A Pace Rides
BRBC doesn't currently have any A-pace rides. If you would like to become a Ride Leader and establish ride(s) in this category, please contact our Ride Director.
B Pace Rides
Area Wide "B" Pace Rides: Typically on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday but flexible based on weather and leader availability. Rides are determined one or two days in advance and announced via email. Average pace is 14 to 18 miles per hour, depending on the route's terrain, but on flat portions of the route, a paceline may form, with speeds of 20+ mph. The distance generally ranges from 30 to 55 miles. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient, with good bike handling skills. Regrouping is at the discretion of the ride leader. Bring your own cue sheets or route navigation. Location can be anywhere from South Carolina to Burnsville NC, Canton to Lake Lure.
Asheville: This is a B Pace Weekday Road Ride: The average ride pace is 12 to 15 miles per hour for the entire ride, depending on the route's terrain. However, the "cruising" speed may be 15 - 20 mph on some flat terrains. The distance is 20 – 30+ plus miles depending on the route selected. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient with good bike handling skills. Regrouping is up to the ride leader. Start time will be weekday mornings in hot weather and afternoons in cooler weather. Bring your own cue sheets (if posted). Location varies.
E-Bike Road Rides: This is a B Pace eBike Ride. These rides are for ebike riders, with Class 1 or Class 3 ebikes (no throttles), who are comfortable and familiar with road bike group riding, bike etiquette, road safety rules, and are capable of averaging 15-17 mph, for 20-40 miles. The focus is not on speed or competition, and pace-lining and drafting are not encouraged. Because of the variations in ebike motors and rider abilities, this is a Drop Ride, and riders will need to have the ride routes on RWGPS or a cue sheet. Any re-grouping will occur at the ride leader’s discretion. Participants are asked to text the ride leader of their intentions to join the ride. Rides will be Sunday mornings, normally a 9:00 am start, contingent on weather and changing seasons. Last minute changes in start times will be announced via text to riders who have made their ride intentions known beforehand to the ride leader. The majority of the rides will start and end in Weaverville, Mars Hill, Jupiter, Barnardsville, and Burnsville.
Half Burners (a.k.a., Hills Angels): This is a B+ Pace Ride, 50 to 70 Miles, 1 Mile Climbing. The self-named Hills Angels ride year-round as weather permits at least once weekly. Weekday rides are the norm and are scheduled based upon leader availability and weather. They are usually announced with 48 hours’ notice so select this Interest if you want to receive the e-mails. Occasional weekend rides are scheduled. The average pace varies with the intensity of the climbing - 14 mph at 100+ feet/mile and 17 mph at 50 feet/mile. Senior A pace is the best way to describe it. Expect a challenging route with grades from 10% to 15%; experienced riders only with strong descending skills. Starting locations and routes are diverse with mid-ride coffee stops and/or after ride recovery stops.
Mellow Burners: This is a B Pace Ride. The Mellow Burners offer riders another option to the time-honored Hills Angels / Half Burners. This group of riders will experience the challenging mileage and elevation of the Half Burners routes but at a reduced pace. This ride option will coordinate frequently with ride leader(s) for Hills Angels for a starting location, date and route. The climbing pace will be slower for the Mellow Burners group. This approach allows both groups to ride while not hindering either group from successfully completing a challenging ride. The average pace varies with the intensity of the climbing – 12 mph at 100+ feet/mile and 15-17 mph at 50 feet/mile. A Senior B pace is the best way to describe the rides. Starting locations and routes are diverse with mid-ride coffee stops and/or after ride recovery stops.
Weaverville After Work Ride: This is a B Pace Ride which is about 1.5 to 2 hours long beginning at 5:45 PM while on Daylight Savings time. Riders are expected to be self sufficient with good bike handling skills and regrouping is left up to the ride leader. The pace is 15 to 20 miles per hour and the distance ranges from 14 to 30 miles depending upon the selected route. Ride begins in Weaverville from the parking lot at N Main St and Dula Springs Rd (5 Corners).
C Pace Rides
East Buncombe Road Ride: This is a C Pace “No Drop” Ride (regrouping will occur at all major turning points) located in scenic east Buncombe County and, occasionally, west McDowell County. Each ride is determined several days in advance and is announced to members of the group via email. The ride announcement will provide all details. Typically, the ride will begin at Pisgah Brewery or Lookout Brewing Company, Black Mountain. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient with good bike handling skills and with bicycles in good mechanical condition.
Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Road Ride: This is a C Pace Ride being led by Janet Minner. This ride is for those that don't ride with the pedal to the metal or slower than molasses in January. This ride is "just right" for those that would average 12-15 MPH depending on the elevation change of the ride. No one is left behind. Rides vary in difficulty and length and will not occur on a regular schedule because the ride leader doesn't know what a regular schedule is.
