Primavera – FAQs

— Frequently Asked Questions —

How can I confirm that I am registered? I didn’t get a confirmation email.

Occasionally emails don’t make it out to the registered rider. We have found that the most common reasons are:

1) The email address was entered incorrectly during registration,
2) The email got caught in a Spam filter, or
3) The rider had used another of their email addresses for registration.

If you haven’t reviewed an email within the hour of registration please check your spam folder and all of your other email address mailboxes.

If neither of those turn up your confirmation email, you can verify you are registered by checking the registered riderlist in the Primavera area of the website: Registered Rider List.

If you are on the entrant list then you will be on our registered riders list on ride day when you check in. That’s all you’ll need to check in.

If you still have not found what you need, please: email us

What if I want to do one of the other routes?

Already registered for one route and want to change to a different route? No problem, other than switching from the Fun Ride to one of the other routes. If you are switching from the Fun Ride to one of the longer distance rides, the upgrade fee is the difference between the Fun Ride rate to the present Distance ride rate, if we have not already sold out on these longer distance rides. Please email us and we will get you on a list to upgrade your entrance fee at sign in.

All of the distance rides are the same price. You may change from one route to another, either at the start, or at various points along the routes. If you know you will be switching at time of sign in, please tell the folks at registration and get your preferred route sheet. You may also switch along the way. We will have some extra route sheets at the Palomares Rest stop. If you want to change to the 100 mile route, please grab a route sheet. Changing from the 100 mile or 85 mile route to the 100K route is simply a matter of turning right on Independence St, instead of going left. If you are not feeling up to it, or time is an issue, please consider this option. There are two decent climbs before that post ride meal.

What if it rains?

The ride is on rain or shine and will not be rescheduled. If you think it will rain and don’t want to do it, you may transfer your registration to someone else, free of charge. It is up to you to find a transferee and for you to sign the transfer form. Any reimbursement from the transferee is up to you. The other option is to switch routes. In 2009, we had a cold and windy rainstorm in the afternoon. A large number of 100 milers switched to the 100K route, had a nice ride and enjoyed lunch back at the high school. Some of the fast riders made the 100 miles without a drop of rain. There were a number of people who wished they had done the shorter route. That was an unusually cold day.

What if my jersey doesn’t fit?

If your jersey does not fit on early pickup day or ride day, notify us. We will have extra jerseys and if we have your size we will do an exchange.

Is there public transportation to the start?

Unfortunately, BART does not start arriving in Fremont until about 9 on Sundays. That is OK for the Fun Ride, but does not work for distance rides. There are AC Transit buses that run hourly to the Fremont BART station. See www.bart.gov or check out www.511.org If you arrive at the Fremont BART station, head towards the hills on Walnut Avenue and turn right on Mission Blvd then go a couple of miles and turn right on Palm. You have just done the end of the ride. You may find the Primavera Facebook page helpful in finding a carpool buddy. If you belong to a bike club, you might consider trying to find someone within your club. If you do take BART and/or AC Transit, you might consider staying at a local hotel/motel the night before.

What if I have mechanical issues?

Your bike should be in top mechanical shape before attempting this ride. The ride has SAG vehicles and professional mechanics at each of the rest stops. Even though we try to have all the routes swept and the SAG vehicles carry brooms, there will always be a few riders who get flats. You should carry a spare tube and a pump. If not, the SAG vehicles carry spare tubes and a floor pump. For bigger issues, you may be transported to the nearest rest stop where there is a mechanic. There is an emergency number on your route sheet to call the SAG coordinator. Each SAG vehicle has a phone and HAM radio coverage. If it is a medical emergency, call 911 first, then call the SAG coordinator.

When can I start?

Ride Start times are kept updated on the Primavera Routes page HERE. Please pick up your ride packet (on ride day or early sign-in the day before – Packet pickup times are HERE) and attach your number to your bike before you start the ride. You may then start at any time after the posted start time.

When does the course close?

There are a number of check points that need to be passed by a certain time. Those CutOff times are kept updated on the Primavera Routes page HERE.

I did not pre-order clothing, but they look nice. How can I order one?

If you’ve already registered you can still order clothing by going to our clothing order page HERE. If it is beyond our order cutoff date, then you will need to purchase the clothing on ride day. We ordered some extras and they will be available at ride-day registration. First come, first served. Cash, Check or Credit card.

What if I cannot ride on the event day?

We do not provide refunds or roll-overs to the next year. However, the ride normally sells out so there are people who want to purchase a registration if you have one to sell. See the next question.

What if I want to transfer my registration?

Go to the Transfer tab. Note that a good place to find people looking to buy or sell is Craigslist and our Facebook page.

You can do a transfer the morning of the ride. We prefer receiving signed transfers on paper. If you can’t do that at the last minute, you can show us an image of the completed transfer form on your cell phone.

Are there training rides to get in shape for the Primavera?

Yes! Join FFBC to take advantage of these training ride series! The series start in mid-January with shorter and flatter rides that gradually build up to a metric or full century in April. Check the FFBC Rides site for details and schedules.

To get in shape for the spring centuries like the Primavera or the Cinderella Classic, we offer this training series:

PRS: The Progressive Ride Series (PRS) is designed for M pace riders to get in condition to do the Primavera full century (100 miles) by riding some of the most stunning routes in the area.

CCRS: A conditioning series designed to get a rider to do the Primavera metric century (100km – 63 miles).

Rides are listed in the ride calendar: FFBC Rides

Primavera supports which non-profit organizations?

Primavera Century supports several local non-profit charities. See the Giving Back page for more info.

Will professional photography be provided?

CSP for web3 Once again, professional photos to commemorate the day will be provided by Captivating Sports Photos www.captivatingsportsphotos.net

Can I download a GPS file for my route?

Yes! Go to the Routes page and look for the “Quick Links” to download one of the RidewithGPS Links.

What if I need a rental bike for this event?

At this point in time we can not recommend a bike rental company.

EBike Policy?

Class 1 and 3 (pedal assisted) eBikes are allowed on all rides. Class 2 (throttle assist) are NOT allowed on any rides.

What if I have another question?

Email primavera@ffbc.org.