The 2026 Rider Bible
WELCOME TO THE RULE OF THREE
This guide is dedicated to helping you find success at RO3. Schedule of Events, Rider Checklist, Maps, and more to get you ready for the rigors and revelry of RO3.
OUR NOTE ON THE STATE OF GRAVEL:
As the “gravel” discipline continues to professionalize, we believe it is a net positive for the sport of cycling and unapologetically cheer this growth. WE ARE FANS.
HOWEVER, we at Rule of Three are NOT moving in this direction. Rule of Three is fun and rowdy and unprofessional and a bit irreverent.
We prefer a really hard ride with your friends with a big ol’ party at the end. We obey the laws of the road, wave at the locals, and stop at the aid stations and eat a donut without our hands (if ya know ya know). Yeah, we have podiums at the finish but we prefer to laugh and jeer at the tan line contest and best costume by audience applause. Rule of Three is not really a race—it’s an adventure. We all like challenges and goals, so if you want to ride as hard as you can you should! If you want to party pace with your crew, that’s speaking our language. But be prepared to hang, eat, drink, tell stories, and laugh at the finish line. Cross that line feeling like you know everyone - a friendly vibe where everyone says hello, an insanely hard course, and an incredible amount of value for your dollar. This is the Rule of Three.
Plan to come early and stay late. Bring your mountain bike, gravel bike, party pants, and an attitude to meet new friends.
RULES
We aren’t big on rules. They’re cumbersome and limiting. But sometimes they’re necessary, so here’s a couple to keep in mind as we gather for a weekend of wheels and community.
Be friendly always. WAVE AT EVERYONE - that’s what we do around here.
Meet new friends that will last a lifetime. Help others on the course. Our ethos at Rule of Three is one of kindness and community and if you cannot abide by those vibes then you are not welcome at RO3. If you can abide, you are family.
Follow all laws of the road - don’t blow through stop signs, and do not take the left lane on blind corners/hills. These roads are very narrow and winding in many places.
Follow the course (that you uploaded to your computer). If you miss a turn, go back and return to where you went wrong.
If you need to pass on singletrack, kindly ask to pass. Our favorite is “would love to pass when it’s safe.” After, say "thank you, have a great day.” It’s not about you, it’s about everyone.
If someone asks to pass on the singletrack, kindly let them at the most appropriate time. It’s not about you, it’s about everyone.
Don't litter. When we ride our rural roads, we respect our rural roads.
TEAMS, YOU MUST STOP AT EVERY CHECKPOINT and complete the task, however dumb it may be. No exceptions. Once you pass the finish line, bring your “proof of completions” to the People for Bikes tent to get checked in. You must have these for your time to count.
Smile. It’s infectious. The good kind of infectious.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Let’s get together.
All in one place.
Saturday, May 9
2:00 pm - Singletrack Alley Cat Race at Rapha Bentonville
4:00 pm - Awards and Rapha Bentonville Clubhouse Grand Opening Party
Monday, May 11
6:00 pm - The Errant Ride, 30 miles of RO3, leaving from Blowing Springs in Bella Vista, Route Here
6:00 pm – Monday Night Social Ride
Location: Archies. More info: Instagram - @socialridebentonville
Tuesday, May 12
5:55 pm – Bentonville’s legendary TNT group ride. Find the route HERE.
Location: Rapha Bentonville Clubhouse at The Compton Hotel
A Rule of Three styled 2-hour ride followed by food and beers at Rapha Clubhouse
7:00 pm - SongRider Concert at The Railyard in Rogers featuring NW Arkansas musicians with the Sons of Otis Malone bluegrass as the headliner. Tickets are Free
Thursday, May 14
11:30 am - Rapha Lunch Gravel Ride from Rapha Clubhouse, find the route HERE.
2:00 pm - Want a free preview of new chair lift operated OZ Trails Bike Park before it opens in June? 20 miles of gravity trails, a high speed quad lift, bike rentals, retail, full service restaurant, and large scale art installations, located at the intersection of Bentonville and Bella Vista. Reserve your spot HERE.
Limited to the first 150 to sign up!
*You must have your own riding gear and bike, so bring your mtb with you!
3:00 pm – Shake Out Ride with with all the cool people led by the incredible Rapha Bentonville ride leaders. Mid-ride creek beers if the weather is peachy. Route HERE.
Location: The Hub Bike Lounge
5:00 pm – Special Event: Chasin' Payson. Registration is FREE. Limited to 250 spots.
