12/24 Challenge Rules

The following rules apply to all riders who participate in this year's event.

General Rules

• No drafting will be allowed for the entire event.
• The start/finish will be at the Winters Community Center, 201 Railroad Ave., Winters, CA 95694. To reach the Community Center, go west from Davis on Russell. Turn left on Railroad Ave. From the Bay Area, take I-80 north to I-505. Take the CA 128 exit, going west to Winters. Turn left on Railroad. The Community Center is on the right at the four-way stop (diagonally across from the Putah Creek cafe).
• The beginning of the event will be a staggered start. The start order will be teams, then tandems, then singles. Starting at 6:30 a.m. the first team will leave the start at the Community Center. The riders will leave at 10 second intervals according to their number. It is the rider's responsibility to be at his or her start time! If a rider misses his or her start time, the next available slot will be used for the rider to leave. It is up to the start official when this rider may leave. All riders have the full 24 hours from their originally scheduled start time to ride as many miles as they can.
• Except for teams, crew vehicles can ONLY meet their riders at the Monticello dam (mile 11.4) and the Turtle Rock store (mile 26.8). After this time LEAP FROG will be used for all support vehicles.
• During the event a 50 foot distance must be maintained between riders. When passing another rider 15 seconds is allowed, if a rider cannot pass in this time he or she must back down and maintain the 50-foot margin. This will be watched closely by event officials and penalties for both riders may be assessed if it continues.
• If a rider acquires three penalties, he or she will be disqualified. Penalties include running stop signs, drafting willingly, and unsportsmanlike conduct. Also if a rider is seen after dusk without proper lighting he or she will be disqualified immediately. If a battery fails while a rider is doing a lap, he or she is responsible for having extra batteries with them. If a support vehicle follows a rider rather than driving at the speed of traffic, a penalty will be assessed.
• The day loop is 162.5 miles. The night loop is 18.4 miles. If a rider cannot finish the night loop by the time the clock stops, the partial lap will be included in the rider's total mileage.

RAAM Rules

This link will take you to the rules that apply if you are using the 12/24 as a RAAM qualifying event.

 http://www.ultracycling.com/images/qualifying_for_raam.pdf

Bicycle Requirements

• Bicycles will be human powered. Tandem bicycles will be allowed in separate divisions. Faired recumbents and unfaired recumbents will be in separate divisions. Aero bars and disk wheels may be used.
• Friday night check-in will be from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Winters Community Center. There is NO bike inspection.
• Bicycles ridden at night must be equipped with a front light visible from 300 feet and a steady-state (non-blinking) rear red light visible from 500 feet. Reflective tape or reflectors must be installed on the back of pedals, cranks, seat stays, wheels and forks. Dusk is at 7 p.m. Riding without lights after 7 p.m. is grounds for immediate disqualification!
• Fixed Gear: Bikes must use the same fixed gearing (ring/cog/wheel) for the entire event. Bike frames shall be steel, traditional double diamond design (forks are unrestricted) and wheels (maximum 25 mm rim depth) with 32 spokes minimum. Aerobar attachments and aero-designed parts are prohibited. Wheel switches are permitted only for wheel failures, and must be identical or essentially identical to the failed wheel. Bike switches are not permitted. Except for single gear bikes, riders may not coast with feet off the pedals. Riders must declare their gear (ring/cog/wheel size) choice at check in, which may not be changed thereafter.

Vehicle Support

• Please indicate on the rider application if a support vehicle will be used. This vehicle must be registered before the start. A rider number must be displayed on the left front and left rear of the vehicle.
• Riders may take a hand-off from someone standing by the road; no moving vehicle hand-offs will be allowed, vehicle to rider or rider to vehicle.
• Except for teams, crew vehicles can only meet their riders at the Monticello dam (mile 11.4) and the Turtle Rock store (mile 26.8). After this time LEAP FROG will be used for all support vehicles.
• Support vehicles on the day loop must travel at the speed of traffic. Support vehicles must not slow to talk to riders or obstruct traffic. If a support vehicle does not drive at the speed of traffic or obstructs traffic a penalty will be assessed against that vehicles rider.
• No support vehicles will be allowed on the night loop, except at the designated spot for teams. See night loop sheet.
• If a support vehicle breaks a traffic law, then a penalty will be assessed against that rider.

Divisions

• The overall male and female winner will be determined by most miles ridden in the 12 or 24 hour period. A mileage board will be undated continually to show places of riders.    
• There are male, female, and mixed divisions in the following categories:
  • Solo
  • Tandem
  • Faired recumbent
  • Unfaired recumbent
  • Two-person relay
  • Four-person relay
  • Single gear
  • Fixed gear
• The age groups are
  • Solo
    • Under 18
    • 18-49
    • 50-59
    • 60-69
    • 70 and over.
  • Tandem and two-person relay
    • under 90
    • 90 and over combined age
  • Four person relay
    • Under 180
    • 180 and over combined age
      (Note: two and four person relays can be for tandems, faired recumbent, unfaired recumbents and fixed gear)

Relay Teams

• A team consists of either two riders or four riders.
• Only one rider per team may be on the route at one time, except when changing riders. No drafting is allowed for teams.
• Team riders may change riders any time on the day loop. On the night loop, teams may change riders only at the designated rider exchange area on the night loop (indicated on the cue sheet) and at the start/finish area.
  
• A legal rider exchange occurs when the front wheel of the incoming rider overlaps the rear wheel of the departing rider. The riders do not need to touch.
  
• Support vehicles follow same guidelines as for single riders.
  
  

Rulings

• Any complaints against another rider or crew must be filed within 10 minutes of the last rider finishing. Any final ruling will be made within 20 minutes of the finish of the event. The chief official has the final ruling on the finishing order of the event.