Marys Mayhem FAQs

1. Book your accommodation around the Mudgee/Rylstone region. There are plenty of accommodation options in town. Try Booking.com, AirBnb.com or contact Bliss Stays in Mudgee

2. Make sure you are subscribed to our newsletter. This is how we share important and up to date information with you about the event.

3. Go to the course page and select your course. Download the map onto your bicycle computer.

4. Now you are ready to enter!

This event is open to all cyclists from those who like to just cruise through to the highly experienced racer. You will need a moderate level of fitness.

Riders who turn 12 years or greater before the event date are welcome to join in with parent supervision.

Further to that, riders 12-17 years of age on event day are able to join the Medium or Long course with parent approval.

The process is:

1. Enter your child in the Short Course.

2. Send an email to the organiser requesting an upgrade to Medium or Long Course and that you assume all responsibility for the child’s well being.

3. No special treatment will be provided. Your child will receive the same support on course as any other rider. You are invited to be on course to support your child so long as it does not interfere with the wider field or riders.

4. Check and confirm your child is registered in the requested category at registration.

Graveleur events are fully supported but we expect a certain level of self-sufficiency. After all, completing the ride under your own steam is always more satisfying.

You need some basic knowledge or at least be accompanied by someone who:

• Understands how to fuel and hydrate your body for an extended ride on hilly gravel roads

• Knows how to navigate using their bicycle computer of phone.

• Has a reasonable level of mechanical know-how in case you need to perform running repairs on your bicycle e.g., punctures, ripped tyres, broken chains, non-functioning gears.

Plan to be self-sufficient. You need to navigate your way along the course as there will be limited route markings. You will need to carry your own nutrition and hydration. We would recommend a minimum of 2 x 1 litre bidons.  You need to carry sensible protective clothing.  Plan for all four seasons in one day  You need to carry any spares that you feel you might conceivably need on the day. Your bike should be 100% serviced and ready for a long ride in harsh conditions.

There will be a Feed Zone on each day at around the half way mark where you can refill bottles and get some snacks.

We will have a sweep car drive through after the event on both days, to make sure everyone is back safely, but you could be waiting a long time for this car to come through and it may not have space for you and your bike, so don’t rely on this as a sag wagon.  It is primarily there as a backup for anyone who is in serious need of assistance.

We used to have a paper based system, but these days we’re running an automated timing and tracking system. Just leave your number on all weekend and be sure to cross the timing mats at the start and finish.

The majority of this event will take place on public back roads within a 50km radius of Mudgee & Rylstone. There is some 4WD traffic on these roads. There are a few odd remote residences but we would not advise you to rely on these for help. Please try not to bother the locals and stay off private property. Saturday's medium and long courses pass through the town of Gulgong so you can stop & re-stock there if needed but Sunday's course is all out bush so make use of the feed zones.

Mobile reception is pretty good along the way and unlike our other events the need for an EPIRB/Inreach/Spot is not mandatory.

We still recommend riding in pairs and/or within sight of another rider for safety. Be sure to download the Rider guide that will be released in the week leading up to the event.

The route is perfect for a Gravel Bike, Cyclocross or Mountain Bike – consider running the biggest rubber that will fit your frame. As a minimum we would recommend at least 38mm tyres with some tread (ie. not slicks).

Please don’t bring your roadie, even if you have 28mm tyres on it. We are aiming to stick almost entirely to back roads that are frequently used by farming vehicles. Mostly they are well graded. In the dry they are usually quite smooth and a joy to ride but as with any dirt road, corrugations, rocky sections and potholes can be a regular occurence.

Do not let the absence of a gravel bike in your stable prevent you from coming. A mountain bike would be fine and the routes we have designed should be quite manageable for an intermediate rider on an MTB.  It may not be as quick on the open roads, but the bigger rubber will provide a smoother ride.

Note: Unlike Thunderbolts Adventure, this event is designed to be far more accessible with 3 different course distances and a central event hub so that you don’t have to carry any luggage on your bike. There is something for everyone at Marys Madness, e-bikes and adaptives welcome.

The roads are all good quality gravel roads with very limited bitumen. There will be some bitumen sections each day before the gravel depending on the final route and the approved Traffic Management Plan.

