Fat Bike Fun Ride on the South Shore

• Location: Start and end in a town on the South Shore, MA (just south of Marshfield)

• Ride Type:  Trails, Beaches, Roads on Fat Bikes

• Date & Time:  Saturday, October 12, 10am start

• Distance:  ~3 hours of riding, 20 miles total

• 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 is a fat bike shake down ride! It’s got a little of all of the fun riding and it’s a great chance to dust your fat bike off and get it ready for all of the super fun fat bike rides we have coming up! Doesn’t matter if it’s not a snowy winter, it’s always a sandy winter and we’ll be on beaches when we can’t be on the snow. This is also good prep for the upcoming Brutiful Ride happening October 19 & 20!

Pace

This ride is suitable for people with any level of fitness on a fat bike. We’ll regroup as necessary to keep everyone together. Riding beaches is good since no one actually gets lost or dropped, just do your thing and we’ll regroup before leaving each beach section.

Start Time

9:55am - Be ready to ride!

10:00am - Safety talk starts, then everyone rolls out

Distance & Estimated Ride Time

Allow 3 hours for the ride. Distance will be appropriate for the time we’re trying to hit.

Parking

Parking is free and ample. We’ll share the exact location with all who RSVP.

Route

The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm the night before the ride.

Route Notes

Expect everything on this ride! Beaches, paved roads, plenty of fun trails.

After the Ride

Anyone who wants to hang out and talk about bikes after the ride is welcome to do so. The Super Domestique might put in additional miles/offer extra adventure. Please inquire if you’re interested in a longer ride.

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

• 3.5” knobby tires OR BIGGER.  Wider tires are nicer! We’ll be on beaches so mountain bikes don’t have wide enough tires for these sections.

• 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.  8psi is usually max for fat tires, you’ll probably be happier somewhere around 6psi depending on the width of your tires and your weight.

• 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 Fat 100 Miles

• Location: Start and end near Eastham, MA on the Cape

• Ride Type:  Endurance Fat Adventure Ride!

• Date & Time: Sunday, October 20, 2024

• Distance: 100 miles for fat bikes

• Price:  No charge, must be a NEER member to participate

• Registration deadline: Thursday, October 17 at 5:00pm. No registrations will be allowed after this time.

• Register by filling out the RSVP form at the bottom of this page

Details

This very special FAT bike ride takes cyclists to many interesting trails, dirt roads, beaches, 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.

Gravel and shorter fat options offered for everyone (not necessary to be a NEER member Saturday, October 19)

Check out these options at the Ride Page if you aren’t wanting this big of a day on your fat bike or if you’re looking for a gravel ride.

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 FAT bike with plenty of dirt, cool trails and beautiful beaches with others who are REALLY into fat bike riding.

• 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 simple, hearty warm meal and treats 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.

Start Time - Grand Depart!

4:00am - Be ready to ride and gather at the big, red van! We’ll discuss logistics, safety, food stops, and take a group photo.

4:15am is the Grand Depart for ALL RIDERS, no exceptions.

It’s a BIG BIG day and we want everyone in before sunset. This timing allows everyone to complete the ride before sunset. If you’re fast, that’s great. It’s still special to roll out prior to the sunrise and get in some amazing beach miles before the sun comes up.

At the very early morning rollout for the inaugural 100 mile Brutiful Cape fat ride.

Get your Friends Together to Ride Together or Select to Ride in our assembled group

Everyone will roll out together regardless of your ideal pace (it will be a chill pace for the first few miles), then if you and your friends want to ride separately together or if you want to ride solo, there will be a spot where everyone has the choice to opt in/out of the NEER-assembled group. It’s a big day and having the dynamic of a group adds to the fun! But there’s no pressure if you want to execute it solo.

Please mention in your RSVP if you want to ride with the NEER-assembled group, if you want to ride with your own friend group (& include names), or if you prefer to ride solo.

More about Pace & Groups

If you choose to ride with a group of friends you assemble, you’re welcome to ride the pace your group prefers. See notes above about the Grand Depart.

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 sunset.

The route returns to the parking lot during the ride so if your pace is off from the needed pace to complete the ride before sunset, you can stop early and not risk riding too late into the day.

We are assembling a group to ride together for those who can handle a ~7mph average pace. The ride will take approximately 14 hours to complete with stops averaged in for an average rider who has the fitness to be on the bike for this long. The route includes sandy beaches that are not fast, but they are gorgeous and super fun!

