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.

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

• Location: Start and end in Wompatuck, MA

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

• Date & Time:  Saturday, December 2, 8am start

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

• 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 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.

Pace

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

Start Time

7:55am - Be ready to ride!

8:00am - Safety talk starts, then everyone rolls out

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 probably a ~6 hour ride 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

Anyone who wants to hang out and talk about bikes after the ride is welcome to do so. We highly recommend stopping at Whole Foods on your drive home for a quality replenishing meal!

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 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.  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.

Revere Beach Ride

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

• Ride Type:  Fat bike ride

• Date & Time:  Sunday, November 12

• Distance:  ~3ish hours of riding, 17 miles (spend extra time on the beach post official ride too, we’re parking next to it!)

• 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: ~2.5ish 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

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 8, 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 October 14 & October 15.

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

8:55am - Be ready to ride!

9:00am - 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.

Fat Bike Adventure Ride

• Location: Start and end in Wompatuck, MA

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

• Date & Time:  Saturday, May 20, 8am start

• Distance:  ~70 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 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!

Pace

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

Start Time

7:55am - Be ready to ride!

8:00am - Safety talk starts, then everyone rolls out

Distance & Estimated Ride Time

Allow 9-10 hours for this ride, 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.

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 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. We highly recommend stopping at Whole Foods on your drive home for a quality replenishing meal!

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.  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.

Saturday For the Love of Riding Bikes Outside

• Location: Start and end in Wompatuck, MA

• Ride Type:  Trails on Fat Bikes / Mountain Bikes

• Date & Time:  Saturday, March 11

• Distance:  As long as you want to ride! Options: 10-40 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 the ride you need it to be for YOU. We’re starting the ride at 10am and riding, riding, riding at Wompatuck! We’re following various routes so there won’t be any repetition, yet we’re staying within Wompatuck. Ride until you don’t want to ride any longer, it’s not far or hard to get back to your car.

Ice/snow: Wompatuck staff have told us as of March 9, there is no ice on the trails and the trails are dry. Should it rain a lot (this would be unexpected but could happen), we would cancel the ride.

Pace

If you can maintain a 14mph average pace on the road (on a road bike) for 2+ hours, you have the fitness you need for this ride. This ride’s pace will be much much less than this (probably more like 6 mph) with the winter clothes, big boots, bigger tires, twisty trails, etc. We’ll regroup periodically.

Start Time

9:55am - Be ready to ride!

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

Distance & Estimated Ride Time

The ride is as long as you want to go. 10 miles all the way to 40 miles!

Time: this is up to you. You stop riding when you want to stop riding. We’re out there for the day so start with us then end when it’s time for you to be done.

Parking

Parking is free and ample at the parking lot, we’ll share the exact location with all who RSVP by 7pm the night before the ride.

Route

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

Route Notes

The most important aspect of this ride is to dress appropriately for the weather since it will not be that cold out, so it’s going to be easy to overheat if you overdress (overheating leads to freezing). Wear enough layers so that it’s possible to start warm and then not overheat.

Any mechanical issue that will take more than just a couple of minutes will mean that rider needs to walk out to the car. It’s not that far so it’s not a big deal. The group will try to get you rolling and if it’s not possible, we’ll make sure you know how to get back to the car.

After the Ride

Anyone who wants to hang out and talk about bikes after the ride is welcome to do so. Since everyone is finishing at a different time, we suggest bringing food and drink to enjoy post-ride for when you finish.

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

• 2.25” knobby tires OR BIGGER.  Wider tires are nicer! This is a rougher mountain bike area so we suggest 3” tires minimum width regardless of conditions. Tire choice depends on your riding skill set.

• 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.

Sunday Snow Ride

• Location: Start and end in Leominster, MA

• Ride Type:  SNOW Mixed Terrain Ride for fat bikes with studded tires

• Date & Time:  Sunday, March 5, 2023, 9:00am start

• Distance:  2-2.5 hours total (it’s twisty so probably not more than ~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 trail snow ride takes cyclists on the trails of Leominster State Forest. The plan to go to Leominster is tentative until we know that the trails have been groomed considering the amount of snow that will fall on Saturday.

There is ice on the ground, thus studded tires are required.

Pace

If you can maintain a 14mph average pace on the road (on a road bike) for 3+ hours, you have the fitness you need for this ride. This ride’s pace will be much much less than this (probably more like 4 mph) with the winter clothes, big boots, new snow conditions, twisty trails, etc. We’ll regroup periodically.

