Sunday Morning Groton Mountain/fat/techier Mixed Terrain Bike Ride

• Location: Start and end in Groton, MA

• Ride Type:  Mountain/fat/techier mixed terrain Bike Ride

• Date & Time:  Sunday, November 5 at 10am

• Distance:  2.5-3 hours total ride time, 15 mile route

• 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 enjoy fun riding in a beautiful area on a warm autumn day. The pace will be moderate, with regroups when necessary.

Distance

15 miles

Parking

Parking is ample and free in this lot:

Cow Pond Playing Fields - 99 Cow Pond Brook Rd, Groton, MA 01450

Route

Will be emailed to all who RSVP. Everyone is expected to come with the route loaded on a GPS computer.

Estimated Ride Time

2.5-3 hours. We will be done before 1pm.

Route Notes

None at this time.

After the Ride

Ask to demo ride a bike of any kind! It’s a nice day to try out demo bikes.

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 up until 10pm the night before the ride.

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

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

Riding Rules

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

Waiver

New England Expedition Riders (NEER) requires a signed waiver before your first ride. 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

• Gravel, fat or mountain bike with 40mm-5” tires are the most common on this ride.

• Clip-in pedals: This is an important element of bike control. If you’re very experienced with platform pedals, these are okay.

• If it’s dark out: 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.

• 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 Morning Mixed Terrain Ride

• Location: Start and end near Bedford, MA

• Ride Type:  Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel bikes or hardtail mountain bikes

• Date & Time:  Saturday, November 4, 9am 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 leads cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of 18 miles. This is on the more techy side of mixed terrain riding but nothing crazy for those who used to riding mixed terrain (more technical than gravel riding).

Pace: endurance zone 2-3 for most cyclists - if you can average 15/16mph on a road bike on a paved road for 2+ hours, you’ll be fit enough for this ride. The pace on a mixed terrain ride is much slower than a road ride so expect the ride to take ~2.5-3 hours to complete.

Distance

The ride is 18 miles in length.

Parking

In the large parking lot for offices just across from Revolution Hall:

3 Maguire Rd, Lexington, MA 02421

Link to the parking lot & where to actually park: PIN

Route

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

Estimated Ride Time

~2.5-3 hours

Route Notes

These routes offer a wide variety of terrain and trail types. Expect roots, rocks, a steep-ish hill or two, and a bit more technical terrain than the majority of our mixed terrain rides. If you’re not certain about riding something, walk it, it won’t be any slower to walk than to ride anything like that anyway!

Last-Minute Information

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

Contact Information

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

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

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

Riding Rules

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

Waiver

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

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

Proper bike & Equipment

• 35mm knobby tires minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Ideal: 40mm or wider. We expect to see gravel bikes, hardtail mountain bikes, and fat bikes on this ride. Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. Do NOT ride road tires since you’ll be flatting out there.

• Clipless pedals and shoes.  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 on a mixed terrain ride.

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

• High enough tire pressure to prevent pinch flatting and burping your tires.  

• 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.

Best-Of North Shore Road Ride / Tour de Greenbelt

• Location: Start and end in Newburyport, MA

• Ride Type:  Road ride, all pavement

• Date & Time:  Saturday, October 28, 9:00am start

• Distance:  60 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 beautiful day on the bike on the North Shore! The route is designed by NEER member, Tom, who was raised here and has ridden extensively in the area. We expect to see nice foliage, too!

We have a designated Super Domestique leading one group to depart which will be rolling at a steady ~16-18 mph average conversational, endurance pace perfect for this time of year.

If you have questions about the pace, please email us in advance.

We’ll split the group so faster riders can ride faster together and not-so-fast can be together too. If you want to take it a little easier, that’s fine, come prepared with the route and the understanding that you might be riding solo at some point. We’ll do our best to keep less fast riders in the draft of the group.

Distance

The ride is 60 miles in length.

Parking

Address for your GPS to get to parking: Cashman Park, Newburyport, MA

Exact parking directions will be emailed to all who RSVP.

Route

The route will be shared with all who RSVP.

