Wednesday Early Morning Training Ride

• Location: Start and end in Needham, MA

• Ride Type:  Road Training Ride

• Date & Time:  Wednesdays in April and May, 2023

• Distance:  ~20 miles. The ride is always done just before 8am

• 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. The purpose of this ride is to get focused training in. The group warms up together, then do hill intervals at the same time with everyone going the pace that makes sense to each person.

Each hill interval is ~6 minutes in length. Faster riders will be closer to 5 minutes, slower closer to 7 minutes. All speeds of riders are accommodated since there’s a regroup spot designated for everyone to recover, take a breath, before getting back on the bike and ramping up to the next interval.

There are a total of 5 intervals on offer. It’s always fine to sit one out or ride slowly if one wants fewer. Some people select a shorter portion of road to go harder for a shorter period of time. Entirely up to each person.

Intervals should not be performed at max effort/hr, they should be done such that it’s possible to complete the full workout and get back to the Cutler Park parking lot. We discuss the exact duration of each interval as well as resting time in between out there so everyone knows what to do when.

Distance

The ride is ~20 miles in length, about 1 hour and 50 minutes total.

Parking

Cutler Park, Needham, MA

84 Kendrick St., Needham

Route

Here's the Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42427386

It's called "20 GIDSIB Training"

GIDSIB = Glad I Didn't Stay in Bed

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

None. We discuss where we’re going easy and where we’re regrouping at the ride.

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

• Road bike with road tires. 23mm-30mm will be most common on this ride.

• Clip-in pedals: This is an important element of bike control, especially given the speeds we’ll be riding and needing to climb hills as efficiently as possible.

• 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.

• 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 Earlier & Longer Morning Mixed Terrain Ride

• Location: Start and end in Cambridge, at Revival Cafe

• Ride Type:  Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel bikes

• Date & Time:  Saturday, April 8, 8am start

• Distance:  ~42 miles

• Price:  Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us

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

Details

This mixed-terrain ride takes cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of ~42 miles.

The route is a mixed terrain route so any gravel bike with 40mm tires is suited for the terrain.

We have a designated Super Domestique leading the last group to depart, if we split into groups.

Pace: endurance zone 2-3 for most cyclists - if you can average 15/16mph on a road bike on a paved road, you’ll be fit enough for this ride.

Distance

The ride is 42 miles in length.

Parking

Revival Cafe at Alewife

125 Cambridge Park Drive, Cambridge, MA 02140

There is a traffic arm that you’ll want to drive through to get to the parking lot. Just hit the button and you’ll be able to drive back to the lot.

Route

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

Estimated Ride Time

~4-5 hours

Route Notes

We discuss these with you prior to rollout.

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

• 32mm knobby tires minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. Gravel bikes are best suited for most of the terrain.

• 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.

Adventure Road Ride - 110 miles!

• Location: Start and end in Winchester Center, MA

• Ride Type:  Road ride, mostly pavement, appropriate for road bikes

• Date & Time:  Sunday, April 2, 8am start

• Distance:  110 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 long road ride with some fun adventure built in! The ride officially starts in Winchester center, but we ride into Cambridge where we’ll stop for a coffee or a bite at Broadsheet coffee. Anyone wishing to join in on the ride here coming from Cambridge or Boston is welcome to make this your start!

We then wind our way to the North Shore, finding ourselves in unusual places, some bike paths, then really beautiful roads for a good portion of the day.

We have a designated Super Domestique leading the last group to depart which will be rolling at a ~15-16 mph endurance pace.

Only choose to do this ride if you believe you have 110 miles in your legs and if you’re not sure, just be sure you’ll be fine getting home if you need to leave early.

We’ll split the group so faster riders can ride faster together.

Distance

110 miles

Parking

Winchester Center for those who are starting in Winchester. Anyone who wishes to meet us at Broadsheet Coffee in Cambridge is welcome to do that. Parking is free and ample in Winchester on Sundays. We’ll send specific directions to all who RSVP.

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.

Estimated Ride Time

Allow a very minimum of 7.5 hours moving + at least an hour of stopped time, likely it’ll add up to more than this

Route Notes

We’ll update this for all riders.

After the Ride

There is a lot of food and drink in Winchester Center if you want to hang out after the ride.

Last-Minute Information

We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news if there is any. 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

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. A gravel bike is acceptable.

• If the roads 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.

Sunday Mixed Terrain Ride

• Location: Start and end in Ashland, MA

• Ride Type:  Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes

• Date & Time:  Sunday, April 23, 9:00am start

• Distance:  32 miles

• Pace: Moderate with likely group splits for various speeds

• Price:  Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us

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

Details

This mixed-terrain ride takes cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails. It’s a fun route!

The route is a mixed terrain route so any gravel bike with 40mm tires or bigger is suited for the terrain.