Start Time

8:55am - Be ready to ride! Stay in your car if you’re ready early if it’s cold enough to freeze you before the ride starts.

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

If the roads aren’t safe to drive, we encourage you to not be on the road.

Distance & Estimated Ride Time

The ride is probably ~10 miles in length.

Allow 2-2.5 hours for the ride.

Parking

Parking is free and ample at the Leominster trail head, we’ll share the exact location with all who RSVP by 7pm the night before the ride.

Route

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

Route Notes

The most important aspect of this ride is to dress appropriately for the weather since it will not be that cold out, so it’s going to be easy to overheat if you overdress (overheating leads to freezing). Wear enough layers so that it’s possible to start warm and then not overheat. Bring chemical hand & foot warmers if your gloves/boots are thin.

Any mechanical issue that will take more than just a couple of minutes will mean that rider needs to walk out to the car and the group will need to proceed or else everyone could be at risk with the cold. Please understand that the group will need to continue moving.

After the Ride

Anyone who wants to enjoy a hot cocoa or talk about bikes after the ride is welcome to do so. We’ll make hot chocolates for anyone who wants one and be there at the big, red van.

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

• STUDDED 3.5” knobby tires OR BIGGER.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see fat bikes at this ride considering the snow conditions. It is possible a mountain bike with studded tires will be okay out there too, hard to know until we’re rolling!

• 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.

Saturday New Snow Ride

• Location: Start and end in Medfield, MA

• Ride Type:  SNOW Mixed Terrain Ride for fat bikes with studded tires

• Date & Time:  Saturday, March 4, 2023, 9:00am start

• Distance:  15 miles, ~3 hours

• 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 NEW SNOW ride takes cyclists to trails, back roads, and paths for a total of ~15 miles. We’re aiming for a 3-hour ride and will adjust the route appropriately on the fly if necessary.

There is ice on the ground, thus studded tires are required.

Pace

If you can maintain a 14mph average pace on the road (on a road bike) for 3+ hours, you have the fitness you need for this ride. This ride’s pace will be much much less than 14mph (probably more like 4 mph) with the winter clothes, big boots, new snow conditions, etc.

Start Time

8:55am - Be ready to ride! Stay in your car if you’re ready early if it’s cold enough to freeze you before the ride starts.

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

If the roads aren’t safe to drive, we encourage you to not be on the road.

Distance & Estimated Ride Time

The ride is 15 miles in length.

Allow ~3 hours for the ride.

Parking

Parking is free and ample in Medfield, we’ll share the exact location with all who RSVP by 7pm the night before the ride.

Route

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

Route Notes

The most important aspect of this ride is to dress appropriately for the weather since it will not be that cold out, so it’s going to be easy to overheat if you overdress (overheating leads to freezing). Wear enough layers so that it’s possible to start warm and then not overheat. Bring chemical hand & foot warmers if your gloves/boots are thin.

Any mechanical issue that will take more than just a couple of minutes will mean that rider needs to call for a ride (Uber/Lyft/friend) and the group will need to proceed or else everyone could be at risk with the cold. Please understand that the group will need to continue moving and be ready for any issues with all of the right tools/tube and phone to call for a ride if necessary.

After the Ride

Anyone who wants to enjoy a hot cocoa or talk about bikes after the ride is welcome to do so. We’ll make hot chocolates for anyone who wants one and be there at the big, red van.

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

• STUDDED 3.5” knobby tires OR BIGGER.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see fat bikes at this ride considering the snow conditions. It is possible a mountain bike with studded tires will be okay out there too, hard to know until we’re rolling!

• 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.

Wednesday Early Morning Mtb/Fat Ride - March 1

• Location: Start and end at Cutler Park in Needham, MA

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

• Date & Time:  Wednesday, March 1 at 6am

• Distance:  ~10 miles. The distance will be adjusted so that the ride is over by 8am if the pace is off.

• 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 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

Cutler Park

84 Kendrick St. Needham, MA 02494

Route

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

Estimated Ride Time

No more than 2 hours. We’ll try to get everyone back slightly before 8am, but not too much before that!

Route Notes

This is mostly a trail ride, but there are some roads and parking lot cut throughs as well. Expect to see snow and ice on the route.

After the Ride

Everyone needs to get to work or start their day. We’ll stick around with anyone who would like to discuss bikes or any bike shop business.

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

• 2.25” studded tires minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. This is a mountain bike area so mtb/fat bikes are best served regardless.

• 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 the duration of the ride 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.