Mixed Terrain Ride Specifically for non-technical Gravel Riders
Location: Start and end near Bedford, MA
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain
Date & Time: Saturday, October 31, 2026, 9am start
Distance: ~25 miles
Location: Start and end near Bedford, MA
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain ride for gravel bikes, hardtail mountain bikes or fat bikes
Date & Time: Saturday, October 31, 9am start
Distance: ~25 miles
Pace: Fun - everyone rides together at a slower pace, no one feels “slow” all enjoy getting on mixed terrain
Price: Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us
RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form
Details
This mixed-terrain ride leads cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of ~25 miles.
Pace: “Fun: - everyone rides together at a slower pace, no one feels “slow” all enjoy getting on mixed terrain and getting a chance to feel comfortable on the terrain.
Distance
The ride is ~25 miles in length.
Parking
In the large parking lot for offices just across from Revolution Hall:
3 Maguire Rd, Lexington, MA 02421
Link to the parking lot & where to actually park: PIN
Route
The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm the night before this ride.
Estimated Ride Time
~2.5-3+ hours, we will not be on a schedule, making sure everyone feels comfortable and has fun.
After the Ride
Enjoy social time together at Revolution Hall!
Route Notes
This route offers a wide variety of terrain and trail types. Expect roots, rocks, twisty, turny terrain, the typical stuff found in eastern Massachusetts. If you’re not certain about riding something, walk it, it won’t be any slower to walk than to ride anything like that anyway!
Last-Minute Information
We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news.
Contact Information
Email - connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions about this ride anytime 1 hour or more prior to the start of the ride.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules. RSVP’ing to this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Waiver
New England Expedition Riders requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.
If this is your second or more ride with us, our insurance requires that you become a member of NEER.
Proper bike & Equipment
40mm knobby tires minimum. Wider tires are nicer! Ideal: 40mm or wider. We expect to see gravel bikes, hardtail mountain bikes, and fat bikes on this ride. Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. Do NOT ride road tires since you’ll be flatting out there.
Clipless pedals and shoes or platform pedals. Clipless pedals are an important element of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, this is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We do not allow road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride. You can possibly get away with road pedals/cleats on a gravel (dirt road) ride, but not on a mixed terrain ride.
A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride or take an Uber home if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes.
High enough tire pressure to prevent pinch flatting and burping your tires. We’ll discuss tire pressure during the ride.
Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.
RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!
Please RSVP only after you’ve made sure you can attend. It is inconsiderate to RSVP prior to committing to attending since it affects the experience of the other cyclists in attendance. We understand that things come up last-minute. Be sure to email us if you can’t attend: connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
Sunday Mixed Terrain Ride starting in Arlington
Location: Start and end in Arlington
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes
Date & Time: Sunday, November 1, 9:00am
Distance: 36 miles
Price: Free
RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form
Location: Start and end in Arlington at the Arlington reservoir
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes
Date & Time: Sunday, November 1, 9am start
Distance: 36 miles
Price: Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us
RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form
Details
This mixed-terrain ride takes cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of 36 miles. This equates to ~4 hours of total ride time.
The route is a mixed terrain route so any gravel bike with 38mm tires or larger should be suited for the terrain. We’ll be riding a moderate endurance pace and focusing on minimizing stops so as to have a more focused ride.
We have a designated Super Domestique leading the last group to depart, if we split into groups.
Pace: endurance zone 2/3 for most cyclists - if you can average 16-17mph on a road bike on a paved road, you’re fit enough for this ride.
Distance
The ride is 36 miles in length.
Parking
Free, all day parking at the Arlington Reservoir
210 Lowell St., Arlington, MA 02474
Route
The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 5pm Saturday night, October 31. If you RSVP later than 7pm, that’s fine, the route will be in your inbox by 6am Sunday morning.
Estimated Ride Time
~4 hours
Route Notes
We discuss these with you prior to rollout. Note that a mixed terrain ride is rougher than a “gravel” ride on the dirt sections. There are a number of boardwalks. It should be dry on these so as long as you feel comfortable riding average width boardwalks, you’ll be fine.
Last-Minute Information
We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news.
Contact Information
Email - connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions about this ride anytime 1 hour or more prior to the start of the ride.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules. RSVP’ing to this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Waiver
NEER requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.
If this is your second or more ride with us, our insurance requires that you become a member of NEER.
Proper bike & Equipment
38mm knobby tires minimum. Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and fat bikes at this ride, the majority of bikes will likely be gravel bikes.
Clipless pedals and shoes. These are important elements of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, this is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We strongly discourage road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride. You can possibly get away with road pedals/cleats on a gravel (dirt road) ride, but not a mixed terrain ride.
A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride or take an Uber home if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes.
High enough tire pressure to prevent pinch flatting and burping your tires. We recommend about 80% of maximum rated tire pressure. Sometimes this is much too high, ask us if you’re not sure where to set your tire pressure. We like you to have more than enough air for these reasons:
We want to minimize flats on the ride; waiting for someone to change flats is not why we ride. We typically see zero flats on our ride. One of the primary reasons for this is due to higher than average tire pressure.
You can easily take it out, much harder to add it in.
Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.
RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!
Please RSVP only after you’ve made sure you can attend. It is inconsiderate to RSVP prior to committing to attending since it affects the experience of the other cyclists in attendance. We understand that things come up last-minute. Be sure to email us if you can’t attend: connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
Brutiful Cape 2026: An off-season vacation paradise with super fun Gravel and Fat Riding
Location: Eastham, MA on the Cape
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel bikes & Fat Bike ride for Fat Bikes
Date & Time: Saturday, October 24 & Sunday, October 25
Distance: various!
Camping options exist to stay Friday night and Saturday night
Location: Start and end in Eastham, MA on the Cape
Ride Type: Gravel and fat bike adventure event ride! Mtbs have great fun on the gravel routes as well! (Routes are different for the gravel/mtbs and fat bikes.)
Date & Time: Saturday, October 24, 2026 - Gravel options + shorter fat option AND
Sunday, October 25, 2026 - 100 mile fat ride
Distance: 50km, 100km, 100mi options for gravel/mtn bikes AND
50km option for fat bikes on Saturday; 100 mi on Sunday for fat bikes only.
A 100 Mile VERY SPECIAL Fat Ride is happening on Sunday, October 25! 5th Annual running of this ride!