Location: Airship Pumphouse with after party at The Hub Bike Lounge
Friday, May 15
8:00 am - Join Rich Drew of The Ride Series and Sarah Drew of Women of OZ for a chill-but-fun ONYX2ONYX shakeout ride—coffee, smiles, and good vibes guaranteed. Meet at Onyx on the Bentonville Square, roll at 8:15am. We’ll cruise the greenway at an easy pace, making a pitstop at Onyx HQ in Rogers (voted best coffee shop in the world) and then back to Bentonville, ending up back at Onyx Bentonville for complimentary drip coffee or 15% off a fancy coffee of your choice. Route HERE.
10:00 am - Campground opens at the venue. See map for details on where to set up.
10:00 am - 7:00 pm – Packet Pickup + EXPO
Location: Meteor Cafe: 401 SE D St, Bentonville
*Bring your used bike gear to the expo for donation to Pedal it Forward - bikes, parts, accessories, shoes, helmets, etc. Pedal It Forward is a Northwest Arkansas nonprofit with a simple, powerful mission: they collect used bikes, fix them up, and get them to neighbors in need—from kids getting their first set of wheels to adults who need reliable transportation for work.
9:45 am – Shake Out Ride with Team Velocio // ENVE
Location: Roll from the Meteor Cafe at 10am, end at Airship Pumphouse for snacks, chats, and giveaways from Kask! Route HERE. 16 miles, no drop. Terrain: mix of gravel, bike paths and trails.
11:00 am - Shakeout ride with Taylor Lideen, meet at ALLIED tent at the expo. This ride will go out and ride the last 10 miles of the 60/115 mile routes and return to town. Route HERE.
12:00 pm – Shake Out Ride with Thank Gravel It's Friday with giveaways from Vittoria! Route HERE
Location: Meteor Cafe
5:00 pm – Rider Meeting
Location: Meteor Cafe
Saturday, May 16
*There is no onsite packet pickup on Saturday morning* A friend can pick up your packet for you with a picture of your ID or email info@ruleofthree.bike for other options.
Location: 3100 Price Coffee Rd, Bentonville, AR
8:00 am - 115 mile solo depart
8:15 am - 115 mile teams depart together
9:00 am - 60 mile solo depart
9:15 am - 60 mile teams depart together
10:00 am - 35 mile solo depart
10:15 am - Spectators can make their way around the course to cheer on friends/family.
Please do not drive on the course, and please be respectful to rural locals out on the roads. You may give food and drink to your rider, but ONLY at official aid stations.
12:00 pm - Finish line party begins - finish line interviews, brews, food, photo booth, sponsor tent parties, etc.
3:00 pm - Awards for 60 mile categories - and raffles, prizes.
4:00 pm - Awards 115 mile category - and raffles, prizes.
Immediately after, awards for the fun/wacky categories found here in the Rider Bible.
10:00 pm - Cutoff time for 115 route riders. (Make sure to call the number on the back of your race plate if you DNF- Do Not Finish.)
10:00 pm - Quiet time begins in campground. (Please be respectful of others.)
Sunday, May 17
11:00 am - 2:00 pm – Sunday Spin & Sip @ The Hub. Come have some food and drink and swap stories from the day before. Food/Drink specials.
Location: The Hub Bike Lounge
12:00 pm - Campground closes. You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.
Lost and Found will be dropped off at The Hub Bike Lounge on Sunday at noon.
RIDER CHECKLIST
A Gift For A Stranger - How many times have you gone to a cycling event, participated, and then gone home? Pretty often, probably. How about we do something different? Meet a stranger, do something kind for a stranger. Bring a gift with you to give to a random person at RO3. Could be your favorite IPA from your local brewery, or a mug from your favorite coffee shop, or a tee from your local bike shop. Could be as small as a spare tube, frame pump, your favorite set of tires, or a water bottle. This is important. It’ll make you feel good, and it’ll also make the person you give it to feel good.
There is no set time, no gift exchange. You just walk up to a random person during the weekend, introduce yourself, and give them your gift. That’s it. And maybe you meet a new friend out of the deal!
Bike - Your bike should be in perfect working order. Brakes, brake pads, lubed chain, tubeless sealant, tires, charged batteries, and more. This day will be legend. The last thing you want is a mechanical you could have prevented. Remember, we suggest VERY durable rubber and nothing less than 45mm in width. Highly recommend a wax based lube in Northwest Arkansas - even if it’s dry you’ll be riding through run off and low water bridges all day.