We have a designated Super Domestique leading one of the slower moderate groups, likely to be keeping a rather chill pace.

Distance

The ride is 32 miles in length.

Parking

Ashland Center, use this address for your GPS: 41 Front St, Ashland, MA 01721

Route

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

Estimated Ride Time

~3-4 hours

Route Notes

We discuss these with you prior to rollout. Note that a mixed terrain ride is rougher than a “gravel” ride on the dirt sections.

Last-Minute Information

We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news. Very, very last-minute news is found on our Twitter feed (shown on the home page of this website in case you don’t have a Twitter account).

Contact Information

Email - connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions about this ride anytime 1 hour or more prior to the start of the ride.

CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.

Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.

Riding Rules

All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules. RSVP’ing to this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.

Waiver

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

If this is your second or more ride with us, our insurance requires that you become a member of NEER.

Proper bike & Equipment

• 35mm knobby tires minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and fat bikes at this ride, the majority of bikes will likely be gravel bikes.

• Clipless pedals and shoes.  These are important elements of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, this is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We strongly discourage road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride. You can possibly get away with road pedals/cleats on a gravel (dirt road) ride, but not a mixed terrain ride.

• A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride or take an Uber home if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes.

• Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.

RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!

Please RSVP only after you’ve made sure you can attend. It is inconsiderate to RSVP prior to committing to attending since it affects the experience of the other cyclists in attendance. We understand that things come up last-minute. Be sure to email us if you can’t attend: connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.

Saturday Tame Mixed Terrain Ride

• Location: Start and end in Waltham near the Mighty Squirrel

• Ride Type:  Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes

• Date & Time:  Saturday, April 1, 9am start

• Distance:  12 miles

• Pace: Intentionally tame for riders who are trying to get back into riding this season, for those who have been injured and are coming back, for those unsure of their fitness levels and who they are compatible riding with

• Price:  Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us

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

Details

This mixed-terrain ride takes cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of ~12 miles.

The route is a mixed terrain route so any gravel bike with 40mm tires is suited for the terrain.

We have a designated Super Domestique leading this group.

Pace: Intentionally tame for riders who are trying to get back into riding this season, for those who have been injured and are coming back, for those unsure of their fitness levels and unsure with whom they are compatible riding. This is a great opportunity to get to know other NEER members who are at your skill level!

Distance

The ride is ~12 miles in length.

Parking

Near to the Mighty Squirrel parking lot in Waltham, MA. We’ll send specific directions to all who RSVP.

Route

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

Estimated Ride Time

~2-3 hours

Route Notes

We discuss these with you prior to rollout. Note that a mixed terrain ride is rougher than a “gravel” ride on the dirt sections.

Last-Minute Information

We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news. Very, very last-minute news is found on our Twitter feed (shown on the home page of this website in case you don’t have a Twitter account).

Contact Information

Email - connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions about this ride anytime 1 hour or more prior to the start of the ride.

CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.

Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes.

Riding Rules

All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules. RSVP’ing to this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.

Waiver

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

If this is your second or more ride with us, our insurance requires that you become a member of NEER.

Proper bike & Equipment

• 35mm knobby tires minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and fat bikes at this ride, the majority of bikes will likely be gravel bikes.

• Clipless pedals and shoes.  These are important elements of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, this is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We strongly discourage road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride. You can possibly get away with road pedals/cleats on a gravel (dirt road) ride, but not a mixed terrain ride.

• A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride or take an Uber home if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes.

• High enough tire pressure to prevent pinch flatting and burping your tires.  We recommend about 80% of maximum rated tire pressure. Sometimes this is much too high, ask us if you’re not sure where to set your tire pressure. We like you to have more than enough air for these reasons:

  • We want to minimize flats on the ride; waiting for someone to change flats is not why we ride.  We typically see zero flats on our ride.  One of the primary reasons for this is due to higher than average tire pressure.

  • You can easily take it out, much harder to add it in.

• Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.

RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!

Please RSVP only after you’ve made sure you can attend. It is inconsiderate to RSVP prior to committing to attending since it affects the experience of the other cyclists in attendance. We understand that things come up last-minute. Be sure to email us if you can’t attend: connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.

Saturday Earlier Morning Mixed Terrain Ride

• Location: Start and end in Cambridge, at Revival Cafe

• Ride Type:  Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes

• Date & Time:  Saturday, March 25, 8am start - BEFORE the rain!

• If it’s pouring or forecast to be pouring at 8am, the ride will be canceled (we’ll email participants)

• Distance:  ~14 miles or what the weather allows

• Price:  Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us

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

Details

This mixed-terrain ride takes cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of ~14 miles.

The route is a mixed terrain route so any gravel bike with 40mm tires is suited for the terrain.

