What you might need
**Helmets are mandatory at all group rides. Backcountry Bike and Ski will be happy to sell you a brain bucket and customize the fit for your needs.**
Hydration and energy bars are important to sustain yourself on longer rides. Early season mountain rides will include plenty of rest time for water and snacks. Road rides will not stop that often, so make sure you have a water bottle carrier or CamelBak to drink on the go. Backcountry Bike & Ski carries nutrition, water bottle cages, and CamelBaks, stop in and we will hook you up!
Basic maintenance kits and tire repair tools are an important part of any long ride. Please come to one of our FREE clinics to learn how to repair flats while on the trail or road and all sorts of other important riding information. 2013 Clinics will be on Thursday April 18th (Women’s Only) and Monday April 29th (Women’s Clinic).
Follow this Page for maps of local road rides.
Women’s Only Rides will be post-poned summer 2013 until 2014. Or if a volunteer wants to lead these rides, they will be announced on our Facebook and website.
Road Rides
Please bring your: ROAD bike (that’s one with 700c sized wheels, helmet, water, tire repair, and weather appropriate clothing.
We ask that those wanting to join us on our road ride bring a road specific bike like a road/tri bike, hybrid, or cyclocross bike with smooth tires. The reason being that mountain bikes tend to have smaller tires 26″ wheel size (slower), not as high of a gear ratio (harder to keep up because you will run out of gears on the faster road), and knobby tires (which also make it slower because of the greater resistance on the road). You will probably not have too much fun trying to struggle along with those with a faster rolling tire and more gears.
All road rides will meet/start at Backcountry Bike and Ski between 6-6:30PM. We will start riding at 6:30PM. The routes may include the Old Glenn Highway toward the Butte using the paved bike path, around Bodenburg Loop on the road and back for approximately a 20 mile ride; or around the Springer road system from the bike shop. Later season longer rides will be a climb up Palmer Fishhook to the Mother Lode and back. Women’s group road rides are a no drop ride (if you want to go faster, then go at your own pace and we will see you later; however if you are slower please try to keep pace with the group).
Erin will be leading the mountain rides starting in June, there may or may not be a Backcountry representative here for the road rides on Thursday nights. I encourage everyone to still meet in front of the shop on Thursday to keep the group road rides going on. This is a great way to meet other ladies and keep your cycling legs in shape!
Mountain Rides
Please bring your: bike, helmet, water, basic maintenance kit and extra tube for repairs, weather appropriate clothing.
Mountain bike rides vary each week and will be posted on the events page and on Facebook. Typical ride locations are Matanuska Railroad Trail, Matanuska Greenbelt Trail System (Keplar-Bradley Lakes), Gold Mint Trail, or Morgan Horse Trail. Trail conditions vary and are weather dependent (however we tend to enjoy getting nice and muddy as long as the trail is hardened), if you have any questions please call the shop the Thursday of the ride and ask for Erin. 746-5018 or check on Facebook
Each mountain ride will build up in skills, the first few rides we will focus on basic bike handling around turns, hills, trees, as well as basics in shifting and braking while on the trail. The first few rides will be easy paced, double track and farm field loops, building in single-track riding time. If you want to go your own way and pace, enjoy your ride and we will meet you back in the parking lot after for an iced cold beverage. 
Later in the season mountain rides will increase in difficulty and length, hoping to build your confidence and bike handling skills. As always, if you’d like to go at your own pace or take your own trail, feel free to enjoy the ride. My aim is to teach you more about the local trails and hope that you can find a rhythm of your own on a trail you love!
We are good-dog friendly… if you have a well behaved, bike friendly dog (one that doesn’t run in front of wheels, poop on trails, or attack other furry friends, feel free to bring them along for some exercise!)
Backcountry Bike and Ski is proud to be advocates of positive trail riding etiquette, so smile, wave, slow down for other users, and have a great ride!
