BIKE WITH BUDDIES! 9 BICYCLING CLUBS + GROUP RIDES IN THE DENVER AREA
As a city, Denver is very bike-friendly. This is encouraging to avid cyclists just moving to town, as well as for newcomers to the sport who want to get involved with the cycling community. The city is home to many bicycling clubs and group ride events for riders of all ages and ability levels. Depending on the rider’s level of experience, some clubs even race in local and statewide events. Whether you’re looking for a sense of camaraderie or a new way to stay active in the gorgeous Colorado weather, joining a cycling group is a great way to do both at the same time.
The Rocky Mountain Cycling Club is a Colorado-based community of enthusiastic cyclists. They offer a variety of adventurous and challenging rides, with a year-round series of club rides and social events. Fellow riders are supportive of each other as they work towards personal cycling goals. Regardless of interest, the club offers road rides, gravel rides, mountain biking, endurance events, and century races. In 2023, RMCC brought back the Denver-to-Aspen Classic which is arguably one of the most visually stunning and challenging single-day rides that can be achieved in the Centennial State.
Members live all over the state, so not everybody is expected to participate in every ride. As the summer months roll around, Tuesday and Wednesday evening rides are held weekly. Monthly gravel rides begin in the Greenland area. Via the email newsletter and Strava group, members can follow the ride schedule and support other participants as they ride throughout the season. A signed liability waiver, a helmet, and appropriate bike gear are required to join any ride for the safety of all participants.
PRO Tip: Check out the ride calendar to find an option that’s suitable for your skill level. Non-members and visitors are provided with the opportunity to join a scheduled ride up to three times before they’re expected to join the club.
2.Highlands Ranch Cycling Club
The Highlands Ranch Cycling Club provides a Colorado home to cycling enthusiasts of all ages, abilities, and experience levels. The fun group dynamic makes structured riding a social event. The club was started to promote the enjoyment of cycling and to participate as a group in the major rides around the state. Cycling is a team sport, so there are training rides that have been designed to teach this element to those used to solo riding.
Regardless of whether you’re new to cycling or you’ve been into racing for decades, the HRCC is the perfect club to call home. Everybody is dedicated to achieving personal goals, as well as supporting other members looking to break personal records and compete in local races. Helmets are mandatory and on occasion, the club has sponsor-hosted clinics that help to illustrate some of the more advanced techniques and approaches to cycling. This helps educate seasoned cyclists, as well as newcomers to the sport. Guest riders are welcome but must adhere to the same rules as members and are encouraged to join if they deem the club a good fit.
PRO Tip: The Highlands Ranch Cycling Club keeps up a Facebook page, as well as a Meetup group that shows riders what’s on the upcoming schedule.
Denver Cruiser Ride was started back in 2005 when founder Brad Evans posted the event on Craigslist. The initial ride attracted a total of 13 participants. However, word soon spread and the ride continued to grow via media attention and word of mouth from cycling Denverites. Soon, the weekly event began attracting thousands of participants each week from May through September. Brad chose a theme for each ride, prompting riders to wear a costume and decorate their bikes to match. These rolling costume parties have become a mainstay for the city, with new faces joining in on the fun each summer.
As of 2017, the weekly ride has transitioned into five monthly rides that begin in late spring and carry on through early fall. Brad Evans has also gone on to launch other projects, such as Bike City, which is a group dedicated to cycling advocacy. He’s also hosted happy-hour meetups called City Spark as a way to provide a more cohesive community amongst cruiser riders.
4. Denver Bicycle Touring Club
The Denver Bicycle Touring Club is happy to welcome anybody interested in cycling. The non-profit is run by volunteers and is excited to promote recreational and commuter cycling, as well as bicycle safety. They also strive to educate the general public on matters important to the cycling community, which creates a safer cycling atmosphere on public roadways. The club is also actively involved in the advocacy arena, especially when it comes to the local metro government and cycling infrastructure and planning.
The group organizes both weekend and weekday rides and they publish a monthly newsletter to keep all members informed and up to date with the happenings of the club. The rides range from ratings such as flat, small hills, some climbs, and serious climbs. This enables cyclists to tackle rides that they feel competent to handle and to avoid riders finding themselves quickly out of their depth. The club also sponsors “FUN Rides,” which are between 15-30 miles and mainly travel along bike paths and designated streets. These rides are more social in nature, usually ending at an informal restaurant to enjoy a meal as a group. The club also provides all-terrain and mountain biking rides that vary from easy to technical, as well as in-between difficulties.
PRO Tip: Membership to this group requires a membership application. The application costs $35 per individual or $70 per family, good for up to five members.
