Disaster Relief Trials, Bristol 2025

I’ve been buzzing with the idea of putting on a Disaster Relief Trial right here in Bristol for ages, ever since I started following those events over in the US. Mike Cobb, total legend and an incredible advocate for cycling for utility, cooked up the original concept. It’s all about blending the fun of a cargo bike meet-up with the serious (and increasingly necessary) aim of building community resilience in the face of potential disasters.

Really Useful Rob of Really Useful Bikes had the same vision and we’ve finally managed to get things rolling.

It took absolutely no persuasion to get my pal and Pedal Collective co-founder Jon Dennis on board. Velocious owner, FOCC event and Alleycat organiser Humza Saleem is bringing his energy to the team too.

The time has come: Bristol’s Disaster Relief Trials are happening.

Rob Byrne

Pedal Collective

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Introduction

Rob Bushill

Really Useful Bikes

Jon Dennis

Pedal Collective

Humza Saleem

Velocious

Scenario

The year is 2035. Global warming has pushed the world into its most catastrophic crisis yet. Rising sea levels have submerged coastlines, and extreme weather patterns have brought floods and storms to cities everywhere.

Bristol, once a vibrant and thriving community, has become a disaster zone. Inundated by relentless rains and rising waters, the city’s infrastructure is crumbling. Roads are washed out, traditional transport is down, and survival has become a race against time.

In the wake of this disaster, the cargo bike riders (couriers, mums, dads, and bike enthusiasts) are the city's lifeline. These brave souls are tasked with moving vital supplies, from medical kits to water to heavy materials like sandbags and boxes of supplies, across flooded streets, treacherous terrain, and broken infrastructure.

Mobile phone networks are down, so you must rely on your map reading skills and local knowledge to get around.

Your mission, as a cargo bike rider, is to complete a series of challenges and deliver 50kg of essential supplies to the Left Handed Giant brewery, the makeshift hub for all relief operations in Bristol. You'll be covering around 20 miles across Bristol.

At the heart of this relief effort are the dedicated volunteers who run the city’s emergency checkpoints. Positioned at key locations across Bristol, these volunteers play a crucial role in keeping the operation moving.

They track the progress of cargo bike riders, recording who has passed through and what supplies they’re carrying. With communications networks down, these human checkpoints are the only way to coordinate deliveries and ensure that no one is lost in the chaos.

The roads are flooded, the clock is ticking, and every decision you make could save lives.

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How It Works

The Disaster Relief Trials is a disaster drill in the form of a cargo bike competition simulating a disaster relief supply run. A fun event, but with disaster preperedness at its heart.

We have two categories: E-assist and good old pedal power. The non-electric category is a real leg-burner that'll test your navigation smarts and problem-solving skills. No GPS or phones allowed!

You'll need a cargo bike or a bike and trailer.

If you're on an e-assist bike, you'll need to show us how you'd juice up that battery if the national grid went down. Tricky, huh?

There’ll be five checkpoints in total, including the start and finish, and you can hit them in any order you like. Theres 50kg of cargo in total. Do you go for the heavy stuff first or last? Fancy carrying the fragile load the whole way, or grabbing it near the end? Your call! It's gonna be fascinating to see everyone's strategies on the day.

We'll announce the checkpoints and what riders will be carrying on the day itself, and riders will get a laminated map with all the instructions just an hour before we kick things off.

Check out the original Disaster Relief Trials 

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Keen to get involved but not riding?

We’re on the lookout for friendly, switched-on volunteers to help make the day run smoothly. From running checkpoints to cheering riders on, there’s plenty to get stuck into. It’s a brilliant way to be part of the action and see all the clever strategies unfold. If you're up for lending a hand, just pop your details into our volunteer form.

Volunteer

Get Involved

Enter Main event

Want to take part?

Just fill out our quick sign-up form to apply for a spot in the trial. The form's nice and simple, and it only takes a minute. We have lmiited spots so if we're oversubscribed, we'll make a decision

If you can't make it down for thw whole event, come on donw to the Left Handed Giant Taphouse any time from 11:00 through to 20:00. We expect all riders back in by 15:30 and presentations and evening celebrations start from 16:00. 

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Family Ride

Family Checkpoint Ride

We’re also running a Family Checkpoint Ride, a fun and relaxed way for families to get involved in the Disaster Relief Trials. It’s a chance to jump on your bikes together, whether that means kids in trailers, on bike seats, tag-alongs or riding alongside you. The route starts and finishes at the main event hub, with two easy-going checkpoints along the way.

At each checkpoint, little riders (and big ones too!) can collect stamps in their DRT . Once you’ve completed the loop, there’ll be a well-earned goody bag waiting for you at the finish line. It’s a lovely way to explore, be part of the day, and introduce younger ones to the joy of bikes and the spirit of community resilience, all at a gentle pace.

Let us know if you're joining by completing the form. It'll give us an idea of how many cards, and goody bags we'll need. 

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