Photo by MV JantzenAmong the many things beautiful, warm weather is great for are group bike rides. Whether you’re a newbie to the city who wants to get acquainted with the area or an avid cyclist who wants to take it up a notch, D.C. has a variety of rides for individuals of different levels.
Caveat: Schedule is subject to change based on the weather. Be sure to call the shop sponsoring the event to get updates and details.
If you know more shops, people and organizations that host group bike rides for a variety of levels, please drop suggestions (with details) at the comment box below the post.
Road Bike Ride (no drop policy)
Time: Sunday, 8 a.m.
Meet: 719 8th St. SE
The Road Bike Ride started again last week. It’s an informal group riding experience with a a “no-drop policy,” meaning you won’t be left behind. The ride is approximately 30 miles, and will follow a route through Rock Creek Park.
13-16 mph ride (30 miles)
Time: Saturday, 9:30 a.m.
Meet: Adams Morgan shop, 2501 Champlain St. NW
Ladies Group Ride
Time: Sunday, 10 a.m. 10:30 a.m.
Meet: Adams Morgan shop, 2501 Champlain St. NW
Mountain Bike Ride to Fort DuPont
Time: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
Meet: Capitol Hill-Barracks Row shop, 709 8th St. SE
Introductory Road Bike Ride
Time: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Meet: 1412 Q St. NW
Wednesday Introductory Commuter Ride
Time: Wednesday, 6 p.m.
Meet: 1412 Q St. NW
7th Street Social
Time: Thursday, 8 p.m.
Meet: 1019 7th St. NW
Nice N’ Easy Ride
Time: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.
Meet: 1019 7th St. NW
Cupcake Ramble (a pastry chef leads the ride)
Time: Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
Meet: 1019 7th St. NW
City Explorers Ride
Time: Sunday, 11:30 a.m.
Meet: 1019 7th St. NW
25-30 Mile Ride (no drop policy)
Time: Sunday, 8:40 a.m.
Meet: Exxon station a few blocks west of the Georgetown store, 3411 M St. NW
If you’re up for a faster and more experienced ride, here are a few options to roll with…
Goon Ride
Time: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Garrett Park at the northern terminus of Beach Drive in Montgomery County, Md.
Cyclists gather at Garrett Park at the northern terminus of Beach Drive in Montgomery County for the weekly goon ride. (Why is it called the goon ride? Because everyone rides as hard as they can until their legs fall off.) The ride heads south along Beach Drive until it hits Broad Branch Road in D.C., then heads up Ridge Road and along Ross Drive before coming back to Beach and heading north into Maryland again.
Hains Point Ride
Time: Thursday, noon
Where: Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr SW
On Thursday’s, you can head down to Hains Point, where a peloton of cyclists rides the three-mile loop until the sun goes down. The ride is usually steady along the eastern stretch of Ohio Drive, picks up on the western side and ends in a sprint right before you turn right on Buckeye Drive and start the whole thing over again. (A committed group of local racers is at Hains almost every weekday at noon for an hour worth of hard riding, so give that a shot if you’ve got some free time at lunch.)
Clara Barton Parkway into Potomac/Beach and Broad Branch Rides
Time: Saturday, 7 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Where: Beach Drive and East-West Highway/ Beach and Broad Branch
At 7 a.m., riders gather at the intersection of Beach Drive and East-West Highway for a 50-mile ride heading out Clara Barton Parkway into Potomac and back. The 10 a.m. ride starts at Beach and Broad Branch, and head north into Maryland and back into D.C. via River Road for a rolling 55 miles.
The Bike Rack
Intermediate/Advanced Road Ride
Time: Sunday, 8:30 a.m.
Meet: 1412 Q St. NW
BicycleSpace
The Hills of Anacostia Ride
Time: Saturday, 8 a.m.
Meet: 1019 7th St. NW
Martin Austermuhle, a competitive cyclist, helped compile this list.