Cycle Connect 417 will host our "Connect Rides" every first Saturday of the month from April to November! All women (sorry, dudes—**But see below!) are welcome to join us for a casual and fun bike ride on Greenways and bike-friendly roadways.

This month, we will start and end our ride at Before And After Brewing. The routes and a more detailed description of what you can expect in each Group are below.

We will have waives of GROUPS, based on speed and route length A, B, and C). These will still be No-Drop rides within your groups, which means no one is left behind by themselves! And we mean that - no one has ever been left alone on any of our no-drop rides. Ever.

Hang out afterwards with a tasty beverage and delicious food, and connect with the women in your cycling community.

Helmets are required! Bike lights are encouraged for safety but are not mandatory. Please do not feel you need to have experience riding to have fun with us! Every month we have many women attend on their FIRST group ride....ALL WOMEN AND ALL BIKES are welcome. Please message us with any questions!

**HEY BOYS!! We don't mean to leave you out, but we also kinda do. We hear from many ladies that they would rather ride with other women sometimes (especially the beginners). Have a female friend or significant other that will ride with us? We encourage our male supporters to show up, organize their ride(s), and hang out with us afterward to share a beverage! The more, the merrier.

Groups and Routes:

GROUP A: (route to be posted soon)

Distance of about 5.5 miles

Expect the entire roundtrip ride to take about an hour, with many stops. There will be a designated ride leader and sweep, with perhaps a middle leader, depending on the group size. This group is recommended for the beginner cyclist with little experience. You do not have to be "in shape"! We only add this because we all get asked what fitness level is required for our more minor route. This route is 75% Greenway, with some neighborhood streets and a little section of Lone Pine to connect to the Greenway.

GROUP B: (route to be posted soon)

Distance of about 11-12 miles

Expect the entire route to take about an hour, with plenty of stops to keep the group together. This group is recommended if you are comfortable with a 10-12 mph pace. There will be a designated ride leader, middle leader, and sweep. The route is about 70% Road / 30% Greenway.

GROUP C: (route to be posed soon)

Distance of 15-17 miles

Expect the entire route to take about an hour to complete, with several stopping points (at significant intersections) to regroup. If you're looking for a quick and fast ride with other experienced riders, this is your group. About 90% road / 10% Greenway

Cycle Connect 417 will host our "Connect Rides" every first Saturday of the month from April to November! All women (sorry, dudes—**But see below!) are welcome to join us for a casual and fun bike ride on Greenways and bike-friendly roadways.

This month, we will start and end our ride at Before And After Brewing. The routes and a more detailed description of what you can expect in each Group are below.

We will have waves of GROUPS based on speed and route length A, B, and C). These will still be No-Drop rides within your groups, which means no one is left behind by themselves! And we mean that - no one has ever been left alone on any of our no-drop rides. Ever.

Afterward, hang out with a tasty beverage and delicious food and connect with the women in your cycling community.

Helmets are required! Bike lights are encouraged for safety but are not mandatory. Please do not feel you need to have experience riding to have fun with us! Every month we have many women attend on their FIRST group ride....ALL WOMEN AND ALL BIKES are welcome. Please message us with any questions!

**HEY BOYS!! We don't mean to leave you out, but we also do. We hear from many ladies that they would rather ride with other women sometimes (especially the beginners). Have a female friend or significant other that will ride with us? We encourage our male supporters to show up, organize their ride(s), and hang out with us afterward to share a beverage! The more, the merrier.

Groups and Routes:

GROUP A: (route to be posted soon)

Distance of about 5.5 miles

Expect the entire roundtrip ride to take about an hour, with many stops. Depending on the group size, there will be a designated ride leader and sweep, with perhaps a middle leader. This group is recommended for the beginner cyclist with little experience. You do not have to be "in shape"! We only add this because we all get asked what level of fitness is required for our smaller route. This route is 75% Greenway, with some neighborhood streets and a little section of Lone Pine to connect to the Greenway.

GROUP B: (route to be posted soon)

Distance of about 11-12 miles

Expect the entire route to take about an hour, with plenty of stops to keep the group together. This group is recommended if you are comfortable with a 10-12 mph pace. There will be a designated ride leader, middle leader, and sweep. The route is about 70% Road / 30% Greenway.

