Bike Sebring 6hr-12hr-24hr

The Bike Sebring Event for 2024

The format is slightly different in 2024 as we will not be using the Sebring Racetrack as in most previous years. There are drafting and non-drafting categories, however it must be clearly stated that this is not a race. Each rider is riding for personal best in their own category.

RAAM Qualifier: The 24-hour non-drafting will also be a RAAM qualifier as in years past.

Important Dates:

Feb 29, 2024 - Last Day for reduced cost registration

March 6, 2023 - Last Day to register to ensure you get a Custom Sebring LS Shirt and Medallion

Mar 21, 2024 - Final day for online registration

Mar 22, 2024 - 5pm - 8pm - Packet pickup and late registration

Mar 23, 2024 - 5am-6am - 6-12-24hr race day packet pickup and late registration (please save this time for riders driving in on race day)

Mar 23, 2024 - 5am-10am - Century race day packet pickup and late registration

Starting and Finishing Schedules:

Starting schedule: 23rd - 7:00am - 6 hour cyclists are release

                              23rd - 7:05am - 12 hour cyclists are released

                              23rd - 7:10am - 24 hour cyclists are released

                               23rd - 11:00am - Century (100-mile) cyclists are released

Finishing Schedule: 23rd - 1:00pm - 6 hour cyclists are finishing

                                 23rd - 3:00pm-8pm - Century cyclists are finishing in this window

                                 23rd - 7:05pm - 12 hour cyclists are finishing

                                 24th - 7:10am- 24 hour cyclist are finishing

Awards will be at the Community Center area after each event as soon as the final rider is in and results can be tabulated - Estimating 60-90 minutes.

Main Venue:

The hub of the event will be the Spring Lake Development District. (If you have ridden in Bike Sebring before, it is just off 98 on the original 100 mile loop near the end) Spring Lake is very excited to host our event. There is a nice clubhouse for registration and awards, plenty of room for parking, a large shelter for picnics and access to restrooms. The night time route will be the 3.7 mile loop within this residential subdivision. It has a good road surface, bike lane on about 70% of it, low traffic, and a nice place for support to set up away from houses. There is also a bathroom at the start-finish line that riders and crews will have easy access to.

Packet Pickup and on-site Registration:

At the Spring Lake Community Center: 209 Spring Lake Rd, Sebring, Fl 33876

March 22, 2024 - 5pm - 8pm - Packet pickup and late registrationMarch 23, 2024 - 5am-6am - 6-12-24hr race day packet pickup and late registration                      —------------------------------------(please save this time for riders driving in on race day)March 23, 2024 - 5am-10am - Century race day packet pickup and late registration

Awards will be given at this location after each event as soon as results can be tabulated - Estimating 60-90 minutes.

The events:

There will be 4 primary events at 2024 Bike Sebring: 100 Mile, 6-hour, 12-hour, and 24-hour.

Each event will have the following categories: gender, 5-yr age-groups, all bike types, non-drafting or drafting, supported or unsupported, and solo as well as 2 thru 8 rider teams. There is something for everyone!

All timed events will utilize 2 routes this year:

#1: A 3.7 mile course (CCW) that is also the nighttime loop#2a: A 36 mile course that is the main daytime loop (which includes the 3.7 mile course)

The 100-Mile (Century) event will utilize

#1: Starts and finishes on the 3.7 mile course (CCW) that is the nighttime Loop#2b: A 32 mile course (that is the 36-mile course less the 3.7 mile loop)

#1: The loop is a wonderfully flat 3.7 mile loop that is Duane Palmer Blvd within Spring Lake. Everyone will ride CCW on this loop. The start-finish line for the whole event is located on this loop at the “Eco Trail” entrance. The 36-mile Loop also utilizes this loop as part of its course. https://www.strava.com/routes/3165402422783783780

#2a: The 36-mile daytime loop will be very familiar if you have ridden the Sebring event in the past. It contains the first 12 miles, the last 20 miles from the original Century plus the Duane Palmer Loop thrown in. The route starts at the “Eco Trail” location on Duane Palmer Blvd and proceeds CCW about 2 miles to Lakeview Blvd, and then a quick right on 98, then right on Howard Taylor, then left on Kenilworth, right on Sebring Parkway, right on Arbuckle Creek, right on 98 again, right back on Lakeview Blvd again to enter Spring Lake, then right on Duane Palmer Blvd (CCW) and back to the start finish line.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3167862003762878392

#2b: (this is for the 100-mile event only) This is the 36-mile daytime loop described above but without the 3.7 mile loop. These riders will continue past Spring Lake on 98 until their 3 lap.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3165394344611650600

Good News:

The good news is there is no more: 11-mile loop with 2 railroad crossings, the “hill” (that gets steeper and longer each lap), the bad left turn at the end of Kenilworth, and the U-turn and the rough concrete surface of Midway Drive of Sebring.

