About the Rides

Pre-ride briefing at the start of the 600km, July 9 2005

The following is a summary of what to expect if you ride one of our brevets:

Event Administration: At the check-in you will receive a brevet card, cue sheet and route map. Inspections may be made of any and all equipment (see below), including helmet, lights, reflective gear and your machine. All rides start promptly at the advertised start time. You must obtain a [rubber] stamp, time and initials in the appropriate space on your brevet card at each control. All control opening and closing times are based on max. and min. average speeds according to the prescribed schedule. For all IR events, the min. average speed is 15kph (9.5mph). Riders are encouraged to be self sufficient, and you should carry enough food, water and spares with you as no sag support is provided. Personal support vehicles are strongly discouraged. There may also be one or more secret controls on the route. A bag drop is provided for riders on the 600km, to facilitate a night stop and change of clothing (limit yourself to a single small overnight bag only, please – no large bags or hard shell cases). At the finish, after obtaining the final control stamp, you must sign your card and submit it to the controller. The finish control closes promptly at the time limit. Successful finishers of ACP brevets who are members of Randonneurs USA may order a commemorative medal for an additional charge. No medals are available for RUSA validated rides.

Check-in and day-of-ride registration opens one hour before and closes 15 minutes before the ride is due to start. Per ACP rules, pre-registered riders for our Iowa Brevet Series (only) may check in up to 1 hour after the official start time. For pre-registered riders arriving late at the start, rider packets will be left with the Heartland Inn reception staff. A timed stamp must be obtained in the brevet card before starting.

Equipment Inspection: A partial or full equipment inspection may be carried out at the start of any event. All riders must use an ANSI/Snell approved safety helmet. Machines must be in good working order. Fenders are not required for IR brevets. Lights and reflective gear are required for rides of 300km or more. For shorter brevets with a time limit after sunset (i.e. 200km), it is up to each rider to anticipate if he/she is likely to finish in darkness. Riders finishing after dark without adequate lights and reflective gear can and will be disqualified. At a minimum, adequate lighting is considered to be a red 3-LED light at the rear, operating in steady (non-flashing) mode, and a white 2.4W halogen or 1W LED headlight. Secondary front and rear lights are strongly recommended (these may operate in flashing mode). Minimum reflective gear consists of a reflective vest, or Sam Browne belt, and ankle bands. Wheel reflectors and reflective tape are also recommended. Sam Browne belts and ankle bands are now available to RUSA members online from the souvenir shop at very reasonable cost.

The condition of all equipment is entirely the rider’s responsibility. Inspection of your equipment carries no guarantee whatsoever on our part that you won’t suffer a breakdown or consequential damages during the ride, so don’t come crying to us later!

Route and Controls: Routes are laid out as much as possible on low traffic county roads. Controls are spaced at regular intervals, mostly at "Kwik-e-Mart" style gas station / convenience stores, where food and drink can be purchased. Event officials are not usually present at controls (except secret controls), so the stamp at each control is obtained from the staff on duty.

Ride Validation and Return of Brevet Cards: Following the event, all results for ACP brevets are submitted via Randonneurs USA to Audax Club Parisien for validation. Validation consists of assigning a unique number to each successful rider’s brevet, and noting it on the card. Because the validation function is performed by ACP, the process usually takes several weeks. Validation of RUSA brevets is performed online, and validation numbers are assigned immediately. We return all validated brevet cards to riders at the end of the season in a single batch, to minimize our time and cost.

Medals: Audax Club Parisien supplies medals for ACP validated brevets. These are available in the US for members of Randonneurs USA. There is a specific medal for each distance (200, 300, 400, 600, 1000km). Medal design is similar but distinct between the distances, to create a family of medals. The same medal design is kept for four years, and a new design is introduced in the new season after each Paris-Brest-Paris. It is worth buying a complete set of medals, one for each distance, every four years (after finishing the appropriate ride).

Terrain: The “driftless” region of Iowa and Wisconsin around the Mississippi river offers good scenery and plenty of rolling hills. Waterloo lies about 50 miles West and South of this region. The 200km just reaches the edge of the hills, and is an easy ride, and each longer event then becomes progressively more challenging. The intent is to acclimatize riders to the kind of terrain they will encounter if they take part in the prestigious 1200km grand randonnées such as Paris-Brest-Paris or Boston-Montreal-Boston. For all routes of 300km and more, most riders are advised to use a compact or triple crankset.

Climate: Spring weather in the Midwest can be extremely variable! In April, it can bring anything from snow to 80’s and high winds. July can be very hot and humid, with temps in the 90’s and dew points in the 70’s. Heavy thunderstorms are not uncommon. Bring appropriate clothing, including a rain jacket.

Regulations: The format of Brevet de Randonneur and Brevet Populaire cycling events is governed by a set of international regulations covering all aspects of the event. You are strongly recommended to familiarize yourself with these ahead of time. Because each individual's ride is certified with a unique validation number, all regulations must be strictly adhered to throughout the event. For more information, follow this link to the Randonneurs USA web site Rules for Riders.

The Flèche team event is also governed by its own set of regulations. Follow this link to the Randonneurs USA web site Rules for Flèches-USA.