Price: $75-$105
Registration deadline: Thursday, October 22 at 11:59pm. No registrations will be allowed after this time for any reason.
Camping option offered upon checkout (at BikeReg) - stay right where the ride starts & ends! It’s a great area that we have on one full side of the campground so it’s fairly private.
Register at BikeReg.com
Details
This very special ride takes cyclists to many interesting trails, dirt roads, and pavement that connects the dirt sections on the Cape. Fat bikes go to some sandier places and a few beautiful beaches for extra fun. This is a sandy place meaning the trails dry very quickly if they get wet and there is sandiness on the trails in general. The chances we would need to cancel this ride due to the weather are very small. We expect to ride rain or shine and will only cancel if the weather appears dangerous to riders or trails.
If you’re a bikepacker and want to test your gear, strap it to your bike and come along! If you just want to enjoy a lovely autumn day on the bike without hoards of people on the Cape, this ride is for you, too.
Keep reading, there’s a campsite near the start of the ride if you want to bikepack out to the ride or drive from somewhere that’s further away.
100 Mile Fat Bike Option offered for Sunday, October 25
If you are a fat bike rider interested in a 100-mile fat bike ride option, we have this very special option running separately on Sunday, October 25. Every year, this ride is incredible and people who thought there is no way they can ride 100 miles on their fat bikes do it and LOVE it!!
100 mile Fat Bike riders experience the very best of fat riding on glorious stretches of beach, sandy trails, back roads, and just have a full day of joy on their bikes!
What You Get
Ride a beautiful place not all that far from civilization nor too far from where you started. It’s off-season on the Cape but before everything closes for the winter - a perfect time to be there!
A well-vetted route that takes you to places you’d never know to ride otherwise.
An opportunity to ride your gravel or fat bike with plenty of dirt, cool trails and beautiful beaches.
The chance to share the day with your friend group, ride with a group of people we match up based on expected pace, or ride solo without feeling alone.
A hearty, warm meal at the end of the ride to finish feeling satisfied from riding and not being hungry!
No clock: this is not a race, it’s an opportunity to enjoy riding your bike, take the time you want to out there, ride as fast or slow as you wish.
Get your friends together to do the ride and enjoy camping together right at where the ride starts and ends, it’s a mini-vacation for everyone!
Get your Friends Together to Ride Together!
We’re offering a separate rollout time for all friend groups so you can start together and stay together. Get your friends together and when you register, tell us their names. Your start time will not be more than 30 minutes different from the start time for the category you register for unless you request a different time for your friend-group rollout. We’ll accommodate as much as possible, just ask!
If you don’t have friends who want to do the ride, that’s fine, we are grouping riders of similar paces to ride together or you’re welcome to ride solo. We prefer to start solo riders nice and early so you’re seeing others throughout the day and not be the last rider out there.
Start Time Requests if different from the category start time
We’re happy to accommodate anyone’s start time requests unless it looks like it’ll get you back too late so please tell us your requests in your registration information. If you’re riding with a friend group and you request a specific time, we’ll assume everyone in your group is on board with this request.
Pace
If you choose to ride with a group of friends you or one of your friends puts together, ride the pace your group prefers! We offer a start time for your group so that you can start separately and stay together.
If you’re riding solo, you’re welcome to ride the pace you want as long as you have time to complete the route before we stop serving food. If you’re wondering about your pace and timing, email us.
If you select to ride with a group of people we assemble, then you’ve told us your pace and hopefully those who we match you with are around the same pace. There’s always a risk of the group being a little faster or slower than how you want to ride so come with the route loaded and be prepared. Our rides typically attract people in this category who want to ride with others so will alter their pace to appease others in the group so as to have a group experience.
Start Times
Start times that you see when you register are all approximate. We will roll out groups of friends, groups we assemble, and solo riders separately. You'll get an email with exact rollout times by 7pm Thursday evening prior to the ride.
Your roll-out time will be within 30 minutes of the time you’ve registered for and it’ll probably be a bit closer than that.
We expect all riders to be done riding by 6pm, that’s when the sun sets. We don’t want anyone out riding after dark.
Distance Options
Distances offered for gravel & mountain bikes are 50km, 100km & 100 miles.
A 50km fat bike option is offered on Saturday.
A very special 100 mile fat bike option is offered on Sunday. We offer this separately in order to give adventure fat bike riders a special day of riding and it’s a way for adventure fat bike riders to find each other prior to the winter since there will be many other adventure fat rides happening that this ride is great prep for!
Parking
The ride starts and ends at a lovely campground on the Cape where we’re serving coffee, a light breakfast, and after-ride warm, hearty meal. There will be plenty of chairs, places to sit and enjoy time together.
We’re offering a camping option at the campground (more details are further down this page) so you can park and start/end right there & be near us too (if you want!) We highly recommend you and your friends camp together the night before and night of the ride; we’ve had lots of people do this in previous years and have enjoyed a mini-vacation together doing this.
If you’re driving to the ride the day of the event, there will be ample and free parking offsite. It is close to the start. Those staying at the campground can park their vehicles at the campground.
Bathrooms, water at the start & end
With the start at the campground, bathrooms and clean water are abundant. You’re welcome to all of the services a comfortable campground offers.
Route & Route Notes
The routes will be emailed to all who register no later than 7pm Thursday evening prior to the weekend of the ride.
This is a sandy area. Both gravel and mountain bikes are welcome for the gravel-version of the ride. Gravel cyclists not familiar with sand will have the opportunity to get familiar with it! 40mm or larger tires are recommended. The terrain is special and really fun to ride.
For the fat bike routes: fat bikes are required with a minimum of 3.8” tires in order to properly enjoy the beaches included.
Terrain Description & Which bike to ride?
The routes may evolve prior to them being finalized. Weather may change the route at the last moment, too. Last minute road work also sometimes requires re-routing. The point is, these percentages are estimates and may change.
Percentages are by shown by distance, not time.
Percentages are very similar regardless of route distance. The fat bike class is the exception; see those differences below.
