Franklin Falls Fat Bike Ride on Snow, Saturday, February 11

Despite the skinnier tires shown here, this is a ride specifically for fat bikes and wider than 3.5” tires.

• Location: Franklin Falls, NH

• Ride Type:  Fat bike Snow Ride

• Date & Time:  Saturday, February 11 at 9am

• Distance:  ~3-4 hours of riding, 2x routes with lots of trail options to be sure everyone gets the distance and ride everyone wants

• 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

We’re offering this fat bike ride to enjoy the snow together as close to Boston as we can get while also having decent snow conditions.

PLEASE be aware that if we’re told the trails aren’t appropriate to ride Friday night, we’ll need to change locations or cancel the ride. With warm temps and variable conditions, we can’t say for 100% sure this ride is on until we’re there riding. You know us, though, we’ll do everything possible to get our fat tires on snow this Saturday!!!

We have a designated Super Domestique joining in at an endurance pace. We’re likely to split into two groups for those who want to go faster and those who want a more zone 2/3 ride depending on fitness levels. Franklin Falls is a great area to ride, there will probably be others out there riding and you’re never too far from the car.

Distance

We have 2 routes for this area, one is 7 miles in length the other is 8 miles in length. Will share these with those who RSVP via email 7pm the evening before the ride.

Parking

Parking is free here: Federal Dam Access Rd, Franklin, NH 03235

Route

The route(s) will be emailed to all who RSVP.

Estimated Ride Time

~3-4 hours total including stops so minimum ride time is 3 hours.

Route Notes & How this ride is different from our usual rides

We’ll discuss these with you prior to rollout. Since we’re in a specific contained area with groomed trails and without roads, we’ll be a little more relaxed about pacing. The Super Domestique will be riding a consistent, chatty, endurance pace for anyone who wants to ride with people if the pace up front gets spicy. Please come with the routes loaded on your GPS computer.

After the Ride

We will go somewhere local to enjoy lunch together and some social time. We’ll include details about this in the email that is sent out to all who RSVP by 7pm the evening before.

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 & Required Equipment

• 3.8” minimum tire size.  Wider tires are nicer!

• Studded Tires. We expect to see ice out there due to the many freeze/thaw cycles. We also can’t predict exact conditions so ride your studded tires for safety.

• 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.

• 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.

Wednesday Evening Snow Ride

• Location: Start and end in Waltham

• Ride Type:  Snow ride for fat and mountain bikes with studded tires

• Date & Time:  Wednesday, January 25 at 7pm

• Distance:  ~10 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 is a late-breaking snow ride since we have snow and more snow is predicted for Wednesday evening. Let’s ride when the opportunity presents itself!

We have a designated Super Domestique leading the group. We’ll ride fast enough to stay warm but not fast since it’s snowy and icy. If you have fitness such that you’re capable of riding a steady 14mph on a road ride for 2 hours, you’ll have the fitness necessary to join in on this ride. No one will be dropped as long as you’ve met the minimum requirements set forth on this page.

Distance

The ride is ~10 miles in length.

Parking

Elsie Turner Park

421 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02452

Parking is free and ample and usually available during snow emergencies here.

Route

The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 5pm the day of the ride.

Estimated Ride Time

~2 hours depending on the snow conditions

Route Notes

We discuss these with you prior to rollout. This route was developed for snow riding.

After the Ride

We will serve hot cocoa at the end to whoever is sticking around to enjoy it! We’ll have hot water, too, so if you prefer to bring a tea bag or other drink that you can heat up with hot water, feel free to bring it.

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

New England Expedition Riders (NEER) requires a signed waiver before your first ride. This was implemented in December of 2022 (VERY RECENTLY). Please fill it out 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” studded tires minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. You’re welcome to try your narrower studded mountain and gravel studded tires out on this ride. However, if you can’t keep up with the group, you’ll be on your own. Fat bikes are likely the best suited for these conditions, but it’s hard to know for sure until we’re out there riding.

• There is ice out there so studded tires are required. No studs, no ride.

• Mountain bike clipless pedals and shoes or platform pedals with appropriate shoes.

• Proper Apparel: Appropriate hat, gloves, jacket(s), tights/pants, and boots for the weather. It’s always a good idea to have a pack of chemical hand warmers in case your hands get cold, since this helps heat them quickly.