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

~4 hours depending on your pace and the time the group takes at the food/bathroom stops.

Route Notes and Food Stops

These will be shared with all who RSVP.

After the Ride

Feel free to enjoy social time with us in the lovely town of Newburyport!

Last-Minute Information

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

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 you’re fast enough on it.

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

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

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

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

RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!

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

Fat Bike Fun Ride on the South Shore

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

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

• Date & Time:  Sunday, October 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.

Sunday Adventure Gravel Ride around Modnadnock

• Location: Start and end in Winchendon, MA

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

• Date & Time: 8am, Sunday, October 1

• Distance: 73 miles

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

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

Details

This scenic gravel ride takes cyclists on a beautiful journey from Winchendon, MA into NH and around Modnadnock for lots of views of this mountain! There will be dirt roads and a little Class 4 roads to keep it interesting!

Special thanks to Kenny for putting this route and all of the details together!!!

Pace

We have one Super Domestique on the ride who will be riding a steady endurance pace for the distance (would translate to a 15-16mph pace if we were on paved roads so the pace will be less than this but with that kind of effort) and one person who knows the route and the area who will be riding single speed at a steady pace. These paces may or may not end up being the same.

You are welcome to ride faster than the led group(s) if you wish. You are also welcome to ride slower, but we advise bringing a friend if you’ll be behind the group for safety since we’ll be in an area with spotty cell coverage.

Please mention your pace in your RSVP if you think you’ll be faster/slower than the Super Domestique and be aware that there’s a chance you will be riding solo. We prefer if slower riders want to ride solo, you let us know and choose an earlier start time so that we can see you out on the road, it makes it safer to have some overlap out there.

Start, Distance & Estimated Ride Time

Please be ready to ride at 7:55am. We’ll start the safety talk/route talk at 8am and then roll out.

We’ll meet up at the big, red van in the Lake Dennison Parking lot.

Route is 73 miles long, we expect to be out there until ~3pm.

Parking

Parking is at a large, free lot at Lake Dennison:

42.640030, -72.087093

Route

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

Route Notes

Elevation gain is ~5,100 ft. according to RideWithGPS.

Expect some paved roads, around 60% dirt roads, some rougher dirt, a couple Class 4 roads, possibly a couple of places where you’ll want to want your bike for a short span. There will be at least one muddy spot, probably more considering how much rain we’ve been getting.

Food & Water During the Ride

There are 3 general stores along the route and a natural water spring. These are marked on the route.

Mi 31.6 - Dublin General Store

Mi 35.8 - Natural Spring (water!)

Mi 37.1 - Harrisville General Store

Mi 51.6 - Deli / Convenience Store

After the Ride

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

Bring something to eat, too.

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

Last-Minute Information

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

Contact Information

Email - connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com with questions about this ride up until 10pm the night before the ride.

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

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

Riding Rules

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

Waiver

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

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

Proper bike & Equipment

• 38mm knobby tires or wider are recommended.  Wider tires are always nice! Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. Skinnier tires are strongly discouraged since your chances of flatting go up.

• Clipless pedals and shoes.  These are important elements of bike control. If you are an experienced cyclist who has used platform pedals and sticky shoes extensively, this is acceptable. Note that mountain-style pedals/cleats are significantly better than road-style. We strongly discourage road pedals/cleats on a mixed terrain ride.

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

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

  • We want to minimize flats on the ride.

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

• Be sure you have supplies necessary for all common mechanicals including extra derailleur hangers, a multi-tool, quick chain links, 2 x extra tubes, CO2 or hand pump, etc. You are responsible for you and your bike.

RSVP to Participate in this Ride Now!

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

100 Mile Brutiful Fat Bike Ride on the Cape

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If you’re looking for the gravel Brutiful or shorter distance fat bike Brutiful rides, these are all being held the next day, Sunday, October 15. Details are on this Ride Page.

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

• Ride Type:  Fat and Gravel adventure event ride!

• Date & Time: Saturday, October 14, 2023

• Distance: 100 mile fat bike option only

• NEER membership is required to join in this ride.

• Price:  No charge. See details below.