Total climbing: 4,300 ft.
| Cars/No Cars | Terrain | Percentage | Ideal Bike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cars Likely | Pavement, roads | 20% | Gravel bike w/30mm slick tires |
| Cars Allowed | Dirt roads | 5% | Gravel bike w/30mm slick tires |
| No Cars | Pavement that's car-free, abandoned roads, closed roads, and bike paths | 10% | Gravel bike |
| No Cars | Fire roads and access roads | 20% | Gravel bike w/40mm tires |
| No Cars | Smooth Singletrack | 15% | Gravel bike w/40mm knobby tires |
| No Cars | Rough, abandoned, washed out, and class 4 roads | 10% | Hardtail Mountain Bike |
| No Cars | Singlegrack, tight, rocky, or overgrown | 15% | Hardtail Mountain Bike |
| No Cars | Trail Sand | 5% | Gravel 40mm knobby or wider, depends on how rainy it is just prior to the ride |
| No Cars | Beach Sand | 0.3% | Fat tires 4" or wider, Probably not rideable on a mountain bike tire. Definitely not rideable on a gravel bike tire. |
| For the Fat Bike Routes: | No Cars | Beach & Sand | 20% | Fat tires 4" or wider | This % replaces some of the above terrain |
Plant life on the Cape & Tall Socks
Cape plants are tougher than usual mainland plants, so they can be scratchier to your skin. We recommend wearing tall socks to protect skin from these plants and any insects, etc as well. There are some places where you’ll be riding through trails with plants that are overgrown into the trail.
Food & Water During the Ride
There are quality food stops on the route with stores that are open at this time of year that provide water and tasty food if you’d like to get extra things to eat while you’re riding. Free water is available at a number of stores so it doesn’t need to be purchased.
We charge less for this ride so that you have $ to buy food at local establishments. The routes we provide and pre-ride notes discuss nice places to stop for food and the route directs you through the front door of these places so you can’t miss them.
Our pre-ride email will include information on places to stop to refuel during the ride.
Support on the Route
There are no support vehicles on the route, be prepared to deal with the usual mechanicals by bringing tools and supplies. Have a plan if your body or bike won’t allow you to finish the ride. The Cape is quiet this time of year, but it’s not shut down, either. Cell reception is generally decent in places where we’re riding, though it can’t always be depended on.
After the Rides
Bring a change of clothes and a lawn chair so you can enjoy a bunch of social time post-ride! We bring chairs, there are tents to block the sun and any precipitation, we keep a fire going in the mid afternoon through evening Friday and Saturday.
We’ll provide a hot, tasty after-ride meal for all riders. We’ll be serving food until the sun sets and hang out until everyone is done enjoying themselves. Be sure you have completed your ride prior to sunset which is 6pm.
The end of the ride is at a campground so enjoy the atmosphere, campfire, food together, and if you bring a bag with a change of clothes for the end of the ride, you can change and stay awhile!
For Fat Bike Riders on the Sunday 100 mile route:
This ride starts early in the morning - 4am-6am (faster riders can start later if desired). However, we want everyone to arrive back before the sun goes down if possible. It’s safest to plan to take a nap or stay over on the Cape Sunday night after such a big ride. Don’t schedule any Monday morning meetings at work!
What happens if it rains?
This runs rain or shine. Dangerous weather cancels and we’ll offer a partial credit for a future ride based on expenses already incurred by the time we need to make the decision.
Last-Minute Information
We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news via BikeReg.com so make sure you get communications from BikeReg!
Contact Information
Email us with questions at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.
Camping Option
We recommend staying at the Atlantic Oaks Campground if you’d like to camp at the start. We’ll be hanging out there Friday and Saturday evening.
We offer camping options in your registration if you want to stay next to us, right where the ride will start/end. This is the easiest way to camp since the sites are reserved and we can always reserve more; it helps us to show the campground how many sites we are reserving and using (helps us get invited back for future years).
Otherwise, you will want to make your reservation with this campground via calling them. Their phone number is (508) 255-1437.
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by these Rules. Registering for this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Waiver
The insurance for this ride requires a signed waiver. This will be shared with all who register to sign via an email from BikeReg.com.
Proper bike & Equipment
For the Gravel Routes: A gravel bike or mountain bike with 38mm tires which are minimum. Riders are typically happier with 45-50mm gravel tires or mtb tires on hardtail mountain bikes. It all depends on how technical of a rider you are as to which bike you’ll have the most fun on. The terrain is varied and really fun! If you don’t like riding on sandy trails, bring a bike with bigger tires. We don’t put gravel routes on beaches, but sometimes the trails are sandy. Amount of rain leading into the ride impacts the firmness of the trails and roads as well.
For the Fat Routes: A bike with tires 3.8” or wider is required due to the beaches these routes include.
For ALL Riders:
Required: A GPS computer with the route loaded ahead of time
Required: A bike that’s in safe working order that has been recently tuned and is free of creaking and squeaking.
Required: All of the tools for typical mechanicals such as:
Flat fix tools and at least one spare tube (yes, even if you’re running tubeless tires), air via CO2 or hand pump, multi-tool
Nice to have: Extra chain link, chain breaker, chain pliers
Spare derailleur hanger if your bike needs a spare
Extra clothes and storage capacity so adding/taking off layers is easy
Required: Cell phone and a plan to get back to your car in case your bike or body stops working - we cannot offer rides to anyone (per insurance requirements)
Required: Two full water bottles at the start of the ride (there is running water at the start so you can fill up)
Required: Front and rear lights if there is any chance you’ll be riding in rain or before the sunrise/after the sun sets
Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets
Gravel Rhodes Island Ride
Location: Coventry, RI
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride
Date & Time: Saturday, November 7, 9am start
Distance: 100km
Location: Start and end in Rhode Island (near Connecticut)
Special Requirement: MUST wear an orange vest/jersey for visibility - it’s hunting season
Ride Type: Gravel & mixed terrain ride for your gravel, adventure, or mountain bike (any bike with 35mm or wider tires)
Date & Time: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 9am rollout
Distance: 100km
All are welcome if you’ve got the basics on gear covered.
Theme: Have fun riding gravel and enjoy nice riding before we switch to winter cycling!
Price: No charge; see requirements for joining NEER after the first ride you do with us.
Details
We are hosting a really fun day of gravel and mixed terrain riding in Rhode Island (route will touch Connecticut some as well). This is a great opportunity to have a nice, long day on the bike on gravel and some mixed terrain as well.