Parking

There is a large parking lot that allows for all-day parking at no charge where we’ll be starting and ending. Long routes will visit the lot during the day so there’s an opportunity to go to your car/grab stuff, etc. The parking lot is DARK before sunrise. Bring lights so you can see what you’re doing at your car/setting up your bike, etc. prior to rollout

The big, red van will be at the parking lot to greet riders no later than 4am. You can arrive anytime you wish prior to this, there are no gates keeping cars out of the lot.

Route & Route Notes

The routes, parking information, and further instructions, will be emailed to all who register no later than 7pm Friday evening prior to the weekend of the ride. Please don’t email prior to this asking for the route.

A general note about the route: you’re never going all that far from where you park so cutting the course is not an overly challenging thing to do if necessary to get back early for whatever reason.

This is a sandy area. Bikes with a minimum of 3.8” tires are required in order to properly enjoy the beaches included on the route. Be ready to take air out/put air back in your tires if you’re not used to riding beaches and aren’t sure about your ideal tire pressure. Generally, most people will be good with 6-8psi in their tires for the duration of the ride.L

Terrain Description

The routes may evolve prior to it 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	20%	Fat tires 4" or wider
		The beach % replaces some of the above terrain

Food & Water During the Ride

Be ready to either carry all of your calories or buy food at local establishments during the day. There is one stop on the route that brings you back to the parking lot so you’ll have access to your car and anything you bring to self-support at that point. Bring extra water to refill here as well. We will have food and water in the van, but there’s no guarantee you and the person with the van key will be at parking lot at the same time.

Our pre-ride email will include information on places to stop to refuel during the ride.

After the Ride

Bring a change of clothes and a lawn chair so you can enjoy a bunch of social time post-ride! Bring food and drink to enjoy as well. We’ll have some food and drink to share, but if you end up back at the lot early and don’t want to stick around, you’ll want something to eat right away pre- post-ride party!

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.

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 nearby the start. We’ll be hanging out there both Friday evening and Saturday evening. Select a red “A” site if you’d like to be near to us and other Brutiful riders. You will need to make your reservation with this campground via calling them. If you try making the reservation online, it makes it look like the sites are full or that a 3-day reservation is required. It’s $42/night this time of year. 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

Be sure you’ve signed the NEER waiver, this is the same one you should have already have signed when you became a member of NEER.

Proper bike & Equipment

• A bike with tires 3.8” or wider is required due to the beaches these routes include.

• 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/no vehicle will be on route)

• Required: Two full water bottles at the start of the ride

• Required: Front and rear lights that have at least 3 hours of run time. Be sure your rear light does not blind the person riding behind you.

• Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets

Loaded Gravel & Fat Bike Adventure Ride, Day 2 of the NEER Season Kick-Off Weekend!

• Location: Start and end in Philipston, MA

• Ride Type:  Gravel roads, fun trails, paved roads too

• Date & Time:  Sunday, September 22, 9am

• Distance:  70 miles with easy ways to cut the route shorter if desired

• Price:  Free, open to NEER members due to the complexity of organizing this weekend of adventure rides

• RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form

Details

This is a fun ride where everyone has a chance to load your gravel-capable bike (gravel, mtn, fat) and go on an adventure ride! This route is fun, there’s a variety of terrain in a beautiful part of the state, come well prepared for a big day!

We recommend camping the night before this ride (and doing the Saturday Adventure ride if you can too!) But if you want to come out day-of for the ride, that’s fine as well. If you’re not camping, then if you want to park at the campground where everyone else is, it’s (probably) $10 for the day to leave your car and have access to bathrooms/showers/all of the campground amenities.

If you want to stay over Sunday night and head home Monday morning, that’s an option, we’re reserving 1-4 camp sites for 2 nights and maybe more sites for both nights, depending on the number of people and tents. It’s a max 8 people per site but we’ll want to spread out more than this.

The price of camping will be the total amount that it costs plus firewood divided by the number of people who stay at camp. We expect the price to be somewhere around $50-75 per person.

Pace

This ride is suitable for everyone, some fat bike riders who are fitter will be carrying a lot of stuff so a less-fast gravel bike with less stuff will keep up just fine. Everyone is welcome to go at a comfortable pace, but we’ll try to set this up so everyone has people to ride with.

Start Time/Schedule

7am - Wake up, make coffee (pourovers at campare on offer!) Make your own breakfast with your bikepacking stove. If you don’t have one, we have extras for you to practice with. Be sure to have ingredients for breakfast. We’ll bring a few extra things to share.

8:55am - Be ready to ride!

9:00am - Safety talk starts, then everyone rolls out

Distance & Estimated Ride Time

Allow ~8 hours for this ride, depending on your pace. Assuming 10mph is reasonable + stopped time.

Parking

Parking is available at the campground for $10 and you’ll get use of the facilities if you’re not sticking around to camp.