GROUP C: (route to be posted soon)

Distance of 15-17 miles

Expect the entire route to take about an hour to complete, with several stopping points (at major intersections) to regroup. This is your group if you're looking for a quick and fast ride with other experienced riders. About 90% road / 10% Greenway

IMPORTANT EVENT UPDATE! Due to our normal leadership being away for the July 4th holiday, we are having difficulty securing enough ride leaders and sweeps for all our groups. So for this month, we are encouraging our riders to show up at Before And After Brewing to ride in unofficial groups, with your friends, meet up with new people, or ride on your own. If you cannot make it out on Saturday, post a photo of your ride this weekend and tag us! We're sorry for the inconvenience this month, but we hope to resume our normal structure in August

We are encouraging all of our riders to take part in this GREAT local gravel event! Ozark Greenways is hosting their annual gravel race, starting and ending in Willard, MO called the Iron Horse Gravel Grind. While technically this is race for the 43 and 84 mile distances, they are also offering a fun 26 mile course that is simply a fun Community Ride! We have plenty of ladies who are already registered to race or ride a variety of these categories....but we would like MORE! No matter what distance interests you, we are encouraging all our Cycle Connect 417 women to get signed up and bring the whole family out for a good time. Food will be provided for all participants! And the best part is that all the funds raised will go straight back into our Greenways!

Registration closes on May 1, 2024, at 12:15 am., so be sure to just reserve your entry NOW!

Check out the Event Page here for more details and routes:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1049280766137587?active_tab=about

To Register, visit this page:

https://www.bikereg.com/fht-ironhorse-gravel-grind...

Cycle Connect 417 will host our "Connect Rides" every first Saturday of the month April - November! All women (sorry, dudes - **But see below!) are welcome to join us for a casual and fun bike ride on Greenways and bike friendly roadways. This month we will start and end our ride at Great Escape Beer Works. See below for the routes and a more detailed description of what you can expect in each Group.

We will have waives of GROUPS, based on speed and route length A, B, and C). These will still be No-Drop rides within your groups, which means no one is left behind by themselves! And we mean that - no one has ever been left alone on any of our no-drop rides. Ever.

Hang out afterwards with a tasty beverage and connect with the women in your cycling community.

Helmets are required! Bike lights are encouraged for safety, but are not mandatory. Please do not feel like you need to have experience riding to have fun with us! Every month we have many women attend who are on their FIRST group ride....ALL WOMEN AND ALL BIKES are welcome. Message us with any questions!

**HEY BOYS!! We don't mean to leave you out, but we also kinda do. We hear from many ladies that they would just rather ride with other women sometimes (especially the beginners). Have a female friend or significant other that will ride with us? We encourage our male supporters to show up, organize their own ride(s), and hang out with us afterwards to share a beverage! The more, the merrier.

Groups and Routes:

GROUP A: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/159087007

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45824574

Distance of 4.28 miles

Expect the entire roundtrip ride to take about an hour, with many stops. There will be a designated ride leader and sweep, with perhaps a middle leader, depending on the size of the group. This group is recommended for the beginner cyclist with little experience. You do not have to be "in shape"! We only add this because we get asked all the time what level of fitness is required for our smaller route. This route is 90% Greenway, with a little section of Lone Pine to connect to the Greenway.

GROUP B: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/159086881

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44894008

Distance of 10.5 miles

Expect the entire route to take about an hour, with plenty of stops along the way to keep the group together. This group is recommended if you are comfortable with a 10-12 mph pace. There will be a designated ride leader, middle leader, and sweep. About 60% Road / 40% Greenway.

GROUP C: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/159085233

Distance of 15.6 miles

Expect the entire route to take about an hour to complete, with several stopping points (at major intersections) to regroup. If you're looking for a quick and fast ride with other experienced riders, this is your group. About 90% road / 10% Greenway

The Humdinger 82-mile course will feature fast, hard pack, punchy climbs, creek crossings, and sections of loose, technical sections of terrain.

