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.