Route

The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm Friday evening.

After the Ride

Anyone who wants to hang out, enjoy dinner and campfires, and/or camping is welcome to hang out at camp. It’ll be a long day so you might not feel like driving home (though it’s not a long drive back to the Boston area).

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.

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

• 33mm knobby tires OR BIGGER.  Wider tires are nicer!

• 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. Have a plan in case your bike or legs stop working. Note there are a lot of dead cell phone areas in the areas where we’ll be riding.

• 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.

NEER Season Kick Off Ride! Adventure Gravel Ride

This is the NEER Season Kick-Off weekend and we have a lot of great riding in store for you! Ride out of our favorite farm, Red Apple Farm, on Saturday, if you’d like, camp with us Saturday evening (very close to the farm), and we’re offering yet another terrific mixed terrain Ride Option on Sunday! Sunday’s ride is intended to give people the chance to test bikepacking equipment and loading the bike (not required to participate).

Saturday’s Ride Description

Join us for incredibly beautiful cycling on the back roads of central Massachusetts! There are TWO distance options for you for this ride! Choose a 77-mile route or 55-mile route to enjoy.

There are numerous views of Mt Modnadnock during this ride for the 77-mile riders!

This ride is full of dirt roads, with nice paved roads as well. Most of the route is back roads, away from traffic and people. Keep reading to understand the logistics. This ride starts at Red Apple Farm in Phillipston, MA.

This is a group or solo ride, depending on how you want to ride it. You may get a group of your friends together, you may request to ride with others who are likely of your similar cycling pace and experience, or you’re welcome to ride it alone, though you’re hardly alone when there are so many people on the same route. We hope solo riders are interested in starting earlier so that you’re ahead of the others rather than behind

There is little to no cell coverage on many parts of the routes.

Be absolutely certain you’re up for the rules of this ride. Read this page in its entirety and visit the links, so you know exactly what’s what.

Due to insurance requirements, this ride is only open to NEER members. You may become a NEER member, so it’s not too late. NEER rides all fall and winter, if you’re worried about what’s going to become of your cycling life, we recommend joining NEER!

Ride Options:

Get a Group of Friends Together to Ride!

Ride with your friends at whatever pace you and your friends like to ride. Let us know you’d like to do this when you register, we ask who is riding with who.

Ride with New-to-You People Option

Ride with people of your riding speed, but you don’t have to know anyone prior to the ride! This is an option for you if you’d like to ride with a group, but don’t have friends riding or simply want to meet new people who are of a similar strength. We do our best to group you together.

Ride Solo

You’re also welcome to ride solo. We prefer if you are a solo rider that you choose an earlier start time so that there are riders behind you, for the purposes of safety and everyone seeing people out there on the route.

We are glad to start you off earlier than the advertised starting times so that you’ll see others all day long, yet still get to ride solo.

Riders stop for a food break in central Massachusetts on an especially huge NEER adventure ride.

Food & Drinks

There are food/water stops on the route. There will not be any staffed food or water stops on the ride. Since we don’t have to hire anyone to work this ride, there is no fee to ride.

Photo courtesy of Red Apple Farm. Sunset at the farm.

See the Red Apple Farm’s Brew Barn website and Menu!

By not charging you for food, it’s your choice as to how much and where you eat post-ride. We recommend doing business at Red Apple farm. They generously welcome us with open arms, give us parking, bathrooms, water, and access to their store, and prepared food. They have a huge selection of goods in their store and the Brew Barn makes tasty food. They hosted us throughout the pandemic and have been EXTREMELY generous in sharing their farm and time with us.

The Brew Barn is open 9am-8pm. They serve breakfast sandwiches at 9am.

Details

• Ride Type: Remote paved and dirt roads, some mix of surfaces, but almost entirely rideable with little/no technical skill.

• Time & Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024

• Ride start times between 8:30am and 9:30am

• Starting Point: Red Apple Farm - Phillipston, MA

• Distance: 55 miles and 77 miles

What you get

• A gorgeous, well-planned route: Route file for your GPS computer, parking directions/instructions.

• Staffed starting location with water, toilets, friendly people and sweet farm animals

• Peace of mind knowing there are other riders on the same route & others to ride with if you like. You and your friends can have your own start time and ride so you know who you’re riding with if you wish too!

• Option to purchase breakfast, lunch or dinner and beer or non-alcoholic drinks at the end of the ride at the farm, nice place to hang out with each other and spend the afternoon. Invite your non-riding loved ones and friends to come join you for the after-ride picnic at Red Apple!