The Humdinger 38-mile course will be less technical but still have challenging areas for developing riders.

The Humdinger Fun Ride 12-mile course is beginner-friendly with a few good climbs and plenty of fun for everyone.

All three courses' terrain will change throughout the course between woodlands, fields, and creek crossings.

Special thanks to the following event sponsors:Kuat Racks - Official Rack SponsorSunshine Bike Shop - Skratch Hydration at all aid stations

Humdinger Schedule of Events:

Friday, April 19th - Humdinger Plate Pickup4pm - 7 pm @ Great Escape Beer Works

Saturday, April 20th7:00 am - Participant Check-in starts (all distances)7:45 am - 82-mile riders meeting @ Kuat archway8:00 am - Humdinger 82-mile Start8:45 am - 38-mile riders meeting @ Kuat archway9:00am - Humdinger 38 mile Start9:45 am - Humdinger 12-mile riders meeting @ Kuat archway10:00am - Humdinger 12 mile Start11:00 am - Ice's Smok'n Shack BBQ Lunch1:00 pm - Humdinger 38-mile Podium Awards3:00 pm - Humdinger 82-mile Podium Awards

Onsite camping @ Fordland City Park Friday, April 19th, car, RV, and tent availability. RSVP email: events@missourioffroadcyclists.com.

Bring the whole family! Visitors and spectators are welcome @ no cost.

We will also have a Special Edition Humdinger Burrito Bag from Sew Bueno for $45 each limited supply of 24 qty. Event T-Shirts $20. Purchase on the registration page.

Registration closes April 19th, 7:00 pm CST.

Events are subject to weather. Helmets must be worn at all times while riding. Promoter reserves the right to change start times and distances if needed. For more info or questions please email: events@missourioffroadcyclists.com.

Funds raised go to support the Missouri Off-Road Cyclists, a regional non-profit advocating for, building, maintaining, and preserving sustainable multi-use soft surface trails throughout Southwest Missouri.

Cycle Connect 417 is hosting a ladies group Mountain Bike ride at the Fellows Lake Trails (Valhalla Lot) and ALL women are invited to attend! There will be several groups of riders based on experience and skill level so rest easy knowing we've got you covered no matter what you need.

👉Group A: Completely new to mountain biking and still a bit unsure of what you're even doing? We've been there, done that, and would love the opportunity to introduce you properly to mountain biking. We will go nice and slow and make frequent stops. This will be a learning experience so we're happy to take some time along the way to explain some basics and get you comfortable! The trails at Fellows Lake are remarkably beginner friendly, so there's no better place to learn confidence on the trail!

👉Group B: Are you just looking for a chill and fun ride through the woods at "party pace"? We've got you. We will stop at major trail intersections, and probably average anywhere between 7-9 mph.

👉Group C: Are you an experienced rider looking for a fun and punchy ride to start your week? You know what to do....

All the FAQ!

Q: Do I need a fancy full-suspension mountain bike?

A: Absolutely not! Just make sure whatever mountain bike you do bring is in good working condition (air, brakes, chain, derailleur). Maintained bikes are safe bikes - see your bike shop for a tune-up if it's been a while.

Q: What else do I need besides a bike?

A: HELMETS are required for this (and all) Cycle Connect 417 rides. You might also want to bring a water bottle and wear closed-toe tennis shoes. Knee and elbow pads are an option if you are afraid of taking a tumble...it happens to all of us!

Q: Can I rent a mountain bike anywhere in Springfield?

A: A: Adventure Bicycle Company (417-319-6060), Bicycle Outlet (417-887-6424) and Howler Bike Shop - Pickwick Location Only (417-831-0800) all have a limited number of mountain bikes in their fleets that can be rented - How cool is that?! Contact them ASAP to rent!

We are respectful and responsible trails users, so if the weather does not cooperate and conditions are poor, we will cancel the ride. Please stay tuned to this event page and a decision will likely be made the day of, if weather is a factor.

**NOTE FOR THE BOYS!! We don't mean to leave you out, but we also kinda do. We hear from many ladies that they would just rather ride with other women sometimes (especially mountain bike beginners). Have a female friend or significant other that will ride with us? We encourage our male supporters to show up, organize their own ride(s), and hang out with us afterwards to share a beverage! The more, the merrier.

