2027 - National 24 Hour Cycling Challenge (N24HCC)

The National 24 Hour Cycling Challenge (N24HCC) for 2027 - June 19-20

We had such great fun in Hastings during the revival of the National 24 Hour Challenge event we are returning there again in 2027! I have chosen to slightly rename the event to National 24 Hour Cycling Challenge (N24HCC) to honor the original event name.

A big shout out to Scott Daniels owner of Daniels Funeral Home for offering his large and beautiful venue near downtown Hastings, MI as our home base. It is perfect with both indoor and outdoor camping available as well as plenty of parking for campers of any kind, so come one and come all.

Physical Packet Pickup will not be required for 2027: Welcome to the digital age! A physical packet pickup will be available from 4-7pm on Friday, June 19 if you order any merchandise and want to pick it up before the event. After you register I will email you a link to e-sign the waiver. When you do this, all you really need to do is show up from 7:00-7:45am on Sat morning to get your timing chip and your pre-printed Bike Sticker and start riding. If you ordered any shirts, jerseys, or medallions you can get those either before or after the event.

If you rode some of the previous N24HC courses you will probably recognize some of the roads, however these routes are all new as of 2026 and revolve around the start-finish line at the Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings at: 1401 N Broadway. The same 4 courses will be used for 2027

Camping: Yes you are allowed to camp at the site: RV’s, tents, whatever you want. Both on Friday night before the event, and Saturday during the event. Thanks so much to Scott for his generosity and unbridled enthusiasm in hosting us and making this possible.

The 24-hour event is the main event. If you only want to ride a Century or a 6 or 12-hr TT just sign up for the 24-hr and stop when you are done. I will be happy to modify your Medallion label accordingly for a different time or exact mileage like a Century. Bottom line - just sign up for the 24-Hr Challenge.

For those who enjoyed collecting “N24HC Lifetime Miles” during the prior N24HC I have continued this tradition by combining all the rides in all N24HC events from 1983-2019, 2021, and 2026. Here is a link to the entire Database (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSlJBIXBY_oRBOPxUN-8zc2gACjVyxDHenxZm_puUrPs7-x1aVtk1_ymwkNKC54HCy314G79UJQOole/pubhtml). Be patient for it to load - it has 12,000 rows in it. If you have not had a chance, take a look at it and and confirm I have all your results correct. If you find an error - please contact me to correct it. When you register please also use the same name you used in previous N24NC events ( in this list) so your new miles in 2027 will be added to your these current Lifetime Miles.

Everyone who exceeds 1000 miles during the 2027 event will receive a free Custom C1000-mile Jersey.Those who complete each additional 1000 miles (2000 miles, 3000, etc) will receive a custom embroidery patch they attach to their 1000-mile Jersey. You had already reached 1000-miles (or more) in any previous event, you can purchase a current N24HCC 1000-mile Jersey and/or patches. Please contact me if you want to take advantage of this opportunity.

To continue the N24NC tradition, I have scheduled this event on the weekend of Father’s Day. In 2027 that will be June 19-20. This date also allows cyclists to take advantage of the most daylight possible which is always appreciated by those riding the 24-hour event. “RIde the Longest Day of the Year” - is one of our new mottos. I will add it to “Challenge Accepted”

Events and categories: The 24-hr event is THE MAIN and ONLY event. The default is drafting, but you can choose to do it non-drafting if you want to qualify for RAAM. Otherwise riding with others drafting is encouraged and part of the fun. Categories are: gender, 5-year age groups, and all bike type categories, even ElliptiGo’s! Solo riding as well as, 2 - 8 rider teams are welcome. There is something for everyone!

RAAM Qualifier: Traditionally the N24HC has been a drafting-allowed event. However, you can also sign up for the 24-hour RAAM qualifier as in years past. This obviously means that you cannot ride with groups and draft off of anyone.The RQ is 380 Miles for men and 350 miles for women (and 60+ men).

There will be 51.0 , 22.4 , 11.8, and 5.9 mile courses

New for 2027: There will be a snack and rest station mid-way on the 51-mile loop and also at the start/finish area. Fruit, snacks and water will be provided for the riders. If you are there to support someone and would be willing to help with this, please contact me and sign up for a time slot. I will also work on getting some food trucks there this year.

All 4 Courses with gpx downloads and visual map at this published link

Important Dates:

• May 1, 2027 - Last Day to order a custom 2027 N24HC riding jersey

• June 5, 2027 - Last Day to order a custom 2026 N24HC t-shirt, and/or Medallion

• June 18, 2026 (Fri) - 12:00pm - Final day for online registration

• June 18, 2026 (Fri) - 4pm - 7pm - Packet pickup and onsite registration

• June 19, 2026 (Sat) - 6:30 - 7:30am event day packet pickup and late registration

Starting Day Schedule: Rides Starts on June 20th - 8:00am

• 7:00-7:45am - All riders pick up their RFID chips at the start-line

• 7:50am - All riders meet at start line to go over final announcements

• 8:00am - Group start at 8am, with drafting riders at the front.

