Entry fee: Rs. 26,000/- The fees includes, Stay and accommodation on all days of the tour (Triple sharing & Dormitory sharing basis only) Meals and support on all days of the tour Basic medical and technical assistance Luggage transportation Photography Certificate and medal for finishers A great opportunity to network with cycling enthusiasts The fees DOES NOT include, Food and beverages that are not part of the GMC2023 menu Accommodation that is not part of GMC2023 itinerary Spares for the bikes Transportation of the bikes and bikers to the GMC2023 event start point Transportation of the bikes and bikers after the event end Any charges for sightseeing Medicines and medical consultation ​

Definitely, as long as you have the gumption to finish the ride! There will be enough motivation from fellow cyclists and the volunteers to goad you on to complete the ride. Moreover, there will be sufficient support en route to supply refreshments and nutrition.

GMC2023 (MTB SERIES) is a MTB bicycle tour covering over 400+kms in 5-days. The event also has a competitive category that gives an opportunity for ‘serious’ cyclists to test their skills against one another. You can either choose to be part of the competitive category or the touring category (no difference in registration cost) The GMC2023 trails can be enjoyed by serious cyclists and casual cyclists, alike

We’ll be covering about 80-90kms per day, but it depends on that particular day’s trail. ​

The GMC menu is predominantly vegetarian, with occasional serving of non-veg dishes. Lunch at GMC is always a picnic, with food being catered to an outdoor spot. The recipe will generally be the popular local cuisine, with focus on cyclist friendly grains, pulses an vegetables

The GMC menu is quite cyclist friendly. There will be a generous serving of sprouts, millets, vegetables, etc… The break stations setup at regular intervals will also provide you with hydration and nourishments, including seasonal fruits

The trail distance and elevation profile are derived from Google maps and LocusPro. The finalized trails are visited and certified by the organizing team before letting cyclists on the trail.

GMC is one of the most popular bicycle touring events in India. Though it began exclusively as touring event, overtime it has evolved to accommodate the budding competitive cyclists. The GMC trail offers MTB enthusiasts an opportunity to not only test their cycling skills against fellow MTB enthusiasts, but also has become a unique platform for cyclists to share their best practices. GMC is still a touring event at heart, with a smattering for competitiveness to spice up the proceedings.

A little rain never hurt anybody and for an MTBer, rains are exciting! GMC is all about experiencing the vagaries of nature and negotiating the challenges posed by intermittent weather. To sum it all up, through sleet or sunshine, we’ll pedal our way through! GMC cyclists are an unstoppable force, with no immovable object to stop us.

The only serious threat of natural calamity would be heavy and incessant rains and mishaps associated with it. GMC is scheduled during the post-monsoon season and thus mitigates that threat to a large extent. However, in case of unexpected turn of events, the organizers will handle it professionally and it would be nice if the participants are supportive to help us tide over the issue.

Some destinations may only have dormitories, however, various options are available for you to choose from.

A support vehicle will always be trailing the cyclists, especially supporting the cyclists moving slowly. Break points and mobile pit-stops on the way ensure timely nutrition and hydration. The support vehicle will also have the basic tools to take care of minor technical issues. The trail will be well marked with directions painted on the trail and colored ribbons tied on the side of the roads.

Simple answer… At your own risk! There is no special facility for handling delicate objects. So if you insist on carrying any, please make sure they are well packed and insulated.

Sharp 07:00 will be flag off. All cyclists are expected to have their cycles ready to be flagged off on time. Any laggards will have to manage on their own to reach the next support station.

Mountain Terrain Bike, plain and simple! The GMC trail has long stretches of uneven terrain that can only be best negotiated astride an MTB. For a veritable GMC experience, MTB is the way to go.

Volunteers trained in first-aid will always be around for immediate assistance and almost all support vehicles will be equipped with a first-aid kit. A qualified doctor will be part of the organizing team who will be able to advice on the next course of action, depending on the medical issue. However, for your general health issues, please follow the advice of your personal physician.

An experienced and qualified mechanic will be available, only to offer basic support and tools to maintain your bike. It is the cyclists’ prerogative to ensure the smooth functioning of their equipment. So, please make sure you carry extra spares for your bike.