Reach out anytime to us if you have questions!

The FIRST Connect Ride of 2024 is here! Cycle Connect 417 will host our "Connect Rides" every first Saturday of the month April - November! All women (sorry, dudes - **But see below!) are welcome to join us for a casual and fun bike ride on Greenways and bike friendly roadways. This month we will start and end our ride at Great Escape Beer Works. See below for the routes and a more detailed description of what you can expect in each Group.

We will have waives of GROUPS, based on speed and route length A, B, and C). These will still be No-Drop rides within your groups, which means no one is left behind by themselves! And we mean that - no one has ever been left alone on any of our no-drop rides. Ever.

Hang out afterwards with a tasty beverage and connect with the women in your cycling community.

Helmets are required! Bike lights are encouraged for safety, but are not mandatory. Please do not feel like you need to have experience riding to have fun with us! Every month we have many women attend who are on their FIRST group ride....ALL WOMEN AND ALL BIKES are welcome. Message us with any questions!

**HEY BOYS!! We don't mean to leave you out, but we also kinda do. We hear from many ladies that they would just rather ride with other women sometimes (especially the beginners). Have a female friend or significant other that will ride with us? We encourage our male supporters to show up, organize their own ride(s), and hang out with us afterwards to share a beverage! The more, the merrier.

Groups and Routes:

GROUP A: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/159087007

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45824574

Distance of 4.28 miles

Expect the entire roundtrip ride to take about an hour, with many stops. There will be a designated ride leader and sweep, with perhaps a middle leader, depending on the size of the group. This group is recommended for the beginner cyclist with little experience. You do not have to be "in shape"! We only add this because we get asked all the time what level of fitness is required for our smaller route. This route is 90% Greenway, with a little section of Lone Pine to connect to the Greenway.

GROUP B: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/159086881

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44894008

Distance of 10.5 miles

Expect the entire route to take about an hour, with plenty of stops along the way to keep the group together. This group is recommended if you are comfortable with a 10-12 mph pace. There will be a designated ride leader, middle leader, and sweep. About 60% Road / 40% Greenway.

GROUP C: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/159085233

Distance of 15.6 miles

Expect the entire route to take about an hour to complete, with several stopping points (at major intersections) to regroup. If you're looking for a quick and fast ride with other experienced riders, this is your group. About 90% road / 10% Greenway

This is our LAST Clinic in the Winter Workshop Series, and it's ALL ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKES as we enter Spring! Here's some topics we might cover: Full Suspension v. Hardtail Bikes, Dropper Posts, Tubeless Tires, Air pressure considerations, Where to Ride in the 417, Padding to keep you safe, Hot Trends in Gear, and ANYTHING else you might want to know.

Due to limited space at Howler Bike Co., we need to limit our attendance to 20 ladies. Please reserve your spot by doing one of the following:

1) Send a DM to Cycle Connect 417 on FB

2) Send a DM to Cycle Connect 417 on IG

3) Send an email to us at cycleconnect417@gmail.com

This one's all about the Mountain Bikes, ladies! Did you know that the suspension system of your mtb needs regular maintenance and tuning? And, did you also know that your suspension system needs to be set up based on your body weight?? Can't remember the last time you had your suspension professionally serviced? If you answered "no" to either of these questions, then you need to bring your mountain bike to Trail Labs on Tuesday, March 5th for our MTB Suspension 101 and Personalized Set Up Clinic.

Please bring your pedals and normal mtb riding shoes - they matter when getting you fit right! We will talk about MTB Suspension 101 for about 30-45 min, then get our suspensions customized for our weight.

Not sure if your mtb has suspension? Feel free to send us a picture of your bike and we can figure it out pretty quickly for you. But, if your bike offers suspension, then it has 1 or 2 shock absorbers in the front fork designed to soften the impact of rough terrain by compressing and rebounding. But definitely reach out if you're in doubt.

