Saturday, Feb 3, 2024 Fat Bike Ride

• Location: Start and end in Leominster, MA

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

• Date & Time:  Saturday, February 3, 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 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. If you registered to be a NEER member November or December of 2022, it’s time to renew your membership!

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 Snow Ride! January 20, 2024, Hollis, MA

Saturday Snow Ride! January 20, 2024

• Location: Hollis, NH

• Ride Type:  Fat bike ride

• Date & Time:  10am Saturday, January 20

• Distance:  ~2-3+ hours of riding, see details

• Price:  Free*

• * You are welcome to ride once ever 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, everyone climbs at a comfortable pace, re-groups happen at the top and bottom of hills. No one will get dropped, we re-group periodically.

Studded tires are REQUIRED. Fat tires are going to be the best tires for the terrain, but studded mountain bikes might be okay. We won’t know until we start riding. The snow isn’t that deep, so maximum float might not be necessary.

Distance

The route is ~13 miles in length and there’s some elevation gain/loss so it’s not a fast 13 miles by any means. We’ll return to the lot at the end of this loop and there’s a very good chance the Super Domestique will want to keep riding so if you want to go longer, you’ll probably have that option. PLEASE mention in your RSVP if you’d like to take on a longer ride for another 2-3 hours.

Schedule

The big, red van will be in the parking lot at 9:30am, so look for it and park nearby. Please be ready to roll by 9:55am.

Parking

Parking is free in this very large lot:

130 Silver Lake Rd, Hollis, NH 03049

https://goo.gl/maps/Zj5Rdx7XzGRVq2gd6

As far as we know now, trails will be closed to snowmobiles. If the trails are open, this lot might fill up.

Route

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

Questions? We’re at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com. Need to reach us at the ride? Call 413-461-7433, this reaches the organizer/Super Domestique who is at the ride.

Estimated time

~3+ hours

Ride Notes

We discuss these with you prior to rollout. It’s all appropriate for 4” tires or bigger. We can’t speak to the exact quality of the snow. Be ready to take air out or add air to your tires.

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

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

The proper bike for this ride includes the following:

• Fat bike with 4”+ tires are suggested, but tires MUST be studded.  If you want to try a studded mtn bike, you’re welcome to, but no guarantees.

• A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. You’ll need to walk back to the lot 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 if your bike needs one and ALL of the tools you’d need to fix common mechanical situations.

• Bring warmer clothes than you think you’ll need

After the Ride

Buckley’s Market (9 Market Pl, Hollis, NH 03049) is around the corner from the Silver Lake lot (probably a ~5 minute drive) and they offer a nice selection of food and treats. It’s a good place to stop enroute to the ride and again before heading home.

Sand is Like Snow Beach Ride, Barnstable, MA

Sand is Like Snow Beach Ride, Barnstable, MA

• Location: Barnstable, MA

• Ride Type:  Fat bike ride

• Date & Time:  10am Sunday, January 14

• Distance:  ~2.5-3ish hours of riding sandy beaches

• 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 periodically. There may be a few roads connecting trails, but most of this is beach. If you recently mounted your studded tires, that’s fine. Both non-studded and studded tire bikes will be fine since there’s little or no pavement on the route. Route details will be shared with those who RSVP.

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 parking lot by 9:45am. Please be ready to roll by 9:55am.

Parking

There is free parking in a large parking lot.

Route

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

Questions? We’re at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com. Need to reach us at the ride? Call 413-461-7433, this reaches the organizer/Super Domestique who is at the ride.

Estimated time

~2.5-3ish hours

Ride Notes

We discuss these with you prior to rollout. It’s all appropriate for 4” tires or bigger. We can’t speak to the exact quality of the sand. There is some very fine, deep sand on some of the route so fatter tires with lower pressures will do best. If you come out with narrower tires than 4” and you can’t keep up, you’ll probably have fun riding at the water line where the sand is more compact, but we won’t be able to wait for you.

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

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

The proper bike for this ride includes the following:

• Fat bike with 4” minimum tires.  

• A bike that’s in safe working order that is properly lubed and tuned. You’ll need to walk back to the lot 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

RIDER INFORMATION - Fire Frost First Ride! January 1, 2024

• Location: Start and end in Randolph, MA, next to the Blue Hills

• Ride Type:  Two options! Choose from one of the following:

  • Adventure Mixed Terrain ride of 25 or 40 miles (two distance options) for those who want a cool urban adventure on your gravel bike or any bike with 38mm+ tires OR

  • Ride the fun trails of the Blue Hills on your fat or mountain bike. Either way, you’ll get a route, people to ride with, a hot meal, hot drinks, a camp fire and warm cabin to hang out in after you’re done riding!