• Front and rear lights that will last at least 2 hours and WILL NOT blind your riding friends. Eye-piercing rear lights (look into it, does it hurt your eyes?) should be pointed downward or replaced with non-eye-piercing bright lights. All rear lights should be set on steady, not blinking.

• A Tuned Bike: 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 rides.

  • 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.

Revere Beach Ride - Longer route!

Location: Revere Beach (you’ll see a lot more than just Revere Beach!)

• Ride Type:  Fat bike ride

• Date & Time:  Saturday, January 21

• Distance:  ~3ish hours of riding, 17 miles

• Price:  Free*

• * You are welcome to ride once as a non-NEER member, after this membership is required to attend

• RSVPs: Required, form is at the bottom

Details:  

This ride departs at 10am. We’re riding together as a group, but on the beach, everyone can ride at his/her own pace; no one will get dropped, we re-group before exiting the beach where we pick up trails and back roads. Most of the ride is on sand and dirt. It is great fun on big tires on the sand. There are roads and trails connecting the beaches so be ready for both pavement and sand.

It’ll be windier on the sand, so be sure to dress warmer than the weather forecast predicts numerically.

Schedule: We’ll be at the meeting spot by 9:45am. Please be ready to roll by 9:55am.

Parking: There is free, ample on-street parking next to the start.

Route:  The route will be shared via email with all who RSVP.

Questions? We’re at connect@rideheadquarters.com. Need to reach us at the ride? Call 413-461-7433, this is our shop number and reaches the organizer who is at the ride.

Estimated time: ~3ish hours

Ride Notes:  We discuss these with you prior to rollout. There will be beachy sand and paved roads to connect various sections. It’s all appropriate for 3.5” tires or bigger. We can’t speak to the exact quality of the sand for those of you who want to ride skinnier tires and we can’t recommend anything narrower than 3.5”.

Contact Information:  Email - connect@rideheadquaters.com, Phone which reaches the ride leader before and during the ride: 413-461-7433

Riding Rules, What to Bring, How Our Rides are Different:  All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules. 

Waiver:  Ride Headquarters requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.

The proper bike for this ride includes the following:

• Fat bike with 3.5” minimum tires.  

• 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.

• Always bring a spare tube, air, tools for taking your wheels off your bike, a derailleur hanger and ALL of the tools you’d need to fix common mechanical situations.

• Bring warmer clothes than you think you’ll need

Beach Bop Double

• Location: Start and end on Sandy Neck Beach on the Cape

• Ride Type:  Fat bike sandy beach ride

• Date & Time:  TWO Departure Options: Sunday, December 18 at 9:00am AND

  Sunday, December 18 at 1:00pm OR do both for 7 hours of riding

• Distance:  ~15 miles for each option, it will be the same loop in opposite directions

• 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

We’re offering this fat bike ride so you have a quality cycling option on a day after soaking rains to stay warm, have a great time riding, and breathe in some fresh air too!

The route is almost all sandy beach and some neat dirt roads next to the sandy beach.

We have a designated Super Domestique leading the last group to depart which will be rolling at a slow endurance pace. The Super Domestique will be riding a fully loaded fat bike in final preparation for the Fat Pursuit so this is an opportunity for anyone who wants to ride slower, test out a loaded setup or have a chatty ride without pacing concerns to join in with this last group!

Distance

The route is ~15 miles in length. The 9am departure will run one direction and the 1pm departure will run the opposite direction. Feel free to do both if you want a 7-hour day in the saddle!

Parking

Parking is free and ample at the Sandy Neck lot.

Route

The route will be emailed to all who RSVP.

Estimated Ride Time

~3-3.5 hours for each departure. 7 hours total if you choose to do both departures.

Route Notes & How this ride is different from our usual rides

We’ll discuss these with you prior to rollout. This is almost all sand and at high and low tide. Considering there will be long stretches on the beach, we’re not expecting to have to keep riders together in the same way as on a typical ride where there are roads, turns, traffic. You ride as fast/slow as you wish and have fun out there!

After the Ride

We will fire up the kettle and boil water for hot cocoa after each ride to warm up. If you prefer tea or other hot drink, feel free to bring anything you’d like to add to hot water!

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

• Bring lights if you’re joining the 1pm departure of this ride. At this time of year, keep lights available on your bike for safety, it’s too easy to be out past sunset!

• 3.8” minimum tire size.  Wider tires are nicer!

• 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.

• 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.