Price - No charge

• You MUST be a NEER member (a Cat 4 NEER membership is $50 for a full year of hosted rides of all varieties, and there are lots of additional benefits to being a member) - details on joining are here). This is a requirement of insurance, otherwise, we would be unable to host this or any bike ride.

  • No day-of registrations

Parking & Start Location

Red Apple Farm in Phillipston, Massachusetts. Exact details and location information are emailed to registered riders by 7pm the THURSDAY before the ride. There is a special parking place for our group. Don’t drive a car that sits low to the ground (like a sports car) as there may be rocks in the parking lot, it’s not a paved lot.

Camping Option & Sunday Loaded Ride Option

We have camp sites reserved at nearby campground Lamb City Campground so that everyone who wants to camp after the ride, enjoy camp fires together, enjoy being next to a calm lake, talk about the season ahead (yes, it’s just the start for many riders), this is a really fun time together. This also allows you to be close so that you are right there ready for Sunday’s loaded bike ride option!

When you RSVP, please mention that you would like to camp.

Price for camping: we’re taking the price of the camping reservation, adding in the cost of fire wood and dividing by the number of people who are sharing the space. We’re expecting this to be in the neighborhood of $50-75 per person.

Sunday Ride Option!

Ride one or both days, depending on what you’d like to do. Check out the details of the Sunday ride option on its RIDE PAGE.

Estimated drive time

• About 60-80 minutes from most parts of the greater Boston area

Route Information

Like all of our routes, it’s adventure-filled, but also very appropriate for gravel bikes. You’ll ride plenty of dirt roads, trails, and what’s pavement will be on the quiet roads. Thank you to Singlespeed Kenny for providing Saturday’s routes for us to enjoy!!

The routes have been vetted within the past 6 months. However, it’s still healthy to bring a spirit of adventure - if a road is closed for whatever reason, you’ll need to figure out how to re-route.

Be sure you’ve got the route and at least one back-up power source to charge your GPS unit and phone during the day. Do not plan on having cell service since there are quite a few portions of the ride with weak to no service.

Safety & Dealing with Mechanicals

Every rider is expected to follow the rules of the road at all times. This means obeying stop signs and staying to the right-hand portion of the road.

If we think you’re being unsafe, you will be asked to leave the ride. You will not be invited to return to any group rides as well. This applies for all aspects of cycling and general behavior.

We are NOT providing a roving mechanic. That means you should bring all of the tools and supplies necessary for possible mechanical situations. There are other riders out on the route and we hope people will assist each other in case of a problem.

Come out with a freshly tuned up bike, fresh sealant in your fresh tires, have electronic bikes charged fully, shifter lever batteries checked for freshness, lube those chains! Check your spare tubes to be sure they will hold air. If you’re in doubt about this, take new tubes. It’s not worth getting stuck out there.

Most mechanicals are easily avoidable by taking proper care of your equipment in advance of the ride.

There is no ride leader, even if you ride with a group; you’ll be following your GPS computer, therefore owning a GPS computer is a must with at least one back-up power source.

We will not shuttle riders anywhere, it’s your responsibility to have a plan in case your bike or legs stop working.

We’ll send a very detailed email by 7pm the Thursday before the ride, with the route, instructions, and details so you understand logistics and exactly what to do.

Preparation

What to bring, we recommend:

Everything necessary for common mechanicals. Items include:

• 2 x tubes

• Hand pump

• Co2 cartridges & Co2 inflator

• Tire levers

• Boot/dollar bill if your tire gets ripped

• Patch kit

• 1 pair of quick links compatible for your chain

• Chain pliers

• Chain breaker

• Multi-tool (if your chain breaker is on your multi-tool, even better)

• If your bike uses a replaceable derailleur hanger, be sure to have an extra that is compatible with your bike

• Rain jacket - this works well for chilly descents too

• 2 x 26 oz water bottles, more if it’s going to be hot

• Food/nutrition in case you need a zap of energy before the food stop

Proper Bike for this Ride

• 40mm tires are best suited for the ride. Err on the side of bigger, especially if you’re newer to gravel riding. Feel free to use bigger tires. Your gravel bike is the most appropriate bike for the ride. Mountain bikes and flat-bar bikes are welcome. Narrower than 28mm tires are strongly discouraged. There is some loose gravel on the roads. Narrower tires are more likely to pinch flat and are less stable than 28mm or bigger. We welcome mountain bikes, fat bikes, and any bike that you feel comfortable completing the distance on in the time frame allotted for the ride.

• Clipless pedals and shoes. These are important elements of bike control.

• A bike that’s in safe working order. Make very certain your bike comes clean, lubed, safety checked with fresh brake pads, and tires in good shape. If it's wet on the road or raining, please put a rear fender on your bike to keep you from getting wet. If you’ll be riding with others and it’ll be wet, please be nice to your co-riders and use full-coverage fenders.

