FAQs
Where is Registration?
Packet pickup is Friday, July 21st from 3-8 pm at Ski Haus located at 1457 Pine Grove Road. Pick up your event bracelet, enter the Eriksen custom bike Giveaway and get your questions answered. Check-in is mandatory.
Where and at what time is the start?
All rides start and finish at 12th and Yampa-Little Toots Park.
The long ride (116 miles) starts at 7 am and is led by a State Patrol car at a controlled pace out of town. If you leave early please be aware of opening times for aid stations.
The 66 mile, 46 mile and 26 mile rides have the option to start at 7 am or at 9. There is no State patrol lead off at 9 am. Please follow all traffic signs and rules of the road.
How many feet of climbing are on each ride?
116 mile ride = 8000 feet of climbing
66 mile ride = 3100 feet if climbing
46 mile ride = 2200 feet of climbing
26 mile ride = 963 feet of climbing
Can I have a friend/family member drive the course to help me and/or my friends?
We discourage any extra traffic on the course, especially personal support vehicles. Our event is a fully stocked, well-coordinated event designed to let riders ride from aid station to aid station without additional support vehicles.
How do you know if registration is full? We will post it on the web site.
How many riders is the ride limited to? 1000 riders total is our capacity.
Can you buy tickets to the Post Ride Picnic if you are not riding? Yes.
How many Aid Stations are on course?
116 mile ride = 5
66 mile ride = 2
46 mile ride = 1
26 mile ride = 1
Are there mechanics at each Aid Station? Mechanics will be at the top of Rabbit ears pass and the top of Gore pass on the long routes with limited replacement items. Please be prepared to repair your own bike. Please ensure your bike is in proper working condition before the ride and carry appropriate tools for roadside repairs.
Are there Port-a-Lets at each Aid Station? Yes
What food and beverages will be available at each Aid Station?
Water
Honey Stinger products
Skratch electrolyte drink
Fruit (bananas, watermelon, oranges etc)
Cookies
M and M’s
Pretzels
Pickles at Yampa and Gore Pass aid stations
Fig newtons
Ibuprofen
Sunscreen
Port-a-lets
In addition Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches will be available at the top of Gore Pass for the Tour de Steamboat route # 1
What time is the post-ride BBQ?
The post-ride BBQ starts at 1pm and closes at 7pm allowing time for all riders to eat, drink and meet other riders. There will be both meat and vegetarians options available along with beer from local breweries.
What are the course hours?
Course hours – 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM. SAG and mechanical support will be available on course from 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM. Riders are expected to make each aid station cut off time. Any rider on course after an aid station closure will be driven to the next aid station or to the finish as is appropriate. YOU MUST HAVE A COLOR CODED BRACELET TO ACCESS THE AID STATIONS AND ENTER THE BBQ.
What to wear?
For greater safety and better visibility early in the morning or during rainy/cloudy conditions, participants are suggested to bring headlights and high visibility flashing taillights. Brightly colored clothing is also suggested for riding in rainy/low-light conditions or after dark.
Remember laying is the best option we are in Colorado and the weather changes from hour to hour.
How fit do I need to be?
The Tour de Steamboat is not a good first century or 100 mile ride attempt. The challenges include elevation, altitude, weather and heat. Please train appropriately for this event.
Whether the Tour de Steamboat is your first or 21st century ride, getting yourself ready for the ride is key to making it an enjoyable experience. For starters, be sure you’ve had a recent physical exam by your family physician. Once cleared for training, don’t go at it full-bore if you’ve not been regularly active. Increase your time and effort gradually. Avoid focusing solely on building mileage at the expense of a well-rounded program that includes strength, flexibility, endurance, nutrition, hydration and rest.
Plan on increasing your mileage by l0% to 15% each week over the course of your training. Begin with shorter rides back-to-back, and increase to longer days in the saddle. You should eventually work up to some metric century (62 mile) distances since a couple of our days will be this long or slightly longer. The Tour de Steamboat’s biggest claim to fame is our elevation; please plan your training to include both the climbing and descending hills. If possible, ride with others to get prepared for sharing the road with other cyclists. Many books and articles have been written on the subject of training for cyclists. If you have doubts about your ability, or questions about how to train, you are encouraged to research the topic on-line or at your local book or bike shop.
What are the rules of the Tour de Steamboat?
This is a non-competitve ride, rules of the road apply. Please read the following for definition:
Local law patrol are a part of our event and as such will be monitoring both vehicle drivers and cyclists for adherence to the appropriate rules of the road. Bicyclists are subject to citation by law enforcement for violating state law or local ordinances. So be sure to obey all traffic laws and be a good ambassador of the sport of cycling at all times. Take particular care in supervising any child or teen companions. Parents/guardians are responsible for their children and should keep them closely supervised at all times, both on and off the bike.
Always keep the following “rules of the road” in mind:
– TDS participants must wear an approved helmet at all times when on the bike.
– Use of earbuds/headphones is strongly discouraged. Your sense of hearing is critical to avoiding many hazards.
– Never ride more than two abreast and share the road. Ride single file when other vehicles need to pass. Especially in these areas:
1. Rabbit Ears to Kremmling Aid Station
2. Cr 14 to Stagecoach Reservoir and onto Oak Creek Aid Station
3. Hwy 131 between Phippsburg and Oak Creek
– Ride in a predictable manner.
– Do not draft behind motor vehicles.
Call out and/or signal, as appropriate, to alert other riders when you:
1. Intend to pass (“On your left” or “Passing”),
2. Intend to turn,
3. Are slowing or stopping (“Slowing,” “Stopping”),
4. Become aware of a hazard ahead (“Pothole,” “Glass”, etc.),
5. Absolutely DO NOT call “clear” at intersections. It must remain the responsibility of each rider to determine whether it is safe to pass through an intersection based upon his/her immediate observations of the prevailing conditions.
Who handles medical care at The Tour?
Beyond the spectacular views and many other great reasons to enjoy the Tour De Steamboat safety and medical support are of the utmost importance to our ride. Marked medical escort vehicles will be provided along all three routes to offer rapid emergency medical treatment. At the finish line a dedicated medical aid tent will be available to treat and evaluate everything from sore joints to serious medical emergencies. Licensed medical professionals provided by EMS Unlimited are well versed in not only offering compassionate and rapid medical care but also keeping a watchful eye over all facets of the ride to ensure safety is always paramount.
The Tour De Steamboat is proud to provide this valuable and quality service offered by EMS Unlimited, a Colorado based premier full-service event medical standby company. To learn more about EMS Unlimited visit them at www.ems-unlimited.com. An Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedic Aide Tent will be available at the finish line for everything from free blood pressure checks to serious medical emergencies. Two marked Paramedic response vehicles will be roaming all three routes to provide immediate medical stabilization and transport coordination even in the most rural corners of the course. In the event of a medical emergency call 911 or stop by the nearest aide station and EMT’s and Paramedics will be at your side within moments. There are portions of the course where cellular service is unreliable if you find someone needing assistance in these area’s please ask someone to continue on and call 911 as soon as possible.
