BASC 2024 Routes!
Created by Matt Hartman
2024 BASC has returned to Hickory Hill Milk! A rider favorite and one of the most unique gravel event venues. Where else can you spend 3 days gravel grinding and cap your days off with fresh chocolate milk?
You can view the routes in detail on RidewithGPS
We may have returned to an area that we explored a few years back, but the routes are fresh! This year we will be cruising country back roads, rolling over red clay hills and gliding over hard-packed sandy straightaways. There isn’t a surface type that your wheels won’t touch over the course of the weekend so mount up those wide tires and pack some snacks. It’s time to Bike Across South Carolina!
Please note that routes will be finalized on the week of the event. Occasionally we will need to make changes due to road conditions or construction. Participants will be notified via email of any changes. The links on this event page will not change.
What type of bike/tires would be best for this ride?
When riding gravel, the road conditions can vary quite a bit from day to day. Surfaces are impacted by outside factors such as weather, traffic volume, the amount of regular maintenance they receive and more.
Bikes:
The roads in Saluda County vary from gravel, dirt, and chip seal. You will be rolling up and down over gravel and twisting and turning through National Forests. For safety and comfort we recommend only gravel or mountain bikes. We strongly advise against recumbents or hand cycles due to the lack of visibility for vehicular traffic.
Tires:
For this event we recommend a tire width of no less than 37c or 38c. This will provide adequate traction and also optimize comfort. The wider the better, but a 37c should be recognized as the minimum width.
What’s the distance and elevation gain of the routes this year?
Specifics on distance, elevation and unpaved surfaces can be found on the Ride with GPS event page. This page contains the individual routes for each day.
https://ridewithgps.com/events/302401-basc-2024
How much gravel will there be this year?
The average ratio for the entire weekend will be about 60/40 gravel to pavement. Some of the short routes have less gravel due to their proximity to more populated areas.
Will we be in high-traffic areas?
There will be a few high-traffic areas over the course of the weekend. These sections are very short and only used as connections between rural and gravel roads. Hight traffic roads were avoided at all costs and only used when no other options were available.
How beginner-friendly are the routes?
The gravel sections on the routes are fairly beginner friendly given you have the appropriate equipment. You will need to be comfortable riding in traffic on roads with narrow shoulders and limited sight distance. In most cases these stretches of road will be short.
