HomeRoad Rides

Road Rides

The BBC has many opportunities to ride with friends!

If you are not yet a member, you must sign up for a free one-month trial membership or join the club to ride with the club. Both options require you to electronically sign a liability waiver prior to riding with the club. Our group road rides range from casual and social to faster and more serious rides. They are listed below from easiest to hardest. Pace estimates given for each ride are inclusive of pace on hills.

Helmets are mandatory on all BBC rides, and front and rear lights are encouraged.

The BBC road ride season generally runs from March through October. We have organized rides on Mondays (daytime), Tuesdays (daytime and evenings), Thursdays (daytime and evenings), Saturdays (daytime), and Sundays (daytime). These are on the Ride Calendar. Sometimes we have to adjust the schedule because of inclement weather. Sign up for the Forums specific to the type and speed of road riding you plan to do--we have options for each of the road rides listed on this page. Those Forums are the way to be notified about changes to specific road rides, send questions to the group about specific road rides, and generally stay informed about all things related to BBC road rides. The "All Road Rides" interest group is also the way we notify members about pop-up road rides.

Come ride with us!

Beginner and Social

Selected Sundays, 1:00 pm, April–October

About twice a month.

Check the BBC Ride Calendar for dates, times, and routes.
Forum: Beginner and Social Rides

Meeting Place: Varies (but often starts at Switchyard Park)

Pace: 8–10 mph

Mileage: 12–16 miles

No drop

These rides use area bike paths and quiet neighborhood roads and avoid the big hills. They are perfect for beginners, families, or those ready to get back into cycling. Each ride will feature a stop for refreshment and social time. Give this a try!

This is a no-drop ride—we will stay with you. Ride with others—it's safer and more fun! Learn and explore beginner-friendly cycling routes around Bloomington.

Nice and Easy

Sundays, 1:00 pm, March–October

Check the BBC Ride Calendar for dates, times, and routes.
Forum: Nice and Easy Rides

Meeting Place: Switchyard Park Splash Pad

Pace: 8–12 mph (sometimes faster, sometimes splits into faster and slower groups)

Mileage: 19–25 miles

No drop

Sunday rides feature lower mileage and slower paces. Routes are posted on the BBC calendar. Nice and Easy rides cater to those who want to take it easy and or ride at a slower pace.

Metric Mondays

Mondays, start time varies based on weather and time of year, April–October

Check the BBC Ride Calendar for dates, times, and routes.
Forum: Metric Monday Rides

Meeting Place: Varies; can carpool from Bryan Park parking lot, if needed

Pace: 10 mph

Mileage: 60–70 miles

No Drop

Communication: Text or call Jimmy Schroeder (260-450-2007) on Sunday night if planning to ride

This ride is for all the adventurous and endurance-minded road riders who don't work on Mondays, want to drive approximately 30 miles, and then ride new roads and see new sights of southern Indiana. Our starting locations rotate among Martinsville Walmart, Spencer CVS, Nashville IGA, Bedford Walgreens, and CountryMark at I-69 & US-231. Monday Morning start time depends on the weather and time of year. The RideWithGPS route will be posted on the club's ride calendar in advance. Plan on a lunch stop and additional breaks.

Early Birds

Tuesday and Thursday mornings or afternoons, March–October, plus additional rides when weather permits

Check the BBC Ride Calendar for dates, times, and routes.

Forum: Early Bird Rides

Meeting Place: Bryan Park East Parking Lot, S. Woodlawn Avenue (usually)

Pace: 11–15 mph

Mileage: 20–30 miles

No drop

This is a moderate ride for those who can ride during the day. The route is planned in advance and is posted on the ride calendar. Check the calendar for occasional changes to starting location. Start times are also posted on the calendar and vary from 8:30 am in summer to beat the heat to 1:30 pm in spring and fall to allow temperatures to warm up. This is a no drop ride, but not a beginner’s ride. Expect an overall average moving speed of 11–15 mph including hills. Since this weekday ride is not time-limited by sunset, short, unplanned side trips to explore new territory are sometimes added during the rides.

OWLS

Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 5:45 pm, March–October

Check the BBC Ride Calendar for dates and routes.
Forum: OWLS Rides

Meeting Place: Sherwood Oaks Church, 2700 E. Rogers Road, north side parking lot

Pace: 12–15 mph

Mileage: 20 miles (early season)–35 miles (late season)

No Drop

The “Original Wiser and a Little Slower” group emphasizes moderate rides and a route planned in advance that is posted on the ride calendar. This is a no drop ride for a range of intermediate riders—it is not a beginner’s ride. Regroup points are discussed in advance. Early season rides are shorter, and rides get longer as the season progresses. Peak season rides average 25–35 miles, depending on available daylight. Rides depart promptly at 5:45 pm.

Saturday Epic Rides

Saturdays, March–October. Start times change from month to month with the availability of light and the onset of Indiana heat and humidity.

Check the BBC Ride Calendar for dates, times, and routes.

Forum: Saturday Rides

Meeting Place: Switchyard Park Splash Pad

Pace: 13–17 mph (often breaks into subgroups with different speeds)

Mileage: Varies, see ride calendar. Short options are available on most routes.

No drop

Saturday rides take cyclists to surrounding counties and accommodate cyclists of a variety of abilities. Participants frequently break up into multiple groups based on speed. Occasionally we have drive and rides or optional extensions to make a longer ride.

Links to routes are on the ride calendar. Ride leaders ensure that no rider is completely dropped and all riders make it back to the starting point. On longer rides, leaders designate regroup points and rest stops for food and water. Mileage and difficulty increase over the course of the summer. These are a great way to acquaint yourself with the area, build endurance, and meet others who share your interest in cycling.

iRide

Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 5:45 pm, March–October

Check the BBC Ride Calendar for dates, times, and routes.
Forum: iRide

Meeting Place: Mostly meets at Sherwood Oaks Church, 2700 E. Rogers Road, north side parking lot

Pace: 18–21 mph

Mileage: 25–40 miles

No Drop

The iRide is a faster intermediate training ride with an average speed of 18–21 mph depending on the route profile and season. The iRide group will typically follow the OWLS route posted on the BBC Ride Calendar, often with route extensions discussed before departure.

We ride as a group for safety and support. Although we might get spread out on climbs or long stretches or hard segment efforts, we regroup regularly. If you do lose contact with the main group due to speed or a mechanical issue, simply stay where you are or stop at the closest main intersection and someone will come looking for you. Oftentimes, regroup points are discussed in advance to ensure group cohesion.

Pop-Up Road Rides

Forum: All Road Rides

We encourage club members to organize their own rides and add them to the calendar as pop-up road rides. These could be regular road rides or organized around a particular theme, interest, or activity. The photo shows the "Breaking Away" ride organized by Jim Schroeder a few years ago. But it could be as simple as a ride that explores a particular bike path or one that starts and ends at a coffee shop or brew pub. Use your imagination! To have a pop-up ride classified as a club ride, follow this checklist:

All regular rules apply, and new members must have signed waivers.
The ride must be open to all members.
The ride must have a clear ride organizer.
The ride organizer must send a notification to the relevant discussion group (and ideally via chat in the app as well) at least 2 hours in advance of the ride. This must include communication about the expected speed.
The ride must be put on the club's ride calendar at least 2 hours in advance of the ride.
At least 2 club members must be on the ride.