FAQ 

Serbia Upside Down – Gravel Basecamp 22

Gravel

•  What is gravel?
  • (gra·vl) – Gravel riding or adventure riding, is an increasingly popular form of cycling that combines elements of road and mountain biking, and consisting mostly of distance riding over unpaved roads.

Fitness

• Will I be able to ride this route?
  • It would be great if you would have around 1500km on your road bike or 1000km on your gravel/CX bike, since the beginning of the year. This year, we will have shorter (30-40km) and longer (70-100km) routes each day, so you can choose on the spot which one you are comfortable with. You can be a beginner gravel cyclist as long as you are in good shape, you have at least some experience riding off-road, and some experience riding in a group.

Bike 

• How can I tell if my bike is good enough for the camp?
  • Ideal type of bike for a riding style and the terrain that we are covering is a gravel or a CX (cyclo cross) bike, preferably with disk brakes.
  • Bikes that would also do the work are fitness/hybrid and MTB hardtail (cross-country) bikes.
  • For all bike types, the most important factors are tires and a bike weight.
  • Tires should be 35 to 50mm wide with a gravel/CX/cross-country profile.
  • Narrower tire and you will be insecure on hard-pack, wider tire and you will be slow in a group ride. We will most probably ride Panaracer Gravelking 40/622. 
  • Tubeless tire setup is preferable but not a must.
  • In case you are not sure if your bike can make it for the camp, shoot us an email.

• Will there be an option to rent a bike/e-bike?
  • We are working on it. In case you need one, shoot us an email.

• What happens if my bike gets out of function during a tour?
  • It would be great if you already know how to fix minor problems on your bike, for example a flat tire. In case you don’t know or need some support, other riders will be there to help you out. In the event of a bigger malfunction, we will be there to pick you up by car and solve the problem on the spot.

Equipment

• Do I need any special equipment and accessories?
  • Beside a bicycle, you will need:
  • A helmet – no helmet no ride,
  • Sunglasses – protecting your eyes against UV rays,
  • Clipless shoes are not a must, but a plus especially if you plan to ride a longer tour,
  • Spare tubes x 2,
  • Tire levers,
  • Mini pump (it’s important that there is at least one pump per group),
  • Water bottles x 2,

• And there are some further parts and accessories that can make your life easier but are definitely optional:
  • Chain oil,
  • Multitool,
  • Spare brake pads,
  • Chain quick link,
  • Spare rear derailleur hanger,
  • Lastly, we do not plan to be riding bikes at night, but you never know what can happen, so bring the lights just in case.

• What kind of clothes should I bring?
  • Cycling clothes such as short bibs, a short sleeve jersey, and a long sleeve jersey in case it gets cold. We will ride in hawaii shirts, but you don’t have to.

Routes

• Can I combine different route lengths?
  • Yes. You can pick one out of two routes each day. Routes will be created in a circular form (same start and finish) and will roughly cover 30-40km (shorter) and 70-100km (longer).

• What happens if I can not ride during all four days?
  • You can opt to skip a day, have a hike, chill out by the swimming pool or do some yoga – you do you 🙂 No pressure from us.

• When will I get the route?
  • One week before the event starts.

Food

• Should I bring food to the camp?  
  • Main meals are included and provided in the camp. We advise you to bring bars, gels or isotonics you generally use while cycling.

Payment, price and refund

• What is the price of the tour?
  • The tour price is 350€ per person for guys, and 315€ for ladies (10% discount to support women in cycling).

• What is the deadline for payment?
  • The deadline for payment to confirm the reservation is 10 days from receival of the email.

• Which payment options are available? Can I pay in installments or via an invoice?
  • If you are paying from abroad, we will send you an online payment gateway. In case you are located in Serbia, you can pay by cash. In both cases you will receive a receipt. For both installments and invoices, email us.

• Is there a refund in case I need to cancel?
  • Once you make a payment, you will be able to cancel your spot and get a 90% refund up to one month before the camp. In case you cancel your spot up to 3 weeks before the camp, the refund is 50%. Two weeks before the camp, we would not be able to refund you.

Participation and stay

• Can non-riders apply, and if yes what is the price?
  • The goal of the camp is to bring together 30+ bike riders. At this point, due to a big interest we are not able to commit to extra spots, but in case you would like to come with your family, a partner or a friend reach out to us and we will give our best to figure something out: contact@upsidedown.cc.
    

• Do I need to be in the camp for 4 days?
  • The camp is designed for a 4-day experience. You can choose the number of days you would like to spend there, but you would still be paying the full price due to the reservations and other costs that we need to plan in advance.

Transport

• How can I come to camp if I do not have a car?
  • For people who do not have a car (or a friend with one) we have organized the transport Belgrade – Zdravkovac – Belgrade. There is an additional cost of 30€ per person (bike included) and if you need this you can reach out to us via email.
    

Other

• Can we have a mini race? Do I get a medal for finishing the tour?
  • Serbia Upside Down is not a race or a competition. It is about adventure cycling in untouched nature, experiencing the local culture, meeting people and having fun. What you will get is some memorable experiences and fun times 🙂