12 group bicycle rides in Greater Portland
About 75 cyclists pause at a stop sign during Portland Bike Party's St. Patrick's Day outing. (Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer)
It’s safer and more fun to ride your bike with others. At least, that’s what many cyclists in Greater Portland say.
“The streets can be scary,” said Jesse Abbruzzese, a volunteer with the Portland Bike Party. “There’s strength in numbers and when you’re in that group, you feel so much safer.”
Here are 12 group rides, with different speeds and route length, to try out in Greater Portland.
SOCIAL RIDES
These rides meet on the third Friday of every month at various locations around the city at 7 p.m. (check the Facebook page for details). It’s a family-friendly pace, according to volunteer Jesse Abbruzzese, and there’s music, lights and a dance party. Volunteers shepherd the riders and set a buffer when crossing busier roads.
Portland Gear Hub Mellow Monday rides
These 5-mile rides on the 2nd and 4th Monday in August and September are geared toward new riders, though they’re welcome to everyone. Participants meet at the Back Cove parking lot (across from Hannaford) at 6 p.m. and ride to Payson Park using the Back Cove trail. There are opportunities to practice basic riding skills and a stop for snacks and chat.
James O’Donnell, director of Portland Gear Hub, explains bike repairs to a picnic attendee in July. (Chloe Liversidge/Staff Writer)
Portland Gear Hub Thursday ride
These social road rides start at Portland Gear Hub at 155 Washington Ave. at 6 p.m. every Thursday. Participants ride about 20 miles at a pace of 14 to 16 miles per hour on loops exploring north and south of the peninsula. There’s no sweep, so riders should familiarize themselves with the route beforehand and be prepared to handle mechanical issues should they arise. In the summer, the rides will include ice cream or swimming stops and will typically last until around 8:30 p.m. “It’s a good community,” said cyclist Justin Engelsher. “It’s very like-minded.” The group is also adding a Monday night ride at a more social pace.
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These social rides for members of the LGBTQ+ community leave from the Portland Gear Hub on Saturdays at 4 p.m. The rides are typically 10 to 12 miles long, and nobody gets left behind. Rides usually last about two hours, and there are sometimes stops for ice cream or swimming. The rides run until October.
FAST(ER) ROAD RIDES
Forest City Cycling Saturday Morning Ride
This no-drop, moderately paced ride typically leaves from the Radio Tower parking lot behind 15 Baxter Blvd. at 8 a.m., but timing is sometimes adjusted for temperature or weather. These are longer rides, often between 35 to 65 miles. They try to ride a different route each week, and many routes have shortcuts. “We’re not setting records here — we’re just out to enjoy our bikes in the morning,” according to the website.
Forest City Cycling Monday Night Road Ride
A moderate-to-fast 30-mile loop to Cousins Island leaves from the Radio Tower parking lot behind 15 Baxter Blvd. at 5:30 p.m. in April and September and 6 p.m. from May to August. It’s a mostly flat route with a moderate to moderate-quick pace (17 to 23 miles per hour), and there are several stopping points for people to regroup so they’re not permanently left behind. There’s a range of paces, so most people can find someone to ride with. Groups end up following similar routes, so you can always slow down and join another group. Nonmembers are welcome to ride.
Forest City Cycling Thursday Night Road Ride
This ride leaves from the Radio Tower parking lot behind 15 Baxter Blvd. at 5:30 p.m. in April and September and 6 p.m. from May to August. It’s a 38-mile route, with a faster pace than the Monday night ride. There are stopping points for people to catch up in all but the elite group. Nonmembers are welcome to ride.
Tuesday 20
This group meets at Tandem Coffee at 122 Anderson St. on Tuesdays at 6 a.m. Anyone’s welcome to join, but if you can’t keep up, you might get dropped, according to Karl Wasserman, one of the organizers. It’s a self-supported ride, so participants are expected to be able to find their own way home or fix a flat. They alternate between four or five different routes, each of them 20 miles long.
Portland Velo Club Wednesday Night Ride
Looking for a faster ride? The Portland Velo Club — a competitive cycling club — hosts a coed ride that begins at South Portland High School parking lot on Highland Avenue at 5:30 p.m. The average pace is 20 to 26 miles per hour, and there’s no waiting. If you get dropped, you’re encouraged to keep going or take a short cut to catch back up. Nonmembers can still attend PVC rides. Road bikes are required.
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The last ride will be Oct. 28, and the rides in the fall will start slightly earlier for daylight hours.
Portland Velo Club Saturday Morning Ride
This road ride is about 20 miles long, leaving from CycleMania at 65 Cove St. at 7:30 a.m. The route goes through South Portland and Cape Elizabeth to Prouts Neck and back along the water. There are four major sprints on the men’s ride, and it’s typically a competitive pace (faster than 23 miles per hour). In the summer, there are as many as 75 riders in this team training ride that’s open to all. After the ride, cyclists meet up for coffee at Coffee By Design on Diamond Street.
These rides typically start on the first Saturday of March, if roads are clear, and run through the last Saturday before Thanksgiving.
MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDES
Thursday Night Mountain Bike Ride
CycleMania hosts a mountain bike ride through Portland’s in-town trails. Each ride departs from 65 Cove St. at 6 p.m. It typically takes about two hours to bike the 10- to 15-mile routes, according to Deanna Backman, who works for CycleMania. It’s an intermediate to advanced level ride, she said, with an average of 15 people per ride. Participants need a mountain bike.
The Single Track Sisters, a women’s mountain biking group, hosts a weekly ride on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. The location changes each week around Greater Portland in Portland, Windham or Falmouth, according to Backman, one of the organizers. The rides are usually about two hours long and cover between 10 and 15 miles. It’s an advanced ride, but the group has many beginners and sometimes hosts impromptu rides of various levels. Interested riders should join the Facebook group.
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Dana Richie is a community reporter covering South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. Originally from Atlanta, she fell in love with the landscape and quirks of coastal New England while completing her undergraduate. More by Dana Richie