Ride a well-vetted 100km gravel ride with our led group (moderate pace, the equivalent of riders who would be averaging 16mph on the road if it were a road ride which it is not), or a faster group, or your friends or ride solo ahead of the groups
Ride in an area without much traffic and where you're probably not riding otherwise
There is no on-bike mechanical support. We're starting riders off with gaps so that slower riders will be passed by faster riders at some point and will allow more overlap which offers visibility for riders throughout the ride. Riders are expected to bring all tools necessary for mechanical situations. Keep reading for recommendations of what to bring with you.
Pace
If you choose to ride with a group of friends you or someone puts together, ride the pace your group prefers!
If you’re riding solo, you’re welcome to ride the pace you want though we prefer if you start earlier than the groups.
There will be one moderate-fast group, possibly a fast group, and a Super Domestique-led moderate group.
Speed Definitions, for those opting in to a group we assemble for this ride
Your pace will be well below these on a longer gravel/mixed terrain ride, but use this as a gauge as to who you are likely to enjoy riding with!
Fun: You usually average ~13-14mph on a road bike, on a paved road ride of 30 miles in length with the usual hilly terrain we find in New England.
Moderate: You usually average 16-17mph on a road bike, on a paved road ride of 30 miles in length with the usual hilly terrain we find in New England.
Moderate-Fast: You usually average 18-19mph on a road bike, on a paved road ride of 30 miles in length with the usual hilly terrain we find in New England.
Fast: You usually average 20+mph on a road bike, on a paved road ride of 30 miles in length with the usual hilly terrain we find in New England.
Start, Distance & Estimated Ride Time
Start times that you see when you register are all approximate. We will roll out groups of friends, groups we assemble, and solo riders separately. You'll get an email with exact rollout times by 7pm Thursday evening prior to the ride.
We expect all riders to be done riding by 5pm. People should arrive back to the parking lot well before this time. We’ll pack up and leave at 6pm unless people are either all done before then or having too much fun, in which case we’ll stay for the party!
Parking
There is a large parking lot that allows for all-day parking at no charge where we’ll be starting and ending. We’ll share exact directions with you to this lot.
We’ll suggest a place to find a toilet enroute to the lot since there is not a toilet on-site.
Route & Route Notes
The route and ride schedule will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm Thursday evening prior to the ride.
The route is about as gentle in terms of elevation gain as you’ll find a gravel ride within a 90-minute drive of the Boston area! It’s a little over 4,000 ft of climbing for the 100km route. We’ll tell you lots more in the pre-ride communication.
Food & Water During the Ride
There is one stop mid-ride for the 100km route to refill water and buy calories. It’s not fancy (think nice, clean gas station), there’s almost no where in this area to refill.
After the Ride
Bring warm clothes to change into and hang out; there are nice places nearby to eat, it’s likely many will want a meal in a nice bar & grill before heading home.
What happens if it’s rainy?
The roads and trails won’t be affected by rain except for possibly adding more puddles for riders to avoid. We aren’t riding sensitive trails or areas where it would be irresponsible for bikes to go when it’s wet.
We will email if we decide to cancel due to cold rain, but we’ll try not to cancel for weather, we need to be outside this time of year!
Last-Minute Information
We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news via email.
Everyone will receive complete ride details by 7pm Thursday evening to their email, two days before the ride. If you have NOT received an email by 7pm Thursday, please email us so we know you haven’t gotten information. Please don’t email prior to 7pm Thursday wondering where your information is because we probably haven’t sent anything to anyone yet and your email will just slow down our ability to release information to everyone.
Contact Information
Email us with questions at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by these Rules. Registering for this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Waiver
The insurance for this ride requires a signed waiver. This will be shared with all who register to sign electronically.
Proper bike & Equipment
A gravel bike is ideal, though a mountain bike, fat bike or even road bike with 35mm tires or wider is fine if you know you’ll be able to keep the pace you’re signing up for with that bike. Riders with tires on the narrower side will want to walk a few more spots (around rocks, roots). Either flat pedals or mountain-style pedals should be used, no road pedals/shoes.
Required: An ORANGE vest or jersey that’s hunter orange and 200 square inches from the waist up. These can be purchased for $5 at Home Depot and many convenience stores. It’s the law!
Required: Front and rear lights - there is a chance you’ll be riding in the dark, the sun goes down EARLY in November! Visibility is always a good thing for safety.
Required: A GPS computer with the route loaded ahead of time
Required: A bike that’s in safe working order that has been recently tuned and is free of creaking and squeaking. The chain should be lubed just prior to the ride.
Required: All of the tools for typical mechanicals such as:
Flat fix tools and at least TWO spare tubes (yes, even if you’re running tubeless tires), air via CO2 or hand pump, multi-tool
Nice to have: Extra chain link, chain breaker, chain pliers
Nice to have: Change of socks, waterproof socks (in case your feet slip into a puddle)
Spare derailleur hanger if your bike needs a spare
Extra clothes and storage capacity so adding/taking off layers is easy
Required: Cell phone and a plan to get back to your car in case your bike or body stops working - we cannot offer rides to anyone (per insurance requirements)
Required: Two full water bottles at the start of the ride
Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets
VERY NICE TO HAVE: Change of clothes to wear after the ride so you’re comfy!
Remember November Bikepacking Adventure
Location: Acton, MA, Camping in Littleton, MA
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Bike Packing
Date & Time: Saturday & Sunday November 14 & 15
Distance: ~70 miles
Price: $70 with discounted pricing for all NEER members (become a member to have access to this and all of our bikepacking trips + much more!)
Location: Starts in Acton, MA, Camping is in Littleton, MA
Transportion: Take the train from Boston or drive, parking is free all weekend, see details below
Route & distance: Bikepacking, mixed terrain appropriate for gravel bikes with 40mm tires, bigger are totally fine! Quite a lot of dirt under your tires - Expect ~40ish miles Saturday, ~25ish miles Sunday
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain
Date & Time: Saturday & Sunday November 14-15
Price: $70, all NEER members receive a discount code commensurate with their membership level
Must be a NEER member to participate (this keeps the price down for everyone since we don’t have to buy extra insurance; become a member!) The bikepacking option is likely to fill up. No charge for those who come for the day of riding.
Non-Riding family/friend option! See details below.
Description: Remember November is a great ride and it’s combined with bikepacking so it’s a full, wonderful overnight experience! Get out to bikepack before the winter sets in, this is important since winter is the best time to plan and prepare for the coming spring. It’s also incredibly fulfilling cycling and time with other like-minded cyclists. Time at camp together can’t be beat!