• Registration deadline: Thursday, October 12 at 11:59pm.

• Registration is at the bottom of this page

Details

This very special ride takes cyclists to many interesting trails, dirt roads, and a little pavement on the Cape. Fat bikes go to some sandier places and a few beautiful beaches. This is a sandy place meaning the trails dry very quickly if they get wet and there is sandiness on the trails in general. The chances we would need to cancel this ride due to the weather is very small. We expect to ride rain or shine and will only cancel if the weather appears dangerous to riders or trails.

Keep reading, there’s a campsite near the start of the ride if you want to bikepack out to the ride or drive from somewhere that’s further away.

This is the Grand Depart at 4am, Brutiful 2022!

What You Get

• The opportunity to have a long day riding your fat bike which is difficult to find. You’ll meet others who are interested in these kinds of rides also!

• Ride a beautiful place not all that far from civilization nor too far from where you started. It’s off-season on the Cape but before everything closes for the winter - a perfect time to be there!

• A well-vetted route that takes you to places you’d never know to ride otherwise.

• An opportunity to ride your fat bike with plenty of dirt, cool trails and beautiful beaches.

• The ability to share the day with endurance fat bike riders.

• A simple meal at the end of the ride to finish feeling satisfied from riding and not being hungry if you choose to ride with the group or behind the group. Faster riders are on your own at the end of the ride.

• No clock: this is not a race, it’s an opportunity to enjoy riding your bike, take the time you want to out there, ride as fast or slow as you wish.

• No support - you’re on your own for food purchasing all day. This ride is being run differently than the Sunday Brutiful ride for fat and gravel bikes & the price reflects the level of support.

• Fun. A whole heck of a lot of fun!!

Pace

You’ll need to be up for a ~7mph average on your fat bike if you’re interested in riding with the group we’re assembling. The ride will take approximately 14 hours to complete with stops averaged in for an average rider who has the fitness to be on the bike for this long. The route includes sandy beaches that are not fast, but they are gorgeous and super fun!

We hope most people will choose to start together and generally stay together for the ride to have a shared experience. However, this route allows for riders to cut the course if it turns out to be too far or arduous. If you have questions about your pace/experience, etc. please email us so we can discuss.

Start Time

Roll-out is at 4am.

Distance

The route is right around 100 miles in length.

Parking

There’s a huge lot where there is unlimited parking for no charge all day. You’ll get details about this and the route and all of the nitty gritty prior to the ride.

Route

The routes will be emailed to all who register no later than 7pm Thursday evening before the ride. You’ll receive all of the routes. If you need to cut the course, that’s possible since we’re not headed too far away from the start though it feels like we’re far, far away!

Route Notes

These will be shared with all who register when we share the route.

Food & Water During the Ride

There are stores to stop at during the ride where you can fill up on a variety of food and water. We’ll tell you all about these with the pre-ride information.

After the Ride

We are providing some simple food to enjoy together at the end of the ride and to enjoy some post-ride time to savor the accomplishment if you ride with the group we assemble or slower than the group. Faster riders and those who cut the course will be on your own at the end.

Please bring your own cuisine if you want something in particular.

Bring a change of clothes.

Bring a camp chair.

We recommend you have someone else drive or stay at the Atlantic Oaks campsite & select one of the “A” area tent sites or nearby there to be close to other Brutifuul riders the night of the ride. You’ll be very tired and driving will not be a lot of fun.

We’ll be at the Atlantic Oaks campsite and it’ll be fun since riders who are coming in for the Sunday version will be there too!

After the ride it’s great to have time to eat and review the day together!

Last-Minute Information

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

Contact Information

Questions before the day of the ride: please email connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.

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

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

Riding Rules

This should not be your first long fat bike ride. We expect that you’ve ridden at least 40 fat bike miles in the past 12 months and that you have logged at least one gravel or road 100 mile or longer ride over the summer.

If you’re unsure of your level, feel free to email us or choose to ride on Sunday for a more forgiving day in the saddle!

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

Waiver

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

This ride requires you to be a member of NEER.

