Difficulty Ratings: 1 - 10 Explained
A difficult ride can be defined by many aspects of the ride, route, terrain, weather, time of year, etc. Here is how we make the complex into a simple number.
Scale Rating System: 1 = easy; 10 = extremely difficult or challenging.
Bike Setup
| Ride Difficulty Rating | 1 - 2 | 3 - 4 | 5 - 6 | 7 - 8 | 9 - 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | A 33c filetread or knobby tire is more than enough. | 35-40c knobby tires will be good. | 40c knobby tires will be ideal. | 45c knobbies will be appreciated. | Mountain bike tires will be best a some points. |
| Gearing | Crankset: 50/34t double. Cassette: 12-28t or 12-32t. | Crankset: 50/34t double. Cassette: 12-32t. This will work for most riders. | Crankset: 50/34t double. Cassette: 12-32t. This will work for most riders. | Crankset: 44/28t double. Cassette: 12-32t. | Mountain bike gearing along the lines of: Crankset: 32/22t. Cassette: 12-36t. |
| Bike Dependability | Well tuned and ready for a full day. | Bike has had a recent overhaul and is ready for tough terrain and weather. New brake pads. | Bike has just been overhauled; new brake pads, new cables, chain and cassette have 1,000 miles of life available. Your tires are in great shape. You're bringing all the tools and parts you need for a week offroad. | Bike has just been overhauled: New cables, brake pads, chain and cassette, and new tires and tubes. Bike has had a crack inspection and passes muster for two weeks of tough riding with no support. You're carrying all the tools and parts needed to keep the bike going. | You've just had the bike overhauled with new brake pads, new chain, new cassette, new cables, new tires and tubes. You're bringing all the tools needed to keep the bike riding for a month without support.. |
Flora, Fauna, & Seasons
| Ride Difficulty Rating | 1 - 2 | 3 - 4 | 5 - 6 | 7 - 8 | 9 - 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | Maybe some deer, bunnies, and turkeys -- and that's about it. | Possibly foxes. | Probably foxes and maybe a bear or two. | Possibilty of seeing wolves, poisonous snakes, and tarantulas. | Definitely in bear, alligator, and mountain lion country. |
| Flora | Green and glorious | A mix of green and exposed | A mix of everything | Exposed, dry, limited tree cover. | Bushwacking; lots of poison ivy and other flora that makes you itch or scratch. |
| Season | 65-75 degrees farehneit; Late spring or early fall. Perfect time to ride. | Either warmish in the 80s or coolish in the 50s to 60s. Both are good. | Deep summer temperatures. 90+ during the day. Hydration is a constant challenge. | Early or late winter; likely sub freezing with chance of snow. | Winter with every chance of snow; subfreezing temperatures. |
| Weather | Not expecting much other than sun and a few clouds | Most likely great weather for the entire trip. Maybe a spot of rain. | Expect a range of weather but mostly the good kind. | Expect some rain and maybe cold -- and pack accordingly. | Be ready for anything and everything: rain, sleet, snow, wind. This is what adventure riding is all about. |
Safety & Support
| Ride Difficulty Rating | 1 - 2 | 3 - 4 | 5 - 6 | 7 - 8 | 9 - 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to Civilization | Within a few miles of town centers. | About 10 miles from civilization. | Up to 15-miles from any town center. | 15 to 30-miles from civilizations. Hours away from rescue. Be ready for anything. Be self sufficent. | More than 30-miles from a town center. You had better be very self sufficent: First aid, SPOT Tracker, overnight survival, etc. |
| Access to Overland Support Vehicle | Overland support vehicle never far away. | Overland support vehicle within an hour or so. | Overland support vehicle within a couple hours of access. | Overland support vehicle available with notice. | No Overland support vehicle close by; could be hours to get access. |
| Cell Phone Coverage | Definitely | 95% of the time | Most of the time but not all the time; use a SPOT Tracker as backup. | Spotty at best; use a SPOT Tracker. | Most likely no cell coverage for the majority of the trip; use a SPOT Tracker. |