This is a 100% new route that we just developed! We’ve never run this route before and it’s in an area where other rides/events aren’t common so it’s very likely to be almost all new terrain to you, even if you live near this area.
This is a great way to test your bikepacking setup, enjoy camping with others of similar cycling interests, and share the experience with your friends. Get into bikepacking before the autumn turns to winter!
This is not a catered trip, we’re not bringing stuff to camp for anyone but we do have the basics for fire starting and boiling water which you’re welcome to use. We bring other nice things for you such as hot chocolate (the healthy and yet still tasty kind), tasty, fresh third-wave coffee beans and coffee grinder, filters.
We’re buying all of the firewood and keeping the fire warm while we’re enjoying time at camp together.
We’re providing knowledge and ideas, ask questions and we’ll get you answers.
Self-sufficiency is important! You are expected to be able to fix mechanical issues or ride with friends who can help each other out.
We’re providing a comprehensive packing list so you know what to bring and are prepared for this and any bikepacking trip.
There are cabins at camp if you want to sleep inside and/or have someone meet you at camp. Please get in touch if you want to stay in a cabin or have family/friends meet you at camp!
Photo from a warm bikepacking trip fire and post-ride feasting/post-ride food coma Saturday night.
When:
14 & 15 November 2026. Saturday and Sunday.
Where we start & Where we Camp:
The ride start is at the Acton MBTA station where overnight parking is allowed. Take the train to the start!
Parking is no charge on weekends and overnight in this lot.
10am Saturday - Grand Depart - Full group rollout from the parking lot
9am or earlier Sunday - Depart from Camp for the second leg of the journey - you’re welcome to start your ride early if you need to get back earlier!
Train Information -
Take the Fitchburg Line that starts at North Station in Boston to Acton. Here is a good one for Saturday, will get you to the parking lot by 8:34am! Sunday a return train is at 2pm, but it’s a shorter route Sunday so riding home may be the best choice.
Why:
Organized bikepacking trips are hard to find and it’s nice to have the opportunity to test your equipment, figure out how to pack your bike, etc.
Registration:
For the bikepacking trip, please Register at the NEER store!
Questions?Email us at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com
Who can do this Ride?
Any fit and competent cyclist with equipment that meets our minimum requirements and who is willing to abide by basic riding safety rules may participate. There are no time cut offs, you’re welcome to take your time. As much as possible, we want people to ride together. However, when everyone has a loaded bike, people tend to get spread out on the route. Come prepared to ride alone and if it turns out that you get to ride with people, great! If you prefer to ride alone, no one will take it personally.
All who register to participate in this ride will receive the following pre-ride:
Bikepacking Checklist: This is a comprehensive list of what NEER recommends for participants to have on bike and body. It also includes a list of items we find useful on self-supported multi-day rides for your knowledge and you’re welcome to add whatever you wish for this ride.
Logistics, Route & Route Notes by 7pm Thursday, November 12: You’ll understand where you’re headed, have the routes in hand, know where to be when, and much more.
Waiver: This ride is being insured by NEER’s insurance. Your NEER waiver covers your participation on this ride.
All details subject to change, all who register will receive every communication by email.
Ride with Your Friend Group or with the NEER Super Domestique
We’re happy if you and your friends want to ride together. There’s no need to ride with anyone specifically.
Slower Riders
If you’re concerned about your riding speed or experience, please email us: connect@newengland. NEER has a Super Domestique who will ride with anyone who wants a more mellow pace as the Super Domestique is loading a fat bike with fat tires on it. This means that if you’re a less fast rider, someone will very likely be behind you sweeping the route and you are unlikely to be the last rider, but email us to get in sync with paces and comfort level.
Solo Riders
Solo riders must have their own GPS navigation device with backup battery to charge the unit if necessary.
Ride as fast or slow as you wish, it’s a little nicer if you’re a solo rider to head out earlier before everyone else so that you see others during the day and it’s a .
Display your location
We will have ALL riders display their location on the route via Life360 (not necessary to pay for an account for this), it helps us know where everyone is throughout the day for the safety and convenience this offers. This will take a little more battery life from your cell phone, so a backup battery is essential.
Non-Riding Significant Other Camping Option / Bringing your Family
Please let us know if you’ll have someone meeting you at camp. That person should register like a rider, we’ll pass you a registration discount code for them when they register, the person does not need to be a NEER member, and mention in registration that they won’t be riding. This is a good way to get your camp stuff to camp without being a bikepacker.
Contact Information - Call 413-461-7433 if it’s urgent
Email us with questions at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes. Ring our phone please with urgent anything!!!
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by these Rules. Registering for this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Proper Bike & Equipment
There are quite a few bikes and setups that work great for bikepacking and gravel riding on terrain you’ll find on this ride. Your choices will potentially impact your speed relative to others. We don’t care how fast/slow you ride, this is up to you, as long as you are on a safe bike with minimum basics and arrive before sunset on both Saturday and Sunday.
Requirements
A bike with 40mm tires or wider. Mountain, gravel, fat, CX bikes are all acceptable. Ideally, the bike will have 40mm knobby tires or bigger.
Flat pedals or mountain-style pedals should be used, no road pedals/shoes.
A GPS computer with the route loaded ahead of time if you’re riding solo. If you’re riding with a friend group, the group must have 2 GPS computers among members.
Nice to have: Backup battery to charge GPS computer and phone during the ride. (There IS electricity to recharge things at camp.)
Sign-on to Life360 or other service that you share with us so we can see your location you when you’re riding. We’ll share connection info with you in the pre-ride information email.
A bike that’s in safe working order that has been recently tuned and is free of creaking and squeaking. The chain should be lubed just prior to the ride. Squeaky chains and noisy bikes are unacceptable because it means there is something wrong with your bike and more might be wrong.
All of the tools for typical mechanicals. These are on the Gear Checklist you’ll receive when you register. Lots of extra “nice to haves” are on the Checklist too!
Cell phone and a plan to get back to your car in case your bike or body stops working - we cannot offer rides to anyone (per insurance requirements) and there won’t be a vehicle on the route.
Two full water bottles/other vessel with at least this much water at the start of the ride
Front and rear lights (do not need to be turned on if visibility is good but available), reflector on ankle or pedal. Visibility is always a good thing for safety regardless of weather or time of day. Lights are important at camp too!
Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets to get you to stores where you can buy more. We don’t want anyone bonking out there!
Microadventure Bikepacking
Location: Boston → Hingham, MA → Wompatuck
Ride Type: Bikepacking
Date & Time: Friday 7pm - Saturday, October 9-10
Distance: ~40 miles total
Price: $45 - for NEER Cat 4 members
This information has just been updated Oct 7 at 12pm with updated starting locations this offers riders an awesome microadventure experience and opportunity for it to be multimodal too!
Location: Start location options - ride from home or park in one of these locations then ride to camp! Watertown, MA → Boston, MA → Hingham, MA riding to camp at Wompatuck, Hingham, MA
Route: Bikepacking, mixed terrain, quite a lot of dirt under your tires appropriate for gravel bikes or bigger
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain
Date & Time: Friday night & Saturday morning October 9-10, 2026
Distance: ~12 miles Friday evening, ~25-30 miles Saturday
Price: $45 per person (for Cat. 4 members, less for Cat 3, 2 & 1 members)
Must be a NEER member to participate (this keeps the price down for everyone since we don’t have to buy extra insurance; become a member!)
Non-Riding family/friend option! See details below.
Description
This microadventure is the BEST way to test your gear, get in a fun evening at camp, practice making a fire. The route is appropriate for gravel bikes so riders who come on their 40mm tires or bigger will be fine (we are not taking people to the mountain bike trails contained in Wompatuck, it’s big enough and has terrain appropriate for 40mm tires. Some riders will come with gravel bikes, others with hardtail mountain bikes, some with fat bikes!
We updated the starting location so riders can start at one of a few locations (overnight parking available) and ride ~12 miles to camp from the group starting location of Hingham, MA at a public parking lot there. See details further down on this page for options to get to Hingham!
This is a new experience for all! It’s a fun, easy way to bikepack and shake out your setup with a great group of people and it doesn’t take over your whole weekend, either.
Test your bikepacking setup, enjoy camping with others of similar cycling interests, and share the experience with your friends. Get into bikepacking before the warm season is over!
Enjoy ~12 miles riding Friday evening to get to camp (all in the dark) starting from Hingham, ~25-30 miles of mixed terrain riding Saturday morning
This is not a catered trip, but we do supply the following:
Fire starting tools and kindling, bundles of wood, pot for boiling water which you’re welcome to use for this purpose.
Hot chocolate mix for everyone, unground, fresh quality, tasty coffee beans & hand grinders + filters for everyone, herbal tea, marshmallows too!
We’re providing all of the firewood and keeping the fire warm while we’re enjoying time at camp together.
We’re providing knowledge and ideas, ask questions and we’ll get you answers.
Self-sufficiency is important in bikepacking and anytime you’re riding your bike. We will help anyone who has a mechanical to get moving again!
We’re providing a comprehensive packing list so you know what to bring and are prepared for this and any bikepacking trip.
Photo from a warm bikepacking trip fire and post-ride feasting/post-ride food coma.
When:
9 & 10 October 2026. Friday night, 7pm rollout, Saturday morning 9am departure from camp to enjoy a ~25-30 mile mixed terrain ride!
Where we start & Where we Camp - Options!
Starting location options allow you to most easily access the “Grand Depart” which is at the Hingham Park and Ride. Here are the locations and schedule, exact addresses and directions to each of these spots will be shared with all who register for this ride:
Option 1 - Seven Cycles - Watertown, MA - 4pm meet up, 4:30pm - Start riding to Boston - led by Patria. Destination: Rowes Warf, Boston
Ferry departs Rowes Warf at 6:00pm to Hingham. Ferry brings riders to Hingham meeting spot at 6:30pm.
Parking at Seven Cycles overnight: free. Ferry: $9.50 each direction. Ticket easily purchased on the “mTicket” app or at
Option 2 - Ride from your home to Rowes Warf in Boston - Meet up with riders at the 6:00pm ferry.
Option 3 - Drive to Hingham, MA, Hewitts Cove. Park in overnight lot. This parking lot is where the “Grand Depart” is for all riders.
Cost of parking in Hingham appears to be ~$2/night over the weekend.* This information is gathered from the internet.
Why
Organized bikepacking trips are hard to find and it’s nice to have the opportunity to test your equipment, figure out how to pack your bike, etc. Every bikepacking trip brings out every level of bikepacker and there’s a tremendous knowledge sharing and good conversation about adventuring that happens on these trips.
There’s a tremendous amount of knowledge sharing, and the people who come out on these trips are especially enjoyable to hang out with on bike and around the fire. Everyone has something to share and it’s an inclusive, non-judgemental environment.
Registration:
For the bikepacking trip, please Register at the NEER store!
Questions? Email us at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com
Who can do this Ride?
Any average, competent cyclist with equipment that meets our minimum requirements and who is willing to abide by basic riding safety rules may participate and will have fun on this trip. There are no time cut offs, you’re welcome to take your time. It’s not necessary to ride with others. Most, but not all, people come on these trips to share in the joy of riding together. When everyone has a loaded bike, people tend to get spread out on the route. Come prepared to ride with others. If you prefer to ride alone, no one will take it personally.
All who register to participate in this ride will receive the following pre-ride:
Equipment Checklist: This is a comprehensive list of what NEER recommends for participants to have on bike and body. It also includes a list of items we find useful on self-supported multi-day rides for your knowledge and you’re welcome to add whatever you wish for this ride.
Logistics, Route & Route Notes by 7pm Thursday, October 8: You’ll understand where you’re headed, where to be when, where to park, where camping is happening, and much more.
Waiver: This ride is being insured by NEER’s insurance. Your NEER waiver covers your participation on this ride.
All details subject to change, all who register will receive every communication by email.
Ride with Your Friend Group or with the NEER Super Domestique
We’re happy if you and your friends want to ride together. Mention if you’re riding with a friend group when you register so we’re aware of this. There’s no need to ride with anyone specifically.
Slower Riders
NEER has a Super Domestique who will ride with anyone who wants a more mellow pace as the Super Domestique is loading a fat bike with fat tires on it. This means that if you’re a less fast rider, someone will very likely be behind you sweeping the route and you are unlikely to be the last rider. This said, if you’re concerned about your pace or if you’re a new rider, please email us so we can discuss pacing and how the ride will work.