The trails should be pretty dry when we’re on them.

We have a designated Super Domestique leading the last group to depart, if we split into groups.

Pace: endurance zone 2-3 for most cyclists - if you can average 15/16mph on a road bike on a paved road, you’ll be fit enough for this ride.

Distance

The ride is ~14 miles in length.

Parking

Revival Cafe at Alewife

125 Cambridge Park Drive, Cambridge, MA 02140

There is a traffic arm that you’ll want to drive through to get to the parking lot. Just hit the button and you’ll be able to drive back to the lot.

Route

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

Estimated Ride Time

~2-3 hours

Route Notes

We discuss these with you prior to rollout.

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

• 32mm knobby tires minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. Gravel bikes are best suited for most of the terrain.

• 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.

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.

Sunday Road Ride, Concord, MA with a later start

• Location: Start and end in Concord Center, MA

• Ride Type:  Road ride, all pavement

• Date & Time:  Sunday, February 5, 11am start time

• Distance:  30 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 road ride takes riders from Concord south to Weston, up through Water Row, and back to Concord. We ride steady for good endurance and quality base miles this time of year. Most of the roads are very low traffic and offer fun flow for road cycling.

We have a designated Super Domestique leading the last group to depart which will be rolling at a ~14mph endurance pace. We’ll split the group so faster riders can ride faster together.

Distance

The ride is 30 miles in length.

Parking

Parking is free and ample here:

Public lot off of Keyes Rd., Concord, MA

Link: https://goo.gl/maps/jjS2uBcjU68GneDv7

Route

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41917017

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

Estimated Ride Time

~2-3 hours depending on your pace

Please be ready to roll at 11:55am. We do a safety talk, then roll just after 12pm.

Route Notes

The route is all paved. There will not be a water or snack stop since it’s only 30 miles in length.

After the Ride

We will make hot chocolates for anyone who wants a warm drink at the end. If you’d like to visit a nearby cafe for food, coffee and social time, you’re more than welcome to do that & we may join you!

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 your road bike with whatever size tires you enjoy riding that will allow you to keep pace with the group. A gravel bike with gravel tires is acceptable.

• If the roads 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.

Sunday Mixed Terrain Ride

• Location: Start and end in Arlington at the Arlington reservoir

• Ride Type:  Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel, mountain & fat bikes

• Date & Time:  Sunday, March 19, 10am start

• Distance:  18 miles

• Price:  Free; see NEER membership requirements discussed below after the first ride you do with us

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

Details

This mixed-terrain ride takes cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of 18 miles.

The route is a mixed terrain route so any gravel bike with 40mm tires is suited for the terrain. We’ll split people into groups based on bikes and speeds that are likely to result.

The trails should be pretty dry by Sunday so studded tires aren’t required. We still encourage you to keep your eyes open for ice and to walk around wet areas to protect the trails.

We have a designated Super Domestique leading the last group to depart, if we split into groups.

Pace: endurance zone 2/3 for most cyclists - if you can average 15/16mph on a road bike on a paved road, you’ll be fit enough for this ride.

Distance

The ride is 18 miles in length.

Parking

Arlington Reservoir

210 Lowell St., Arlington, MA 02474

Route

The route will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm Saturday night, March 18.

Estimated Ride Time

~2-3 hours

Route Notes

We discuss these with you prior to rollout. Note that a mixed terrain ride is rougher than a “gravel” ride on the dirt sections. There are a number of boardwalks. It should be dry on these so as long as you feel comfortable riding average width boardwalks, you’ll be fine.

Last-Minute Information

We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news. 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

• 35mm knobby tires minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. We expect to see gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and fat bikes at this ride, the majority of bikes will likely be gravel bikes.

• Clipless pedals and shoes.  These are important elements of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, this is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We strongly discourage road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride. You can possibly get away with road pedals/cleats on a gravel (dirt road) ride, but not a mixed terrain ride.

• A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. We’ll ask you to call for a ride or take an Uber home if you have a mechanical situation that will hinder the forward progress of the group by more than a few minutes.

• High enough tire pressure to prevent pinch flatting and burping your tires.  We recommend about 80% of maximum rated tire pressure. Sometimes this is much too high, ask us if you’re not sure where to set your tire pressure. We like you to have more than enough air for these reasons:

  • We want to minimize flats on the ride; waiting for someone to change flats is not why we ride.  We typically see zero flats on our ride.  One of the primary reasons for this is due to higher than average tire pressure.

  • You can easily take it out, much harder to add it in.

• Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.

RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!

Please RSVP only after you’ve made sure you can attend. It is inconsiderate to RSVP prior to committing to attending since it affects the experience of the other cyclists in attendance. We understand that things come up last-minute. Be sure to email us if you can’t attend: connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.