Frequently Asked Questions

Are Hidden Tracks events races?

Some are timed, none are policed. Day rides are non-competitive, run at a brisk pace. Ultra-distance events carry a live tracker so people can follow along, but nobody's chasing a podium. You're mostly racing the clock and your own front tyre.

What's the difference between a guided ride and a self-supported event?

Guided means Charlie or another leader rides with the group, navigating and supporting riders. Self-supported means you get the GPX, you follow it, and you're responsible for your own nutrition, repairs and pacing between checkpoints. Check the individual event page for which one you're signing up for — it changes what you need to bring.

Do I need to be an experienced rider?

For day rides, you need to be comfortable off-road for several hours, but you don't need racing experience. For ultra-distance events, yes. These are long, some run through the night, and there's no version of them that goes well if it's your first time off tarmac. If you're not sure which camp you're in, the ride grading system is the honest way to check.

What happens if I can't finish?

Before each ride or event, you'll get a rider briefing that covers exactly what to do if you can't finish.

Can I get a refund if I can't make it?

Let me know at least a month before the start and I'll work out what's possible for your entry.

What's the tracker deposit and do I get it back if I cancel?

Point-to-point events with a tracker generally carry a £150 deposit, since the device needs to make its way back to me from wherever the ride finishes. Circular events sometimes carry a smaller deposit instead, refundable in cash on the day once the tracker's handed back. For point-to-point events, return the tracker within 10 days of finishing and the deposit comes back — that's the tracker provider's rule, not mine. If you cancel before the event, you're never issued a tracker in the first place, so there's nothing to return and nothing forfeited.

Can I follow the event live if I'm not riding?

Yes. I set up a dot-watching page for every tracked event — you'll get the link in your rider briefing before the start. Then you can watch a small dot move slowly and worryingly across the map from your sofa.

What am I actually buying?

A GPX file: a route plotted, ridden and checked by Charlie, not just drawn on a screen. You get the file, a written route description, and enough context (grade, terrain, mud-o-meter rating) to know what you're riding into before you're in it.

What do I do with the file once I've bought it?

Load it onto a Garmin or Wahoo head unit, or into a phone app like Komoot or Ride with GPS. Once it's on the device, it'll navigate you turn by turn.

Do I need a bike computer, or can I just use my phone?

Phone works fine. Battery life on a long ride is the real limit, not the app — bring a charger or a battery pack if you're out for more than a couple of hours.

How hard is the route, really?

Every route carries a grade — Green, Blue, Red or Black — on the Ride Grades page. It's not a vibe, it's terrain, distance and how technical the off-road sections are. Read it before you buy if you're between two grades.

Are the routes waymarked on the ground?

No. Bridleways and byways are legally rideable and generally signed as such, but the route itself only exists on your device. No paint on trees, no arrows nailed to gates.

What if the route's changed since it was mapped — a path's closed, a bridge is out?

It happens without warning. Paths get closed, bridleways wash out, a farmer moves a gate. Every route's ridden before it's published, and checked again from time to time after that — some more often than others. If you come across something that's genuinely changed, let me know. I'd rather hear it from you than have the next rider find out the hard way.

Can I get a refund on a GPX file?

Nobody's asked for one yet. If a route turns out to be properly unrideable rather than just tougher than expected, get in touch and I'll sort something out — this is a small operation run by a keen cyclist.

Will it work on any gravel bike?

Most Green and Blue routes will. Red and Black routes assume proper off-road tyres and a bike in good condition — check the individual route's grade and terrain notes before assuming your commuter gravel bike is up for a Black route in February mud.

What kind of coaching do you offer?

Cyclocross, gravel and mountain bike coaching, run by Charlie — Lead Coach at Herne Hill Velodrome, and someone who's raced all three disciplines rather than just taught them. Sessions cover cornering, braking, body position, line choice and the general business of not falling off.

Is coaching one-to-one or group sessions?

Both. One-to-one sessions often end up being for two riders — people tend to like having company and support more than they expect to. Group sessions are kept deliberately small so everyone gets proper attention.

Do I need my own bike?

Yes, and it needs to suit the discipline — a gravel bike works for gravel and cyclocross coaching, a mountain bike for MTB sessions. Come with tyres and brakes that are actually up to the terrain; coaching a skill on a bike that can't safely execute it is a short and frustrating session.

I've never ridden off-road before. Is coaching still for me?

Yes. Sessions are built around where you actually are, not where a training plan assumes you should be — first-timers get the fundamentals, experienced riders get specific technique work.

Where do sessions take place?

Around London and the South East, including the Surrey Hills and the Chilterns, depending on what you're working on.

How much does coaching cost?

Pricing depends on session length and whether it's one-to-one or group — check the coaching page for details, or get in touch for a quote.

Can coaching help me get ready for a specific event?

Yes — riders use sessions to prepare for day rides and cyclocross racing specifically. Say what you're training for when you book and the session gets built around it.

Who is the training camp for?

Experienced off-road riders, not a first gravel trip. You're riding 3+ hours a day on mixed terrain for six days straight — this is fitness training with good hotels attached, not a gentle holiday that happens to involve bikes.

What's actually included?

Seven nights in locally-owned hotels (cave rooms near Gorafe, a properly old-school place in Granada), daily breakfast, luggage transfers between stops, a support van with tools and mechanical help, and bike box storage. Lunches, dinners (bar the first night) and your flights aren't included.

Do I need to be able to ride every day at full effort?

No. Most riders switch between grades through the week depending on how their legs feel, and the support van is there if a day gets away from you. Day 4 is deliberately lighter for exactly this reason.

What bike do I need?

A gravel bike, tubeless, 40mm tyres or wider, recently serviced. This is not the week to find out your bottom bracket's on its way out.

How do I get to the start?

Fly into Málaga any time on March 13th — the metro gets you to the hotels in about 40 minutes for €3 to €4. Airport transfers aren't included, but you don't need them.

What's the deposit and payment schedule?

A £200 deposit secures your place; the balance is due by bank transfer four weeks before departure.

Shared or private room, and does it matter which I pick?

£1,950 gets you a shared room, £2,550 a private one. Shared rooms are with another rider on the trip, not a stranger off the street.

What if I need to cancel?

More than a month out, you're only down your £200 deposit, and even that comes back if I can fill your spot with someone else. Inside that final month, if I can't resell the place, you lose the lot — deposit and balance both. Most riders have travel insurance that covers exactly this, so it's worth checking your policy before you book rather than after you need it.

Still have a question?

Get in touch and I'll answer it directly — contact us here.