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Vegas In 24™

Take the Challenge!

VegasIn24™ is one of the most grueling cycling challenges in the world, not just because of the sheer distance, climate, unforgiving desert and mountainous terrain, but also because of the 24 hour time limit.

The challenge, created in 2015 by our Chief Ho’Omau Andy Funk, started as a non-stop, unassisted, 365-mile charity bike ride from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. On April 23, 2016, Andy arrived in Vegas and set the world’s fastest known time in 20:41:25 hours. Since then, Ho’Omau Endurance acquired the Vegas In 24 brand – turning it into an open cycling challenge available to anyone who dares to try – now with 4 routes to chose from: Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Reno.

Tackling any of the 4 challenges is a big undertaking and being physically ready is just part of the equation. Below is a general overview of Vegas In 24 that should answer most of your initial questions. Afterwards, we highly encourage you to review the Original Event, the 4 Routes and as much of Andy’s wisdom in the Planning section.

Are you in? Review the basic information below for a brief summary, then submit a free application at any time to get the process started.

Learn more about the very first VegasIn24 event and how it all got started with a nonstop charity ride in 2016. Get more details on the The OG page.

There are a total of 4 routes to chose from. Additional route details, comparisons and major takeaways can be found on the Routes page.

  • Reno (460 miles)
  • San Diego (375 miles)
  • Los Angeles (365 miles)
  • Phoenix (345 miles)

Each challenge has to be completed in under 24 hours in order to claim your award trophy, finisher certificate and to be added to the permanent leaderboard for eternal bragging rights!

While Reno is undoubtedly the longest challenge with the highest likelihood of missing the time cut off, it is a much faster route with forgiving terrain and less mountainous than the other routes. No matter which route you decide to tackle, it will test you in more ways than you can possibly imagine.

Finishing Vegas In 24 is a massive accomplishment no matter the fitness level and capability of the rider. Below is how Ho’Omau honors your amazing accomplishment.

Finishers (Within 24 Hours)

  • Finish the challenge on time to receive the coveted VegasIn24 award trophy and finisher certificate.
  • Ho’Omau will send out a press release to sports & fitness media outlets for all riders who complete the challenge on time.

All riders

  • Upcoming challenges will be added and listed on the VegasIn24 calendar with a link to the rider’s athlete page.
  • Upcoming challenges will be announced, in coordination with the rider, on social media and the Ho’Omau newsletter.
  • All riders who finish will be added to and listed in the weekly Who Crushed It section of the website.
  • All riders who finish will be added to and listed on the overall and route-specific leaderboards.
  • All riders receive the VegasIn24 event t-shirt, hat and swag.

VegasIn24 can be completed with your own support crew, or you can hire the Ho’Omau Cycling Team support crew and team car (or van) to come along with you. We will provide you with more details about all available options after you have submitted your initial application.

Mandatory Crew & Vehicle

For safety and medical reason, we require a minimum of a 2-person crew and car to come along with you. Both people must be licensed to drive so that they can take turns. This can be our Ho’Omau support team or it can be friends, co-workers, training buddies, siblings, etc. While not required, we highly suggest for one of your crew members to be a person with a medical or nursing background for any any health-related emergencies.

Mandatory Video Capture

If you hire our Ho’Omau support crew, no video capture will be required as our crew will be driving behind you at all times to observe. However, if you utilize your own team and car, the vehicle must have a front dash and rear dash camera installed that records video at all times. If your cameras do not have sufficient battery lifespan or recording capability, you will need to install multiple cameras on the front and rear to capture every moment of the ride. This is mandatory to avoid cheating. Ho’Omau reviews all video footage of self-supported challenges prior to issuing award trophies and finisher certificates to validate authenticity of each effort.

Crew Considerations

Depending on which challenge you choose, your need for a team may differ. An RV is generally not necessary, but it can come in handy if your support crew consists of more than a few people. A large van or RV can allow your crew to rotate driving and rest when necessary. Depending on what time of the year you choose to ride, many hours of your ride will take place at night, and people will get tired eventually.

If you want to document your journey, having a designated photographer, videographer, drone pilot, reporter, social media person, etc will need to be taken into consideration. During the original 2016 event, Andy had a crew of 10 people following him in a designated RV, media car, and drone vehicle including 2 additional media personnel from Garmin in a separate vehicle (check the event video or livestream diaries for more). Again, the mandatory 2-person minimum will work just fine – it all depends on your desired setup and how much of your accomplishment you want to capture along the way. At all times, considering the safety of all of those involved, including yourself, should be your #1 concern.

