Bentonville Bike Fest 2022

Following the succes of the 2021 event, we are going bigger and better. We are offering you a variety of races, workshops and UCI sanctioned events... Explore everything the OZ trails and Arkansas has to offer!

More info on https://www.bentonvillebikefest.com

Sign up now for:

- women shred workshops presented by Arnicare, by Boiron June 18 (limited to 30 spots, 3*10) with Anneke Beerten. We offer 2 Intermediate level & 1 advanced workshop. Anneke who's a multiple world champion mountainbiker and a resident of Bentonville will lead these 3 groups, take you on the trails and teach you techniques & skills to make you enjoy your bike even more, ride safer and faster!

- The women of Oz June 18 First touch to MTB workshops (limited to 16 spots, 2*8) with certified instructors. If you have never ridden a mountain bike before, or it’s been a little longer than you would like to admit….. Welcome. You have to start somewhere and this is the place! Start with the women of OZ' fundamental skills clinic for some mountain bike basics and then hit the trails for an introductory ride. Our goal is to get you familiar with your bike and learn basic mountain biking skills. This clinic will cover pre-ride bike check, braking, shifting, pedals positions, ready/neutral position, bike body separation and much more! (source: woznwa.com)

Note: bring your own proper MTB and helmet.

- Style it up workshops with Carson Storch and Kyle Strait June 18 (limited to 30 spots, 3*10) at Coler MTB preserve. Learn from the best and get world class tips and tricks on how to jump, execute that one trick you always wanted to learn... or what about just hanging out with these superstars?

- 24 miles intro to gravel presented by WD40 BIKE June 18 Introduction to Gravel: West Bentonville and Benton County - Distance: 24 miles-Elevation Gain: 1,335-Skill Level: Level 3+

The introduction to gravel ride will take riders on a local, beginner-friendly loop in the rolling farmland West of Bentonville. This ride will be fully supported, complete with two guides, and a sag vehicle that will be close at hand should any assistance be needed. This route will begin and end at the Festival area. This ride will be capped at 20 guests. The ride will include two guides, one being a lead and one being a sweep, and a support vehicle that will provide water, snacks, and mechanical or first aid assistance if needed.

Group departure from Festival area: 10am

What to expect: This ride is recommended for level 3+ riders and above.  Riders can expect a mixture of both pavement and gravel along the route, with a handful of sustained climbs, though most of the elevation consists of short, punchy rollers.  The estimated ride time will be between 2.5-3 hours. The weather will be hot and humid. Please note: the entirety of the route will be open to vehicles and traffic - riders must ride safely and obey all traffic laws while riding. The sag vehicle will NOT provide traffic intervention and it is important that all riders have prior experience riding on an open roadway. We will have a support vehicle trailing the ride for the full route and will be available at any time with water, hydration, snacks, help with minor mechanical issues. Any rider who needs to take a break can hop on the support vehicle for all or the remainder of the ride.

 What to bring: Riders should plan to bring the following on the ride:  Gravel bike & helmet, Bright colored clothing, Spare inner tube(s), Plenty of water (plan to drink 1 or more bottles/hour), Sunscreen, Helmet, Gloves, Nutrition

What 37 North will provide: A lead and a sweep guide , Support vehicle to follow the group, with food/hydration/mechanical support, Refreshments at the end of the ride, provided by Bentonville Bike Fest's sponsors.

*Wilderness First Aid certified guide

* 37 North guides reserve the right to respectfully pull any rider off the course if there is any sign of injury, concussion, concern for safety, or heat-related illness.

- 60 miles advanced gravel presented by WD40 BIKE Advanced Gravel Ride: Ozarks gravel June 18 tour through AR and SW MO - Distance: 54 miles-Elevation gain: 3,950 Ft -Skill Level: Level 6+

Our route will take us through some of the most beautiful areas in the Ozarks across Arkansas and SW MO. We will leave from the festival area and travel North into Missouri through Powell ending at Rockford Grange at Bear Hollow Ranch. Upon arrival ranch riders can do a quick outfit change, grab an ice-cold beer and lunch and meet us along the shores of the Big Sugar Creek for a dip to cool off. After our shore lunch and swim the 37North guides will load your bike and your gear onto our shuttle and journey back to Bentonville and arrive back at The Festival area around 3:30pm.