Due to limited space at Trail Labs, we need to limit our attendance to 20 ladies. Please reserve your spot by doing one of the following:1) Send a DM to Cycle Connect 417 on FB2) Send a DM to Cycle Connect 417 on IG3) Send an email to us at cycleconnect417@gmail.com

We're doing ONE MORE indoor spin class before taking out First Saturday Connect Rides back outdoors!

Join us at one of the 🔥 hottest 🔥 spin studios in town for a fun and energetic spin class! MXVE Cardio Club will host a special Cycle Connect 417 only class on the morning of March 2nd for just $10/person. We have a maximum capacity of 20 riders, so DO NOT delay in reserving your spot!

Reservations must be made in advance by doing one of the following:

1) Direct Message to Cycle Connect on FB

2) Direct Message to Cycle Connect on IG

3) Email us at Cycleconnect417@gmail.com

🤙 See you there!

Join Cycle Connect 417 and Adventure Bicycle Co. for a free women's only clinic! This is the 4th Bike Clinic of our Winter Workshop Series and we are so excited that Adventure Bicycle Co. will be opening their shop to us from 6-7:30pm (this is after hours) for a special maintenance clinic. Attendees will be treated to 10% off purchases made in the store that evening (thanks Adventure Bicycle Co!!). These clinics are totally free but they have filled up SUPER QUICKLY - Do not hesitate to get your name on the RSVP list!

IMPORTANT: To keep the ratio of mechanics to attendees manageable, we are limiting the number of participants to 20 women. How do you RSVP? Three ways:

1) Message Cycle Connect 417 via Facebook Messenger

2) Message Cycle Connect 417 via Instagram Messenger

3) Email us at Cycleconnect417@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you all on the evening of February 13th at Adventure Bicycle Co.!

Save the date!

She-Du Women’s Off-Road Duathlon

Saturday, February 3, 2024 at Fellows Lake Trails.

More info and registration link coming soon!

More info to come on an event featuring All Bodies on Bikes Founder, Marley Blonsky! Stay tuned for more info!

It's that time of year when we start thinking about our diets! Not just because it's the beginning of a new year, but it's also the time many of us start planning our Spring/Summer fitness goals. And you cannot meet your racing / riding goals without a solid nutrition plan!

Join us at Springfield Brewing Company on the evening of Thursday, January 25, 2024 to get all your burning diet and nutrition questions answered. We have an All-Star panel of local Dieticians who are professionals when it comes to giving advice about Nutrition: Becky Holcomb, Cassie Dimmick, Jamie Gnau, Jessica Miller, Mesha Cowan, and Sarah Waterman. You do not want to miss out on the expertise these women have to share!

This is a FREE EVENT and you do not need to RSVP - but clicking "Going" to the event will help us with numbers. Springfield

Brewing Company has incredible Food & Beverage menus, so come hungry and thirsty!

Join Cycle Connect 417 and Sunshine Bike Shop for a free women-only clinic! This is the 3rd event of our Winter Workshop Series and we are so excited that Sunshine Bike Shop will be opening their shop to us from 6-8 pm (this is after hours) for a clinic on Roadside / Trailside Repairs and Hacks.

Have you ever had something happen to your bike in the middle of a ride and have NO IDEA what to do about it? Tire, wheel, chain, spokes, seat, derailleur....? And what about the stuff you should always carry on a ride to get the job done? The guys at Sunshine are here to give you their best advice on what to do in a pinch! And of course, the opportunity to ask WHATEVER maintenance question you might have. The folks at Sunshine Bike Shop have been serving our cycling community for many years and they are eager to serve our Cycle Connect 417 ladies one-on-one!

IMPORTANT: To keep the ratio of mechanics to attendees manageable, we are limiting the number of participants to 20 women. How do you RSVP? Three ways:

1) Message Cycle Connect 417 via Facebook Messenger2) Message Cycle Connect 417 via Instagram Messenger3) Email us at Cycleconnect417@gmail.comWe look forward to seeing you all on the evening of January 16th at Sunshine Bike Shop!

