There are cycling festivals, and then there’s Wagga Gears & Beers—the annual gravel-and-ale celebration that somehow makes Type-2 fun feel like a pub crawl with extra lactic acid. 2024 left us all grinning, dusty, and just a little hazy, and now we’re counting down the days to do it all again in 2025.
The Rides
Whatever your flavour, Gears & Beers serves it up. From the punchy short routes perfect for new legs, to the infamous Dirty 130 that turns gravel dreams into gravel nightmares (the good kind, the kind you brag about for months). The mid-range rides let you soak up the scenery without completely emptying the tank, while the longer ones demand grit, legs, and maybe a second bidon filled with something stronger than water.
The Landscape
Spring in Wagga is pure theatre. You roll through golden canola fields that stretch to the horizon, gravel lanes that crunch under your wheels, and sleepy country roads where magpies are your only hecklers. It’s a course that feeds both the legs and the soul—vivid yellows, blue skies, and the kind of fresh air city lungs dream of.
The Beer (and More)
It wouldn’t be Gears & Beers without the beers. Finish your ride and you’re greeted with a craft beer festival that’s as big a drawcard as the cycling itself. Local breweries bring their best, pints flow, and the stories get taller as the afternoon rolls on. Wagga’s own bar scene makes the weekend stretch even longer—Mechanico café-bar has become a pilgrimage spot, where cyclists debrief over espresso by morning and something stronger by night.
The Sweet Stuff
If you’re still standing (and not spinning), the short trip to the Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory is mandatory. It’s indulgence on par with a fresh set of carbon hoops—handmade treats, rich chocolate, and the perfect excuse to tell yourself you’ve “earned it” after a day of smashing pedals.
Looking Ahead to 2025
The each years editions continue to set the bar sky-high: buzzing festival atmospher atmosphere, challenging but joyful rides, and an entire town that throws its arms around the cycling community. And the good news? We’re already counting the sleeps until October 4–5, 2025 when the circus rolls back into town. Expect more riders, more stories, more golden canola backdrops, and yes—more cold pints waiting at the finish.
Bring your mates, bring your gravel bike, and bring your thirst. Wagga Gears & Beers isn’t just an event—it’s a ritual. And 2025 can’t come soon enough.
Photo credits: R. Allen