Proper bike & Equipment

• Recently tuned fat bike with 3.8” tires or wider

• Fat bikes are required for this ride due to sandy beach sections and to be able to ride with the other fat bike riders

• ALL of the stuff you’ll need if you get a flat or mechanical. Extra fat tube, chain links, derailleur hanger if your bike takes one. You know what you should bring, you’re a distance cyclist! Please ask us if you have questions about any of this.

Cape Trail Mix Ride: Fun Options for Gravel Bikes and Fat Bikes

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

• Ride Type:  Fat and Gravel adventure event ride!

• Date & Time: Saturday, October 21, 2023 (new date!)

• Distance: 50km, 100km and 100 mile options for gravel/mtn bikes

• Distance: 50km-100km for fat bikes

• Do not need NEER membership to register, however, NEER members get a good discount

• Price for non-NEER members:  $50 before October 16, $65 between Oct 16 and Oct 19.

• Price for NEER Members: Category 4 members: $25, Category 3 members: $10, Category 2 and 1 members: No Charge.

• Registration deadline: Thursday, October 19 at 11:59pm.

• Register at BikeReg.com

Details

This very special ride takes cyclists to many interesting trails, dirt roads, and a little pavement on the Cape. Fat bikes go to some sandier places and a few beautiful beaches. This is a sandy place meaning the trails dry very quickly if they get wet and there is sandiness on the trails in general. The chances we would need to cancel this ride due to the weather is very small. We expect to ride rain or shine and will only cancel if the weather appears dangerous to riders or trails.

If you’re a bikepacker and want to test your gear, strap it to your bike and come along! If you just want to enjoy a lovely autumn day on the bike without hoards of people on the Cape, this ride is for you, too.

Keep reading, there’s a campsite near the start of the ride if you want to bikepack out to the ride or drive from somewhere that’s further away.

100 Mile Fat Bike Option offered on Saturday, October 14 for NEER members

If you are a fat bike rider interested in a 100-mile fat bike ride option, we have this running separately the day before on Saturday. Details are on the Ride Page for that ride.

What You Get

• Ride a beautiful place not all that far from civilization nor too far from where you started. It’s off-season on the Cape but before everything closes for the winter - a perfect time to be there!

• A well-vetted route that takes you to places you’d never know to ride otherwise.

• An opportunity to ride your gravel or fat bike with plenty of dirt, cool trails and beautiful beaches.

• The chance to share the day with your friend group, ride with a group of people we match up based on expected pace, or ride solo without feeling alone.

• A simple, hearty warm meal and treats at the end of the ride to finish feeling satisfied from riding and not being hungry!

• No clock: this is not a race, it’s an opportunity to enjoy riding your bike, take the time you want to out there, ride as fast or slow as you wish.

Get your Friends Together to Ride Together!

We’re offering a separate rollout time for all friend groups so you can start together and stay together. Get your friends together and when you register, tell us their names. Your start time will not be more than 30 minutes different from the start time for the category you register for unless you request a different time.

If you don’t have friends who want to do the ride, that’s fine, we will get riders of similar paces to ride together or you’re welcome to ride solo. We prefer to start solo riders nice and early so you’re seeing others throughout the day and not the last rider out there.

Start Time Requests if different from the category start time

We’re happy to accommodate anyone’s start time requests unless it looks like it’ll get you back too late so please tell us your requests in your registration information. If you’re riding with a friend group and you request a specific time, we’ll assume everyone in your group is on board with this request.

Pace

If you choose to ride with a group of friends you or someone puts together, ride the pace your group prefers! We offer a start time for your group so that you can start separately and stay together.

If you’re riding solo, you’re welcome to ride the pace you want as long as you have time to complete the route before we stop serving food. If you’re wondering about your pace and timing, email us.

If you select to ride with a group of people we assemble, then you’ve told us your pace and hopefully those who we match you with are around the same pace. There’s always a risk of the group being a little faster or slower than how you want to ride so come with the route loaded and be prepared. Our rides typically attract people in this category who want to ride with others so will alter their pace to appease others in the group so as to have a group experience.