Cycle Connect 417 is excited to present our 2023-2024 Winter Workshop Series! All five of our local bike shops have agreed to participate in an educational series targeted at helping women cyclists get to know more about our bikes, safety, maintenance, gear, and gain confidence to do more riding in our community. Each month between November 2023 and March 2024, a local bike shop will host a clinic ranging in topics, designed to get women hands on in a judgment free, casual, and safe environment. Due to space at many of these locations, reservations will be required - this also preserves the ability of the participants to be hands-on and maximizes our experience.Watch for more events to drop throughout the Winter! In addition to clinics at our bike shops, we will have a Nutrition Panel in January, Yoga for Cyclists in February, and more surprises! Stay tuned!

We are moving the Connect Ride party INDOORS for the winter! Let's spin together on the morning of Saturday, January 6th at 9 am and 10 am at Royal Barbell Fitness in Downtown Springfield. Susie Turner will be leading our group and we are so grateful for her donation of time! Susie is an independent instructor at Royal Barbell Fitness, who is donating the use of their studio for this purpose - which is SO KIND!

The BEST PART?!? Susie has decided that your $10 Drop-in fee will be donated to Ozark Greenways! What an amazing way to give back.

Here's the deal: We have 16 bikes available so once the 9 am class is full, we will open a second class at 10 am.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT BY DOING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

1) Send us a direct message on Facebook

2) Send us a direct message on Instagram

3) Send us an email to Cycleconnect417@gmail.com

Join Cycle Connect 417 and Bicycle Outlet for a free women‘s-only clinic! This is the 2nd event of our Winter Workshop Series and we are so appreciative that Bicycle Outlet will be opening their shop to us from 6-8 pm (this is after hours) for a clinic on the basics of all things related to tires and wheels. Flats, tubes, tubeless, patches, plugs, proper air pressure, spokes, valves....you name it! And of course, the opportunity to ask WHATEVER maintenance question you might have. The folks at Bicycle Outlet have been serving our cycling community for many years and they are eager to serve our Cycle Connect 417 ladies one-on-one!

IMPORTANT: To keep the ratio of mechanics to attendees manageable, we are limiting the number of participants to 20 women. How do you RSVP?

Three ways:

1) Message Cycle Connect 417 via Facebook Messenger

2) Message Cycle Connect 417 via Instagram Messenger

3) Email us at Cycleconnect417@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you all on the evening of December 12th at Bicycle Outlet!---------------------------------------------------------------------------Cycle Connect 417 is excited to present our 2023-2024 Winter Workshop Series! All five of our local bike shops have agreed to participate in an educational series targeted at helping women cyclists get to know more about our bikes, safety, maintenance, gear, and gain confidence to do more riding in our community. Each month between November 2023 and March 2024, a local bike shop will host a clinic ranging in topics, designed to get women hands on in a judgment free, casual, and safe environment. Due to space at many of these locations, reservations will be required - this also preserves the ability of the participants to be hands-on and maximizes our experience.Watch for more events to drop throughout the Winter! In addition to clinics at our bike shops, we will have a Nutrition Panel in January, Yoga for Cyclists in February, and more surprises! Stay tuned!

Another opportunity to connect INDOORS this month! Join us for a workout & nutrition session with Achieving Your Best!

Saturday, December 9, 2023

10:30 a.m.

$10 suggested donation with all proceeds going to Cycle Connect 417!

Three ways to RSVP:

1) Direct message us on FB

2) Direct message us on IG

3) Email us at Cycleconnect417@gmail.com

We are excited to celebrate the year on bikes with a fun paint your own pottery experience with Firehouse Pottery. Firehouse Pottery is generously hosting and will have several ornaments for the group to paint and then stamp with a Cycle Connect 417 stamp on the back! The fee to participate is $10 with all proceeds going to Cycle Connect 417 (working on 501-c3 status) helping us keep our mission of bringing women in Southwest Missouri together to ride bikes and connect with each other and our community.

Every woman. Every bike. Every surface.

Click the ticket link to sign up and pre-pay! Hope to see you all there!

We are moving the Connect Ride party INDOORS for the winter! Let's spin together on the morning of Saturday, December 2nd at 9 am at Royal Barbell Fitness in Downtown Springfield. Susie Turner has graciously offered to lead our classes - we are so excited!