Weather

We will ride rain or shine. Dangerous weather (like an electrical storm) cancels the ride or postpones the start time.

Last Minute Information

We will email everyone who registers with the latest information if last minute details change.

Unregistered riders, riders who are not members of NEER, or riders who haven’t signed the liability waiver may not participate.

If you have financial reasons to be unable to pay, please email us so we can accommodate you. We want everyone to ride who wants to ride.

Waiver

New England Expedition Riders requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.

Contact Information

Email connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions. We will email you the cell phone number of the contact person who will be present at the beginning of the ride and available during the ride.

Riding Rules, What to Bring, How Our Rides are Different

All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules.. Note: ALL rules stated here on this page override any conflicting rules you see on our typical ride rules.

Sunday Adventure Road Ride

• Location: Start and end at Elm Bank, Natick

• Ride Type:  Road ride with 75% pavement/ 25% dirt trails & roads appropriate for ROAD bikes

• Date & Time:  Sunday, August 25, 8am start

• Distance:  ~71 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

Does it feel like gravel riders get all of the adventures? Think again! This is an adventure ride for your ROAD bike!! The route has some dirt on it (~25%), but it’s terrain appropriate for 25mm tires or bigger, gravel bikes are not necessary.

This is a fun road ride with adventure built in for your ROAD bike (gravel bikes are welcome, but absolutely not required). 25mm tires or bigger will work great on this terrain.

The ride starts at Elm Bank in Natick, MA and heads south west to Blackstone, a lovely area for a great ride!

We have a designated Super Domestique leading the last group to depart which will be rolling at a ~15-16 mph average endurance pace. Other pace groups will be 17-18mph and 18+ mph is possible if we have riders sign up for this pace.

Distance

~71 miles

Parking

There is all-day parking at Elm Bank. Details will be sent to all who RSVP by 7pm the evening before the ride.

Route

The route will be emailed before 7pm the evening before the ride to all participants.

All riders should load the ride on a GPS computer so everyone knows where we’re going and it makes splitting into groups easier.

Start Time & Estimated Ride Time

We’ll be at the start by 7:30am. Please arrive with enough time to get ready that allows you to roll out on time with the group at 8am promptly.

Allow 6 hours for the ride which equates to 4.5 hours of riding and 1.5 hours of stopped time.

Route Notes & Food/Water Stops

Bring extra calories and 3 water bottles if you can fit this much water, depending on the temperature of the day and your hydration needs. There are food/water opportunities here:

• Mile 24.9 - Lots of food options

• Mile 52 - Muffin House Cafe - this is a little off-route, but there doesn’t appear to be many other options on the return route

After the Ride

Enjoy cold root beers at the big, red van! We’ll be sticking around to host demo riders at Elm Bank!

Last-Minute Information

We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news if there is any. We email ALL RSVPs by 7pm the evening before the ride. If you don’t see an email by 7pm the evening prior to the ride, be sure to email us so we can get you the information.

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

We require 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

• Bring your road bike with whatever size tires you enjoy riding that will allow you to keep pace with the group. 25mm tires or bigger are appropriate for this route. A gravel bike is acceptable.

• If the roads are wet/messy, please mount a rear full-coverage fender. If you don’t have one, expect to ride at the back!

• Clipless pedals and shoes.  These are important elements of bike control. Since we are riding near to each other on the road, platform pedals don’t offer necessary bike control for this kind of riding.

• 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.

Fat Bike Fun Ride on the South Shore

• Location: Start and end in a town on the South Shore, MA

• Ride Type:  Trails, Beaches, Roads on Fat Bikes

• Date & Time:  Sunday, October 14, 10am start

• Distance:  ~3 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

This is a fat bike shake down ride! It’s got a little of all of the fun riding and it’s a great chance to dust your fat bike off and get it ready for all of the super fun fat bike rides we have coming up! Doesn’t matter if it’s not a snowy winter, it’s always a sandy winter and we’ll be on beaches when we can’t be on the snow. This is also good prep for the upcoming Brutiful Ride happening in October!

Pace

This ride is suitable for people with any level of fitness on a fat bike. We’ll regroup as necessary to keep everyone together. Riding beaches is good since no one actually gets lost or dropped, just do your thing and we’ll regroup before leaving each beach section.

Start Time

9:55am - Be ready to ride!

10:00am - Safety talk starts, then everyone rolls out

Distance & Estimated Ride Time

Allow 3 hours for the ride. Distance will be appropriate for the time we’re trying to hit.

Parking

Parking is free and ample. We’ll share the exact location with all who RSVP.

