Feb 19, 2018 (Ballantrae, ON) – The Hell & Heck of the North will be returning on April 1st 2018 for the 10th consecutive year. RealDeal Racing’s Hell Of The North is the Canadian version of the Paris Roubaix and we love that it is just as nasty as its namesake. Your early season fitness will be put to the test on an epic 90-km route that includes rail trails, dirt roads, some of the area’s nicest climbs and our own version of Paris-Roubaix’s terrifying Arenberg “trench”.

Back in April 2009 was the first year RealDeal Racing organized this version of the Hell of the North but the history of this wonderfully horrible ride goes back to 1988 and its first organizers, Mike Barry Sr. and Sam Watson. Originally called Toronto’s Paris-Roubaix Challenge. it ran from the Toronto Zoo to the Irish House in Sutton over 70km of paved and dirt roads.

Barry ran the event up to 2002 and the race has had a great palmares of distinguished victors. After 2002 several versions of the ride were staged, notably by Cervelo and the Midweek Cycling Club. There was even a December spinoff called “Hell and Back”, that went to Lake Simcoe and back, sometimes in snow storms, and took from five to eight hours to complete. It’s important to stress April’s event is not a race, it is a tour. The roads are open and riders must obey all traffic laws.

In 2013 we added the now extremely popular Heck of the North. This complimentary event is for anyone who doesn’t own a CX bike and isn’t interested in navigating through grassy fields or running through a live stream. The Heck of the North is still a great challenge with a spectacular route featuring some well groomed gravel sections and some of the areas best climbs.

Entry to either length of ride always includes some good food. Expect coffee, pastries, muffins in the morning and some tasty snacks waiting for you when you return in the afternoon. It also includes a day on the bike you won’t soon forget!

$65 pre-registered – $80 day of (cash only)
200 rider limit.
Register HERE
Read more HERE

Hell of the North
The epic spring classic’s 10th year anniversary boasts 90 kilometers of the most amazing dirt and gravel roads around, making this truly one of the hardest events of the year! It promises to test your early season fitness. As always the HOTN route will include rail trails, dirt roads and some of the area’s nicest climbs. Cyclocross and mountain bikes for this wave. There are sections you will have to dismount. Road bikes are not recommended, CX bikes, MTB shoes and pedals are! Starting and ending at Ballantrae Community Center – see Course Map here.

Heck of The North
Returning for it’s 6th year, we have an incredible alternative to our Hell event. The Heck is for anyone who wishes to be tested but doesn’t want to break their will or their bike the first weekend of the season. The HECK of the North is a 75 kilometer route that will still include many of the amazing roads used in the HOTN, including some good gravel sections but there are no off-road sections, farmers fields, or the nasty trench. This means you can ride a regular road bike on this beauty (leave the $10,000 bike at home though!). Both routes are sure to test you and both promise to be an amazing day out on the bike!