• Date & Time: Monday, January 1, 2024

• Distance: The Mixed Terrain Adventure ride is 25 and 40 miles in length, the mountain/fat Blue Hills only route offers 2-3 hours of fun riding for those who choose this option.

• All are welcome if you’ve got the basics on gear covered. We have a non-riding/road rider option too!

• Price:  $45 before December 28, $55 after that.

• $10 of your registration is a donation that goes to NEMBA for their trail work and advocacy efforts!

• Registration deadline: Friday, December 29 at 11:59pm.

• Register at BikeReg.com

Details

How better to start 2024 than with a really fun bike ride with fun people?! 

We have two options for riders so you get what you want: 

Option 1: Mixed Terrain Adventure Ride

• A mixed terrain Adventure Ride that starts next to the Blue Hills and takes riders through areas you're unlikely to have ever ridden through. This is an ALL NEW route, one no one has enjoyed before! It's an urban adventure with interesting dirt paths and back roads galore. Your GRAVEL bike is ideal for this route. Ride any bike you wish that has ~38mm tires or wider as long as you and your bike are ready for a 25 mile or 40 mile adventure. There are two distance options so pick what you wish to ride.

Option 2: Ride trails within the Blue Hills on your Mtn or Fat Bike

• Have fun on your mtb/fat bike on the fun trails of the Blue Hills! The route we have together for you keeping you within the Blue Hills is appropriate for riders with mtb/fat bikes and not too technical or crazy climbing (as can be avoided). It's a fun way to ride your bike without going too far from the heat of the fire or cabin.

Want to ride with your Friend Group?

When you register, tell us who you want to ride with if you’d like to have a separate departure/start time for you and your friends. This is fine! Or if you want to ride solo, that’s fine too. Otherwise, we’ll assemble groups to ride together based on the pace and bike type you sign up for.

Regardless of the option you choose:

After you ride, enjoy a campfire, hot food and hot drinks at a large cabin in the Blue Hills after your ride is over!

The fire and cabin will be hot and a hearty, tasty stew (along with hot drinks and biscuits) will still be served from 12:30pm on. All dietary requirements will be accommodated, please tell us in your registration what you can't/don't want to eat. 

What if you're a road rider or a non-riding partner/friend/etc? You can register too! Ride your bike on the road, then come join in the festivities at  the cabin. The idea is starting the New Year right, getting people together around a fire and getting to do the thing you enjoy doing too!!

The actual start time for each group will be determined after we see how many people are registered for each category. We can't have too many people at the cabin/fire at once, so we we'll stagger people and groups appropriately. Everyone will begin somewhere after 10am and before 11:15am.

$10 of each registration goes to NEMBA to help them do the great work they do all year! We're really fortunate to have trails created and maintained by NEMBA (if you're not yet a NEMBA member, we recommend becoming one)!

Everyone who registers will receive an email by 5pm December 31, 2023 (the night before the ride) with route information and start time information along with parking instructions and more.

What You Get

• On the Adventure Ride: Ride a new route never ridden before in an urban setting but with lots of neat dirt trails, back roads, and new areas to discover.

• A well-vetted route.

• An opportunity to ride your gravel, mtn or fat bike with plenty of dirt, cool trails on the first day of the year knowing there’s a warm cabin, hot fire, tasty food, hot drinks and friendly people all awaiting you at the end!

• 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 hot, hearty warm meal and treats at the end of the ride! Enjoy a warm cabin inside, enjoy a hot campfire outside! All diets are accommodated with the food offerings. Whatever you wish, enjoy the time together on your bike then enjoy the post ride togetherness and refuel with tasty, hot food and hot drinks!

• 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 early or 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 pleasant 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 5pm Sunday evening prior to the ride.

We expect all riders to be done riding before the sun sets. We expect to be at the cabin with the fires going until 6pm.

Parking

There is a large parking lot that allows for all-day parking at no charge where we’ll be starting and ending at the Donovan school in Randolph. We’ll share exact directions with you to this lot. Should the lot fill up, there is free, all-day on-street parking in the neighborhood next to the lot.

Route & Route Notes

The routes will be emailed to all who register no later than 5pm Sunday evening prior to the ride.

Food & Water During the Ride

Our pre-ride email will include information on places to stop to refuel during the ride for those who chose the Mixed Terrain Adventure option if necessary. Bring enough food/water to get through the ride without needing to resupply.

After the Ride

We’re providing a hot, tasty stew, hot drinks and treats for after the ride at a cabin within the Blue Hills. The cabin is accessible via dirt road and easy-to-ride paths which will be detailed on your ride route.