Finishing Schedule:

• June 19th - approx 2:00pm - 6 hour cyclists are finishing

• June 19th - 12:00pm - 6:00pm - Century cyclists are finishing in this window ????

• June 19th - approx 8:00pm - 12 hour cyclists are finishing

• June 20st - approx 8:00am- 24 hour cyclists are finishing

• Awards will be in the banquet room after each event as soon as the final rider is in and results can be tabulated and labels printed - usually within about 30 minutes. Fresh fruit, snacks, and water will be provided at the ceremony

Main Venue: The hub of the event will be the Daniels Funeral Home just north of the Center of town. The address is 1401 N Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Camping will be allowed in the parking lot and grassy areas on both Fri and Sat nights, and we will have access to bathrooms in the building.

The Event:

Each rider rides as many miles as they can. Anyone can ride any loop they want. There is no minimum number of laps or miles you need to ride or complete before you get to move to a different course. You can take breaks whenever you want, sleep whenever you want. If you take a wrong turn and ride more miles, you even get credit for those.

Each event will have the following categories: gender, 5-yr age-groups, all bike types, solo as well as 2 thru 8 rider teams.

New for 2027: I have decided to expand and make this event truly National (and even National with respect to other Countries - a simultaneous event around the world even!) While I would love for 1000’s of riders to come and descend on Hastings - and I do hope that happens - these options let virtually anyone anywhere participate. What I have decided to do to get more visibility for the event is to open it up by allowing people who can’t make it to Hastings ride wherever they are - and they can even congregate around certain other areas of the country if possible. So to allow those possibilities here is what I am going to offer:

2 different “REMOTE” options-:

#1 - If you do not live close to Hastings, MI but think you have a great place to serve as a venue and a couple great routes - I will “help” you plan, organize, and run a simultaneous event near you. I can add it to the “event” as a simultaneous satelight event: like “N24HCC - Seattle”, or wherever it may be. If there are any of these remote locations available it will be shown as an option on the registration page.

#2 - If you can’t make it to Hastings in June, 2027 - and there are no remote events near you - You can just ride during the same hours that we do in Hastings (from 8am Sat - 8am Sun) anywhere you like (right out your own driveway on any course you like)- and you will be included in a new Remote category. Lifetime N24HCC miles will still accrue no matter where you ride. The only requirement is to capture your ride on your Garmin (or similar), or on Strava (or similar) and send me a link to your final ride on Strava.

and 1 “ONLINE” option:

In addition to those 2 above options - I also thought it would be really nice to allow an indoor option as well - since there is likely to be “rainy weather” somewhere in the "world" for riders that choose to stay at home - and maybe even rainy and cold. For these people - I would allow them to ride on an indoor setup like Zwift and and also ride during the same time. I am going to look into getting Zwift to add a course for at least one of our Hastings routes to their road map so it could be realistic, but it does not matter what you ride. The indoor riders would begin their own Lifetime N24HCC Indoor miles.

Riders who sign up for these options will also receive a custom 2027 N24HCC t-shirt and a customer Medallion with their total miles for the date and their lifetime miles too. Everyone will also qualify for the free N24HCC 1000 Jersey and additional 1000-mile patches.

Event protocol:

All events and riders will start and finish at the entrance to the Timing Area

The 24-hour RAAM qualifier riders must honor the “non-drafting zone”. We have adopted the USA Triathlon (USAT) definition of this ‘zone’: as a “rectangular area seven 7 meters long (23 feet) and two 2 meters wide (6.5 feet) surrounding each bicycle”. This will provide a sufficient non-drafting area around each cyclist.

No minimum laps for any lap. RIde whatever loop you want. Even if you get lost, if you have your Garmin or Strava running and show me your miles - you will get credit for everything you rode. Near the end of your event if there is not enough time to ride another lap, you can even ride down the road and back and show me your extra miles. I want you to be able to ride the entire time of your event for full miles.

If you miscalculate and end up completing a lap after your event time, I even have a solution for that. I will use your last 2 lap time-stamps and pro-rate your distance on your last lap based on your average speed during that lap. This will calculate the exact miles you rode when the 24-hours ended. You can also take a screenshot of your Garmin at the exact time and I will accept that too.

MY ASSISTANCE RULE: HELP SOMEONE IF THEY NEED IT - If you notice anyone needing help please stop and help them (well, everything except a nature break!. My belief is that no one should EVER be stopped ALONE on the edge of the road if they are unable to ride. If you see someone alone - ask, stop if needed, and help - No one really wants to work on their bike alone and you can always do something to help, especially at night!

So, if you stop to help someone, you will earn mileage credit for the time you stopped to help someone in need. Get their name, or their Bike Tag #, and record the time you stopped and started back again. At the end of the event (or during a break) provide this information to me or the timer. Practically speaking, if you can’t help someone fix something in less than 30 minutes, then have them call their support. If they are unsupported, then call me and I will send someone to help or bring them back to fix their issue. As long as your stopped time is less than 30 minutes (per occurrence) you will get mileage credit for the time based on your average speed for the event.

