Upcoming events
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2023 RBC CENTURY
RIDERS GUIDE
THANK YOU 2023 SPONSOR
Jeff Major of Terra Properties
THANK YOU PARTNERS
Thank you for participating in the 2023 RBC Century!
We’re proud to present our 40th Century ride through the Fairfax and Loudoun County countryside. We love sharing our home riding environment with you - and invite you to become a member of the club. We ask you to remember that this is a RIDE, not a RACE and strongly urge you to obey all traffic rules and signs. Be courteous to local drivers and other riders, whether on our event or just passing through.
START TIMES
FULL CENTURY START TIME: 6:30-7:30am
Follow the BLUE arrows
METRIC CENTURY START TIME: 7:30-8:30am
Follow the RED arrows
HALF METRIC START TIME: No earlier than 9am
Follow the GREEN arrows
You may start earlier or later than the referenced times, but you may not get the rest stop experience you desire by doing so. Please factor in your average speed over the distance you’re planning to ride, and plan accordingly.
Venue Address
The start and end location for all of the RBC Century routes is Reston Town Center Pavilion, 11900 Market Street, Reston, VA 20190. It is accessible by bike from the W&OD Trail. Reston Town Center has plenty of garage parking and a fair amount of surface parking for those who carry their bikes on top. All parking is free on weekends.
A Note About the W&OD Railroad Regional Park Trail
Parts of the ride will be on the W&OD Railroad Regional Park trail. In granting us permission to use the trail, NovaParks requires that riders observe trail etiquette rules and ride in groups of no more than 5 riders together. If your group is bigger than that, leave a gap every 5 riders. Remember to audibly call your passes and slow way down around pedestrians and slower cyclists. In other words, represent the riding community well to other trail users. This is a ride, not a race.
ROUTES
Our routes start and finish in a suburban area with a rural delight of hills and meadows in between. Suburban areas have traffic and we have no way to minimize that, especially in the afternoon. We hire local police to cover the most difficult intersections in Fairfax County. In Loudoun County that police support is unavailable. Most of the major roads have adequate sidepaths if you prefer not to ride in traffic. Rural Loudoun County has some tough climbs -- if you’re not prepared for a long day in the saddle with a lot of climbing, consider one of the shorter routes. It is road repaving season in Virginia which may have an impact on our routes.
Route Markings -- we use biodegradable arrows on the ground to point you in the right direction. The colors correspond to the route you’re on. This year, the FULL Century is BLUE. The Metric Century is RED. The Half-Metric Century is GREEN. The arrows will be a confirmation of whatever you’re hearing/seeing with the route map and cue sheet.
BAIL OUT POINTS - It happens. You plan and train to ride one distance but you get about halfway in and realize today is not that day. Fortunately, our routes are designed to give you bail-out points to the W&OD. Once you’re on the W&OD, please observe trail etiquette and signal your passes.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
PACKET PICK-UP
All riders will need a wrist-band to participate. Your wristband color has nothing to do with the route you’re following - it just allows you access to rest stops and to lunch after the event. There are four ways to get that wrist band - four packet pick-up nights prior to the event and the morning of the event. We highly recommend you try to make it to one of the weeknight pick-ups to avoid lines on Sunday morning.
For those picking up before Sunday, you will also receive your event t-shirt, a number sticker for your helmet if you wish to see your photos afterwards, and information from our event partners.
(Pro-tip: If you have a friend who wants to ride but hasn’t registered, bring him/her to packet pick-up on Wed., Thurs., or Friday. We’ll be doing Last Minute registrations those evenings.)
You may pick up for others if you have their QR code. Ask them to forward their email to you. If you’re picking up for more than 3 riders, please email us ahead of time with their names in order to expedite your pick-up.
To be fair to other participants, there will be NO t-shirt exchanges for size until 3pm on Sunday after the Century. At packet pick-up before the event, you will get what you ordered.
WEDNESDAY Packet Pick-Up #1
Wednesday, August 16
5:30-8:30pm at Green Lizard Cycling, 718 Lynn St., Herndon, VA 20170
THURSDAY Packet Pick-Up #2 A&B
A: Thursday, August 17
5-7:30pmThe Bike Lane, 11150 Sunset Hills Rd, Reston, VA 20190
OR
B: 6-9pm at Bunnyman Brewing, 5583 Guinea Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032
FRIDAY Packet Pick-Up #3
Friday, August 18
6-9pm at House 6 Brewing, 44427 Atwater Dr, Ashburn, VA 20147
THE RIDE
Sunday, August 20, 2023
***If you have already registered and picked up your packet on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday night, you do NOT have to check in. All routes are a rolling start, but no one should start before sunrise (6:30am). Please note the rest stop times. They are only open when they are OPEN.***
At 6:15am, there will be a Color Guard with the National Anthem, courtesy of South Lakes HS JROTC. Please be respectful during this presentation.