Kit - Bring your favorite kit. Notice we said YOUR favorite kit. Dress how you like, not how everyone else thinks you should dress. A skirt, blouse, floral button up, jorts, or aero race jersey. You do you. Look good. Feel good. Ride good.
Bike Computer - Must have bike computer! Some of the course will be marked (singletrack sectors and confusing intersections), however most of the course will not be marked. This is an adventure. Have that route saved to your trusty bike computer and ready to navigate.
Lights - We respectfully ask that you finish within a 14 hour timeframe, we need to ensure the safe return of all riders. Bring a light if you think you might cut it close. Please move down to a shorter distance if you’re unsure, then tackle a longer distance next year!
Helmet - Protect the dome, folks.
Eyewear - Bugs, dirt, mud, water… your eyeballs will thank you.
Shoes - Double check those Boas and cleats before you come. Ever had a cleat come loose on a ride? It sucks.
Gloves - You use your hands for a lot of things in life. Protect them.
Sunscreen. Chamois Butt’r?
A friendly bell for passing on singletrack.
All the snacks.
Handlebar bag, Top Tube bag, Frame bag - If you want. It's gonna be a long day.
Water Bottles - Bring three if you have enough cages. Four. Five. Or a hydration pack.
Tool Kit - This could be your most valuable piece of the day. Load it with all the goods - tubes, lever, multitool, chain links, many tubeless plugs, CO2, hand pump, tire boot, spare derailleur hanger, patch kit, extra chain lube, extra tire sealant, etc. Hell, bring an extra tire if you're feeling unlucky.
Water Tablets or Filter - Yeah this is a weird one. The course is littered with crisp, cold, clear streams and if you get desperate for water there are countless places to fill up your bottles with a quick drop of a water tablet into them. Boom.
Camp Chair or Blanket - Saturday afternoon we’ll gather in the field near the start/finish line for a time of community with awards and fun. You’ll want a chair to sit in and a beer in your hand.
Water - Our venue is in a beautiful valley of green grass, tree lined hills and a crisp clear stream. But we have limited drinking water on site. So bring some water with you, please!
CATEGORY AWARDS
There will always be a pointy end, and that’s cool. But how about the rest of us?
Here are some categories that you can go for at the Rule of Three.
(Awarded after the 4pm podiums.)
Best Team Name: Muc-Off Kits
Worst Outfit/Most Worn-Out Kit: Rapha kit redeemable at Rapha Bentonville
Best Sweat Marks: a year's supply of SaltStick
Best Tan Lines: KUAT RACK
Heaviest Bike: Gnargo Prize Package
Wooliest Person: Pineberry Merino socks and a merino jersey or tee
Best Wave Award: (think beauty pageant on stage) People for Bikes Prize Package
Baldest/most worn-out tires: Maxxis Prize Package
Most Denim Worn During the ride: Ripton Prize Package
Most Selfies with Farm Animals: Kask Combo Prize Package
Most Knackered Paint Job: Viral Bikes Titanium Handlebar
Best Outfit/Costume: Gearhead Outfitters Prize Package
PODIUMS ONLY, NO PRIZES
(winners get to brag, everyone else gets the swag)
115 Mile Solo Women - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
115 Mile U23 Solo Women - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
115 Mile Solo Men - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
115 Mile U23 Solo Men - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
115 Mile Non-binary - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
115 Mile Singlespeed - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
115 Mile Solo Para Athlete - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
115 Mile Tandem - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
115 Mile Team Women, Men, Coed - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile Solo Women - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile U18 Solo Women - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile Solo Men - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile U18 Solo Men - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile Junior U14 Solo - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile Non-binary - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile Singlespeed - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile Para Athlete - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile E-Bike - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
60 Mile Team Women, Men, Coed - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
LOCATION MAP
3100 Price Coffee Road, Bentonville, AR 72712
Parking is at the southeastern entrance and north of the start line. Park respectfully, don’t block other vehicles. We all gotta leave at some point and some earlier than others.
Campers: You may camp where you like within the square, we just ask that you think of others as you pitch your tent or park your car. There is a gravel lot, first come first serve for sprinter vans. PLEASE park as efficient as possible so we can fit as many cars as possible.
There are portable toilets, hand washing stations, and trash cans. There is not potable water at the venue until day of event, and it will be in limited quantities, please plan ahead and bring ample supply for yourself.
Love and leave this land as you found it.
