World Mountain Bike Chariot Racing Championship

RESEARCH CHECKED 22 October 2026

How the teams race

The organiser describes specially commissioned chariots pulled by two bikes side by side. Teams compete against each other and the clock, so coordination matters as well as pedalling speed. It is a team competition, rather than an invitation to bring an improvised vehicle and join the course.

The story behind it

Llanwrtyd Wells has a knack for turning daft ideas into world championships. The town gave the world bog snorkelling in 1976 and the Man versus Horse race in 1980, and the local organisers, Green Events, have kept adding to the list. Mountain bike chariot racing is one of their more theatrical creations, an invitation to unleash your inner Ben-Hur in mid Wales. Each team has three members: two riders pedalling mountain bikes side by side and a driver standing in a chariot hitched between them. The chariots have been made from oil drums, with harnesses or clamps at the front to fix them to the bikes. Teams race against the clock and against each other on a short loop, and keeping the whole contraption upright matters as much as raw speed.

Taking part and watching

The published description calls for three people per team, with participants over 16. It also gives a team entry fee alongside its 2026 date. Recheck the next terms and fee when a new edition is announced. The page does not establish current spectator admission, viewing areas or accessible facilities.

Find the actual venue

The organiser’s page gives the event description without a verified next-edition venue or spectator arrival instructions. Request the site address, entrance and parking directions before booking a journey. A town-centre map pin should not stand in for an event entrance.

Planning a rail journey

Llanwrtyd Wells is on the Heart of Wales line, and Transport for Wales provides current station and train information. Check the onward journey once the event location is confirmed. The station’s facilities and access information describe the railway, not the ground conditions, toilets or viewing arrangements at the championship.

Taking part

The organisers describe two riders and a charioteer working as one unit, on specially commissioned equipment. Before entering, pick one person to get the current instructions and share them with all three of you. Ask whether bikes, helmets and other kit are supplied or need bringing, how teams report on arrival, and what briefing or practice is planned. The short event page doesn't answer any of that, so don't assume owning a mountain bike means you'll turn up ready to race. Make sure the whole team has been accepted before booking non-refundable travel. Supporters should find out when and where they can watch, and where everyone will meet afterwards. A comical-looking vehicle still needs an organised team behind it, and settling the practical details early leaves more room to enjoy the spectacle on the day.

Make a day of it nearby

The Llanwrtyd Heritage and Arts Centre and the Memorial Garden are two easy ways to add some local colour to your stay. The centre uses displays, maps and recorded memories to tell the town's story, from its spa visitors to later life, and has an art gallery too. The town's visitor guide points to the Memorial Garden behind the Memorial Institute as a spot by the river to pause, and to the historical scenes in a mural across the water. They're separate visits, so check the centre's opening times before deciding how to pair them. Both slot nicely into another morning, rather than being squeezed between your team's reporting time and the briefing. If you get chatting to volunteers about the town, remember they won't necessarily be handling race logistics; get the venue, kit and spectator information from Green Events.

Accessibility and families

If the wider countryside is part of your plans, the RSPB's Gwenffrwd-Dinas reserve offers woodland and river scenery in the area. Its visitor page describes oak and alder habitats, but also warns of rugged paths and steep drops, so choose your route carefully rather than expecting an easy, level stroll. There are no toilets on site, and dogs must be kept on leads. Read the latest practical information and decide whether the outing suits everyone before setting off. Keep a walk well away from the race's arrival window, and bring walking shoes rather than relying on cycling kit. A shorter, well-chosen walk beats an ambitious route that has you dashing back to Llanwrtyd. Wildlife sightings depend on luck and timing, so enjoy the place without promising anyone particular birds or a display from another season.

What to bring and wear

Transport for Wales has current station information for Llanwrtyd, and Green Events is your contact for the event. Use both: find the trains you can actually catch, then ask how to get from town to the next race's confirmed venue. The organisers' background page puts Llanwrtyd on the A483, but a road through town doesn't tell you where the racing entrance or spectator parking is. Give a taxi driver the confirmed venue and pick-up instructions, not just the championship's name. If you're staying overnight, check how your accommodation handles bikes or bulky kit before you arrive with them, and plan to collect your luggage after racing. Keep all three teammates' travel plans together, especially if one is arriving separately. A full team with a known meeting point is far easier than two riders at the start and a charioteer still hunting for the venue.

Questions people ask

Are ordinary bikes the only equipment we need?

The short event page doesn't say what's provided. Ask for the full current team instructions.

Does a town-centre map identify the race entrance?

No. Get the venue and arrival instructions from Green Events.

Can the Heritage Centre answer race registration questions?

No. Ask Green Events about race logistics; the centre is a separate attraction.

Is Gwenffrwd-Dinas an automatically easy walk?

No. The RSPB warns of rough paths and steep drops; choose your route and footwear carefully.

Does the 2026 event page confirm the next date?

No. Wait for a dated announcement before booking around a future championship.

Plan your trip

STAY OVER

Make a night of it

Search places to stay in and around Builth Wells. Add your dates once the organiser confirms the next one. Popular events can fill nearby rooms early, so check cancellation terms.

Find a place to stay on Booking.com ↗

BY TRAIN

Nearest station: Llanwrtyd

Llanwrtyd station is on the Heart of Wales line with only a few trains a day; the exact race site is announced by the organiser, so confirm it before you travel.

Check trains on Trainline ↗

Booking.com and Trainline links are affiliate links — what that means.

Where it is

Map pin shows the approximate area where the event happens. Open in OpenStreetMap ↗

Make a weekend of it

Odd things nearby

Man v Horse 0 miles · A Saturday in June
Real Ale Wobble 0 miles · 14 November 2026
World Bog Snorkelling Championships 1 miles · August bank holiday weekend

Also in August

The Burryman South Queensferry, Edinburgh
Brambles Bank cricket match The Solent, Hampshire
Cilgerran Coracle Races Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire
Ould Lammas Fair Ballycastle, County Antrim

Featured in our guides: Llanwrtyd Wells: Britain’s Oddest Town · Odd Wales: 12 Strange Traditions

Still to confirm before you travel

Confirm the next date and exact venue, whether spectators can attend, admission, parking and the route from town. The published entry terms currently sit alongside a past date.

Go straight to the source

Independent research. The organiser’s own information always wins — we have not visited or tested the journeys.