Part of what makes the VegasIn24 challenge so tough is that it is a fully unsupported bike ride. Here are the specifics:

  • No rider may, at any time, receive outside assistance from anyone, including their own support crew or a hired Ho’Omau support crew.
  • In an emergency or crash, riders are allowed to receive medical attention by their support crew or a professional.
  • If the rider continues and still finishes the challenge after receiving medical care and before the 24 hour cutoff, it will be considered a legitimate finish.
  • If the rider is dehydrated and requires liquids beyond what is carried on the bike, this is permissible in an emergency but will be considered outside assistance.
  • The rider may purchase food and liquids at any establishment along the route. Receiving purchased items from store personnel is not considered outside assistance.
  • The rider must fix their own mechanical issues, flat tires, pick up dropped bottles, dump trash at a rest stop etc.

Unfixable Mechanicals

  • If the rider has an unfixable mechanical issue and has hired the Ho’Omau support crew, a temporary bike can be provided to allow the rider to complete the challenge. We allow this for various reasons. For example, riding 280 miles just to be stuck with an unfixable mechanical would be extremely frustrating and a waste of a good effort. Therefore, Ho’Omau will allow the rider to continue on a loaner bike to complete the ride. Once a loaner bike is accepted, the rider will no longer be eligible for awards, but will be listed in the permanent leaderboard under the Finished After Cutoff or Mechanical section.

VegasIn24 is a non-drafting event, part of the many reasons it is one of the most difficult cycling challenges in the world.

  • The rider must remain clear of drafting situations at all times.
  • If the rider is caught in a draft – let’s say another cyclist rides along the same route and joins in – the rider must remove himself from the draft as soon as reasonably possible.
  • Team or support cars, vans, motorcycles and/or RV’s must be located behind the cyclist at all times.
  • If a team or support car, van , motorcycles and/or RV’s is driving in front of the rider due to traffic or any other reason such vehicle must be located at least 30 meters ahead of the rider and return behind the rider as soon as reasonably possible.

Timing your event properly is crucial. There are generally only 2 time periods per year where this challenge can be carried out optimally: March-May and September-November. Technically, you could conquer VegasIn24 at any time. You could ride during summer and have the longest daylight time while never getting cold, but you’ll be riding in 100+ degrees through the desert and your bike weight will be enormous due to all the extra hydration needs. There is much to consider, and here is a short list with things you will need to think about:

  • The amount of daylight available on the day you plan to ride.
  • The temperature variation between night and day.
  • The projected wind speeds for the time period in question.
  • The projected precipitation and cloud cover for the time period in question.
  • The traffic conditions in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix or Reno at departure.
  • The traffic conditions in Las Vegas upon arrival.

There is no way to create a perfect environment – and that’s why this is one of the toughest events out there. When Andy first rode to Vegas in 2016, it was one of the windiest bike rides of his entire life. Yet, by choosing one of the best months of the year to complete the ride, he ended up with manageable temperatures throughout the day and lows during the night that were still bearable, and a respectable amount of daylight. There are tradeoffs and ultimately, you will have to make some decisions on what will work best for you.

Rest stops during VegasIn24 need to be carefully planned. Not just are they your only opportunity to fuel up, eat, refill bottles, etc – there are simply not very many of them to begin with – again, this is just one of the reasons this event is extremely tough. For example, during the original VegasIn24 in 2016, there were only 5 logical rest stops available on the entire route, and once you are out of the big city (Los Angeles), there are only 4 throughout the desert along the remaining 260+ miles. Careful planning is critical as there is a fine balance between carrying too much weight on your bike – slowing you down – and running out of fuel before you reach the next rest stop. Andy has some words of wisdom in the Planning section on this and other related topics that you will want to consider. Whether you stop at a gas station, grocery store, Pizza Hut or 7 Eleven is up to you. How often you stop is also up to you.

All riders who want to take on the VegasIn24 challenge and be admitted to the leaderboard must submit a free application of their intent to conquer one of the 4 routes. This helps us organize and optimize event dates as there is only a small window of time each year to ride through the desert. It also helps us assess the riders current and planned fitness, and allows us to plan the schedule for our Ho’Omau support crew, if requested by the rider.

Once your application is reviewed, you must submit your final ride confirmation form and the acceptance fee of $375. The fee covers your award trophy, finisher certificate, event t-shirt, event hat, swag, internal application processing and more.

If you are thinking about hiring our Ho’Omau Support Crew for your event, let us know in your initial application.