.kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz.
The main thing is to complete the course under your own steam, without a support crew or ANY outside assistance (other than what is commercially available to every participant).
Text-ins are to be made from designated locations along the route until you either finish or abandon the brevet.
1. Do it all yourself, under your own steam.
2. Riders must carry all their own gear.
3. Follow 100% of the course (in Race)
4. You must carry a SPOT (or InReach), and agree to cover the cost of rescue in the event they need to be evacuated.
5. Riders must finish by 9pm on the last day
6. Between 9am one day and 9am the next, every rider must spend at least one block of at least six hours not travelling. That is, the maximum time any rider may spend travelling along the course will be 18 hours (between each 10am-to-10am period)
7. When on public roads, follow the NZ Road Code.
8. Text-ins are to be made from designated locations along the route until you either finish or abandon the brevet
9. Riders must observe all rules laid down by land managers along the route.
Enjoy it, it is an adventure more than anything else.

That’s probably enough for now!
Feel free to post up any questions that you may have.

Some Insights.

For those who have ridden at previous Flahute rides or have heard the “stories:”

1. I have toned down the fun detours up perilous peaks and shadowy single-track – I don’t need to create an additional challenge, the distance will do that.

2. I have routed through every village, town and cluster of houses I could, so you can raid the local dairy/pub/farmstead – I don’t need to force you to use your gear. This will appeal to the Credit Card breveters, whom I make it tough for, in the other Flahute rides. That said, there will be periods where there is nothing around for a day or so…

3. SPOT doping or using stealth mode, aka turning off the SPOT (or InReach) so people can’t see you making the “move,” will not be tolerated and there will be time penalties.

4. No boats, no ferries, no significant timetable planning, so it’s just you and your legs and the 6 hour stand down each day.

5. It’s a “fun” course, yes Type-2 fun, very scenic and of course, rather long. An adventure to see in daylight hours for those who don’t wish to race….

6. I thought long and hard about the start date and with feedback, I have started it in December, originally it was in January, but the complication is that it clashes with other events, well it does, if you are not racing it. I feel this will help those who have less leave to play with.

7. This is longer than le Tour de France!

8. You don’t have to do the whole lot in one go, I have put in my usual “obvious” short-cuts, if you have less time or you’ve had enough.

9. Please share the information, to non-cycling people as much as those who may wish to participate. I will work hard to get people out spot-watching and cheering people on all over the place, but I’ll need your help to.

10. Start / Finish is in Christchurch, my home town, cos I’m lazy and logistically it’s easy-peasy for everyone, mates to crash with, a big airport to fly into, bike shops and you can bike to the start in less than an hour.

11. Oh, I forgot to say, if you aren’t aware, the 03 is the area code for the South Island and is often used as slang by locals to describe their home.

12. It is not inconceivable for you to be multiple days without resupply, ie you get in after everything is closed and leave before anything is open. You will need to factor this in or make sure you don’t cut your timing too close and relax, sleep in and make sure you have enough to get through to the next resupply point.

13. I can’t stress this enough – New Zealand roads are different – it may seem that there is a high amount of seal and gravel, but our gravel and roads are much much much much much worse and way way way way way steeper than in Europe, Oz and North America. 1x systems, CX bikes with road type gearing especially loaded (even unloaded) with narrow tyres and only two water bottles is pure masochism.

I’ll stick up more as I think of them or remember why I did something…

Hall of Fame.

2017
Rachel Cowie – 42 days 5 hours 30 mins.

2018
No finishers.

2019
No finishers.

2020
No finishers.

2021

Jason Gestro – 25 days, 8 hours, 20 minutes

2022

No finishers.

2023

Jason & Heather Daniels – 35 days, 7 hours, 30 minutes

2024

Could be you!