| Hydration | Overland supplies plenty or lots of neutral supported hydration of all kinds. | Water stops available every 3-4 hours or so. | Hydration stops available at predesignated stops every 6-hours or so. | Hydration stops sporadically placed and not ideal. | You're packing it all in and surviving on what you bring. |
| Nutrition | Overland supply too much food for all the stops: breakfast, lunch, trail foods, dinner, and dessert. | Overland supplies 90% of the food you might want. | Overland supplies about half the food you'll need on this trip. | Overland supplies one meal per day on this trip. | You're packing it all in and surviving on what you bring. |
| Shelter | Overland supply lodging in beds -- hotel style. | Overland supplies a mix of hotels and campgrounds, including a warm fire. Overland will transport your tent and bedding, if you want. | Overland supplies campgrounds and warm fires for you. We may transport your tent and bedding. | Overland supplies campgrounds and fire; you carry your tent, bedding, and anything else you need aside from meals. | You're carrying everything you need for lodging -- and you're figuring out your own campsite. |
Support Level
Equipment
| Difficulty Rating | 1 - 2 | 3 - 4 | 5 - 6 | 7 - 8 | 9 - 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cell Phone Coverage | Definitely | 95% of the time | Most of the time but not all the time; use a SPOT Tracker as backup. | Spotty at best; use a SPOT Tracker. | Most likely no cell coverage for the majority of the trip; use a SPOT Tracker. |
| Shelter | Overland supply lodging in beds -- hotel style. | Overland supplies a mix of hotels and campgrounds, including a warm fire. Overland will transport your tent and bedding, if you want. | Overland supplies campgrounds and warm fires for you. We may transport your tent and bedding. | Overland supplies campgrounds and fire; you carry your tent, bedding, and anything else you need aside from meals. | You're carrying everything you need for lodging -- and you're figuring out your own campsite. |
Hydration & Nutrition
| Difficulty Rating | 1 - 2 | 3 - 4 | 5 - 6 | 7 - 8 | 9 - 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydration | Overland supplies plenty or lots of neutral supported hydration of all kinds. | Water stops available every 3-4 hours or so. | Hydration stops available at predesignated stops every 6-hours or so. | Hydration stops sporadically placed and not ideal. | You're packing it all in and surviving on what you bring. |
| Nutrition | Overland supply too much food for all the stops: breakfast, lunch, trail foods, dinner, and dessert. | Overland supplies 90% of the food you might want. | Overland supplies about half the food you'll need on this trip. | Overland supplies one meal per day on this trip. | You're packing it all in and surviving on what you bring. |
Terrain & Days Out
| Difficulty Rating | 1 - 2 | 3 - 4 | 5 - 6 | 7 - 8 | 9 - 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Distance | 20-30 miles | 31-45 miles | 46-74 miles | 75-100 miles | 100+ miles |
| Number of Days on Route | 1 day | 2-3 days | 4-7 days | 8-13 days | 14+ days |
| Terrain | 100% rideable; lots of wide trails and roads. | 100% reideable; about 10% technical singletrack | 99% rideable; 10-30% technical singletrack. | 95% rideable. Some primitive trails. Could be 10-50% technical singletrack. | Extremely challenging. Numerious hike-a-bike sections. Some bushwhacking expected. |
| Territory | Likely urban, exurban, & rural | Suburban & rural | Exurban & rural | Very rural & countryside | Countryside & back country |
| Access to Civilization | Within a few miles of town centers; Overland support vehicle never far away. | About 10 miles from civilization; Overland support vehicle within an hour or so. | Up to 15-miles from any town center; Overland support vehicle within a couple hours of access. | 15 to 30-miles from civilizations. Hours away from rescue. Be ready for anything. Be self sufficent. Overland support vehicle available. | More than 30-miles from a town center. No Overland support vehicle close by. You had better be very self sufficent: First aid, SPOT Tracker, overnight survival, etc. |
| Elevation Gain | Less than 25 feet per mile | 25-50 ft/mile | 51-80 ft/mile | 81-110 ft/mile | More than 110 ft/mile |