The Rookie Route is not an overly aggressive route and can be tackled with just about any bike you have.

• Mountain Bike: If riding a mountain bike, there is no need for anything other than a hardtail as the route is not so rough. Anything over 2.4″ would be overkill for this route, and I would recommend something smaller in the 2-2.2″ mark.
• Gravel Bike: A cyclocross bike would be absolutely fine along this route. With short punchy climbs, it will not be so taxing as to destroy your legs. If using a gravel bike with 700 wheels, you’ll have a very comfortable and fun ride. You’ll be fast, have a bit more cushion, and eat the miles (km) pretty quickly.

For a detailed write-up of the route, check out the ride report by Cory on An Athlete’s Blog.

• Fresh water: Also not really an issue on this route as it is a fairly short look and there are enough towns along the way to easily re-fill your water bottles.
• Restaurants/Cafes/Bars: The main towns along the route where you can find food at in Port Perry (the start point of the route), Uxbridge, Blackwater, Sunderland, and Cannington. With a bit of planning you should be able to carry enough food for the entire ride and not have to worry about resupply….or you could make a great pit stop in one of the towns and get some lunch.

The Rookie Route is a great gravel bike route that is almost entirely gravel. While the first and last part of the route has a fair bit of climbing, overall it’s not so much. With a bit of singletrack and possible muddy conditions, this route averages a 3/10 overall.

Average Physical Difficulty – 3

• 1-2 – Relatively level riding
• 3-4 – Regular rolling terrain with sustained climbing
• 5-6 – Rugged terrain with frequent climbs, some of which may be steep and unrelenting
• 7-8 – Very rugged terrain with abundant climbing, some of which is very steep and unrideable
• 9-10 – Numerous very steep, climbs requiring bike-pushing and/or carrying

Average Technical Difficulty – 3

• 1-2 – Smooth riding surface with few obstacles (e.g., graded dirt roads, rail trails); suitable for novice mountain bikers
• 3-4 – Track has occasional obstacles and steep sections (e.g., maintained forest roads, mellow singletrack); suitable for beginner mountain bikers
• 5-6 – Continuous sections of track may be rocky, loose, and steep; (e.g., 4×4 roads or singletrack in rugged/rocky terrain) suitable for intermediate mountain bikers
• 7-8 – Narrow trail with regular obstacles, sustained steep grades; suitable for intermediate to advanced mountain bikers
• 9-10 – Very challenging riding with frequent large obstacles, exposure, very steep grades; suitable for advanced mountain bikers