COURSES
“You Signed Up For This Challenge. Stand Up And Face It.”
A FEW VERY IMPORTANT NOTES, PLEASE READ!
This is not like other days on your bike. You will need to be sharp and focused all day, this course has technical terrain not found on “regular” gravel courses. You will be tested, and if you’re head and leg-strong you’ll pass the test. And you’ll be proud. And you sure as hell should be.
Study your route carefully. Aid Stations, technical descents, singletrack entries, etc.
For all courses there will be signage at tricky intersections or turns, and on singletrack sectors. However, the gravel and pavement on the route DOES NOT have signs. You will rely heavily on your computer map to navigate all day long.
In order to build what we believe to be the best courses at RO3, we sometimes need to cross over a few small state highways along the route - the very early ones will have police protection. If you obey traffic laws you will not need to worry about this, but if you don’t you will endanger yourself and others you are with. WE WANT YOU TO CELEBRATE WITH US AT THE FINISH LINE, so we can’t stress this enough - be responsible on course. Cutting blind corners, spreading out all over the road cresting a climb, blowing stop signs - these are no way to experience Rule of Three at it’s finest. It endangers you, others, and quite honestly makes all bike riders look bad.
Wave. Be courteous. Respect others on course. We don’t own these roads (or trails) and they are not closed off for us. Our ethos at Rule of Three is one of kindness and community. If you cannot abide by those vibes then you are not welcome at RO3. If you can, you are family.
We respectfully ask that you finish the course within a 14 hour timeframe (10 pm), we need to ensure the safe return of all riders. Bring a light if you think you might cut it close.
IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR CATEGORY, YOU CAN DO SO UP UNTIL MAY 13th. Click HERE to find out how to do it.
115 milers: This route is full service, exactly what you’d come to expect. There is b-road tech, loose gravel descents, steep singletrack, great pavement, very narrow gravel roads with blind corners, and a million other surprises on the day. You might walk for a second, and that’s ok. There will be short sections that you’ll wish you had your mountain bike, and others where you wish you had your road bike. That’s THE RULE OF THREE. Ride strong, ride smart. Pay attention to all the points of interest. Make notes, tape them to your stem, remember them. Or don’t, and be surprised!
60 Milers: Last year’s 50 miler was gooooood. So we decided to add 13 more miles for this year! Full-on all day, with a long stretch of gravel/pave before your first singletrack. Techy gravel descents, technical b-roads, face melting fun singletrack, some paved reprieve, it’s endless fun (unless you can’t handle your bike). Pay close attention to your computer all day, lots of turns and in and out of all the good stuff.
This is our first year to do the 35 mile course. Meant for those who want to dip their toes into RO3 riding. Or those who love the style, but maybe didn’t have the miles in their legs this year for the longer courses. Or maybe even for someone who wants to ride, but is much more stoked on the finish line party. We see you, we see you…
Please be aware, these courses are in Ride With GPS, and due to us having to draw manual lines on b-roads and new singletrack, if you export the gpx file to Strava the route is not accurate. The best way to get to your computer is to open a free Ride With GPS acct, then sync the account to your Wahoo or Hammerhead or Garmin platforms. We have seen folks manually draw new routes into Strava by mirroring the Ride with GPS routes, but be very detailed if you are doing that!
"Share Your Location" on your smartphone with your family and friends (if you came with family or friends), to help them track you on the course or if you struggle with a mechanical and need to get picked up.
Call 37 North Expeditions as your LAST RESORT to be picked up (be prepared to wait, due to others needing picked up). If you DNF (Did Not Finish) we need to know for safety reasons, we can’t leave folks out on course. Please text us and let us know. Both numbers are on the back of your number plate.
Let Us Pray…
Can we return to the by-gone
gravel days of old?
With more fun,
and fewer things bought and sold.
Have we gone too far,
lost our devotion?
Maybe this is so,
but let us make a motion.
What if we ignored how everyone else does it,
put the experts on mute?
And started with a really,
really, really hard route.
Offered a reasonable entry fee.
And named this journey
the Rule of Three.
You get a healthy dose of tarmac,
gravel, and singletrack.
But come prepared,
this course bites on the way back.
We banish all sponsor cash,
and ask them to add value.
It’s not about us or them,
it’s just about you.
How about a finish-line party with food,
beer, and stories told?
Fewer dollars and more community,
that’d be pure gold.
Struggle, encourage, conquer,
and revel in mutual unity.
If we did all this,
would you join the RO3 community?