99% of all enquiries are answered below, so please do read it all.

CAMPING – NOTE – ALL CAMPING TICKETS MUST BE BOUGHT IN ADVANCE

All Camping tickets
…for space, campervans and Bell Tents, must be bought in advance.

I’m confused about how many camping tickets I need to buy…
Standard camping tickets for your own tent or campervan are PER-PERSON. So if you, your wife and your mate want to stay in a tent, that’s 3 Tickets. The price includes entry to the event, so, no hidden extras. …Don’t forget though kids under 16 are free.
However…

…with the Bell Tents?
These are priced PER-TENT, and each tents sleep 4. The price also includes your entry to the event for each person, so that’s £400 for up to four people in a posh tent, including up to the same four people’s weekend entry to the event. …We’ll leave the maths to you, but we think it’s a really good deal.

Whats in a Bell Tent?
4 x single proper beds, mattresses, winter duvet and towels, Mirror, matted flooring.

What if I want a double bed?
Push two singles together.

Can I camp on Friday and Saturday night?
Yes you can. All camping includes Friday and Saturday night.
Gates open from 3pm till 10pm on Friday and open again at 7am on Saturday till 8pm where we close the entry gates. (exit gates remain open till 10pm)
There will be food & drink on Friday evening, however, please note that the “proper” event and all the racing starts on Saturday.

Is it cheaper if we just camp on Saturday?
No, camping passes are for “weekend camping access”, whether you camp and visit on one night or two.

Can I bring my caravan, motorhome, van, Mystery Machine, Pussy Wagon?
Yes! But you must buy a camper-van ticket from the website in advance, to make sure you’re placed in the correct area.

Quiet Camping. … Will it be noisy at night?
We hope not, as we have a midnight noise curfew, but if you want to camp in even quieter surroundings we have a family camping area. Tell the crew at the gate who will direct you.

Are there showers for general Camping Area?
Yes, there are 10 x showers on the paddock area, about 300m from the camping area and more by the bell tents.

Are there showers in the Bell Tent Camping Area?
Yes, we have two blocks of showers being flown in!

Do you have to pay for Showers?
No, all showers are free, just bring your own soap and towels. Bell tent guests have towels supplied in your tents

Can I charge my phone?
Yes, we have 3x large charging locker-stations in various useful locations.

Can I have a BBQ?
Sadly not, but ticket prices are kept low, so you can pay someone else to cook for you in one of our many food vendors.

Can I ride my bike around without a helmet, or with a helmet across the field or to the Loo?
Sounds like fun, but Absolutely Not.

Can I leave in the middle of the night on my bike or car?
For security reasons the exit gates are shut at 10pm, to keep everyones gear safe. You may get tackled by security or our specially trained scrote-detector dogs if you try!

Can I camp on Sunday Night?
Sadly not, we need to clear the venue.

Can I have a rave or party in my tent/CamperVan?
Not if it involves music, loud noise and or ungentlemanly behaviour – we do have a noise curfew. However, there will be DJs and music in the main clubhouse tents so you can party.

What are the opening and access times for campers?
Friday – Entry gates open from 3pm – 10pm
Saturday – 7am – 8am for entry (Exit gate closes at 10p)
Sunday – 7am open. Close at 5pm.

Are there any other places to stay that you can recommend?
There are a few places around, as the South East of Kent is a coastal holiday area, but if you want a nice place to stay, why not look at a Bell Tent?

TICKETS & ACCESS

Will there be standard entry tickets on the door?
Yes, there will be tickets on the door, but to help us plan enough food, drink and space, we ask people to buy in advance if possible. Tickets will be £22 on the day.
Note – There will NOT be camping tickets on the door… These must be bought in advance.

Are there single-day tickets?
All tickets are multi-entry tickets, which are valid all weekend, whether you come on one day, or decide to return the next. … If we did single day tickets they would be the same price.

I’m a family of four how many tickets do I buy?
Adults pay. Kids under 16 go free so, no ticket needed!

I’ve bought tickets to the event, but I’m confused about racing my bike.
Spectator tickets and race entry is completely different. Please enter your bike HERE

Is the event for bikers/racers only?
Hell No, this festival event is for everyone…

Kids?
Kids under 16 go free, yes, even if they are camping.

Dogs?
Yes Dogs are allowed, but they do need to be kept on a lead.

What time does the event finish on Sunday?
Races wrap up around 4pm on Sunday and we will be starting to pack down around 5pm.

