Alternatives to RAGBRAI

[Marvinlungwitz]

Originally Posted by saab2000

120 miles per day! And $185 per day is pretty steep too. But it’s definitely an interesting thought. And it’s definitely a challenge to train for. I’ve done 120 mile days but never 1200 miles over ten days.

You don’t need to do all 10 days, there’s shorter options.

(Originally, it was a goal for me in 2025, but we’re moving to Cleveland next year, and I think 2026 is more likely.)

I have heard favorable reviews of this ride (route changes yearly):

https://outdoor-pursuits.org/goba-2/

[Latestart]

https://cycleoregon.com/

I did it 5 years in a row in my younger days. Route changes every year. Used to be 3000 riders, I think it is more like 1000 now.

Lots of different terrain, some years lots of climbing, other years, riding through rolling hills of eastern OR or down the coast.

[bikinchris]

Rides I have done that sound like RAGBRAI without the big drunk rider contingent would be Cycle Across Maryland, League of Michigan Bicyclists events like Circle Tour (MUP) and West Tour and Missouri Park's Katy Trail ride.
Cycle Across Maryland doesn't exist anymore. League of Michigan Bicyclists really put on a great ride. You might find the Katy Trail to be a bit tame, since you are never on the roads.

[SevenTi]

RAGBRA charter groups can help with some of the congestion as they generally have private camp sites away from the main site. I have used the “Out of Staters” charter group. They have about two u-haul trucks to carry gear and smaller camp sites. It is a low key charter and I’ve used them each time both for the bus service across the state and week long charter.

https://ragbrai.com/charter/out-of-staters/


As far as alternatives, Bike Wisconsin’s GRABAAWR “Great Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River” runs from NE to SE Wisconsin and has about 1200 riders (the time I did it). It is much smaller than RAGBRAI and doesn’t have the same state-wide awareness, but it is a nice ride in the Midwest. I’d recommend it for a change, but I think RAGBRAI is hard to top.

https://www.bikewisconsin.com/grabaawr/grabaawr.htm

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by jmoeny

Tour de Wyoming.

Limited to 250 riders. Fully supported, with good scenery (route changes every year so some may be better than others) and quiet roads all for $300.

https://www.tourdewyoming.org/

We're moving to Wyoming in the spring. I looked at last year's route and it went over the Big Horn Mountains twice, that's pretty epic. Hwy 16 between Buffalo and Ten Sleep is bike friendly-ish, but Hwy 14 from Sheridan (Dayton) to Basin is sketchy, definitely alloy rims or disc brakes. Both routes top out around 9200 feet. I think I'll enter the lottery in 2026.

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by SevenTi

RAGBRA charter groups can help with some of the congestion as they generally have private camp sites away from the main site. I have used the “Out of Staters” charter group. They have about two u-haul trucks to carry gear and smaller camp sites. It is a low key charter and I’ve used them each time both for the bus service across the state and week long charter.

https://ragbrai.com/charter/out-of-staters/


As far as alternatives, Bike Wisconsin’s GRABAAWR “Great Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River” runs from NE to SE Wisconsin and has about 1200 riders (the time I did it). It is much smaller than RAGBRAI and doesn’t have the same state-wide awareness, but it is a nice ride in the Midwest. I’d recommend it for a change, but I think RAGBRAI is hard to top.

https://www.bikewisconsin.com/grabaawr/grabaawr.htm

The Wisconsin ride looks interesting.

As to RAGBRAI, I’m not sure what I’ll do. I’ll definitely look at it when they publish the cities. Part of the reason I’d like to do it is I need a goal to train for. It’s not a race but it definitely behooves a rider to start in good shape.

There have been many really nice camping sites over the 4 years I have done it but also some really sketchy ones that were just too small and crowded. 50/50 about whether or not I do 2025.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by Latestart

https://cycleoregon.com/

I did it 5 years in a row in my younger days. Route changes every year. Used to be 3000 riders, I think it is more like 1000 now.

Lots of different terrain, some years lots of climbing, other years, riding through rolling hills of eastern OR or down the coast.

Cycle Oregon's 7 day tour is no longer. They never recovered from cancellations due to fires followed by the pandemic. They only do weekend gravel mini tours now.

That said, CO was a great tour. Met my wife on my 2nd and did 10 more together. I miss it.

[earlfoss]

Not sure if Tour of the Mississippi River Valley (TOMRV) is still happening but it's in the northern Iowa area and, at least when I did it a long time ago, a well-run and fun event.