From 12:30pm-6pm, the cabin will be warm with wood-buring stove, a campfire will be going outside, and you’re welcome to drop in if you need to warm up while out riding. There is a maximum number of riders we’re allowed to have outside the cabin at once, so we’ll stagger start times to keep everyone from showing up at the cabin at once.

What happens if the weather is terrible? The weather looks like it’ll be nice so this is probably uncessary to even think about!

There’s almost no stopping the cabin food, fires and community from happening! We’ll make a logical decision and email all who have registered if the weather presents a danger to participants to drive/ride to the cabin.

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.

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 electronically.

Proper bike & Equipment

For the Adventure Mixed Terrain Route: A gravel bike is ideal, though a mountain bike or fat bike with 38mm tires or wider is fine if you know you’ll be able to keep the pace you’re signing up for with that bike.

For the Mtn/Fat Blue Hills Route: 2.1” tires or wider.

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

• Front and rear lights if there is any chance you’ll be riding in the dark or in inclement conditions (so these are not required for this ride but it’s still always nice to have at least a rear blinky for safety/being visible)

• Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets

Fire Frost First Ride! January 1, 2024

• Location: Start and end in Randolph, MA, next to the Blue Hills

• Ride Type:  Two options! Choose from one of the following:

  • Adventure Mixed Terrain ride of 25 or 40 miles (two distance options) for those who want a cool urban adventure on your gravel bike or any bike with 38mm+ tires OR

  • Ride the fun trails of the Blue Hills on your fat or mountain bike. Either way, you’ll get a route, people to ride with, a hot meal, hot drinks, a camp fire and warm cabin to hang out in after you’re done riding!

• Date & Time: Monday, January 1, 2024

• Distance: The Mixed Terrain Adventure ride is 25 and 40 miles in length, the mountain/fat Blue Hills only route offers 2-3 hours of fun riding for those who choose this option.

• All are welcome if you’ve got the basics on gear covered. We have a non-riding/road rider option too!

• Price:  $45 before December 28, $55 after that.

• $10 of your registration is a donation that goes to NEMBA for their trail work and advocacy efforts!

• Registration deadline: Friday, December 29 at 11:59pm.

• Register at BikeReg.com

Details

How better to start 2024 than with a really fun bike ride with fun people?! 

We have two options for riders so you get what you want: 

Option 1: Mixed Terrain Adventure Ride

• A mixed terrain Adventure Ride that starts next to the Blue Hills and takes riders through areas you're unlikely to have ever ridden through. This is an ALL NEW route, one no one has enjoyed before! It's an urban adventure with interesting dirt paths and back roads galore. Your GRAVEL bike is ideal for this route. Ride any bike you wish that has ~38mm tires or wider as long as you and your bike are ready for a 25 mile or 40 mile adventure. There are two distance options so pick what you wish to ride.

Option 2: Ride trails within the Blue Hills on your Mtn or Fat Bike

• Have fun on your mtb/fat bike on the fun trails of the Blue Hills! The route we have together for you keeping you within the Blue Hills is appropriate for riders with mtb/fat bikes and not too technical or crazy climbing (as can be avoided). It's a fun way to ride your bike without going too far from the heat of the fire or cabin.

Want to ride with your Friend Group?

When you register, tell us who you want to ride with if you’d like to have a separate departure/start time for you and your friends. This is fine! Or if you want to ride solo, that’s fine too. Otherwise, we’ll assemble groups to ride together based on the pace and bike type you sign up for.

Regardless of the option you choose:

After you ride, enjoy a campfire, hot food and hot drinks at a large cabin in the Blue Hills after your ride is over!

The fire and cabin will be hot and a hearty, tasty stew (along with hot drinks and biscuits) will still be served from 12:30pm on. All dietary requirements will be accommodated, please tell us in your registration what you can't/don't want to eat. 

What if you're a road rider or a non-riding partner/friend/etc? You can register too! Ride your bike on the road, then come join in the festivities at  the cabin. The idea is starting the New Year right, getting people together around a fire and getting to do the thing you enjoy doing too!!

The actual start time for each group will be determined after we see how many people are registered for each category. We can't have too many people at the cabin/fire at once, so we we'll stagger people and groups appropriately. Everyone will begin somewhere after 10am and before 11:15am.

$10 of each registration goes to NEMBA to help them do the great work they do all year! We're really fortunate to have trails created and maintained by NEMBA (if you're not yet a NEMBA member, we recommend becoming one)!

Everyone who registers will receive an email by 5pm December 31, 2023 (the night before the ride) with route information and start time information along with parking instructions and more.