On-site packet pick-up: 6am-9am, Reston Town Center Pavilion. You will receive your wristband and helmet number for photos. You will not receive your t-shirt until you return to the Reston Town Center after the ride. (Pro-tip: Leave your bike on/in your car while you pick-up your wrist band if you didn’t make it to one of our packet pick-ups.)
FULL CENTURY START TIME: 6:30-7:30am
METRIC CENTURY START TIME: 7:30-8:30am
HALF METRIC START TIME: No earlier than 9am
REMINDER: Nothing starts at the Reston Town Center Pavilion after the ride until noon.
Rest Stop Times:
Full Century
#1Leesburg, 7:30am - 10:30am
#2Lovettsville, 8:30am - 11:00am
#3Old Mill, 9:00am - 2pm
#4Ashburn, 9:00am - 4pm
Metric Century
#1Leesburg, 7:30am - 10:30am
#2Old Mill, 9:00am - 2pm
#3Ashburn, 9:00am - 4pm
Half Metric
#1Ashburn, 9:00am - 4pm
NOTE: If your pace is such that you do not reach Ashburn until 4pm, you will miss lunch at the finish.
Reston Town Center After Party - LUNCH: Noon until 4:00pm. Party ends 4:30pm.
You’ll be able to:
Purchase beer from Bunnyman Brewery
Get your awesome lunch
Get some ice cream on the house
Purchase RBC merchandise
Visit with the event artist Julia Griffin
Visit with some of our supporters and partners
Join RBC or renew your membership
Enjoy your pre-registered massage or get on the list to see if they have room for you!
Locking Your Bike
There will be bike parking on temporary racks at the finish location. If you want to lock your bike, bring your lock with you. RBC is not responsible for your bike. If you drive, it’s actually better to take your bike to your car before you join the after party. Please do not lock or lean your bike on our venue’s infrastructure and per Reston Town Center, there will be no bikes allowed inside the food service area on the turf.
RIDE INFORMATION
SAG - Support AND Gear
This is a supported ride. SAG will be on the course with radios and vehicles capable of carrying bikes and riders. Of course, if there’s an emergency, call 911. For non-emergencies, the SAG number will be printed on your wristband. We are also fortunate to have two mobile bike shop vans that will be out moving around to help cyclists as needed.
SAG is the first line of response in incidents that involve ride participants and are also an avenue of communication between ride participants and RBC Event Staff. We suggest you put that number in your phone right now so you have it if you need it during the Century.
SAG # 540-882-4887
If you feel unable to finish the ride at any time, you are free to withdraw and make your own way back home or to the post-ride celebration. We suggest you bring a charged cell phone, and download one or more ride service apps so you’ll have access to a ride. Metro now has stations in Loudoun County which can bring you right back to Reston Town Center. If you plan to do that, please create a route for yourself to the nearest station. It’s a good idea to have a friend or family member in the area “on-call” to come pick you up if there’s a chance you might not be able to continue. Our SAG will be as helpful as possible - but with 1000+ riders and 8 SAG drivers, you could be waiting a while.
If the weather turns inclement, seek shelter in a building or covered structure; do not shelter under trees. SAG will not be able to bring in 1000+ riders, so be prepared to wait until safe conditions return. Carry weather gear if you don’t want to get wet. The late afternoon weather in Virginia can be very unpredictable. If you hear thunder, pay attention to your surroundings to know where there’s shelter if you need it. DO NOT shelter under trees!
TIME LIMITS
You can take as long as you want for this event (i.e., we do not sweep the course), but we close down everything at Reston Town Center at 5pm. Rest stops close earlier. NOTE: If your pace is such that you do not reach Ashburn until 4pm, you will miss lunch at the finish.
BATHROOMS
There will be portajohns at all rest stops except Lovettsville (real bathrooms there!). If you use a bathroom in a local establishment, please consider purchasing something, however small, to engender a good feeling towards cyclists. The western portion of Loudoun County is quite rural and comfort stops are few and far between. Plan accordingly.
MORE ABOUT THE REST STOPS
Rest Stop times are below. Please understand these times are FIRM. Times are based on the AVERAGE rider’s speed. If you’re super fast, super slow, start early or start late, you may miss the open times. Please respect the times.
Note: from the start in Reston through every rest stop and on the road with the mobile shops, our bike shop partners are supporting this event through the generosity of their owners. Please tip your mechanic if they do something nice for you - even if it’s just making a small adjustment - their presence is purely voluntary.
Maverick Bicycles, Open 7:30am - 10:30am (the rest stop, not Maverick Bicycles)
MILE 20.9, 32c Catoctin Circle, Leesburg, VA
Full & Metric Riders
Info to know: Hosted by our friends at Maverick Bikes, a community bike shop and staffed by Mobile Hope in Leesburg. This is our first year with them, so be nice so they’ll ask us back. They will provide the mechanic on duty.
Lovettsville Community Center, Open 8:30am - 11:00am
MILE 56.2, 57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville
Full Riders Only
Info to know:Trek Bicycles from Leesburg will be the mechanics on duty. This is their first year with us and it’s our first year in the newly renovated Community Center.