Follow vehicles and crew Info:

51-Mile Course Support rules:

If you are riding on the 51-mile you are allowed to have a personal support vehicle on the course to assist you. These are the crew rules:

1. You may not directly follow your rider as that would present a dangerous situation with so many riders on the road. If you are seen doing this, your rider will be immediately disqualified from the event and required to stop.

2. You may be anywhere on the course and stop (off the road) to hand off food or drink to your rider or offer any other type of assistance they need.

3. Your rider may call you if they need mechanical aid and you may drive to, and stop anywhere on the course (off the road) to offer mechanical aid as long as it is done off the road.

4. Handoffs from the support vehicle while it is moving are not allowed. If you are seen doing this, your rider will be immediately disqualified from the event and required to stop.

During the 51-mile loop, supported riders may also have their crew set-up anywhere along the route as long as they are completely off the road and not on private property.

22.4, 11.8, and 5.9 Loop Support Crew rules:

Crew for each rider is allowed to set up a single “support area” near the start/finish line. These courses are so short a rider should not need someone to meet them anywhere along it. If your rider has a mechanical issue, you may then, of course, drive out to assist them.

What happens if I have a mechanical on the course and cannot continue?

If you have a mechanical issue on any course you are allowed to call your crew and they can drive out to help you. At that point you have 2 options:

• Repair or replace your bike and continue riding.

• Return back to the Start/Finish area to see if it can be repaired there or you can use a back-up bike if you want. You can just start from there again. If you choose this option, please record where you stopped on the route so I can give you credit for that partial lap. If you are using a Garmin (or similar) , please stop or pause it before you ride in the car, so you can show me the miles you had up to that point and we can update the timing system accordingly.

Support crews are permitted to hand-off food and drink to their riders from the roadside or pit-area while the rider is moving (as long as the crew are not in a vehicle) . If the rider needs to come to a full stop, they must be off the road so they do not interfere with any other rider.

Riders, when you are not utilizing the support areas, ride on the far side of the area so there is no conflict with those slowing down for handoffs or entering the road from a pit-stop.

Where to park your vehicle:

You may park your vehicle in any of the parking spots at the Venue that are not marked as saved for the event or for riders to pass through.

Awards and souvenirs:

A custom forged Medallion with a 2027 N24HCC insert is included in your registration fee. It will be given out during the award ceremony and will have your results printed on the back.

During the online registration, you will have the opportunity to purchase custom t-shirts, Cycling Jerseys, or extra Medallions for yourself and your crew. The deadline to preorder is May 20, 2027. There will also be a limited supply of t-shirts, Cycling Jerseys, and Medallions available to purchase during onsite registration and packet picket and after awards.

An Awards and Recognition Ceremony will be held around 8:30 in the banquet room of Daniels Funeral Home (don’t worry - no caskets!) Everyone will be recognized for their achievement and have an opportunity for a photo with their medallion and crew. Special recognition will be provided for all who surpass 1000 miles, and each additional 1000 miles with a Custom N24CC Jersey or embroidered emblem.

Accommodations:

• Hastings, MI is centrally located between the large cities of Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Kalamazoo, which are all around 45 mins away and closer to 30 on the outskirts. Many people have great luck booking a B&B nearby as well.

There is no access to electricity in the parking area so 24-hr riders and crew need to make sure to supply whatever they need via backup batteries, etc..

A charging table will be provided by the timing tent. It will have a variety of USB and electrical connections. Please bring whatever cords you need to plug into them.

Facilities:

Portable toilets will be available near the start/finish line , as well as indoor toilets in the barn and the main building. I ask all crew members to save the portal toilets for the riders so they don’t have to wait to use them

Many Thanks again to Scott Daniels for providing the use of his location for our event. Please note that no pets are allowed in the building but OK at camping as long as they are leashed.

Please keep out of any part of the Main building that is not listed as available to us and use the time immediately after your event (while you are waiting for your award ceremony) to remove all personal items and all trash from your support and/or camping area. We want to be able to be welcomed back here for many years to come!

Sign up for these other UltraCycling Events:

2026 Mid-Atlantic 12/24 - Washington, NC - Aug 9-10

2026 Georgie TT Endurance Challenge - Rincon, Ga - Sept 12-13 (6-hr WUCA Championship) https://www.bikereg.com/2026-georgia-tt-endurance-challenge

2026 Psycho 48 - Bayboro, NC - Oct 16-18

Annual UCE 24-12-6 Hour Championship - Sebring, FL Nov 14-15, 2026 - https://www.bikereg.com/2026-uce-24-12-6-hr-tt-championship

Bike Sebring Feb 14-15, 2027 - https://www.bikereg.com/2027-bike-sebring

Calvins Challenge, Springfield, Oh, May 15-16, 2027