Route

The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm the night before the ride.

Route Notes

Expect everything on this ride! Beaches, paved roads, plenty of fun trails.

After the Ride

Anyone who wants to hang out and talk about bikes after the ride is welcome to do so.

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

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

• 3.5” knobby tires OR BIGGER.  Wider tires are nicer! We’ll be on beaches so mountain bikes don’t have wide enough tires for these sections.

• 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.  8psi is MAX, you’ll probably be happier somewhere around 6psi. We have a good tire gauge you’re welcome to use if you don’t have one that measures this low.

• 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 Adventure Mixed Terrain Ride to Marblehead

• Location: Start and end in Winchester, MA

• Ride Type:  Adventure Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel bikes or hard tail mountain bikes who can do the distance

• Date & Time: 9am, Sunday, July 28

• Distance: 64 miles

• Price:  Free, but we’re requiring NEER membership if this is your second ride with us.

• RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form

Details

This urban adventure mixed terrain ride takes cyclists on a beautiful journey from Winchester, MA into Marblehead, MA for a different kind of mixed terrain day! The route is on the rougher side, it’s a fun one, but anyone scared of mixed terrain (this is rougher than “gravel”) should be prepared to take your time and bring friends to ride with.

Pace

We have one Super Domestique on the ride who will be riding a steady endurance pace for the distance (would translate to a 15-16mph pace if we were on paved roads so the pace will be less than this but with that kind of effort). The Super Domestique is likely to be riding a hardtail mountain bike with 29” wheels. Most participants are likely to be riding gravel bikes with ~40mm tires.

You are welcome to ride faster than the led group(s) if you wish. You are also welcome to ride slower, but we advise bringing a friend if you’ll be behind the group for safety since it’s a really big ride.

Please mention your pace in your RSVP if you think you’ll be faster/slower than the Super Domestique and be aware that there’s a chance you will be riding solo. We prefer if slower riders want to ride solo, you let us know and choose to start earlier so that we can pass you out there somewhere during the day or intersect at the lunch stop, it makes it safer to have some overlap out there.

Start, Distance & Estimated Ride Time

Please be ready to ride at 8:55am. We’ll start the safety talk/route talk at 9am and then roll out.

We’ll meet up at the big, red van in the parking lot.

Route is 64 miles long, we expect to be out there until ~4pm, possibly later.

Parking

Winchester Center Station Parking - West

Link to the parking lot: https://goo.gl/maps/QEzSSvJqjAdWWeQs9

Route

The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm the night before the ride.

Route Notes

Elevation gain is ~2,900 ft. according to RideWithGPS.

Expect some paved roads, at least 40% of this is dirt, trails, off-road sections. Most of the pavement is off main roads.

Food & Water During the Ride

Be sure to bring plenty of food and water, this route doesn’t have a lot of opportunities to fill up!

Water/restroom stop - At mile 19, there’s a Market Basket. It’s not pointed out on the route, but it goes right past the front door of the Market Basket.

FUN Food/water stop & Ride 1/2 Way Rest - At mile 31.9, there’s a nice ice cream parlor & next door is a market full of tasty food options. There’s outdoor seating so it’ll be possible to have a nice stop & meal here. Bring enough food/water to get you to this stop & fill up to be able to return. With this being urban, there are a number of places to get water on the fly.

Water stop - At mile 45.3, there’s a lightning bolt on the route to remind you that a convenience store is really close if you need it. Exact address: 263 Lynnfield St., Lynn. Using Google to help you locate it is wise.

After the Ride

Bring a change of clothes so you can enjoy your drive home!

Bring something to eat, too.

Want to demo ride a bike? Talk about a new bike? Ride Headquarters has demo bikes for those who are interested in demo riding and discussing awesome, super fun new bikes. A ride like this isn’t ideal for demo riding, but we will measure your current bike and make a plan for your future demo ride. Contact Ride Headquarters at connect@rideheadquarters.com.

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 up until 10pm the night before 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

• 40mm knobby tires or wider are recommended.  Wider tires are always nice! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. Skinnier tires are strongly discouraged since your chances of flatting go up.

• 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.

• A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes or if you haven’t come prepared. There might not be much cell reception on this route so it could be a long walk.

• 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.

  • 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, 2 x extra 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.

Burning Snowflake GRAVEL Event Ride

Join us for incredibly beautiful cycling on the back roads of central Massachusetts!

The distance offered will be determined after we scout the condition of the dirt roads in central Massachusetts.

Imagine you a little more bundled than this but with this similar kind of smile on your face!

