The Ride - 250 Years In the Making

Whether you're a seasoned rider or new to cycling events, the Waterford Bicycle Classic offers something for everyone. Choose from three thoughtfully designed routes featuring a picturesque but challenging blend of gravel roads and smooth pavement, winding through some of Loudoun County’s most historic and scenic areas. These routes will sample some of our 300+ miles of gravel roads in Loudoun county,  some of which are more than 250 years old, so you'll have plenty of reason to come back.

Our routes are being developed with the support of some of the region’s most experienced and competitive gravel cyclists. The routes include:

• “Half-pint.” Short Route (~20 miles)
  Perfect for riders seeking a more leisurely experience or newcomers exploring their first gravel adventure. This route meanders through rolling countryside, historical landmarks, and charming farms. 
   

• “Full Pint.” Medium Route (~40 miles)
  Ideal for riders looking for a bit more challenge and adventure, tapering from the race circuit, or seeking a new personal best. Featuring a balanced mix of scenic gravel and pavement, you'll traverse through breathtaking views and significant historical sites.
   

• “The Stein.” Long Route (~60 miles)
  Designed for the more ambitious cyclist, this route tests your endurance through stunning vistas, historical backdrops, and delightful rural roads that go up, down, up, down, up, down, etc. Expect rewarding climbs and exhilarating descents.

Detailed route maps and GPS files will be available soon.

The Celebration - New Friends, Great Beer, Delicious Food

After you crush the course, you'll return back to Wheatland Spring Farm and Brewery, greeted by friendly WBC volunteers. 

As we're now just a few weeks away, here is a healthy dose of information to get you mentally prepared.

• Our purpose. The Waterford Bicycle Club, an all-volunteer group of friends, created this event to celebrate and share some of the history, scenic beauty, friendly community, and amazing local businesses that make our region so special. We’re confident you’ll fall in love too, and hope you’ll come back for years to come – and tell all your friends! All proceeds of this event will directly support rural and historic preservation through the nonprofit Waterford Foundation.
   

• Waterford welcome. The “vibe” of this event is "Waterford friendly". Everyone on the WBC team, as well as our local vendors and partners, are eager to welcome you with a friendly smile and share in what makes our region so special. So if this is your first or 100th ride, know that we're striving for a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and we'd like everyone to contribute. And no, you don't have to be experienced. We'll have volunteers ready to help you at every step.
   

• Packets. We will have WBC team members at Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery signing out ride packets (not swag) to riders Saturday between 5pm and 7pm. We will confirm this 7 days before the event just to be sure. Come for the packet, stay an extra hour or two to enjoy the fall air, an outdoor fire, and a pre-ride brew or snack for purchase. Race directors will be on site Saturday to answer questions, give tips, or just give you a high-five for joining us. Packet pick-up on Sunday morning will open at 630am. Come say hi! 
   

• Ride type. This is a ride, not a race, and we hope you'll enjoy the routes at a comfortable pace to you. This ride invites you through beautiful roads-  paved and unpaved - and the route will not be closed to traffic. This means you need to take care and ride like you normally ride at home - carefully and aware of your surroundings at all times! We've worked hard to curate each of the three rides through areas with the least amount of traffic, but we remind all riders to ride defensively and that it's your responsibility to remain safe on all parts of the course. E-bikes ARE allowed, too!
   

• Ride times. The 60-miler starts promptly at 8am and will be metered out over the hour to avoid big groups and bunching. The 20- and 40-milers start at 9am and will meter out over the hour, too. Please plan to arrive at least an hour in advance but please be patient as we meter groups out. That gives you time to get your packet (if not picked up before), get your gear ready, and warm up (we suspect no one will be bringing rollers and ice vests…but hey, if you're a pro, you're welcome too!).
   

• Ride cut-offs. You can take as long as you'd like on the courses. However, to get back in time for pre-purchased food, drink and merriment, our official cut-off time for all routes is 3pm, and food will stop service at 4pm. But don't worry – you should have PLENTY of time to enjoy your chosen course at a leisurely pace and enjoy food, beverages, music, and fun at the finish line. Specifically, 60-mile riders will have a generous seven hours (~9 MPH average), and 20 and 40-milers will have an even more generous six hours (~3 MPH and ~7 MPH averages respectively). 
   

• Weather. This is a rain-or-shine event. This event will not be canceled on account of weather. As many of you know, late October in our region is fun. It can be sunny and delightful or cold and stormy. Just be ready for both. We will send an email a few days before the race with our best finger-in-air guess as to what it will be like, but plan on layers and a bit of mud.
   