Here's the deal: We have 16 bikes available so once the 9am class is full, we will open a second class at 10 am.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT BY DOING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

1) Send us a direct message on Facebook

2) Send us a direct message on Instagram

3) Send us an email to Cycleconnect417@gmail.com

The BEST PART?!? Royal Barbell has decided that your $10 Drop In fee will be donated to Ozark Greenways! What an amazing way to give back 💚

We are joining together to celebrate the day after Thanksgiving as #OptOutside Day, which was started by REI in 2015, and encourages folks to "opt out" of the madness of Black Friday shopping and do something, ANYTHING, in the outdoors. We hope you choose to ride with us, but if you cannot please still post photos in the discussion of this event showing what you did - and of course use the tags #CycleConnect417 and #OptOutside. We would love to see what you all are doing to get outside that day!

Depending on the number of volunteers we have available on this day, there will be several groups based on experience and skill level.

As a reminder, if you need to rent a mountain bike, both Adventure Bicycle Company and Howler Bike Shop have small rental fleets available. Contact them ASAP for rental info and reservations!

Join Cycle Connect 417 and A&B Cycle for a women's only clinic on the ABC's of Bikes! This is the FIRST event of our Winter Workshop Series and we are very appreciative that A&B Cycle has agreed to open their shop to us from 6-8pm (this is after hours) for a clinic on the basics of cycling and maintenance. It makes sense to start the Workshop Series with a clear foundation of how our bikes work, terminology for all the parts, FAQ, getting your bike ready to ride, knowing when something needs work, what gear do you need to stay safe, and of course the opportunity to any WHATEVER question you want. The folks at A&B Cycle have been serving our cycling community for many years and they have a solid reputation for being patient, knowledgeable, and professional.

IMPORTANT: To keep the ratio of mechanics to attendees manageable, we are limiting the number of participants to 20 women. How do you RSVP? Three ways:

1) Message Cycle Connect 417 via Facebook Messenger

2) Message Cycle Connect 417 via Instagram Messenger

3) Email us at Cycleconnect417@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you all the evening of November 14th at A&B Cycle!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cycle Connect 417 is excited to present our 2023-2024 Winter Workshop Series! All five of our local bike shops have agreed to participate in an educational series targeted at helping women cyclists get to know more about our bikes, safety, maintenance, gear, and gain confidence to do more riding in our community. Each month between November 2023 and March 2024, a local bike shop will host a clinic ranging in topics, designed to get women hands on in a judgment free, casual, and safe environment. Due to space at many of these locations, reservations will be required - this also preserves the ability of the participants to be hands-on and maximizes our experience.

Watch for more events to drop throughout the Winter! In addition to clinics at our bike shops, we will have a Nutrition Panel in January, Yoga for Cyclists in February, and more surprises! Stay tuned!

It's our first Saturday of the month "Connect" ride! All women (sorry, dudes!) are welcome to join us on the morning of November 4th for a casual and fun bike ride on Greenways and bike friendly roadways, starting and ending at Great Escape Beer Works. We will post the specific routes for the groups in the coming weeks, but beginners can expect a very easy 8-ish mile course.

We will have waives of GROUPS, based on speed and route length. This will still be a No-Drop ride within your groups, which means no one is left behind alone! And we mean that - we have never dropped anyone!

Hang out afterwards with a tasty beverage and connect with the women in your cycling community.

Helmets are required! Bike lights are encouraged for safety, but are not mandatory. Please do not feel that you need to have experience riding to have fun with us! Every month we have many women attend who are on their FIRST group ride....ALL WOMEN AND ALL BIKES are welcome. Message us with any questions.

No sign up or pre-registration is necessary, but we do ask that you have your bike get a tune up or safety check if you haven't done so in a while. We have GREAT bike shops in town and they would love the opportunity to get you ready for our rides.

Jump on your favorite bike and head to the movies for a special night celebrating the bicycle community.

Arrive early to chat with fellow bicycle enthusiasts and learn about the many great bicycle clubs, shops, and groups in the Ozarks.

Bring a blanket, lawn chairs, and your favorite movie snacks to kick back on the Hatch Lawn at the Springfield Art Museum’s outdoor amphitheater.

