Know what to expect before your first Roam
Roam rides are all about the adventure, the scenery and the company. There’s no racing and no pressure to ride as a group. You’re free to ride in whatever way suits you and make each day your own.
Rides naturally break up into smaller groups, pairs and solo riders soon after the start. There’s a good chance you’ll find riders at a similar pace, but if you’re significantly faster or slower, you may spend much of the day riding alone. Roam isn’t a no-drop ride, so please be comfortable riding independently. You’ll probably still bump into other Roamers at cafés, viewpoints and at the end of the day.
Our rides are multi-day adventures. A typical day is around 100 km, with up to 1,300 metres of climbing, so you’ll need a good level of fitness and be comfortable riding that sort of distance and elevation for the duration of the event.
You don’t need to be fast, Roam is never about racing, but you do need to be able to manage the distance and climbing at a pace that works for you.
Keep in mind that riding a fully loaded bike is considerably harder than riding unloaded, particularly on climbs and over longer distances.
Roam rides are self-supported, so you’re responsible for yourself and your bike.
You should be able to deal with basic mechanical problems such as punctures, so carry the tools and spares you’re likely to need, and have enough food and water for the day. You should also be comfortable with your own navigation skills and able to follow the route independently.
Before setting off, make sure you understand the route — including where you can get food and water, and where you could shorten the ride or bail out if necessary. Remember that some routes pass through remote areas where there may be little or no phone signal.
If you have questions about the route, ask on the ride’s WhatsApp group. The route organiser will be part of that group and other riders can often help with questions about climbs, cafés, resupply or possible shortcuts.
Our routes are seldom technically difficult to ride. Where we do include a more technical section, it is generally very short and can be negotiated at your own pace.
If you’re not comfortable riding a particular section, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting off and pushing for a while. There’s no prize for riding every inch; the important thing is to ride within your ability and stay safe.
And if you’re finding a ride too much, it’s perfectly fine to bail out. Our weekend routes include POIs highlighting transport options close to the route, as well as some shorter alternatives, so you can cut the ride short or take an easier route if you need to.
We’re lucky to ride and camp in some wonderful places, and we want to help keep them that way. Please be respectful of the people, wildlife and environment around you, whether you’re riding through a village, stopping at a café or camping in the wild. We want to leave a good impression wherever we roam.
If you’re not familiar with the principles of Leave No Trace, please take a moment to read about them and come prepared to follow them. The freedom to explore comes with a responsibility to look after the places that make these adventures possible.
Each day usually has a stated end point, normally a town or village with accommodation and somewhere to eat. Most riders will finish there or thereabouts, but you’re free to ride further if you’ve made good time, or stop short if that works better for you.
There’s usually a mix of riders at the end of the day, some heading for booked accommodation, some looking for somewhere to wild camp, and others making their way to campsites. How you spend the night is up to you.
In the evening, many riders tend to find each other again, share food or a drink and swap stories from the day’s adventure. There’s no formal meeting point or organised gathering, it’s all very relaxed and informal.
Some will have ridden together all day; others may barely have seen another Roamer. However you spend your day, we hope you’ll enjoy the route, the scenery and the experience and have a few good stories to tell when you get back.
