Location: Various remote start locations
Ride Type: Remote paved and dirt roads
Time & Date: The first road-rideable Saturday in January, February, and March 2019
Distance: 2 route options for each: ~40 miles and ~65 miles
Price: Free
Description: The Brutiful Roads Triple is a winter ride series designed for road bikes that fit studded tires. These are three super winter rides, one happens each month this winter, each is VERY weather dependent: when the weather allows for riding on dirt and paved roads, we are riding! Each ride in this series happens the FIRST road-rideable Saturday of each month.
Ideal Bikes for this Series
Honey MidDuranceA titanium performance, light-weight bike with medium-reach caliper brakes and clearance for 35mm tires or 28mm tires with fenders.
Honey AllroadsA titanium bike with disc brakes and ability to ride fast and fun with both road and up to 40mm tires, or 650B wheels with 50mm tires.
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Get prepared and we will let you know a couple of days before when the ride is running. Each ride has a remote start in a new town so the roads and backroads are all places most people have not been. No remote start is more than a one-hour drive from either Ride Studio Cafe or Ride Headquarters.
Before each ride, we’re meeting up for breakfast — breakfast with the group is optional — to allow all to enjoy some warm food prior to rolling out. The ride will conclude with a late lunch or early dinner, too.
The ride is free, but be prepared to purchase all of the food you consume throughout the day.
See below to RSVP. It is VERY important to RSVP since we’ll be emailing participants about the starting locations, timing of when we’re meeting for breakfast, planned rollout times, and route files.
The meaning of Brutiful: It means a beautiful route with brutal aspects. David B used the term to describe one of our previous adventure rides this way, thus this ride series found its name!
Pace and Distance Options
Each ride offers two distances. We’ll let you know what these are, exactly, via email to all who RSVP, a couple of days before the ride. We expect the shorter route to be approximately 40 miles and the longer route to be approximately 65 miles for each ride. We’ll have two paces of leader-led groups doing the shorter distance: a 16mph average and 17-18mph average. We’ll have one group of ~17.5mph doing the longer distance. You’re welcome to do either route at the pace of your choice and on your own or with any riders you want to ride with. Just be sure you’ve got the route and at least one back-up power source to charge your GPS unit and phone during the day. We will want to know which group you want to ride with at the ride, or if you’re riding solo. We do not recommend riding solo for these kinds of distances in the cold for safety purposes.
Preparation
Have your Winter Essentials Duffel ready! In that bag, we recommend:
All the clothing you typically use for 10-40 degree riding. Clothing that likes wet conditions isn’t a bad idea, either. Note: We’re only including the gear that people often forget when they’re in a hurry, and riding in unexpected conditions. If you forget to put your bibs in your Snow Essentials Kit, we have no sympathy!
Headlight 100% charged and ready for use
Taillight with batteries in good condition. Bring an extra set of batteries.
Quick note on Batteries: Batteries die. Batteries don’t like the cold so they power down a lot more quickly than on an autumn day. Three hours of battery life can become one hour – or worse – in the cold months. Keep your electronics warm – in your jacket or jersey, not in your saddle bag – until you need them. This includes your phone, backup battery, spare light, and your GPS unit – if you’re not the ride navigator.
Winter shoes or your autumn shoes with overshoes. Note that overshoes are inadequate on most cold, extended-distance rides for most people.
Long, thick wool socks
Chemical hand and toe warmers
Helmet
Long finger gloves, possibly with liners.
Three season cap that covers your ears.
Neck gator - check out our custom neck gators in store!
Protective glasses
High-vis vest - this is important as it’s always harder to be seen in the winter and in inclement conditions. We are likely to be riding through areas where hunters may be near. High-vis, especially orange, is an important color to wear in such areas. We’ll let you know if we’ll be on trails that are shared by hunters via email to all who RSVP for each ride.
Towel to dry off after the ride.
A change of clothes for after the ride - it’s not fun to eat dinner or drive home in sweaty, wet, cold clothes.
The Rides
JANUARY
Ride One:
Date: Done and dusted on Saturday, January 12. Amazing ride and amazing riders.
FEBRUARY
Ride Two:
Date: Can be any one of the following dates based on weather.
Saturday, February 2
Saturday, February 9
Saturday, February 16
Saturday, February 23
Start Location: To Be Announced!
Route: To Be Announced!
Details: To Be Announced!
MARCH
Ride Three:
Date: Can be any one of the following dates based on weather.
Saturday, March 2
Saturday, March 9
Saturday, March 16
Saturday, March 23
Saturday, March 30
Start Location: To Be Announced!
Route: To Be Announced!
Details: To Be Announced!
Register Here for the Brutiful Rides!
You’ll also receive email updates!
Last Minute Information: We will email everyone who RSVPs with the latest information and details concerning where to meet, timing, route, etc.
Contact Information: Email brutiful@rideheadquarters.com with questions.
Riding Rules, What to Bring, How Our Rides are Different: All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by These Rules.
Waiver: Ride Headquarters requires a signed waiver before your first ride. Please fill it out online prior to your first ride.
Proper Bike for this ride:
Road conditions the day of the ride will dictate. 25c-32c tires likely appropriate. Studded tires may be required depending on weather.
Clipless pedals and shoes. These are important elements of bike control when riding with a group.
A bike that’s in safe working order. It can be dangerous to stop for mechanicals in the cold, so make very certain your bike comes clean, lubed, safety checked with fresh brake pads, and tires in good shape.
If it's wet on the road or raining, please put a rear fender on your bike to keep the person behind you happy. A fender will make your day significantly better, too.
When will each ride run?
Wondering if the ride is on? We are emailing everyone who RSVPs to this series, so please sign up for updates by way of RSVP’ing. We won’t know until a couple of days in advance as to whether the ride is on since weather is a bit unpredictable this time of year. And we don’t expect you to necessarily be able to attend since we aren’t nailing down the “go” date until a couple of days before.
Icy conditions: We ride. For this you have to have studded tires in order to ride with us.
Cold: It doesn’t matter what the temperature is, we ride. We may recommend the shorter of the two routes if it’s dangerously cold. Staying safe is very important! We also will make last-minute route changes based on weather as necessary. All attendees will receive updates via email.
If you'd like us to do any work on your bike prior to the ride, please email us a week before the ride; we want you to be ready to roll before the the day of the ride.