Solo Riders
Solo riders must have their own GPS navigation device with backup battery to charge the unit if necessary.
Ride as fast or slow as you wish, it’s a little nicer if you’re a solo rider to head out earlier before everyone else so that you see others during the day.
Non-Riding Significant Other Camping Option / Bringing your Family
Please let us know if you’ll have someone meeting you at camp (email us) and we’ll work out the logistics and a fair price with you. Your person(s) are welcome to take your stuff to camp in a vehicle, we just need to be aware if anyone is parking at the campsite.
Contact Information - Call 413-461-7433 if it’s urgent
Email us with questions at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes. Ring our phone please with urgent anything!!!
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by these Rules. Registering for this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Proper Bike & Equipment
There are quite a few bikes and setups that work great for bikepacking and gravel riding on terrain you’ll find on this ride. Your choices will potentially impact your speed relative to others. We don’t care how fast/slow you ride, this is up to you, as long as you are on a safe bike with minimum basics and arrive before sunset on both Saturday and Sunday.
Required Equipment:
A bike with 40mm tires or wider. Mountain, gravel, fat, CX bikes are all acceptable. Ideally, the bike will have 40mm knobby tires or bigger.
Flat pedals or mountain-style pedals should be used, no road pedals/shoes.
A GPS computer with the route loaded ahead of time if you’re riding solo. If you’re riding with a friend group, the group must have 2 GPS computers among members.
Backup battery to charge GPS computer and phone during the ride. (There is no electricity to recharge things at camp.)
A bike that’s in safe working order that has been recently tuned and is free of creaking and squeaking. The chain should be lubed just prior to the ride. Squeaky chains and noisy bikes are unacceptable because it means there is something wrong with your bike and more might be wrong.
All of the tools for typical mechanicals and anything specific to your bike. These are on the Gear Checklist you receive when you register. Lots of extra “nice to haves” are on the Checklist too!
Cell phone and a plan to get back to your car in case your bike or body stops working - we cannot offer rides to anyone (per insurance requirements) and there won’t be a vehicle on the route.
Two full water bottles/other vessel with at least this much water at the start of the ride
Front light to see with for the riding Friday night and a rear light that WILL NOT BLIND a rider behind you, reflector on ankle or pedals. Visibility is always a good thing for safety regardless of weather or time of day. Lights to see at camp are useful too!
Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets to get you to stores where you can buy more, all of the stuff on the Bikepacking Checklist!
Change of clothes to wear after the ride at camp and for sleeping so you’re comfy!
Sunday Ashland Mixed Terrain Ride
Date & Time: Sunday, October 11
Location: Start and end in Ashland, MA
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride
Distance: 32 miles
Location: Start and end in Ashland, MA
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes
Date & Time: Sunday, October 11, 10:00am start
Distance: 32 miles
Pace: Moderate with possible group splits for a faster-moderate and moderate with sweep rider
Price: Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us
RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form
Details
This mixed-terrain ride takes cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails. It’s a fun route!
The route is a mixed terrain route so any gravel bike with 40mm tires or bigger are suited for the terrain. Riders who aren’t familiar with mixed terrain shouldn’t make this your first mixed terrain ride - gravel is much smoother than mixed terrain.
We have a designated Super Domestique leading one of the slower moderate groups, likely to be keeping a rather chill pace.
Distance
The ride is 32 miles in length.
Parking
Ashland Center, use this address for your GPS: 41 Front St, Ashland, MA 01721
Route
The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm the evening before the ride.
Estimated Ride Time
~3-4 hours (likely closer to 4 hours)
Route Notes
We discuss these with you prior to rollout. Note that a mixed terrain ride is rougher than a “gravel” ride on the dirt sections.
Last-Minute Information
We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news. Very, very last-minute news is found on our Twitter feed (shown on the home page of this website in case you don’t have a Twitter account).
Contact Information
Email - connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions about this ride anytime 1 hour or more prior to the start of the ride.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules. RSVP’ing to this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Waiver
Ride Headquarters requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.
If this is your second or more ride with us, our insurance requires that you become a member of NEER.
Proper bike & Equipment
40mm knobby tires minimum. Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and fat bikes at this ride, the majority of bikes will likely be gravel bikes.
Clipless pedals and shoes. These are important elements of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, this is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We strongly discourage road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride. You can possibly get away with road pedals/cleats on a gravel (dirt road) ride, but not a mixed terrain ride.
A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride or take an Uber home if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes.
Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.
RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!
Please RSVP only after you’ve made sure you can attend. It is inconsiderate to RSVP prior to committing to attending since it affects the experience of the other cyclists in attendance. We understand that things come up last-minute. Be sure to email us if you can’t attend: connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
Mixed Terrain Night Ride
Date & time: Thursday, Sept. 24, 7pm-9pm
Location: Near Bedford, MA
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes
Distance: ~17 miles
Location: Revolution Hall near Bedford, MA
Date/Time: Thursday, Sept 24 7pm start, done at 9pm
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes
Distance: ~17 miles, 2 hours of riding
Price: Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us
RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form
Details & Pace
This mixed terrain ride takes cyclists to many interesting trails with roads connecting them.
The route is a mixed terrain route so any bike with 38mm tires or bigger is suited for the terrain. Faster riders are always welcome to go ahead, we discuss how we manage this before the ride starts. Typically people come out with the interest of riding together, sharing the night air together riding a peppy, but not fast, pace.
There are some easy-to-ride boardwalks on the route, it’s pretty well ridden so not hard to navigate when the sun is gone.
We have a designated Super Domestique leading the main group. New-to-mixed terrain riders should try our weekend rides first prior to coming out to this ride.
It doesn’t mean much to talk about the average pace of a mixed terrain ride since it sounds a lot slower than it really is. We keep moving at an endurance pace but it’s not fast given the waning sunlight.
There are enough regroups to keep riders together and allow faster and not-as-fast riders to all ride a comfortable pace.
Distance
~17 miles
Parking
Address for your GPS: 10 Maguire Rd, Lexington, MA 02421
Pin of the exact spot to park in the lot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ebJ1c1ufZA3bL4ZR7
This is across the road from Revolution Hall, please don’t park at Revolution Hall.