Gone also is the frantic dash to move the support from the Midway area to the inside of the Sebring Racetrack. There are some that might miss the ambiance of the Racetrack, but I’ll not miss the rough concrete surface and the “moveable” lights that were supposed to show us where the turns were at night (until they got knocked around by riders).

Gone is starting and finishing in the dark, and 30 degree temps are less likely at the start and during the night - since we are starting Mid March instead of mid February.

Gone is not being able to ride a final lap if you can’t complete it before the end of the event. All riders in the 6, 12, & 24-hour events are allowed to ride to the end of the lap when their event ends. We will use each rider’s last 2 lap times to prorate their exact partial lap mileage of their last lap. This way every rider gets to post miles for their entire event time. This is what WUCA does for World Record attempts. If it’s good enough for them, well, then it’s good enough for us.

Event protocol:

The 6-hour event riders will start first and will ride the 36-mile until there is not enough time to ride another loop - then cyclists will transition to the 3.7 mile loop until their time is finished.

The 12-hour event riders will start 5 mins after the 6-hour and will ride the 36-mile until there is not enough time to ride another loop - then cyclists will transition to the 3.7 mile loop until their time is finished.

The 24-hour event riders will start 5 mins after the 12-hour and will also ride the 36-mile loop completing their last loop by 8pm  (each rider must determine that time based on their riding speed)  - cyclists will then transition to the 3.7 mile loop until their time is finished, which will be at approximately 7am on Sunday morning.

The Century riders will start inside Spring Lake at 11am and will then ride the 32-mile loop 3 times, This means they will not enter the Spring Lake neighborhood each loop like the other event riders. Then, after their 3rd 32-mile loop, they will come back into Spring Lake to the start-finish line. This will be almost exactly 100 miles. (There is a good pit stop at the convenience center right at the entrance of Spring Lake for a bathroom or other break.)

If you are in any non-drafting category, you must honor the “non-drafting zone”. We have adopted the USA Triathlon (USAT) definition of this ‘zone’: as a “rectangular area seven 7 meters long (23 feet) and two 2 meters wide (6.5 feet) surrounding each bicycle”. This will provide a sufficient non-drafting area around each cyclist.

Due to staggered start times, each rider is highly encouraged to start their own timer on their GPS unit, phone, or personal stopwatch when they start, so they know when their event time has completed.

This event is also aligning with the World Record setting standards within World UltraCycling Association (WUCA). This new format also allows all riders to ride until the very end of their timed event. No more of “If you can’t make it around the loop before the time expires - you are done”. Everyone will be encouraged and allowed to complete the current lap they are on until their time event expires.

Follow vehicles and crew:

If you are riding in the supported category and are riding on the 32 or 36-mile loop you are allowed to have a personal support vehicle somewhere on the course to assist you. These are the rules:

You must provide your contact information and also have the number of the Event Director.You may not directly follow your rider as that would present a dangerous situation with so many riders on the road. If you are seen doing this, your rider will be immediately disqualified from the event and required to stop.You may be on the course and stop at a pre-arranged location to hand off food or drink to your rider or offer any other type of assistance they need. It is best to pick one spot and stay there until your rider transitions to the 3.7 mile loop. Riders should plan on  carrying enough food and drink for a 36 mile ride.Your rider may call you if they need mechanical aid and you may drive to, and stop anywhere on the course to offer mechanical aid as long as it is done off the road.Handoffs from the support vehicle while it is moving are not allowed. If you are seen doing this, your rider will be immediately disqualified from the event and required to stop. 

During the daytime loop, supported riders may have their crew set-up anywhere along the route as long as they are completely off the road and not on private property. They may also set up in the designated area near the Eco Park of the Duane Palmer start/finish area.

3.7 Mile Loop Support rules:

Each rider is allowed to set up a single “support area” along Duane Palmer Blvd near the Eco Park. All support must be set up on the outside of the loop since all cyclists will be riding CCW. This is to prevent riders from having to cross the entire road to get to their support crew

 

Where to park your vehicle:

The 24-hour cyclist(s) and their crew are permitted to park one of their vehicles of less than 25’ outside of the loop where their support is set up. This vehicle should be at least 10’ off the road. If the vehicle is more than 25’ or you have more than 1 vehicle these should be parked on the inside loop.The 6-hr and 12-hr cyclist(s) and their crew MUST park their vehicle on the inside of the loop. This is so it will be easier for their crew to leave once their event is done as there will still be many riders riding CCW (counter clockwise) on the loop.The Century support crew should not need to have any support setup on Duane Palmer since it is only the start and finish location. But they may want to be there when they finish to cheer their rider when they come across the start/finish line. Therefore the MUST part of the inside of the loop and may congregate near the start/finish line on the inside of the loop

NOTE: Do not set up near or in-between the existing houses which are mostly on the south and east sides of the loop.