As always, keep left and be on the lookout for any vehicles you are sharing the road with. Please take it easy on the descents; we know how tempting it is to stay off the brakes but this is usually how accidents happen. Obey all road rules and be courteous to all those you share the road with no matter how they respond to you. All roads will remain open for the duration of the event.

Everything to get you through the ride, but if your bike is well maintained then punctures are the main thing you need to be prepared for. Keeping in mind that there are no bike shops along the way, consider your worst case scenario and plan for that.  For example, let’s say you have been unlucky and had a few punctures. You are on your own, you are out of tubes and canisters. If you have a hand pump and some patches you might be able to repair a tube to get you out of trouble.  A $5.00 note is always handy for blocking a torn sidewall.  Tubeless setup for tyres is recommended.

Other spares you might consider would be a chain breaker, a spare quick link and a spare Derailleur hanger.

We also have on course Mechanical Support in case you need help.

Our timing system will tell us if you DNS or DNF, but a simple text message to the organiser with you name letting us know you are not continuing is a nice courtesy

We would say Yes. You will most likely reach the end of the stage each day well before it gets dark but lights are a good safety measure. We recommend front (white) and rear (red) flashing lights with 4 hours capacity.

Graveleur works closely with AusCycling and obtains Public Liability insurance through them.  This provides Public Liability Insurance for the organiser Graveleur Pty Ltd.   

For this event we are also asking riders to ensure they have some form of riding license.

If you join AusCycling, there are a number of licenses that are suitable for this event:

1. “RACE OFF ROAD” license will allow you to race any Aus Cycling affiliated MTB, Gravel, CX or BMX event.

2. “RACE ALL DISCIPLINES” license will allow you to race all of the above plus ROAD CYCLING EVENTS

3. “LIFESTYLE” license social, Leisure of Commuting riding on any kind of bike

4. “DAY LICENSES” can also be purchased as part of your entry fee.

 As a minimum you need option 3 or 4 above. Alternatively you can arrange a free trial license from AusCycling. We will also accept a license from another cycling peak body such as Bicycle NSW or Bicycle Network.

You can see a summary of the insurance options from AusCycling here. Please review and choose the right license for your circumstances.

You should also consider taking out Private Health Insurance with ambulance cover.

Our events now tend to follow the "Race on Saturday, Cruise on Sunday" mantra. There will be timing and prizes for Saturday.

In essence, feel free to ride as fast or as slow as you like, it’s your ride to enjoy.

Yes you can choose to ride a different length course on the two days. We suggest you enter the longer option that you are considering and then if you want to ride a shorter option on Sunday, just let us know at registration and we’ll adjust your entry. Note there is no long course on Sunday. We want to make it enjoyable and relaxing so you are back at the event centre early enough to enjoy lunch and then head home in no hurry.

Yes it is an AusCycling sanctioned event. There will be official timing on Saturday and series points awarded to the top ten male and female finishers on the Long course.

The 2025 cost for the event (regardless of course distance) is $209. There is an early bird offer that reduces your entry to $169.

(One Day option $155, early bird $124)

Family and group discounts are available.

Your entry includes:

• Professional timing and goodie bag at rego.

• 2 days of riding on a fully vetted gravel course with Traffic control at key locations

• Professional photographer who will share the photos with you for free after the event

• Feed zone on course, mechanical support, event insurance and all site access permits.

• "After party" on Saturday night and a special brew made just for Graveleurs

• MC, music, log fires, sweep vehicle and all the trimmings you expect from a profssionally run gravel cycling event.

You can eat at the pub, take advantage of the food trucks at the finish of both days park or venture into town. Book whatever accomodation suits your budget and style.

Through the support and generosity of our sponsors we hope to be able to offer some spot prizes to some of you riding.  We partner with businesses who share our vision for getting more people on bikes. We reimburse any expenses for the support vehicles as well as funding the ongoing development of the Graveleur Community. 

We aim to keep expenses to a minimum. This helps to keep the cost down for you, the rider, and it also makes you think about how to be self sufficient. This is in essence the spirit of bike packing we want to bring to you.

Please book your own accommodation in the Mudgee or Rylstone region. The Rylstone start on Sunday morning is about a 40min drive from Mudgee, but it's in the general direction back to Sydney, which should reduce your travel time getting home on Sunday if you're travelling from that area.