Route
Please download the route on your GPS device, it makes it easier for everyone to know which turn is coming next.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56159336
Start time, Estimated Ride Time
Start: 7pm, be ready to roll by 6:55pm
Ride time: Just shy of 2 hours total
Route Notes
We discuss these with you prior to rollout. Note that a “mixed terrain” ride is rougher, twistier, and slower than a “gravel” ride. There are roots, a few boardwalks, etc to navigate. If you’re concerned about your ability to ride mixed terrain, do one of our weekend rides first.
This ride is a good “first” night ride for those who have mixed terrain riding experience but haven’t gone out at night before.
After the Ride
Some riders will enjoy post-ride food and drink at Revolution Hall if riders return before 9pm (food service stops at 9). Feel free to join in having food and hanging out afterwards if you’d like! Note: this route rarely gets riders back with enough time to order food before 9pm.
Last-Minute Information
We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news or anything that differs or needs to be communicated beyond what’s on this page. We will not send out a pre-ride email since all of that information is here.
Contact Information
Email - connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions about this ride anytime 1 hour or more prior to the start of the ride.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules.
RSVP’ing to this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Waiver
NEER requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.
If this is your second or more ride with us, our insurance requires that you become a member of NEER.
Proper bike & Equipment
38mm knobby tires minimum. Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and fat bikes at this ride, the majority of bikes will be gravel bikes.
Lights, front and rear. Bring both front and rear lights with battery power to stay lit for a 2.5 hour ride. Correct, the ride is 1.5 hours, but if there’s a mechanical or if you accidentally set it too bright, then you want to still have enough light for the duration of the ride.
Concerning Rear Lights: A super bright and/or flashing rear light will blind the person riding behind you and it actually hurts that person’s eyes and can make it hard for that person to see. Please look into your rear light. If it burns your eyes, get a “group ride friendly” light such as the Super Flash ($25) - it has a steady mode and isn’t too bright.
Clipless pedals and shoes. These are important elements of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, these is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We strongly discourage road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride. You can possibly get away with road pedals/cleats on a gravel (dirt road) ride, but not this kind of mixed terrain ride.
A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride or take an Uber home if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes.
High enough tire pressure to prevent pinch flatting and burping your tires.
Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.
RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!
Please RSVP only after you’ve made sure you can attend. It is inconsiderate to RSVP prior to committing to attending since it affects the experience of the other cyclists in attendance. We understand that things come up last-minute. Be sure to email us if you can’t attend: connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
Mixed Terrain Night Ride
Date & time: Thursday, Sept. 17, 7pm-9pm
Location: Near Bedford, MA
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes
Distance: ~17 miles
Location: Revolution Hall near Bedford, MA
Ride Type: Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes
Distance: ~17 miles, 2 hours of riding
Price: Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us
RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form
Details & Pace
This mixed terrain ride takes cyclists to many interesting trails with roads connecting them.
The route is a mixed terrain route so any bike with 38mm tires or bigger is suited for the terrain. Faster riders are always welcome to go ahead, we discuss how we manage this before the ride starts. Typically people come out with the interest of riding together, sharing the night air together riding a peppy, but not fast, pace.
There are some easy-to-ride boardwalks on the route, it’s pretty well ridden so not hard to navigate when the sun is gone.
We have a designated Super Domestique leading the main group. New-to-mixed terrain riders should try our weekend rides first prior to coming out to this ride.
It doesn’t mean much to talk about the average pace of a mixed terrain ride since it sounds a lot slower than it really is. We keep moving at an endurance pace but it’s not fast given the waning sunlight.
There are enough regroups to keep riders together and allow faster and not-as-fast riders to all ride a comfortable pace.
Distance
~17 miles
Parking
Address for your GPS: 10 Maguire Rd, Lexington, MA 02421
Pin of the exact spot to park in the lot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ebJ1c1ufZA3bL4ZR7
This is across the road from Revolution Hall, please don’t park at Revolution Hall.
Route
Please download the route on your GPS device, it makes it easier for everyone to know which turn is coming next.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56159336
Start time, Estimated Ride Time
Start: 7pm, be ready to roll by 6:55pm
Ride time: Just shy of 2 hours total
Route Notes
We discuss these with you prior to rollout. Note that a “mixed terrain” ride is rougher, twistier, and slower than a “gravel” ride. There are roots, a few boardwalks, etc to navigate. If you’re concerned about your ability to ride mixed terrain, do one of our weekend rides first.
This ride is a good “first” night ride for those who have mixed terrain riding experience but haven’t gone out at night before.
After the Ride
Some riders will enjoy post-ride food and drink at Revolution Hall if riders return before 9pm (food service stops at 9). Feel free to join in having food and hanging out afterwards if you’d like! Note: this route rarely gets riders back with enough time to order food before 9pm.
Last-Minute Information
We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news or anything that differs or needs to be communicated beyond what’s on this page. We will not send out a pre-ride email since all of that information is here.
Contact Information
Email - connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions about this ride anytime 1 hour or more prior to the start of the ride.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules.
RSVP’ing to this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Waiver
NEER requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.
If this is your second or more ride with us, our insurance requires that you become a member of NEER.
Proper bike & Equipment
38mm knobby tires minimum. Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and fat bikes at this ride, the majority of bikes will be gravel bikes.
Lights, front and rear. Bring both front and rear lights with battery power to stay lit for a 2.5 hour ride. Correct, the ride is 1.5 hours, but if there’s a mechanical or if you accidentally set it too bright, then you want to still have enough light for the duration of the ride.
Concerning Rear Lights: A super bright and/or flashing rear light will blind the person riding behind you and it actually hurts that person’s eyes and can make it hard for that person to see. Please look into your rear light. If it burns your eyes, get a “group ride friendly” light such as the Super Flash ($25) - it has a steady mode and isn’t too bright.
Clipless pedals and shoes. These are important elements of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, these is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We strongly discourage road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride. You can possibly get away with road pedals/cleats on a gravel (dirt road) ride, but not this kind of mixed terrain ride.
A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride or take an Uber home if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes.
High enough tire pressure to prevent pinch flatting and burping your tires.
Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.
RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!
Please RSVP only after you’ve made sure you can attend. It is inconsiderate to RSVP prior to committing to attending since it affects the experience of the other cyclists in attendance. We understand that things come up last-minute. Be sure to email us if you can’t attend: connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.