Ohio Randonneurs Rules for Riders

We can’t have brevets without rules. It’s part of the code of the Randonneur. For detailed requirements, please see the full set of rules that govern brevets at http://www.rusa.org/brvreg.html. The following additional rules apply to Ohio Randonneurs rides.

  1. All riders must wear ANSI or Snell approved helmets.

  2. These brevets are club rides of Ohio Randonneurs. There are no annual dues or membership fees. We do charge a nominal fee to cover the cost of administering the events.

  3. You must meet Ohio traffic laws, including those regarding bicycle illumination for nighttime riding. Lights must be firmly affixed to the vehicle and be of sufficient wattage to be visible from 500 feet away, and not pointed up into the eyes of riders behing you. You must display a rear reflector. At least one steady taillight must be lit whenever lights are required. Flashing lights shall not be used when riding in groups. Your lights must be lit while you are riding between sunset and sunrise. Riding in a group does not change the lighting requirement. All riders must use their lights. You will be disqualified any time you are found riding at night without your lights. During night riding every rider must wear a reflective safety vest, jacket, triangle or sash displaying at least 30 square inches of rear-facing reflectivity and 27 square inches of forward-facing and shoulder reflectivity in addition to a reflective ankle band around each ankle. You must show spare bulbs and batteries, as appropriate, when asked. Lights and reflective clothing must be on board at the start of the 300, 400 and 600k events. Reflective sashes, ankle bands and triangles are available to purchase directly from the RUSA store.  See also: RUSA reflectivity guide

  4. Each rider should carry a spare tube, a pump or air cartridges and a water bottle.

  5. No support vehicles are allowed on the route. Support vehicles may meet riders only at controls. A map will be available for your support team.

  6. Riders must stay on brevet routes. If riders get off route, they must return to the route at the point of departure. These routes are selected for safety and road surface. Parallel routes may be gravel or otherwise unsafe. Stay on the routes! Failure to use the prescribed route is grounds for disqualification. Official support vehicles will follow the brevet routes.

  7. Riders must arrive and sign in at all controls while they are open, have their brevet cards stamped and initialed, and sign and leave their brevet cards with the organizer at the end of the brevet. At unmanned controls, a store stamp and clerk initials are required on the brevet card.  Electronic proof of passage is also acceptable.

  8. Riders must be present at least 30 minutes prior to the start to allow for bike inspection, filling out paperwork, and getting instructions. Help us make the check-in process quick and painless – Do early check-in the night before when it’s available or arrive early.

  9. Abandonment – Riders that abandon the event must notify the ride coordinator that he/she is not finishing and must surrender their brevet card. Riders who abandon are responsible for arranging their own transportation. These events are not sagged. Determination and resourcefulness are key attributes of a successful Randonneur. If a rider requires assistance in returning to the start, he/she may have to wait for several hours before a ride can be arranged. Beware also that cell phone coverage may be very limited in rural areas. You may experience “no service” conditions over much of the route. We recommend carrying a prepaid calling card in case you need to use a pay phone or borrow the use of a business or residential phone.

  10. Make-up Brevets – RUSA and ACP prohibit the use of make-up brevets in ACP sanctioned events. The brevet schedule is posted well in advance of all events so that riders may schedule accordingly and there are brevet events scheduled on varying dates in neighboring states. All ride results must come from the actual event itself. There is no provision in BRM regulations for any ‘make-up’ rides.” Pre rides will be limited to those riders who plan to volunteer on the day of the event.