This ride is full of dirt roads, with nice paved roads as well. Most of the route is back roads, away from traffic and people. Keep reading to understand the logistics. This ride starts about a 1 hour drive west from Boston so most people will need to drive to the start.

This is a group or solo ride, depending on how you want to ride it. You may get a group of your friends together, you may request to ride with others who are likely of your similar cycling pace and experience, or you’re welcome to ride it alone, though you’re hardly alone when there are so many people on the same route.

There is little to no cell coverage on many parts of the routes.

Be absolutely certain you’re up for the rules of this ride. Read this page in its entirety and visit the links, so you know exactly what’s what.

Due to insurance requirements, this ride is only open to NEER members. You may become a NEER member, so it’s not too late.

There is NO fee to join in this ride, rather it’s an opportunity for you to become a NEER member or renew your membership for a full year of adventures on your bikes! This is the first of many gravel rides and events we’re hosting this year.

Get a Group of Friends Together to Ride!

Ride with your friends at whatever pace you and your friends like to ride. Let us know you’d like to do this when you register, we ask who is riding with who. ALSO if you’d like a different start time, let us know and it’s highly likely it’ll work out very well for all of us.

Ride with New-to-You People Option

Ride with people of your riding speed, but you don’t have to know anyone prior to the ride! This is an option for you if you’d like to ride with a group, but don’t have friends riding or simply want to meet new people who are of a similar strength. We do our best to group you together.

Ride Solo

You’re also welcome to ride solo. We prefer if you are a solo rider that you choose an earlier start time so that there are riders behind you, for the purposes of safety and everyone seeing people out there on the route.

We are glad to start you off earlier than the advertised starting times so that you’ll see others all day long, yet still get to ride solo.

Food & Drinks

We will ensure we are finishing at a place that offers food and drinks so you can refuel and enjoy some after-ride socialization before making the trip home.

Photo courtesy of Red Apple Farm. Sunset at the farm.

Details

What you get

• A gorgeous, well-planned route: Route file for your GPS computer, parking directions/instructions.

• Staffed starting & finishing location with water, toilets, friendly people and sweet farm animals

• Staffed food stop with water, your drop bag if you’re doing the 150 mile, and a few additional calories for you to enjoy

• Peace of mind knowing there are other riders on the same route.

• Option to purchase breakfast, lunch or dinner and beer or non-alcoholic drinks at the end of the ride at the farm, nice place to hang out with each other and spend the afternoon. Invite your non-riding loved ones and friends to come join you for the after-ride picnic at Red Apple!

Price

• Free

• You MUST be a NEER member (a Cat 4 NEER membership is $50 for a full year of hosted rides of all varieties, and there are lots of additional benefits to being a member) - details on joining are here). This is a requirement of insurance, otherwise, we would be unable to host this or any bike ride.

  • No day-of registrations

Start Location

We will update you on the specifics. It’ll be a ~1 hr drive from Boston.

Route Information

Like all of our routes, it’s adventure-filled, but also very appropriate for gravel bikes. You’ll ride plenty of dirt roads, trails, and what’s pavement will be on the quiet roads.

Expect elevation in the 75 ft. per mile range.

Safety & Dealing with Mechanicals

Every rider is expected to follow the rules of the road at all times. This means obeying stop signs and staying to the right-hand portion of the road.

If we think you’re being unsafe, you will be asked to leave the ride. You will not be invited to return to any group rides as well. This applies for all aspects of cycling and general behavior.

We are NOT providing a roving mechanic. That means you should bring all of the tools and supplies necessary for possible mechanical situations. There are other riders out on the route and we hope people will assist each other in case of a problem.

Come out with a freshly tuned up bike, fresh sealant in your fresh tires, have electronic bikes charged fully, shifter lever batteries checked for freshness, lube those chains! Check your spare tubes to be sure they will hold air. If you’re in doubt about this, take new tubes. It’s not worth getting stuck out there.

Most mechanicals are easily avoidable by taking proper care of your equipment in advance of the ride.

There is no ride leader, even if you ride with a group; you’ll be following your GPS computer, therefore owning a GPS computer is a must with at least one back-up power source.

We will not shuttle riders anywhere, it’s your responsibility to have a plan in case your bike or legs stop working.

We’ll send a very detailed email by 7pm the night before the ride, with the route, instructions, and details so you understand logistics and exactly what to do.

Since many details are up in the air, many more details will be shared with all on this page by Monday, February 5.