Team Evergreen Cycling is one of the largest and most charitable bike clubs in the state of Colorado. In their history, they’ve donated nearly $4 million to local nonprofits and groups dedicated to advocacy. In 2022 alone, they donated an impressive $350,000. Members benefit from being able to join in on weekly rides, events, training, and trips, as well as discounts at the team store and via sponsors.
Group road rides happen every Wednesday and Sunday, with gravel rides taking place every other Saturday. For those interested in mountain biking, these rides occur every other Thursday. This allows for a great variety in terrain, as well as for riders of varying ability levels. The club is welcoming to all riders. Due to the group’s size, riders can be confident that they’ll find someone to match their pace. Waivers are required and non-members are welcome to join in on a ride before committing to the $40/year membership fee. Before arriving, the club recommends downloading a map and bringing plenty of hydration, nutrition, and spare tube(s). After the ride, the group meets for food, drinks, and camaraderie.
PRO Tip: Check out the ride calendar to see what Team Evergreen Cycling is up to next.
The Colorado Tandem Club is a social organization that’s dedicated to the unique riding adventure of tandem biking. The club is open to all tandem riders and a variety of abilities, from family trailer rides to more challenging mountain climbs and even overnight trips and centuries. The club boasts over 100 tandem teams, so members can rest assured that there will be a lot of riding opportunities.
The club is welcoming of non-members and they encourage riders to participate in at least two rides before committing to membership. Yearly dues are $50 and the cost covers insurance for all riders on club rides, as well as social events and new member mentorship. New members are paired with a seasoned team, which helps to onboard the new team and provide a sense of immediate community. Members will receive a monthly newsletter that helps to inform and update everybody on what’s happening soon and where the club plans to ride.
PRO Tip: The Colorado Tandem Club keeps up an active Strava page for those wanting to check out recent rides and plan for upcoming ones.
7. Our Mutual Friend Cycling Club
Our Mutual Friend Cycling Club (OMFCC) was founded in 2018 and is based out of its namesake, Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company in Denver. The club recognizes the beauty of the natural landscape of Colorado and is eager to advance cycling as a form of sustainable transportation, as well as an activity that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle. Rides are held nearly every Wednesday evening and last for approximately 2-3 hours. Pacing is set at an average of 16 mph and as always, a helmet and safety lights are required.
All riders are expected to adhere to any applicable road laws and ride with courtesy toward other people using the road. The group is happy to extend a friendly welcome to new riders while expecting them to bring a road-worthy bicycle and carry all of the necessary tools and equipment to repair any accidental blowouts or mechanical issues. The group rides are intended to be a social event and not a race. This means that riders shouldn’t pass the ride leader, who is tasked with leading the way on the route to ensure a safe ride for everybody.
8. We Ride 4
We Ride 4 has a Denver group, as well as one based in Tucson, Arizona. The community of riders is upbeat, positive, and welcoming of new members. Rides are held up to six days a week for all levels, with terrain ranging from road, gravel, mountain, and Zwift. Social events are held throughout the year and members benefit from generous discounts on products and services from partners that have sponsored the group, as well as discounted entry fees for local events and races. The cost for a no-jersey membership is $200 and $375 for a purple membership, which includes a full kit plus all member benefits.
The club is passionate about providing children with the chance to experience a healthier lifestyle through engagement in outdoor recreation. Participants ride for not only their health and enjoyment but also for the generosity of sponsors and donors. Members are also active volunteers in the community and participate in events across the country that help to give back to children. In Denver, the group supports Lucky to Ride and the Tucson riders support Pueblo Road Warriors. With more than 300 active members, over $200,000 has been raised for organizations such as World Bicycle Relief and Cottonwood Institute.
PRO Tip: Before joining a We Ride 4 ride, a signed waiver is required.
The Golden Bike Cruise is held monthly, on the last Tuesday evening from May through September. The event is sponsored by Golden Community Commons, which is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to envisioning the future of the Armory building. Participants of the cruise ride along the bike paths and the streets of the city of Golden. Each ride is themed, encouraging families to dress up in costume and adorn their bikes. On average, between 150-175 riders participate and the age range varies from young children to seniors.
Each ride begins and ends on 818 14th Street. The kegs are tapped at 5:30 PM and the whole event is wrapped up around 9:00 PM. Beers are provided by New Terrain Brewery and they can be paired with a juicy burger from Bob’s Atomic Burgers. Half of all beer sales go towards the upcoming year’s expenses, with the other half being donated to nonprofit partners. For each monthly cruise, a local Golden band is invited to perform and prize drawings are raffled off.