Claudia’s Tuesday Road Ride: This is a C Pace Casual Ride for folks who want to enjoy the company of others. Distance can range from 16 to 30 miles. The ride may be divided into two groups to accommodate the variety of riders. No one gets left behind. Rides begin at Liberty Bicycle except for the first Tuesday of the month when it starts from Fletcher Park. The start time varies accounting to the weather and the time of year. For example, in the summer we try to start early before it gets hot and, in the winter, we start later to take advantage of the warmer temperatures.
Henderson County Variety Ride: This is a C Pace Ride that varies regarding location and distance and time of the week. The average ride pace between 10 to 14 miles per hour. Sometimes it will include some climbing and sometimes it will go along a flatter route. The description will give all the details! Riders are expected to be self-sufficient with good bike handling skills. This is a “no-drop” ride. Regrouping will occur at all major turning points. Emails with details regarding the ride will usually be sent out one to two days before the ride and may or may not be posted on the calendar.
Transylvania County Rides: This is a C Pace Ride. Most of the Transylvania County rides will start in the Brevard area but the starting location, distance, elevation gain, pace and effort index may vary from ride to ride so be sure to read the ride description and check the elevation profile. Sometimes the routes will include substantial climbing and sometimes the routes will be flatter. The description will give all the details! Riders are expected to be self-sufficient with good bike handling skills. Regrouping will occur at ride leader’s discretion, so always bring a cue sheet if you are unfamiliar with the route. Emails with details regarding the ride will usually be sent out one to two days before the ride and may or may not be posted on the calendar.
D Pace Rides
Easy Riders: This is a D Pace Ride and intended for folks who are new or just getting back into road cycling, or who would just prefer an easier pace with time to enjoy their surroundings. Length is typically from 15-20 miles with average speeds of 10 to 12 mph. Flatter routes will be chosen, and no riders will be dropped. Ride descriptions will be provided in the email announcements. Day of the week and starting time will vary to consider weather and time of the year.
Novice Skills Clinics and Rides: These sessions are intended for riders who are just beginning to cycle, for those returning to cycling, and for those who want/need to improve their skills before taking on road riding. There are two venues; one in Asheville and one in Hendersonville. The Asheville location is the 500m oval track in Carrier Park (the "Mellowdrome") on Amboy Road in Asheville. As time and skills/confidence allow, a short ride from Carrier Park out the Greenway to Rhododendron Park & Hominy Creek Road and back may be included. The Hendersonville location will be Jackson Park or Oceola Lake. As time and skills/confidence allow, a short ride down the Greenway or down 4th Ave. bike boulevard and back may be included. Objectives include: To learn bike safety, to improve confidence through improved bike handling skills, to understand the basics of group riding, and to gain bike fitness... all while riding in circles!
Mountain Bike Rides
Area-wide Mountain Bike Rides: These rides are for those who ride off-road on single track trails and can be categorized depending on ability and comfort level as: 1) Beginner level for those new to mountain biking. 2) Novice level for those not comfortable riding trails with obstacles such as rocks, roots, sand, drop offs, step ups and water crossings. 3) Intermediate level for those experienced and comfortable riding single track trails with obstacles as listed above. 4) Advanced level for those experienced riding difficult terrain and trails rated Black Diamond. Always read the ride description to understand the intended target audience. Most rides in our area include a significant amount of climbing and of course descending and the pace depends on the terrain. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient with good bike handling skills.
Gravel Rides
Area-wide Gravel Rides: Gravel rides always include gravel sections but may also include a significant amount of pavement as well. Gravel bikes or mountain bikes are recommended for these rides. The average ride pace can vary greatly, depending on the terrain and percentage of gravel vs. pavement. Beginner gravel riders should try out a shorter “intro ride” before tackling a longer route with lots of elevation gain. The route distance is usually 10 to 35 miles. The starting location, distance, elevation gain, pace, and effort index may vary from ride to ride so be sure to read the ride description and check out the elevation profile prior to the ride.
Virtual Rides
Zwift: Want a great ride alternative to cold and/or rainy weather on ride days? Sign-up for this interest group if you want to receive notices for our Zwift rides. We're just beginning to offer virtual BRBC group rides on the Zwift platform for those members that have the needed equipment and service to join. Ride levels will be selected by the available ride leaders. We'd like to be able to offer multiple ride levels (A, B, C, D, E) per ride, but will need members to step-up as virtual ride leaders to do so. If interested in leading virtual rides please contact the interest group coordinator and they will get you set-up to do so.