Light weight clothes are best, that can be used either while cycling or chilling out in the evening, after the day’s ride. Cycling friendly apparels, like, padded shorts and cycling jerseys are advisable. A set of warm clothes (sweater, jacket) and some rainwear will come in handy. A more detailed list will be sent by email once you register for the event.

The Malnad is a mountain range, stretching thousands of kilometers across the west coast of India. Steep climbs and down hills are the everyday norm. The purpose of GMC is to explore Malnad through un-travelled routes, which inadvertently include a lot of off-road and trail riding. There will be days of shivering cold and days of sweltering heat. Sometimes the foliage blesses us with it shade and at other times it’s just the open sky with the sun beating down. Overall, be prepared for everything as GMC always a trick up its sleeve.

You can either continue touring with the support vehicle or the organizers will make arrangements to help you get back from GMC.

Since it gets dark pretty soon in the area where we’ll be cycling, the sweep vehicle will start is duty by 4:30PM. The cyclists trailing far behind will be loaded on to the sweep vehicle, along with their bikes, and brought to the end point.

ICYCLE organizes GMC Practice rides that is a good platform to learn about the challenges posed by the Malnad trail. The experienced GMC'ians at these practice rides will be able to throw more light on the event and also give tips to face the Great Malnad Challenge.

The trail marking team is very experienced and they will ensure that the route is well marked so that no cyclist will get waylaid. However, if you do find yourself in unfamiliar territory, please try calling the emergency numbers provided. In case of no mobile network, ride a little further till you get network or borrow a phone from one of the locals. But DO NOT ask them for directions. GMC trail is specially mapped for cycling and the local people will inadvertently guide you to the more popular route used by traffic. Rest assured, the organizing team will do everything in its might to efficiently manage the situation.

Getting a glimpse of a wild animal in its natural surroundings is a blessing for most of the GMC cyclists… as long as they are herbivores. The chances of sighting wild cats or other threatening wildlife is very rare. Deer, wild boar, snakes, peacocks are some common wildlife that you may be lucky to encounter.

Yes! A major part of the GMC trails passes through wildlife sanctuaries and needs special permission from the relevant authorities. All relevant permissions will be taken care off for the duration of the event.

The logistics team will arrange for the cyclists’ luggage to be transported from one hotel to another. The cyclists are requested to bring the luggage to the designated spot for the transfer.

Volunteers trained in first-aid will be around to address the issue immediately, apart from a Doctor who can advice the next best course of action. Based on the Doctor’s advice, the organizing team will take action accordingly.

The GMC2023 (MTB SERIES) Challenge will be flagged of from SAKLESHPUR. The venue and other details will be provided upon registration.

Self! The cycling participants of GMC2022 have to present themselves on the previous day of the event, at the hotel, along with their cycles. Got to make your own arrangements.

Definitely! On the days that you reach the end point early, you will have ample opportunities to visit places of interest around the area. However, that is not part of the GMC2023 itinerary and you will have to make your own arrangements.

Minimum age is EIGHTEEN years. There is no limit for maximum age as long as you feel healthy and your Doctor has no problems with your participation in this strenuous activity. For children below 18 years, a parent has to also be a cyclist in the event and should take responsibility of the minor cyclist.

No refunds on cancellation. No part payment options.

The GMC trail tries its best to keep off the main roads, especially those laden with traffic. Most of the trail will be through villages and hamlets and quite often through the woods. Main roads will be avoided as much as possible, but there will be stretches of main road before we hit the trail.

Cycle, helmet, gloves, water bottle. A details list will be sent by email upon registration.

Yes! A professional photography team will be shooting the cycling adventure and the images will be made available after the event.

Contact Organizer for more details about accommodations: +91 88611 02597 icycle@icycle.in

Apart from Winner certificate and medals, you will also receive GMC2023 Winners trophy. However, depending on sponsors, more prizes could be added to the winner’s kitty. No cash prizes!

For cyclo-touring, Please choose GMC Touring. For cyclists who would like to test their skills against other riders, there are TWO choices available. MEN and MASTERS. MASTERS category is for cyclists who are more than 40 years of age as of 30th September, 2023. Prizes will be awarded individually under each category (No Cash Prize).

The cyclists who finish the ride completely, without being swept, will get a certificate and a finisher medal. The cyclists who stay through the event, though unable to complete the ride, will be awarded GMC2023 participation certificate.