My first Northern Hemisphere Rapha Festive 500 was a disaster. It wasn’t so much the wet roads but the wind chill that wreaked havoc with my hands and feet – this was something I’d never experienced, having completed several Festive 500s in Cape Town. In fact, apart from some kamikaze drivers, the only elemental issue I ever faced in South Africa was the wind. It’s safe to say my first Freezing 500 was a shock to the system, forcing me to rethink the whole concept and devise a strategy to get through it without turning to Zwift.
Aaron Borrill
When he’s not writing about tech, Aaron races and rides bikes indoors and outdoors. He’s completed stage races such as the Cape Epic, Berg and Bush, W2W, and Gravel Burn and captained South Africa at the UCI Cycling eSports World Championships.
There’s nothing wrong with attempting it on Zwift – especially if you live in a country where snow and severe temperatures mean completing it outside is dangerous. But if you live in the UK or northern Europe, there’s no excuse not to ride it outside – all you need is some motivation and solid planning. While there’s been plenty of Festive 500 backlash from some cyclists in recent years, with wasted family time and the idea of suffering over Christmas emerging as the leading issues, my wife and I have always completed the Rapha Festive 500 together.
Our love for the event stems from the challenge it posed when we first started cycling in 2013, and ever since then, it’s become a tradition for us – a pseudo training camp and something we look forward to every year, even living here in the UK.
The Festive 500 is not easy, even if you happen to live in the Southern Hemisphere, where the weather is warmer – it still requires commitment and thorough planning. This year marks my 10th Festive 500, and to help you complete your first Festive 500 outdoors, I’ve compiled a checklist of tips and tricks.
(Image credit: Kim Russon)
Plan your Festive 500 route – carefully
While 500km might sound daunting, if you do the maths, this translates to 62.5km every day for eight days, and that’s if you don’t take any rest days. I start every Festive 500 with the same mindset: a new route each day, split into two or three parts, with planned coffee breaks. I’ve found – especially when riding with others – that having small target goals helps break up the monotony and gives the group something to aim for, as it’s easier to process small chunks than one big ride with no stops.
Day one is always the ‘long day’ as I never ride on Christmas Day itself. By getting a chunk in on day one (usually between 100-120km), I can offset the balance to something still easily achievable. It’s also worth studying the long-term weather forecast and planning for all eventualities.
Thankfully, for the five Festive 500s I’ve completed in the UK, the weather has never really been truly foul – just cold and sometimes wet. I understand I’m due for a wet one at some point, but it very seldom rains on consecutive days in December in the Surrey Hills, and the rain is usually localised, so there’s always a good chance it’s dry 10km down the road.
Top tip: Have a backup route for each day. If it’s raining and you’re not keen on starting the day, it’s worth doing a small loop to keep chipping away at the miles. As I mentioned before, heading north or south might enable you to bank some miles without getting wet or too cold.
Top tip: Plan a coffee stop or three. This helps with morale and gives the group motivation. Obviously this is more difficult on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but there’s always somewhere open.
(Image credit: Future)
Invest in some deep winter cycling clothing
Southern Hemisphere winter cycling clothing isn’t on the same level as what you will find here in the UK. When I first arrived in the UK in 2019, I did many a ride underdressed, and I suffered tremendously with cold ears, hands, and feet.
My first port of call was purchasing a pair of the best winter bib tights – this does not exist in South Africa. The closest you get to this is leg warmers, and even those are hard to find. Bib tights were a game-changer for me. Next up were a breathable base layer, one of the best winter cycling jackets, a headscarf, ear warmers, and deep winter cycling gloves.
While these additions have made a world of difference to on-bike comfort, as a very lean chap, I still run on the cold side, and my hands and feet still suffer. To counter this, I’ve invested in thicker socks and glove liners, which have helped.
Top tip: Always carry a packable rain jacket you can store in your pocket.
(Image credit: BikeFlights)
Ride it in a group or with friends
Of all my Festive 500s, I think I’ve only done one alone, and that was a pretty miserable one, to be honest. It was back in 2020, during Covid, and the Festive feeling was down across the board; most people were riding indoors or not at all. This was also the first year Rapha added a virtual option in which indoor miles on a smart indoor trainer counted toward the challenge, and it has been part of the F500 ever since.
While I’m not an advocate for using Zwift to complete the Festive 500 – the miles come quicker and have made it an easier exercise – I still appreciate riders staying active and achieving their goals, so I still encourage those who can’t attempt it outdoors for whatever reason.
The best thing about the Festive 500 is the season’s festivity and riding with mates. As I mentioned before, it’s something I do with my wife, and we both enjoy the time together and the challenge of getting through it in the worst conditions imaginable. This year, we’re doing it with friends and riding it as a group, which is going to be real fun – I love this time of the year as there’s no pressure to train for races. It’s just about enjoying the bike, talking rubbish, laughing, and attacking each other for the town sign sprint.
Not only does riding in a group help the miles tick by fairly quickly, you can share the load and work across the challenge.
Pro tip: Mudguards keep the vibes high and keep everybody clean when the roads are wet or muddy.
(Image credit: Getty)
Make Christmas a rest day
Whether you’re a Christian or not, Christmas is one of the most special days of the year as it brings family together – the day should be spent with your loved ones. Of course, that could also mean a short ride with your partner or children, but I find it the ideal time in the challenge to take a day off the bike.
While adding a rest day will put extra mileage stress on the balance of the Festive 500, I always get a big one in on day one to ensure I keep the mileage ticking over – and by big I mean 100-120km. If you do manage to get in 120km on day one, you’ll need to cover 63km every day for the next six days.
Historically, I don’t keep to a regimental minimum daily mileage output but rather ensure my final day is an easy coffee ride, so I would suggest doing a few bigger ones to ensure day eight is short, easy, and fun – perhaps culminating in a mountain bike or gravel excursion.
Top tip: Make day one the biggest mileage day of the challenge so there’s less pressure to finish the Festive 500 if you take a rest day.
(Image credit: Getty Images – SimonSkafar)
Don’t ignore bike maintenance
Bike maintenance is a big one and something you shouldn’t ignore – especially over a wet Festive 500. During this time of year, roads will likely be gritted in preparation for possible snow and ice, and salt can corrode your bolts and spoke nipples.
I always recommend cleaning your bike, either with a hose or with a bicycle-specific Karcher or Muc-Off Pressure Washer, avoiding all bearings (wheels, bottom bracket, and headset), and applying Muc-Off Bike Protection or a water-repellent spray to these sensitive areas, then relubing your chain. Failure to do so can result in trouble down the line – worn chains and sprockets and a corroded BB and headset.
Pro tip: Hose your bike down immediately after your ride, lightly wash it, and lube your chain.
(Image credit: Getty)
Be humble. Encourage
It’s easy to get overexcited and carried away with your progress. Some riders complete the entire Festive 500 challenge in a few days, while others prefer to spread it over the full eight days. It’s worth being sensitive to those around you and encouraging riders to keep chipping away – it’s all about building confidence and ensuring more people stay on bicycles.
The Festive 500 is as much about spending time with your mates and family on the bike as it is about overcoming the challenge. If someone is struggling, motivate them. If you encounter a rider with a puncture or mechanical issue, stop and offer assistance. The Festive 500 is not about your average speed and who finishes the fastest; it’s about enjoying the vibes that made you fall in love with the sport in the first place.
Pro tip: Carry a spare tube (or two) and some tools. Not only will this help prevent the Uber call of shame, but it will also equip you to help a cyclist in need of a roadside fix.
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