Start, Distance & Estimated Ride Time

Start times that you see when you register are all approximate. We will roll out groups of friends, groups we assemble, and solo riders separately. You'll get an email with exact rollout times 7pm Thursday evening prior to the ride.

Everyone will receive an email by Thursday evening at 7pm that includes all of the details of the ride, the routes for all distances, and roll-out times. Your roll-out time will be within 30 minutes of the time you’ve registered for and it’ll probably be a bit closer than that.

We expect all riders to be done riding by 6pm, that’s when the sun sets. We don’t want anyone out riding after dark.

Parking

There is a large parking lot that allows for all-day parking at no charge where we’ll be starting and ending. Long routes will visit the lot during the day so there’s an opportunity to go to your car/grab stuff, etc.

Route & Route Notes

The routes will be emailed to all who register no later than 7pm Thursday evening prior to the weekend of the ride.

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

This is a sandy area. Both gravel and mountain bikes are welcome for the gravel-version of the ride. Gravel cyclists not familiar with sand will have the opportunity to get familiar with it! 40mm or larger tires are recommended.

For the fat bike routes: fat bikes are required with a minimum of 3.8” tires in order to properly enjoy the beaches included.

Terrain Description

The routes may evolve prior to it being finalized. Weather may change the route at the last moment, too. Last minute road work also sometimes requires re-routing. The point is, these percentages are estimates and may change.

Percentages are by shown by distance, not time.

• Percentages are very similar regardless of route distance. The fat bike class is the exception; see those differences below.

• Total climbing: 4,300 ft.

Cars/No Cars	Terrain	Percentage	Ideal Bike
Cars Likely	Pavement, roads	20%	Gravel bike w/30mm slick tires
Cars Allowed	Dirt roads	5%	Gravel bike w/30mm slick tires
No Cars	Pavement that's car-free, abandoned roads, closed roads, and bike paths	10%	Gravel bike
No Cars	Fire roads and access roads	20%	Gravel bike w/40mm tires
No Cars	Smooth Singletrack	15%	Gravel bike w/40mm knobby tires
No Cars	Rough, abandoned, washed out, and class 4 roads	10%	Hardtail Mountain Bike
No Cars	Singlegrack, tight, rocky, or overgrown	15%	Hardtail Mountain Bike
No Cars	Trail Sand	5%	Gravel 40mm knobby or wider, depends on how rainy it is just prior to the ride
No Cars	Beach Sand	0.3%	Fat tires 4" or wider, Probably not rideable on a mountain bike tire. Definitely not rideable on a gravel bike tire.
For the Fat Bike Routes:
No Cars	Beach & Sand	20%	Fat tires 4" or wider
		This % replaces some of the above terrain

Food & Water During the Ride

We’ll be hosting a mid-ride food stop for the 100-mile riders with basic calories. There will be ample water for bottle refills. This is the same location where you’ve parked, so if you want to resupply with your favorite food, you will have the chance to grab whatever you want.

There are quality food stops on the route with stores that are open at this time of year that provide free water and tasty food if you’d like to get extra things to eat while you’re riding.

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

After the Ride

Bring a change of clothes and a lawn chair so you can enjoy a bunch of social time post-ride!

We’ll provide a hot, tasty after-ride meal for all riders. We’ll be serving food until the sun sets and hanging out until everyone is done enjoying themselves. Be sure you have completed your ride prior to sunset which is 6pm.

What happens if it Rains?

We moved this ride from the original date to this day in order to avoid the rain. Crossing fingers! We also changed the name of the ride since it doesn’t have to be brutal…we’re aiming for beautiful and pleasant riding for you!

If it looks rainy/cold for Saturday, October 21, we will see if moving the ride to Sunday, October 22 offers a more pleasant day and is feasible for both us and for 3/4 of the riders. If not, we'll run the ride on October 21. We'll communicate with all registered riders in case we need to move the date or change ride details. If you can't make it on the day we end up being able to run the ride IF we change the date on you due to weather, we need you to email us no later than 2 days prior to the ride so we can issue you a full refund. We won't offer refunds after the night before the ride runs. If you don't want to ride due to the weather (if we haven't moved the date from the date you registered for) and email us 2 days or more ahead of time, we'll issue you a 50% refund.

