If you\u2019ve ever tried to design a cycling route yourself, you know how many things can go wrong \u2013 the map looks perfect, but in reality, you hit impassable terrain, roads that don\u2019t exist, or trails that turn out to be much tougher than you imagined. That\u2019s our job \u2013 one that started as a slightly crazy idea: to give people the chance to enjoy a top-quality cycling experience, carefully planned and tailored just for them. We\u2019ve been doing this for 15 years now and we\u2019ve learned one key thing: a great route can\u2019t be made without going out into the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The process starts long before we even set foot on the pedals. First comes desktop research<\/strong> \u2013 we analyze maps, heat maps, and design an ideal, hypothetical route. We also factor in the limits we\u2019ve set for Epic Rides: the maximum kilometers allowed, acceptable total elevation gain, and the type of terrain our riders can handle. On paper, it all looks perfect \u2013 but the real adventure begins only once we step out into the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the ground, we combine bikes, off-road vehicles, and our own two feet. We ride hundreds of kilometers, explore every turn and climb, check the destinations and the surrounding nature \u2013 until we feel that the route truly \u201cbreathes.\u201d The process usually takes four to six days, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the complexity of the terrain and the surprises we discover along the way. It\u2019s never the same \u2013 every terrain and destination brings its own challenges, rhythm, and little adventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After about two days in the field, the first draft of the route begins to take shape: every section gets its purpose, every turn and crossing is carefully chosen. We balance safety, the cycling experience, and the destination itself. The creative process isn\u2019t linear \u2013 sometimes we hit a creative block when things don\u2019t fit together as we\u2019d like. That\u2019s when selection begins: what to keep, what to cut \u2013 until finally comes the HEUREKA moment: the route is there, functional and exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the job isn\u2019t finished yet. Every route gets its operational plan<\/strong>: trail marking plan, critical points (road crossings, risky sections), feed zones, start line, and shorter route options (the so-called \u201cSHORTY\u201d). We create GPS files, run them through services to calculate the most precise elevation gain, record estimated passing times for the first and last riders at specific points, and define key spots and intersections. All of this is compiled into detailed maps, which are then aligned with the relevant authorities. At the same time, we plan photo and video shooting locations and timing, and develop the texts that will accompany the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the end of the process, we often know the destination better than most of the locals. It\u2019s especially fun when someone from the area asks us where the route goes, and we list a bunch of place names only locals usually know. They\u2019re often confused \u2013 but it earns us a bit of respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A route is never just a path from point A to point B. It\u2019s a carefully crafted story that guides you through nature, challenges, and destinations. Every kilometer is designed to deliver a safe, unforgettable, and truly cycling experience \u2013 with a dose of endorphins and a touch of adrenaline. And we do it not just because we love cycling and adventure, but also because it\u2019s our job \u2013 our way of giving participants a Saturday they\u2019ll remember at least until the end of the following week. But more often, much longer.de\u0107eg tjedna. Ali \u010desto i ne\u0161to du\u017ee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How we create Epic Rides routes \u2013 from the first idea to the perfect trail.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13501,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-articles"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12176"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12176\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epicrides.hr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Operational plan and finalization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The route as an experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n