Unlike Thunderbolts Adventure, there is no tent drop required and you don’t have to carry a lot of camping gear on your bike. A recommended list of gear on your bike would include:

• Cycling apparel including Helmet, gloves, glasses

• Spare tube and means of inflating flat tyre, multitool, spare hanger, chain quick link

• Food and water (2L)

• Clothing layers for warmth on the bike

• Lights

• 1st Aid Kit (optional but recommended)

• GPS bike computer (Garmin/Wahoo/Hammerhead) and mobile phone.

Its up to you and how competitive you are. If you are aiming to set a Personal Record on the long course then this is what we’d suggest starting 8 weeks out from the event.

4 sessions per week

#1 – 1 hour on the trainer doing intervals targeting your threshold, say 2 x 20mins at your threshold HR or Watts, 5 mins recovery between efforts. Try and maintain the same average heart rate for both intervals.

#2 – Hill repeats, find a 10 minute climb (*) near home and try to do 5 repeats without getting slower each time, recover on the ride back down.

#3 – bunch ride for fun, 2 hours, just enjoy it, coffee ride.

#4 – a long ride on the weekend, at least 4 hours with a few efforts and hills thrown in, practice your eating and drinking on the bike. That will get you up to about 250km in a week.

Do this for 3 weeks, then have a quiet week, then another 3 weeks of the same program. Leave a week recovery/taper week just before the event and that will put in in good shape tset that PR.

(*) The idea of hill repeats is to prepare your cardiovascular system for sustained climbing. Its also useful to do them seated at a low cadence, try 60rpm which helps to build strength. In terms of pace, you want to do it as fast as you can, but not so fast that you are fatigued by the 3rd repeat. So go a little easy on your first one, then try and do the same time for the next 4 repeats. By the end of the 5th repeat you should feel fatigue. If you can’t maintain the time for all 5, start a little slower next time. If you achieve the same time for all 5 repeats, then next time, try and go 10-20 seconds faster for the same climb. Your heart rate is a good indicator too. You should be able to do all 5 repeats at around 85% of your max heart rate. Any hill longer than 10 minutes is too long for this type of training, so just ride up the hill for 10 mins and remember where you get to, then turn around. Try and get to the same point in 10 minutes for the next 4 repeats.

1. If you wish to withdraw from a Graveleur event up to 14 days prior to the event (or greater), you shall advise the Organiser by email info@graveleur.cc. A refund of the entry fee less a $20 administration fee will apply.

2. If you wish to withdraw from this event within 14 days from the event start date any decision to refund any part of the entry fee (including nil) is at the sole discretion of the Organiser. As standard we will offer a transfer to one of our next two events.

3. The Organiser, in its sole discretion, may delay, modify, or cancel the Event if it believes the conditions prior to the event day will be unsafe. If the Event is delayed, modified, or cancelled for any reason, including but not limited to acts of God or the elements (including without limitation, wind, rough water, rain, hail, hurricane, tornado, earthquake), acts of terrorism, fire, threatened or actual strike, labour difficulty, work stoppage, insurrection, war, public disaster, flood, unavoidable casualty, pandemic, event course conditions, or any other cause beyond the control of the Organiser, participants may request a refund of any participant entry fees or choose to transfer their paid entry to a future event. There will be no payment for any other costs incurred by participants in connection with the event.

4. The Organiser, in its sole discretion, may delay, modify, or cancel the Event if it believes the conditions on the event day are or will be unsafe following the commencement of the event. If, the Event is delayed, modified, or cancelled for any reason, including but not limited to acts of God or the elements including without limitation, wind, rough water, rain, hail, hurricane, tornado, earthquake), acts of terrorism, fire, threatened or actual strike, labour difficulty, work stoppage, insurrection, war, public disaster, flood, unavoidable casualty, pandemic, event course conditions, or any other cause beyond the control of the Organiser there will be no refund of any participant entry fees paid. There will be no payment for any other costs incurred by participants in connection with the event.

5. Entries are non-transferable to another rider EXCEPT via the entry system.  A transfer fee shall apply to riders transferring their entry to another rider.  For riders who independently give their entry to a new rider outside of the entry system, the entry shall be invalid and the new rider shall not be permitted to start. Discount codes used in conjunction with an entry are subject to final approval by the organiser. A discount may be refused and an entry may be cancelled if it is clear a discount code has been used by an unauthorised entrant.

6. Note that Transaction fees included in your entry fee are not refundable

2024

2025