We will feature the film, “The Engine Inside.” Grab your friends and ride on over to the Bike-In Movie Night! We encourage all to walk or bicycle to the event, parking will be limited.

6:30: Event Begins

7:00: Welcome & Movie

8:45: Event Concludes

This event is hosted by the Urban Land Institute – SWMO Chapter, Ozark Greenways, MORC, Cycle Connect 417, and TrailSpring. This is a FREE event!

It's our first Saturday of the month "Connect" ride! All women (sorry, dudes!) are welcome to join us on the morning of October 7th for a casual and fun bike ride on Greenways and bike friendly roadways, starting and ending at Great Escape Beer Works. We will post the specific routes for the groups in the coming weeks, but beginners can expect a very easy 8-ish mile course.

We will have waives of GROUPS, based on speed and route length. This will still be a No-Drop ride within your groups, which means no one is left behind alone! And we mean that - we have never dropped anyone!

Hang out afterwards with a tasty beverage and connect with the women in your cycling community.

Helmets are required! Bike lights are encouraged for safety, but are not mandatory. Please do not feel that you need to have experience riding to have fun with us! Every month we have many women attend who are on their FIRST group ride....ALL WOMEN AND ALL BIKES are welcome. Message us with any questions.

No sign up or pre-registration is necessary, but we do ask that you have your bike get a tune up or safety check if you haven't done so in a while. We have GREAT bike shops in town and they would love the opportunity to get you ready for our rides.

We’d like to invite all of you to give an enduro event a try! This month, our group ride will piggyback on MORC’s Rocks and Roots Enduro, Club Social, and Chili Cook-off on Sunday, September 24th at The Sac River MTB Trails. What is an enduro you ask? In general, enduro races involve anywhere from 3-6 timed stages. The timed portions of the race are mostly downhill but can vary in steepness, length, and difficulty depending on location. Between each stage, there will be untimed “transfer stages” that are mostly uphill. For the most part, an enduro is meant to be a fun, approachable, and exciting form of mountain biking.

Race entry is FREE with current MORC membership. Expired membership & Non-members entry fee $55.

Not a member? Join MORC today!

MORC membership is not required for this event.

Check-in 7:30am - 8:00 am

Racing Starts - 8:30 am

Social & Chili Cook-Off - 11:30 am

If you would like to enter your famous pot of chili into the competition please let them know by email: events@missourioffroadcyclists.com

Race Categories:

Expert Men

Expert Woman

Amateur Men

Amateur Women

Beginner Men

Beginner Women

Junior Boys 17U

Junior Girls 17U

E-Bike (Open Category)

The top three finishers in each category will receive a medal. Six stages with transitions in between expect to ride 8-10 miles.

No onsite race registration (No exceptions). Registration closes Saturday, September 23rd @ 9 pm. Current MORC membership will be checked against race registrations.

Sponsored by: Howler Bike Co. & Ozark Greenways

Events are subject to weather and trail conditions. Helmets must be worn at all times while riding. Promoter reserves the right to cancel/reschedule the event. The rainout rescheduled date is October 8th. Promoter reserves the right to change start times and distances if needed. For more info or questions please email: events@missourioffroadcyclists.com

Funds raised go to support the Missouri Off-Road Cyclists, a regional non-profit advocating for, building, maintaining, and preserving sustainable multi-use soft surface trails throughout Southwest Missouri.

Grab your bike and girlfriends and meet us at the Frisco Trailhead in Willard, MO for a gravel ride with pizza and beverages to follow at Pizano's.

By now, y'all know how we roll.... we will have no-drop groups based on experience level (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) and there will be encouragement and support galore! We openly welcome all women with open arms and hope you do not feel intimidated in any way.

Routes? The beginner group can expect to stay on the Frisco Highline Trail with an out-and-back route. The intermediate and advanced groups will have a combination of gravel on and off the Frisco Highline Trail. All groups can expect to ride for about 90 minutes.

Join us afterward for pizza and refreshing beverages just across the street from the parking lot at Pizano's Pizza and Sauce. Should be a super fun evening!