We will offer initially one group of advanced riders. This group will be capped at 14 riders. This ride will include a support vehicle that will provide water, snacks, and mechanical or first aid assistance if needed. Planned hydration and nutrition stops will be made by the support vehicle. Group departure from Festival area: 9am

What to expect: This ride is recommended for level 6+ riders and above.  Riders can expect a mixture of both pavement and gravel along the route, with a handful of sustained climbs. There are paved segments along several sections of the route. The estimated ride time will be between 4 - 5 hours. The weather will be hot and humid . Please note: the entirety of the route will be open to vehicles and traffic - riders must ride safely and obey all traffic laws while riding. The sag vehicle will NOT provide traffic intervention and it is important that all riders have prior experience riding on an open roadway. We will have a support van trailing the ride for the full route and will be available at any time with water, hydration, snacks, help with minor mechanical issues. Any rider who needs to take a break can hop on the van for all or the remainder of the ride.  If you believe that this ride is above your skill and fitness level we will gladly shift you over to our other 24 mile gravel ride departing at 10am. Please let us know if you want to make a switch by 12pm this Friday 6/18.  37North recommends uploading the route to your bike computer or phone prior to the ride. Our team will be waiting for you at the end of the ride with cold beer, water, lunch, and a shuttle back to the Bentonville Bike Festival area. Please be aware that the group is likely to be very spread out and wait times at the pick-up location could be as much as one hour from the first arrival to the last. 

What to bring Riders should plan to bring the following on the ride: 

Gravel bike & helmet-Spare inner tube(s)-GPS device or phone with route preloaded (cell coverage is limited along the route) -Tire plugs-Front and rear light-Bright colored clothing-Tire/tube patch kit-CO2 Cartridges-Plenty of water (plan to drink 1 or more bottles/hour)-Sunscreen-Helmet-Gloves-Nutrition-Swimsuit/swim trunks-Bag with change of clothes (will stay in shuttle)

What 37 North will provide: Support van to follow the group, with food/hydration/mechanical support-Scheduled stops that will have nutrition, hydration, and minor mechanical support for riders that need it-Lunch at the pick-up spot (Rockford Grange)-Refreshments at the end of the ride, provided by Festival sponsors-Shuttle ride back to festival area for both riders and their bikes

*Wilderness First Aid certified guide

*37 North guides reserve the right to respectfully pull any rider off the course if there is any sign of injury, concussion, concern for safety, or heat-related illness.

 - UCI C1 and North American Trials championship competition presented by CLIF June 18 & 19 (no limit on registrations). Saturday will be the North American championship that will also count as a qualifier for the UCI C1 on Sunday. All the action happens in the middle of the festival area. Riders will need a UCI license to enter, the exact event schedule will be uploaded very soon.

- The All American race presented by Tapout Performance DrinkJune 17 (limited to 150 riders only!) designed by Slaughter Trail Guides. The All American race is a very exciting race on the iconic trail that connects downtown to the amazing OZ trail system. It's an individual sprint race, open to men, women and an inaugural kids categorie.

- The Slaughter Pen enduro presented by MOJO cycles June 19 (limited to 200 riders only!) designed by Slaughter Trail Guides. Slaughter Pen, famous for many things and the perfect location for a cool day out on the bike with friends. Be prepared to race the new trails !! This year we also added a KIDS enduro presented by Dove, co-hosted by Buddy Pegs June 18.

- The 67miles Gran Fondo road event hosted by OZ cycling tours June 19 . Come ride with Oz Cycling Tours as we cruse through 67 miles of some beautiful Arkansas country side. Enjoy the rolling hills with friends while gazing on exotic animals, vast pastures, and some of our quaint little towns. Aid stations will be providing hydration and fuel and if you wanna do the full There&Back you'll get to spend a little time in Siloam Springs with our friends at Phat Tire before riding it all again! Get ready to push those pedals and enjoy a taste of NWA. Riders who like to do a shorter distance, can turn around mid way.

- The UCI C1 BMX Flatland contest presented by Degree June 18 & 19(no limit). This event is a UCI C1 sanctioned event, open to men and women. Riders will need a UCI license to enter, the exact event schedule will be uploaded very soon.

Host or Publisher Bentonville Bike Fest