We are staying near-by, can we access the venue late at night to see our mates who are camping?
To keep everyone’s belongings and vehicles safe from theft, we will lock down the venue overnight from 10pm till 7am, so there is no access within these hours, except in genuine emergency.
So:
…Last entry on Friday is 10pm
…Last entry on Saturday is 8pm, last exit is 10pm.
…Last entry on Saturday is 8pm. Last exit on Saturday is 10pm.

TRAVEL & PARKING

Is there any public transport to get there?
There are trains from Charing X in London to Folkstone Central, and then you’ll need to walk to get a bus… Driving or riding is easier.

How far is Lydden Hill Track from London?
By car, we can make it from the Bike Shed in Shoreditch in 90 minutes. By bike it’s a bit quicker.

Where do I park bikes and cars?
If you are camping, you can park by your tent. If you are visiting you will be directed where to park.

Will my bike be safe?
We have booked a large, 24-hour security presence, with patrol cars and dogs. However, we still recommend you also secure your bikes together or to an immoveable object or use an alarmed disc lock, just in case… No one can guarantee anything left unattended is safe.

If I am racing, where do I park?
Racers park in the paddock, follow signs and you will be directed to the right spot by the event team.

WHEN YOU GET THERE?

How long is the Bar open for?
Till midnight, so you can get your beauty sleep before the races starts first thing and yes we have draft beer trucks too.

Can I bring my own booze?
Why bother? We have lots of it and it’s cold, plus its cheaper prices than a normal festival.

What food have you got on offer?
Suppliers from Bike Shed Tobacco Dock show will be cooking up a storm with plenty of options, and vegan stuff too. Check the facebook event page, Instagram and other pages on here to see who’s on board, as this increases every day.

Is there any shopping?
We have loads of brands bringing gear, apparel and bikes, from Rev’it! and Hermanus to Eudoxie, Hedon, Davida and Herald, plus we’ll have a big pop-up Bike Shed store. More is being added daily.

Is there a map?
Yes, on a few pages on this site, and as a print out on the day, and/or click HERE.

What kids activities are available?
We have London Print Club hosting screen printing, free electric bike trials with Desert Rose, a huge bouncy castle, and we are in the process of confirming more fun stuff.

What else is there?
Test Rides with Royal Enfield, Helmet tests with Davida, new bikes and gear from our sponsors, exhibition rides, live commentary, and loads of fun.

Can I ride on track if I’m not racing?
Sorry, but No. Track time is for the racers. If you want to book in to race, get onto the race pages.

RACERS – FAQ

How much is the Racing?
To enter one race, or multiple races, is £95 in total, but you’ll need another tenner to hire a transponder.

What does that £95 pay for?
This single-weekend fee covers the direct costs to us, including racing under a licensed racing organisation, plus ambulances, marshals, race number bibs and decals, prize wreaths, proper trophies, commentators, time-keeping, and much more… We think it’s great value for a unique experience.

What’s the format of each Race Day?

FRIDAY
Sign-on from 5pm – 9pm
No track access.
Camping access from 3pm – 10pm

SATURDAY
Sign-on from 7am – 9am
Compulsory Rider’s Briefing 9.15 – 9.45
Practice and Qualifying, for Saturday races, from 10am.
Camping access from 7am – 8pm

LUNCH 1pm – 1.30pm

RACING from 1.30pm – 5pm (See race order)

PODIUMS & PRIZES – From 5pm

SUNDAY
Sign-on from 8am – 9.30am
Compulsory Rider’s Briefing 9.45 – 10.00
Practice and Qualifying, for Sunday races, from 10am.

NO LUNCH

RACING from 12.30 – 3.30pm.

PODIUMS & PRIZES – From 3.30pm – 4pm.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Practice comprises 20-30 minute sessions, split by category, in Race Order.
Racing comprises 10-12 laps per class, per race.

The Malle Trials run their own schedule, with both races repeated each day.

***all the above timings are subject to change. Keep an eye on emails and the website ion the next ten days***

….and….

I want to tell my friends what time they can see me race.
See above – We will not be publishing strict race times ahead of the event, but all races are in the afternoons, and in the same order as practice and quali, so there will be an observable order, and there will be times published at the weekend.

What the race order on each day? The order below may be subject to change. Please plan to be on-site all day, on the day you are racing.

