FAQs

1.      How long is the ride going to be?

We’re going to be starting off from central London (see No 2) and heading down to Southampton via Guildford. The idea is to cycle part of the Olympic cycling road-race route, probably joining it somewhere around Hampton Court; we’ll then follow the route down to where it hugs the outskirts of Guildford to the east, before heading west. Until we have the precise route (it’s coming, we promise!) it’s hard to give an exact distance; but if you consider that the quickest road route from London to Southampton via Guildford is approximately 80 miles, and then factor in avoiding main roads as much as possible (we want to make the ride as pleasant as we possibly can), we’re looking at about 90 miles in total. That’s 45 miles a day – not an insignificant distance, undoubtedly, but one that is eminently achievable, even for the relative novice, with some dedication and training... Don’t forget, also, that there’ll be short ride to the pre-Bestival campsite once we get on to the Isle of Wight. But by that point you’ll be so chuffed/gagging for a cold beer, you won’t even notice... 

2.      Where will the ride start – and when?

The start point will be somewhere prominent in central London. Ideally, we’d like to kick things off in Trafalgar Square – we’re currently looking into the logistics of this. But wherever we set off from, it’ll be somewhere where we can make a big, happy noise about ourselves – and pose for some choice pics! Each day’s ride, taking into account tea and lunch breaks, will take approximately six hours; so the start time on Tuesday 4th September will be around 11am, with a probable meeting time an hour or so beforehand to load bags/tents/instruments into the support vans. 

3.      How much is the ride going to cost me?

The cost of registration will be £40, payable online. This money will cover nearly all of the cost of the trip, including two nights'   camping (on the Tuesday and the Wednesday before Bestival), food and a return ticket on the ferry to the glorious Isle of Wight. We're currently still plotting ways with Bestival to transport everyone's bikes back to London; if you require this, there may be another (small) fee to pay closer to the time - but obviously we're hoping we   won't have to tap you for any more funds...

4.      Who are we raising money for – and how much do I need to collect?

The whole ethos behind Bike to Bestival is to have as good a time as we possibly can – and to stretch out the whole Bestival experience for an extra few days! At the same time, though, we’re looking to raise some very serious cash for a very worthy cause. The charity we’re going to be fundraising for is Cancer Research UK. Buskers on Bikes’ connection to Cancer Research, UK goes back to last year, when we took on the Land’s End to John O’Groats bike ride as a travelling band. We chose Cancer Research as a charity that would strike a chord with a huge amount of people – and since then we’ve learnt more about the fantastic work they do. They gave us wonderful support on last year’s ride, too – and they’re massively enthusiastic to get involved with Bike to Bestival (and they have an army of volunteers we’re hoping to rope in for some roadside brewing up!) We’re going to be asking everybody taking part in the trip to raise a minimum of £200. Obviously, we’d like to think that most of you can go way beyond that and Bestival are offering incentives if you break certain fundraising barriers. Details on this, and on a central fundraising site, coming very soon... 

5.      Can under-18s take part in Bike to Bestival?

After very careful deliberation, we’ve decided that the minimum age for Bike to Bestival participants should be 18. We’re truly; truly sorry if this rules you out. 

6.      How many people will be on the ride?

There will be 90 tickets available for riders to take part in the ride. This is a balance between getting everyone who is interested involved and the practicalities of riding on public roads. Regular cyclists will know that you can’t have groups riding together at once so we’ll need to break up into smaller groups for the main sections. 

7. Overnight stay?

            Please see the post on camping

       8. What should I bring?          

·         Appropriate clothing and protective gear. As you will be responsible for your own comfort and safety this is up to you, however we would recommend cycling shorts, gloves, some hi-viz clothing and a helmet as a minimum. 

·         Snacks. You will be hungry between meal-stops and it is best to eat little and often. Good snacks for a ride like this would be flapjacks, bananas, powerbars, nuts and jellybabies (I’m veggie so I skipped the jellybabies and took a brand of chocolate coated peanuts in a convenient sugar shell) 

·         Water bottles. By far the easiest way to do this is to fit bottles, in cages, to the bike. A bike shop or friendly cyclist can talk you through this. 

·         Spares and a repair kit. Realistically you will need a spare inner tube, puncture repair kit, tyre levers and a pump. Anything else you think your bike might need is a bonus. 

·         A bike lock. A proper bike lock... you know... the sort of thing that would make you feel fairly comfortable to leave the bike outside a supermarket. 

·         Yourself. In good working order. By that we mean mentally and physically ready for a couple of days riding whatever the weather. We will be cycling in Britain so waterproofs and warm clothing for after the ride will probably be a good idea. 

9. Return Journey, ferry transfers etc?

            Ferry is included as is transport for the bikes back to London
 

10.How to sign up?

            http://www.wegottickets.com/sct/3mF5pybtbj

Terms and conditions

1.      You must have a valid ticket to access the festival site.

2.      Your responsibility is to have a roadworthy bike, (we will help

with minor probs on route if we can, but bring basic repair kit)

3.      No valuables/breakables/glass in your luggage

4.      Bestival and Bike to Bestival cannot accept any responsibility or

liability for the loss or damage to luggage when in transit or the loss, theft or damage to any bicycle at any time – suggest insurance

5.      Bestival and Bike to Bestival cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, personal injury or death to any persons cycling to the Festival site.

6.      You must be fit and able to complete the ride.

WHAT WE PROVIDE

1.      Leadership – we will organise and lead the ride

2.      Food – Scheduled meal stops will be catered

3.      Accommodation – we will provide suitable camping and

amenities for all stops prior to entering the site

4.      Transport for your kit (Tents, Rucksacks etc,) to the festival and

back to the start point

5.      Securebikeparkingatthefestivalsite–Justbringalock

6.      Mapsanddirections–Routespecificmapwithkeylandmarks

and step by step route directions

7.      Fun – we will try our very best sto have as much fun as possible