It’s become one of the most popular events on the UK calendar. The Ritchey Bikefest, with its combination of a fast course, high quality singletrack, good location and chilled out atmosphere, is the must-do event of the season.

For 2012 they’ve jigged the format a little. The 12-hour event, with a choice of solo, pairs and team entries, takes place on Saturday. Ideal for soloists as you can now relax on Sunday. Or you can take part, if you’re feeling fit, in Sunday’s 3 and 6-hour race.

Over to the organisers for the official word:

Following the trend of the last few years the solo category has once more been extremely popular – to the level that we are only a few entries away from closing the solo category for the 12-hour event on Saturday. You’ve only got until Tuesday 22 May to enter the 12-hour solo. Team and pair entries are still available.

But don’t worry if you keen to ride solo than you can still enter the races on Sunday or if solo is not that important why not get a few friends together and enter one of the team categories. There are still places for those available on Saturday and Sunday

To enter any of the races simply go to the entry page and either download your entry form and send it through to us or click through to our new online entry. Providing there are still places left (please keep your eye on the website) there we will be day entries available for the Sunday event.

The Course

After its introduction at the Oktoberfest in 2011 lost of people have been enjoying the new Ashton Court course. This year the Ritchey Bikefest will also be using the entire course for the 12 / 6 / 3 hour races. In time for the big event the trail crews have been out doing some work in a few sections – so by the time the event comes around it should be in perfect conditions.

We have been looking at the start and the handover area and we have a few ideas to make both of them work better. Hopefully this will reduce the ‘traffic jam’ in the 1st lap as well as make the ‘baton handover’ more relaxed.

Bristol Beer Factory and Entertainment at BBF

For the first time in 2012 we will have the Bristol Beer Factory on board supplying the event with thir lovely beers and ales on Friday and Saturday night. Plus we will also have a few ciders in the cooler. Besides that we will have last year’s Oktoberfest DJ playing some tunes on Friday night creating the perfect background for some pre-race carbo-loading that is essential for the Bristol Bikefest and he will be back for his main set on Saturday night for the after ’12hour’ party.

Kid’s race on Saturday

There will be the Mini Bikefest kids race held on the Saturday starting at 1:00pm. Classes are under seven and over seven. Parents can enter their children on the day before 12:30pm by coming to registration in the main marquee and registering on the line. The entry will be free of charge.

Event village

The event village is getting bigger and bigger and there will be lots of shiny stuff on show and for test. We have Ritchey, Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport, Avanti, Saris, CycleOps, Torq, Phase9, ZeroG, Salsa, Pedal Propgression, ProGold, Dirt Junkie and Merida signed up with more booking forms coming in. Watch this space.

Enter now at www.bike-fest.com/bristol/entries.php