The highlighted area in this map below shows acceptable locations to set-up for fixed rider support on the outside of the loop.. This is a mile in length, so there should be plenty of room for everyone to set-up. 35’ sections will be marked for you to choose from. More specifics below.

There will be a 50’ section on either side of the start-finish line that will be reserved for the Event Director and timing headquarters - no support activities are allowed in this area. 

There is no lighting or access to electricity on the 3.7 mile loop and in the start/finish area. It is strongly recommended that you bring these items:

A converter for your car to provide USB or 110V voltage from your car battery for your needs.A small folding table or chair to be placed near the road with some identifying sign, image or “thing” that will help your rider identify their “spot”, and if your rider is in the 24-hour event, a light of some sort to illuminate it when it’s dark. Be creative so your rider has a great visual que.

Be sure to pull your vehicle off the road far enough so your rider can get off the road completely with their bike if they need to stop for aid. About 10’ should do.

Here is a visual to help you:

If your cyclist has a mechanical issue on the 3.7 mile loop and needs your help, you have two options:

Ride a bike (e-bikes are ok too) to them with tools and parts neededGo to the Event Director with your tools and parts and they will take you there.

Support crew is permitted to hand-off things to them while they are moving, but they cannot come to a full stop on the road for obvious reasons.

Riders, when you are riding past all the support areas, ride near the right side of your lane in this designated area so there is no conflict with those slowing down for handoffs or entering the road from a pit-stop

Unsupported Category:

Unsupported is a new category for this year which is also aligning with WUCA. This means that you are “totally” self-supported. You cannot have anyone help you in any way. If you get in a bad way on the course and need to call for help, you must either abandon and take your mileage at that spot - or change to the supported Category.

Awards and souvenirs:

Registration fee includes a custom long-sleeved shirt in a brilliant color, and a beautiful participation medallion especially designed for this event. Recognition after each event will be for top 3 places in drafting, non-drafting, supported, unsupported, age-group, gender, and bike categories. There will also be recognition for Overall in all main categories. Awards and recognition ceremonies will be held individually for each event as soon as the results for each event can be tabulated after completion. Ceremonies will be held at the Spring Lake Community Center (209 Spring Lake Dr, Sebring, Fl ) or its Shelter. (Yellow dot below on map) If the weather is nice, we’ll be outside.

Accommodations:

 

There is a block of 40 rooms available at the “Seven” Hotel by Sebring racetrack . First Come First Served - Tell them you are with the Bike Sebring event to get the special rate. (888) 738-3601There are also a variety of other hotels, motels, and B&B’s available in and around Sebring within easy driving distance to Spring Lake.Camping is available at the Highlands Hammock State Park.

Misc Info:

Both courses used will be surveyed for exact length (to the cm), and all riders will be allowed to ride until their timed event expires, therefore allowing the greatest possible distance for each participant. There will be no mass start. Riders will be let off in order of their estimated speed, faster riders first in groups of about 10. This will also prevent the least amount of passing during the event.

WUCA and GWR time and distance records on Surveyed Sebring courses:

Because of alignment with WUCA Record attempt rules, these surveyed courses can also be used to attempt any valid time and distance WUCA record attempt. This attempt cannot however happen simultaneously with the Bike Sebring event. Contact [email protected] for more information about a WUCA record attempt.. Registration for this must be done at least 21 days prior to your record attempt to allow the pre-attempt documentation to be completed.

Because the courses will be surveyed for exact distance to the cm (also per WUCA Record rules) based on the shortest possible rideable distance, this may vary slightly with what your GPS unit reports. (The surveyed distance is almost always a little shorter) Your final distance will be calculated off of this survey and how many laps you have completed..

Many Thanks to Spring Lake Development District:

Lastly, we are very fortunate in that the Spring Lake Development District has graciously allowed us to use their neighborhood for our event. PLEASE be considerate of the homeowners and drivers you are sharing the road with. Keep off private property and keep noise to a minimum at all times. Use the time immediately after your event (while you are waiting for the award ceremony) to remove all personal items and all trash from your support area.