• Bike gear. We’ve put a lot of thought into our routes, and you’re going to love this ride. Some of our gravel roads are…like…real, old gravel roads. Some are said to date back more than 300 years. That means they're awesome, but also that they can be bumpy, washboard, loose, rocky, muddy or otherwise gnarly. So choose your tires well. Normal “gravel” tires are fine and you don't have to fuss if you're used to riding on real gravel, but for those who are less familiar, if you have a choice between road-forward (smoother) or nobby-forward, go nobby. Toss into your kit bag at least two tubes and C02 or a pump if you aren't tubeless. And if you have gear questions or need gear, visit our friends at Plum Grove Cyclery in Leesburg. 
   

• Ride support. We will have a WBC help line number to call at anytime during the ride. Call us if you have a major mechanical you can't fix; if you're lost; if the draw of an ale is too strong and you want to quit; or if you want to question your life's choices by not living here and need a recommended realtor for the area. We will have team members standing by to help. Please note that the WBC line is not for emergencies, though. Call 911 in case of real emergencies (injuries included). We will also have a SAG wagon roaming the courses and a range of experienced riders riding each route with you. Restrooms will be marked and may include port-a-johns or public restrooms. 
   

• Routes. Our routes have been carefully designed by our our local gravel cycling community leaders well-known throughout the region. We know many of you are route fanatics who enjoy getting to know where you'll be riding (and when to full-send-it to beat your friends to the top of the hill). We will have FINAL RidewithGPS routes ready for your download one week prior to the event, but our website will have the routes online for you to get familiar with the general route areas starting now. Do note they are subject to change on account of a) weather; b) road closures or conditions; c) participation of local businesses; or d) our race directors' desire to make them more fun at any point. We've built the routes to offer a great mix of scenery, terrain and road surface and we think you're going to love it.
   

• NOTE on the 20 miler: based on a decision we made to improve the QUALITY of the 20 miler, we're asking our 20-miler riders to enjoy just about 22 miles. This will allow you to enjoy a special rest stop we have planned. It will be worth the two extra miles!
   

• Aid stations. We will have well-stocked aid stations for each route. Expect one for the 20(22)-miler, two for the 40 and three for the 60. Please plan accordingly. The routes will take you through a few small commercial areas where you'll have plenty of access to Snickers protein bars (sure, they're healthier), Slurpees, firewood, goat cheese, coffee, etc. Our aid stations will be managed by VOLUNTEERS, so please use your stop as a chance to thank these awesome spirits of bicycle enablement. At the aid stations, you'll find water and a sports drink, salty and sweet snacks, fruit, and a few other yummies. 
   

• Horses. On some sections of the ride, you may come across horses and riders (if you find a horse on the road without a rider, or with just a rider's boot in the stirrup, call someone). If you do, please show respect and kindness. Slow down, communicate with the horse rider, and ask when it's safe to pass. Horses can get spooked by riders, so as good neighbors, we ask that you extend good will and courteousness. 
   

• UPDATED AS OF OCTOBER 6 - Cool free swag. Besides riding with awesome people in our awesome area, you also get some free stuff. The Chalice of the Gravel pint cup is fully SOLD OUT, but all riders will receive a free pint of the Wheatland Spring brew of your choosing. In your packet you will be given a ticket to claim your brew. The commemorative wooden medallion is ALSO completely sold out, but registered riders will receive some trinket we can find! (It's not about the stuff, right!?).
   

• Cool stuff you can buy. You most likely made purchase selections for T-shirts and hats or extra pint cups during registration, and now quantities are VERY LIMITED. Those of you who purchased items will have them waiting for you at the rider's village before or after the ride, as mentioned. But if you have FOMO after NOT purchasing those items when you registered, fear not. You can buy T-shirts, hats and cups on site, IF WE HAVE ANY LEFT. As of now, we were (pleasantly) suprised that we'd be this popular, so there is a chance that merch will be very limited on site! Of course, you can also buy more beer and snacks on site, too!
   

• Post-ride fun. After you've ridden, we want you to enjoy our favorite estate brewery with us while listening to live local music. You will be greeted by Pizzeria Loco's friendly team and lovingly-made pizza and more. Many of you purchased the meal ticket so you can dive right in. For those who didn't buy a meal ticket, if there are tickets still available, you can purchase them on site, although prices will be slightly higher. We can't guarantee there will be any left, so please take that into consideration. We will have a second food vendor on site for day-of sales.
   

We're making this event about, from, and for our community. Our goal is to put on the warmest, “localist” gravel ride in the country so you fall in love with our region, keep coming back, and start bringing all your friends. 

Please email waterfordbicycle@gmail.com with any questions whatsoever. 

Enjoy!