Hamburg's Backyard

Hamburg's Backyard sets out to show how much wild riding lies on the city's doorstep: gravel, forest and quiet countryside heading north from Hamburg, far from the street lights. The organisers pitch it as a gravel ultra for people who have never ridden one, as much as for those who have, and the route stays a secret until the start.

It is fully unsupported: no feed stations and no technical help, so riders plan their own breaks, find their own sleeping spots and solve their own problems, while helping each other is openly encouraged. Bike Magazin reported that the 2026 edition drew 500 pre-registrations and sold its 100 places within six hours, and added a shorter Night Shift that rides through a single night.

Behind it is a small group of Hamburg riders, among them Rasmus, who has started ultra races from Lisbon to Helsinki, and the event works closely with the local Gruppetto community, with which it also runs a bike flea market.