Last-Minute Information

We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news via BikeReg.com so make sure you get communications from BikeReg!

Contact Information

Email us with questions at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.

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

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

Camping Option

We recommend staying at the Atlantic Oaks Campground if you’d like to camp nearby the start. We’ll be hanging out there Saturday evening. Select a red “A” site if you’d like to be near to us and other Brutiful riders.

Riding Rules

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

Waiver

The insurance for this ride requires a signed waiver. This will be shared with all who register to sign.

Proper bike & Equipment

For the Gravel Routes: A gravel bike or mountain bike with 38mm tires or wider.

For the Fat Routes: A bike with tires 3.8” or wider is required due to the beaches these routes include.

For ALL Riders:

• Required: A GPS computer with the route loaded ahead of time

• Required: A bike that’s in safe working order that has been recently tuned and is free of creaking and squeaking.

• Required: All of the tools for typical mechanicals such as:

• Flat fix tools and at least one spare tube (yes, even if you’re running tubeless tires), air via CO2 or hand pump, multi-tool

• Nice to have: Extra chain link, chain breaker, chain pliers

• Spare derailleur hanger if your bike needs a spare

• Extra clothes and storage capacity so adding/taking off layers is easy

• Required: Cell phone and a plan to get back to your car in case your bike or body stops working - we cannot offer rides to anyone (per insurance requirements)

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

• Required: Front and rear lights if there is any chance you’ll be riding in rain or before the sunrise/after the sun sets

• Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets

Saturday Longer Morning Mixed Terrain Ride East Bound!

• Location: Start and end near Bedford, MA

• Ride Type:  Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel bikes or hardtail mountain bikes

• Date & Time:  Sunday, September 10, 9am start

• Distance:  48 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 leads cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of 48 miles. The route heads east and takes in a lot of excellent mixed terrain along the way in addition to fun connecting roads.

The route is mixed terrain so any gravel bike with 40mm tires or bigger is suited for the terrain. Bigger tires and bikes are fine as long as you feel comfortable keeping up with the group.

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 for 4+ hours, you’ll be fit enough for this ride. The pace on a mixed terrain ride is much slower than a road ride so expect the ride to take ~5 hours to complete, possibly more.

Distance

The ride is 48 miles in length.

Parking

In the large parking lot for offices just across from Revolution Hall:

3 Maguire Rd, Lexington, MA 02421

Route

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

Estimated Ride Time

~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.

Contact Information

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

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

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

Riding Rules

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

Waiver

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

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

Proper bike & Equipment

• 32mm knobby tires BARE minimum.  Wider tires are nicer! Ideal: 40mm or wider. Tire choice depends on your riding skill set. Gravel bikes are best suited for most of the terrain. Do NOT ride road tires since you’ll be flatting out there.

• 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 & Longer Morning Mixed Terrain Ride East Bound!

• Location: Start and end near Bedford, MA

• Ride Type:  Mixed Terrain Ride for gravel bikes or hardtail mountain bikes

• Date & Time:  Saturday, August 26 8am start

• Distance:  48 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 leads cyclists to many back roads, plenty of dirt paths and trails for a total of 48 miles. The route heads east and takes in a lot of excellent mixed terrain along the way in addition to fun connecting roads.

The route is mixed terrain so any gravel bike with 40mm tires or bigger is suited for the terrain. Bigger tires and bikes are fine as long as you feel comfortable keeping up with the group.

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 for 4+ hours, you’ll be fit enough for this ride. The pace on a mixed terrain ride is much slower than a road ride so expect the ride to take ~5 hours to complete, possibly more.

Distance

The ride is 48 miles in length.

Parking

In the large parking lot for offices just across from Revolution Hall:

3 Maguire Rd, Lexington, MA 02421

Route

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

Estimated Ride Time

~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.

Contact Information

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

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

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

Riding Rules

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

Waiver

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

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

Proper bike & Equipment

• 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. Do NOT ride road tires since you’ll be flatting out there.

• 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.