Can I just turn up for my race in the afternoon?
‘Friad not. All racers must sign-on in the morning of their race, attend the safety briefing and then go through practice and qualifying in the morning. We will confirm sign on times shortly, but assume an early start to the day.

I’m racing on Sunday only, will I get practice time on Saturday?
No, Sorry. Practice and qualifying is only for the races on that day. If you are racing on Sunday but here for the whole weekend (which is great) relax and enjoy other people racing, the hospitality and drink some beer.

I already paid twice/three times as I was confused and/or got billed more than once.
If you pay more than once, we will reimburse you as soon as we can. There’s a lot of race admin to complete with 200+ racers, so please give us a little bit of wiggle room. Worst case scenario, we will fix this on the day.

Do racers get any plus ones?
Sadly not. We have kept the race entry prices down as low as we can, but to make the event work we need all other visitors to pay.

Are racers insured?
No, you will be signing a waver, just like any track-day or non-pro race event. It’s pretty standard, …however there are insurance companies who will cover track days and racing.

Can I enter multiple races?
Not all at once. If you’d like to enter more than one race, that’s fine – we’d encourage it to get the best from the weekend. But please enter these separately with one submission per race/bike/person. Entering two different races is fine, anything over that and you’re going to be making it unfair for those who want to take part. Note which day each race is on.

We’re a group of mates, we’ve got 6 bikes, and there’s 4 of us, and we have a dog who is pretty nifty on a bike too! What do we do?
Racers can only race one bike. You are submitting yourself WITH your bike. Submit yourself as normal, you will be approved/denied as one person. Multiple people on the same bike are not permitted.

Is there any practice time?
Each class will have morning practice time, and then timed qualifying, followed by the races in the afternoon, with multiple classes where the grids are full.

Can I race the Malle Trials races and do the tarmac Track races too?
Yes, but we suggest you do Malle Trials races on one day and Track races on the other. Doing both on one day might be impossible and you may miss heats.

Can I camp in my van in the paddock, if I am racing?
Yes you can.

I’m an ex pro/proddie racer, where do I race?
This event is for those who don’t normally race (or even do track-days), so don’t be “that guy“. …However, we do have the Journalists Cup specifically for pro level riders, journos and ex champs to slog it out for podium glory.

Equally, if your bike is too fast for it’s class, or too much of race-prepped bike, we may turn it down.

I’ve got this extra bike I want to bring, can I?
Please submit it, adding more emails to our inboxes doesn’t help anyone, please just submit yourself and your bike using the forms, and you will either be approved or denied.

Can I bring a race/track bike?
It’s not exactly in the sprit of this event, which is for track-day newbies and road-going personal bikes. Your bikes should be roadworthy and have an MOT (except Vintage), with folding footrests, so as not to destroy the tarmac (there is some leeway on the East Rider Class). Leave your tyre warmers at home.

I raced last year and I need a place.
Everyone is equal this year, so please just submit your bike as normal. If you placed 1st last year and won your class, you’ll have already been invited back.

Do I need one-piece leathers for the Track?
We would prefer you to wear either one-piece or zip-together leathers to race on track, however we will allow separates and certified armoured textiles on the Easy Rider Cup, the Herald 125 cup, Dirt Cup and the Vintage Cup. We will also allow protective GoreTex for the Commuter Cup. The Malle Trials has separate rules.

What kind of helmets are allowed?
Full face, road legal helmets for most races, but we will allow tested and approved open-face helmets in the Vintage Cup, the Herald Cup, the Easy Rider Cup and the Malle Trials.

What gear do I need for the Malle Trials?
Long-sleeved shirts and full-length trousers.
Sturdy Boots.
Proper Gloves
Decent Helmets, with eye protection
Under armour is a good idea. We recommend it, but it’s up to you.

Can I race with knobbly tyres on track?
A type of dualsport tyre, or the stock tyres that came with your bike should be fine. If you have TKC80s or a more off-road tyre, you will need to change tyres. Don’t forget half the contact area, means half the grip!

What emergency services are onsite?
1 Paramedic, 1 Doctor, 2 Ambulances and 1 medical car and all security are first aid trained, as well as event organisers.

BIKE SHED GOLD MEMBERS

What do they get?
Gold Members get Free Standard Entry, plus one, on both days. Just turn up and wave your valid Gold Card at the Gate.
Camping is cheaper at £25 but you need to book with [email protected]
Bell Tents and Race Entry are full price, as we’re not adding any profit.