Old Mill, Open 9:00am - 1:00pm
MILE 68.4/29.5,39098 Irene Rd., Hamilton
Full & Metric Riders, at different points in their routes
Info to know: Green Lizard Cycling will be on hand for any repairs you might need. Full century riders pass this one by the first time you see it - you’ll see it again for relief after Lovettsville. Metric Century riders, this is your turn-around spot.
Ashburn, Open 9:00am - 4:00pm
MILE 19, 47.7, 86.6 20702 Ashburn Rd, next to Carolina Bros./W&OD Trail
Info to know: This is the last rest stop. Half Metric riders will approach it from the north, with a left turn across traffic into the rest stop. This is half century turn around spot. Metric Riders, this is your third rest stop. Full Century riders, this is #4. Your mechanic on duty will be from A-1 Cycling in Herndon.
Route Updates or Event-Day Changes
We have SAG teams pre-riding/driving the routes to catch any day-of changes to the route. They will report any changes to us and we will get the word out as quickly as we can. These changes will be shared at rest stops when possible. However, unexpected construction or a last-minute road closure is always a possibility.
PHOTOS
Captivating Photos will be on course taking photos of all riders. When you pick up your wristband you will be offered a numbered sticker for your helmet. If you display it, your photo will be part of the group offered to riders after the event. If you don’t want your photo offered to the group, don’t display the number. We don’t keep track of the numbers - that’s up to you.
The club does not make money from these photos - we offer them merely as a courtesy to riders who would like to have a photo to remember the day. By participating in the event, you are agreeing to be photographed.
A NOTE ABOUT COURTESY
We ask that you respect your fellow riders and other members of the community. This is a ride, not a race. Please remember to call your passes, be courteous to other riders and drivers and pedestrians, wave thank you to drivers who are kind, and thank your mechanics, SAG, and volunteers. Tip the mechanics if they do something to make your ride better. Be the kind of rider you find yourself wishing everyone else is. The club reserves the right to bar any rider from future club events if the rider's behavior is dangerous to self or others.
FAQ’s
Something has come up and I can’t ride. Can I get a refund?
Reston Bike Club uses proceeds from the Century to fund local and regional cycling-related projects. Therefore, all ride registrations are final. The Century is rain or shine. There will be no refunds, exchanges, or transfers for this event, even for inclement weather. If you are unable to attend, remember that Reston Bike Club is doing great things to support bicycling in Northern Virginia. RBC is a 501(c)(4). Please consult your tax advisor for deductibility questions.
This event seems to generate waste. What are you doing to mitigate that?
Reston Bike Club was founded and continues to be rooted in Reston, VA, a community that values our green space and promotes an ethic of conservation. Thus we have adopted procedures to minimize our impact on the environment. Those include:
Why don’t you put the ride more on the W&OD?
We can’t do 100 miles entirely on the W&OD. Further, adding 1200 riders to it strains our relationship with our neighbors and friends who also use the trail.
Why don’t you take the ride completely off the W&OD?
We have designed our ride using the W&OD only in places where there’s no good alternative.
Why don’t you have police directing traffic/protecting riders at the Ashburn rest stop?
We would love to.
Why don’t you have a volunteer directing traffic/protecting riders at difficult intersections?
We’re not allowed to under the law
Can I use my Time Trial (TT) bike and/or aerobars?
The Century route is demanding, with many climbs, descents, and turns. As a result, we strongly recommend that you not use a TT bike and/or clip-on aero bars for this event unless you have no other option. For the safety of others, if you do make an individual choice to use a TT bike or aero bars, we ask that you not do so when drafting or in proximity of other riders. It’s a ride, not a race.
I’m finished with my ride but there’s no food set up yet. Why can’t I get my lunch?
We set lunch to start serving at NOON. If you’d like something while you’re waiting there are a host of places in Reston Town Center that serve food, coffee, beer, and ice cream.
I heard that you have to pay for parking at Reston Town Center?
Parking on weekends at RTC is free - however, be aware of garage clearance with roof mounted racks!
I signed up for the 100-mile century ride. Can I change to another route?
Yes - and you can do it while you’re on the ride. It’s worth pinning all the routes you may be considering if you think you might want a change. You do not need to notify our staff that you’re changing.
My wristband color doesn’t match my route.
The wristbands are your ticket to get support at the rest stops and from SAG and your lunch at the end. They have nothing to do with the route arrow colors. The routes: Blue is the Full Century, Red is the Metric Century, Green is the Half Metric Century.
Can I use an electric bike in the Reston Century?
Yes you can, although we do not provide any e-bike facilities. Please note that there won't be anywhere to charge batteries at the start, finish or en route. You are responsible for knowing the range of your battery and we suggest you may wish to bring a spare battery. On the W&OD, the speed limit for e-vehicles is 20mph.
Do I have to wear a helmet?
Wearing a properly secured helmet is a requirement for all ride participants. No exceptions.