The Ride

You have made it this far, you must have heard from someone this event is a cracker. Oh how right they are! 

Gears + Beers is a unique festival combining our two loves – cycling & craft beer. The festival is held on Saturday 30 September + Sunday 1 October 2023. 

The weekend offers a combination of rides catering for all age groups, distances, energy levels and cycling levels. All roads lead to the craft beer festival. 

Our flagship ride is the Dirty130. 130km of road, gravel, farms, golden couches, dead camel lane (if you don't know, you will!) and more gravel. It's a slog, but totally worth it. 

The event is run by the Rotary Club of Wollundry Wagga Wagga with all proceeds going to charity.
 

 

Image credit: @beardymcbeardy

Courses

40km Wiradjuri Welcome (AKA Mystery Ride)
Date: Saturday, 30th September 2023
Time: 1030am
Cost: $60

New to the course line-up is our 'Mystery Ride' (legit name is coming soon). This is the warm up, get those legs turning (and burning) early before you jump on the bike and sip the beers on Sunday.
What you can expect are mixed surfaces – a combination of bike paths, road and gravel, some scenic river views, and a hectic incline that will have you off the saddle and pushing. 

The mystery course is suitable for riders of intermediate level and can be completed on mountain bikes (recommended), or gravel bikes. You must be self-sufficient and proficient at changing tyres should the need arise.

 

Dirty130
Date: Sunday, 1st October 2023
Time: 7am
Cost: $140

So much awaits the course veterans and unassuming newbies.

Course design is underway but in 2022, the picturesque and challenging course saw more gravel, a tiny bit more climbing and even more on-farm trails (through private property). It is a given that the infamous Dead Camel Lane (the wildest gravel sector on course) featured (and will again) leaving an impact on your butt and rubber.

It all ends with a roll back home on the black stuff. We'll have you at the festival holding a cold brew in hand in no time.

 

 

Filthy50
Date: Sunday, 1st October 2023
Time: 830am
Cost: $70

In a nutshell, the Filthy50 is a top, enjoyable ride that has its challenges, with some little pinchy climbs on rural sealed and un-sealed roads.  Be warned though, it's a good gravel hit out that typically leaves riders with an appetite to take on the Dirty130 in future years.

The Filthy 50km course is suitable for riders of intermediate level and can be completed on mountain bikes, road bikes or gravel bikes. You must be self-sufficient and proficient at changing tyres should the need arise.

 

115km
Date: Sunday 1st October 2023
Time: 8am
Cost: $100

The course has a number of challenges, including Malebo Hill. You will ride 115kms of sealed road through some of the best farming country in the Riverina, visiting the rural towns of Coolamon and Marrar. 

 

30km
Date: Sunday, 1st October 2023
Time: 930am
Cost: $50

 

10km (Strawberry ride)
Date: Sunday 1st October 2023
Time: 10am
Cost: $20

This short ride follows the scenic Wiradjuri Walking / Cycle Track and heads out to the Marrambidya Wetland, before returning back to the festival through a strawberry farm. The vast majority of this ride is on walking tracks with only a small section on open road.  Young children should be accompanied by an adult to safely navigate the short section of public road.