What You Get

• On the Adventure Ride: Ride a new route never ridden before in an urban setting but with lots of neat dirt trails, back roads, and new areas to discover.

• A well-vetted route.

• An opportunity to ride your gravel, mtn or fat bike with plenty of dirt, cool trails on the first day of the year knowing there’s a warm cabin, hot fire, tasty food, hot drinks and friendly people all awaiting you at the end!

• 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 hot, hearty warm meal and treats at the end of the ride! Enjoy a warm cabin inside, enjoy a hot campfire outside! All diets are accommodated with the food offerings. Whatever you wish, enjoy the time together on your bike then enjoy the post ride togetherness and refuel with tasty, hot food and hot drinks!

• 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 early or 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 pleasant 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 5pm Sunday evening prior to the ride.

We expect all riders to be done riding before the sun sets. We expect to be at the cabin with the fires going until 6pm.

Parking

There is a large parking lot that allows for all-day parking at no charge where we’ll be starting and ending at the Donovan school in Randolph. We’ll share exact directions with you to this lot. Should the lot fill up, there is free, all-day on-street parking in the neighborhood next to the lot.

Route & Route Notes

The routes will be emailed to all who register no later than 5pm Sunday evening prior to the ride.

Food & Water During the Ride

Our pre-ride email will include information on places to stop to refuel during the ride for those who chose the Mixed Terrain Adventure option if necessary. Bring enough food/water to get through the ride without needing to resupply.

After the Ride

We’re providing a hot, tasty stew, hot drinks and treats for after the ride at a cabin within the Blue Hills. The cabin is accessible via dirt road and easy-to-ride paths which will be detailed on your ride route.

From 12:30pm-6pm, the cabin will be warm with wood-buring stove, a campfire will be going outside, and you’re welcome to drop in if you need to warm up while out riding. There is a maximum number of riders we’re allowed to have outside the cabin at once, so we’ll stagger start times to keep everyone from showing up at the cabin at once.

What happens if the weather is terrible? The weather looks like it’ll be nice so this is probably uncessary to even think about!

There’s almost no stopping the cabin food, fires and community from happening! We’ll make a logical decision and email all who have registered if the weather presents a danger to participants to drive/ride to the cabin.

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.

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 electronically.

Proper bike & Equipment

For the Adventure Mixed Terrain Route: A gravel bike is ideal, though a mountain bike or fat bike with 38mm tires or wider is fine if you know you’ll be able to keep the pace you’re signing up for with that bike.

For the Mtn/Fat Blue Hills Route: 2.1” tires or wider.

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

• Front and rear lights if there is any chance you’ll be riding in the dark or in inclement conditions (so these are not required for this ride but it’s still always nice to have at least a rear blinky for safety/being visible)

• Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets

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, December 10, 9am start

• Distance:  16-18 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 16-18 miles.

The route is a mixed terrain route so any gravel bike with 40mm tires is suited for the terrain. Bikes with bigger tires are MORE than welcome and encouraged since this is the time of year for many to shift to mountain and fat bikes. We’ll split people into groups based on bikes and speeds that are likely to result if we get more than 10 people out. Otherwise, we’ll ride together at a “zone 2” conversational pace which is something like 7-8mph on the trails.

The trails should be pretty dry by Sunday so studded tires aren’t required. We encourage you to keep your eyes open for ice at this time of year.

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 16-18 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 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. 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.

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

• 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. 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.

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.

Saturday Blue Hills Gravel Ride

• Location: Start and end at the Blue Hills, Milton, MA

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

• Date & Time:  Saturday, November 18, 9am start

• Distance options:  11 miles-21 miles, see details

• 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

• From 1pm-5pm, we’ll be hosting demo riders at the red van in the Houghton’s Pond Parking Area. Come out and say hello if you want to start your ride later in the day or if you want to go mountain bike riding or take out a demo bike! Be sure to email ahead of time if you want to demo ride so we have the right bike and equipment for you! Email: connect@rideheadquarters.com

Details

We’re riding the gravel paths and trails at the Blue Hills! We’re doing NEMBA-defined gravel trails, thus your gravel bike or wider-tired bike will be appropriate. We’re also hanging out in the parking lot until 5pm so if you want to come out to ride or take out a demo bike, there are lots of options all day long!

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 11-21 miles long, do as much as you wish!

Parking

Houghton’s Pond Parking Area

Blue Hills, Milton, MA

Link to the parking lot & where to park: PIN

Route

The route and options available will be emailed to all who RSVP no later than 7pm tonight.

Estimated Ride Time

~3 hours

Route Notes

These trails are described as appropriate for gravel bikes or bigger tires per NEMBA. There is no pressure ever to ride anything you prefer to walk.

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.

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.