Join the summer mountain biking community with NEMBA’s schedule of events and rides

NEMBAfest takes place at Sugarloaf Mountain Resort in August. (Jamie Walter/Sugarloaf)

There is perhaps no better motivation to get out on your bike than to build a community of friends who share your passion. Then, all you have to do is fill your respective calendars with fun events. 

The New England Mountain Bike Association makes it easier than ever to do both. NEMBA hosts more than 500 rides each year, hundreds of trail work days, and more than a dozen signature events in every part of New England. Whether you are novice or advanced rider, seeking new trails or a new network of friends to ride with, NEMBA is the best place to start. 

Here is a selection of some of NEMBA’s signature events and chapter rides worth checking out this summer. For more information on each event or for a complete listing, visit NEMBA’s website, www.nemba.org.

June 24-25: Elevate

This weekend-long gathering in East Burke, Vt., has been created to support women and gender-expansive cyclists through the shared passion for mountain biking. Organized in association with NEMBA’s Vermont Mountain Biking Association chapter together with the Kingdom Trail Association, the event is focused on cultivating community and developing riding skills.

Registration includes a Friday social with beer provided by Bent Water Brewing, Saturday lunch and dinner, and Sunday breakfast. It also includes skills clinics with expert coaches, group rides facilitated by local experts, and workshops on nutrition, basic bike maintenance, mental skills and yoga. 

Adaptive Sports Partners also will be available to provide adaptive mountain bikes and equipment, specialized instructors and rider support.

NEMBA’s Greater Boston chapter hosts a similarly themed Women and Gender Expansive Ride every Tuesday through Aug. 29 beginning at Rock Meadow in Belmont, Mass. Led by the Hustle Hive mountain bike team, these no-drop, social rides are designed for intermediate cyclists. They typically will divide into two groups based on pace and will cover 8-12 miles over 90 minutes.

Aug. 4-6: NEMBAfest

Capped at 1,500 adult registrants, NEMBAfest brings together riders, vendors and partner organizations for a weekend of mountain biking, food and beer, and live music at Sugarloaf Mountain in Carrabassett Valley, Maine. Camping is available in the resort’s parking area. 

The weekend will include skills and group rides that will explore the Carrabassett Valley region’s 80-plus miles of mountain biking trails for all rider abilities. Many loops in the network start and finish at the Outdoors Center, including Campbell Field Trailhead (42 miles). Scenic trails across Route 27 wind along the Carrabassett River. Round the Pond and Grassy Loop Excursion are great for first-timers. The steep climbs of Newton’s Revenge and Oak Knoll add more of a challenge, while Jabba the Hut features moderately challenging singletrack through the dense woods.

Sept. 10: Bear Brook Boogie

Organized by the Southern New Hampshire NEMBA chapter for the Mountain Bike Adventure Series, Bear Brook Boogie is a signature NEMBA event staged at Bear Brook Park in Allenstown, N.H.

Held at the largest developed state park in New Hampshire, mountain bikers can explore dirt roads, doubletrack, singletrack and numerous natural features. The park features 55 trails and dozens of popular routes within its 10,000-acre expanse. Trails can be accessed from the Podunk Road parking lot, which feeds directly into park favorites like Bear Brook, Big Bear and Hemlock trails. More technical terrain can be found on Carr Ridge, which intersects with the Cascade trail to the west.

In addition to its signature events, NEMBA chapters throughout the region organize weekly gatherings and rides. Here are some to choose from:

Merrimack Valley NEMBA: The Tuesday Night Ride Series is already underway and runs through July 18. Group rides meet in Lowell, Mass., (register for exact location) and generally go from 5:30-8 p.m. Expect about a 15-mile ride at an advanced pace on challenging terrain.

The MV chapter also hosts Grateful Tread “Fast & Furious” and “Easy Rider” group rides throughout the summer, meeting in Chelmsford and Carlisle from 6-8 p.m. Fast and Furious rides, on Tuesdays, explore Russell Mill and/or Billerica State Forest, while the Easy Riders ride, on Thursdays, explores Great Brook Farm State Park.

Southern New Hampshire NEMBA: Advanced beginner group rides will be held every Tuesday evening (6-8 p.m.) this summer and fall at Little Massabesic Trails in Auburn, N.H. Terrain is closer to intermediate levels but will be approached with more of a beginner pace. The rides are designed to build confidence on roots, rocks and narrow singletrack.

Southern New Hampshire NEMBA also hosts Bear Brook Strong intermediate rides every Wednesday (5:45-7:45 p.m.) from Allenstown. Typical rides range from 8-13 miles covering about 80 feet in elevation over roughly two hours.

Southeast Massachusetts NEMBA: The Ponky Rockets training ride is held every Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. from Randolph. This is a follow-the-leader “Drop-2” ride with alternating sweepers to ensure no one gets lost. This chapter also hosts Wompatuck with Wayne Saturday rides from Hingham, Mass. (1:30-3:30 p.m.) And on Sunday mornings from 9-11, the chapter holds intermediate/mellow rides on the Ponkapoag side of Blue Hills Reservation.

Quiet Corner NEMBA: Offers women’s-only intermediate rides Wednesdays through Pomfret Forest in Connecticut from 6-8 p.m. These are no-drop rides with the pace set by the group. Quiet Corner also hosts Mellow Monday rides from Hampton, Conn., on the second, third and fourth Mondays of the month, from June 12 to Aug. 28. The group meets from 6-7:30 p.m. for lower-pace or recovery rides.

Cape Cod NEMBA: Saturday mellow rides (10 a.m.-noon) are designed for newer mountain bikers or people looking for a relaxed ride. Sign up for exact meet-up locations each Saturday through July 15.

Greater Boston NEMBA: Wednesday rides run through Aug. 30 from Stoneham, Mass. Beginning at 6 p.m., these rides generally break up into several groups based around pace. Bikers must be 18-plus for these rides. The chapter also hosts Landlocked Forest Thursday rides from 6-7:45 p.m. through Aug. 24 from Lexington, Mass. Rides through LLF feature flowy trails with modest technical features, including lots of rocks and roots.

North Shore NEMBA: Women’s novice group rides are hosted every Thursday beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Ipswich, Mass. Groups are sorted based on experience and pace. Rides cover a mix of fire roads and singletrack trails with roots, rocks and logs. The chapter also hosts weekly rides for intermediate-to-advanced riders on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in Harold Parker State Forest. 

Listen: Lil Ide, from Kingdom Trails, and Burke Mountain GM Kevin Mack discuss what the Vermont mountain biking community has to look forward to this summer on New England Ski Journal’s Basecamp podcast.