Preparation

What to bring, we recommend:

Everything necessary for common mechanicals. Items include:

• 2 x tubes

• Hand pump

• Co2 cartridges & Co2 inflator

• Tire levers

• Boot/dollar bill if your tire gets ripped

• Patch kit

• 1 pair of quick links compatible for your chain

• Chain pliers

• Chain breaker

• Multi-tool (if your chain breaker is on your multi-tool, even better)

• If your bike uses a replaceable derailleur hanger, be sure to have an extra that is compatible with your bike

• Rain jacket and warm gloves, chemical hand/foot warmers, neck warmers, etc in case the temps change on you

• 2 x 26 oz water bottles minimum.

• Food/nutrition in case you need a zap of energy before the food stop

Proper Bike for this Ride

• 40mm tires are best suited for the ride. Err on the side of bigger, especially if you’re newer to gravel riding. Feel free to use bigger tires. Your gravel bike is the most appropriate bike for the ride. Mountain bikes and flat-bar bikes are welcome. Narrower than 28mm tires are strongly discouraged. There is some loose gravel on the roads. Narrower tires are more likely to pinch flat and are less stable than 28mm or bigger. We welcome mountain bikes, fat bikes, and any bike that you feel comfortable completing the distance on in the time frame allotted for the ride.

• We will let you know if studded tires are recommended or required.

• Clipless pedals and shoes. These are important elements of bike control.

• A bike that’s in safe working order. Make very certain your bike comes clean, lubed, safety checked with fresh brake pads, and tires in good shape. If it's wet on the road or raining, please put a rear fender on your bike to keep you from getting wet. If you’ll be riding with others and it’ll be wet, please be nice to your co-riders and use full-coverage fenders.

Weather

We will ride rain or shine. Dangerous weather (like an electrical storm) cancels the ride or postpones the start time.

Last Minute Information

We will email everyone who registers with the latest information if last minute details change.

Unregistered riders, riders who are not members of NEER, or riders who haven’t signed the liability waiver may not participate.

If you have financial reasons to be unable to pay, please email us so we can accommodate you. We want everyone to ride who wants to ride.

Waiver

New England Expedition Riders requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.

Contact Information

Email connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions. We will email you the cell phone number of the contact person who will be present at the beginning of the ride and available during the ride.

Riding Rules, What to Bring, How Our Rides are Different

All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules.. Note: ALL rules stated here on this page override any conflicting rules you see on our typical ride rules.

Global Fat Bike Day!! Dunes & Dirt Fat Bike Adventure Ride - 2024

• Location: Start and end in Wompatuck, MA

• Ride Type:  Trails, Beaches, Roads on Fat Bikes

• Date & Time:  Saturday, December 7, 2024 8am start*

• Distance:  We have OPTIONS! ~40 and ~70 miles (bring lights!)*

• Price: $0 - if this is your first ride with NEER, it’s no charge, come on out! If you’ve ridden with NEER previously, please become a member, it’s required of our insurance.

• RSVPs: Required, see bottom of page for RSVP form

Details

This is a fat bike adventure ride! It’s got a little of all of the fun riding and a whole lot of adventure to look forward to. It’s a big day on the fat bike, come well prepared for a big day! There are quality beaches, sand, trails, back roads. A whole lot of everything.

* We reserve the right to shift start times based on the number of registrants and conditions for the day. Mileage options may change due to the conditions of the day.

Pace

This ride is suitable for people with good fitness to push your fat tires all day long! The average pace will be ~8mph for the stronger riders. This is not slow when you’re on a fat bike.

We are offering a “fun” pace for less fit riders or riders who are new to their fat bike. This pace is offered for the 40-mile version only considering this is still a big day in the saddle.

Distance & Estimated Ride Time

Allow 9-10 hours for this ride for the 70-mile version, depending on your pace. We’ll break up into groups if that allows everyone to get the ride of his/her desires, but only if we have > 10 riders or people at different paces.

The 40-mile route is a ~5.5 hour ride for stronger riders, 6.5 hours for less strong riders so still a big day at this time of year!

Parking

Parking is free and ample at the Wompatuck parking lot. Details will be shared with all who RSVP no later than 7pm the evening before the ride.

Route

The routes will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm the night before the ride.

Route Notes

Expect everything on this ride! Beaches, paved roads, plenty of fun trails.

After the Ride

Bring something to eat for post-ride. Since we aren’t charging, we aren’t staffing the finish of the ride.

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.

Proper bike & Equipment

• 3.5” knobby tires OR BIGGER.  Wider tires are nicer! We’ll be on some beaches so mountain bikes don’t have wide enough tires for these sections. Besides, it’s Global Fat Bike Day!

• 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. Some of the beach riding may involve riding on rocks, and there are paved roads connecting the beaches and trails.

• 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.

Register to Participate in Global Fat Bike Day Massachusetts 2024 Now on BikeReg!

If you can’t make it, your registration is transferable to a friend.