3 minute read
Roll Out
43º 91’ N 121º 35’ W
PARADISE IS ONLY A PEDAL STROKE AWAY.
Maybe you’re a hardcore mountain biker with a lust for log jumps and wall rides. Maybe you’re a beginner whose cycling routine means pedaling down the driveway for mail. No matter which category you belong to, Bend has a world-class urban trail system and more than 300 miles of varied singletrack, plus more than 5,000 miles of gravel roads right outside town. Paradise is just a pedal stroke away.
– MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION MAGAZINE
Mountain Bike Action magazine named Bend “The Best Mountain Biking Town in America.” Who’s surprised? We’ve been saying it for years. With an amazing trail system of cross-country paths and gorgeous scenery around every turn, your mountain biking adventure will include all the forests, lakes, cliffs, waterfalls, rivers, and wildlife you can handle. Cog Wild Mountain Bike Tours offers a wide range of touring options for all skill levels, and even several shuttle options to make carpooling a cinch.
If you’re more into berms than bike paths, Mt. Bachelor’s downhill mountain bike park features more than enough lift-served trails to pack your days full of exhilarating downhill rides over natural and constructed terrain.
If a casual cruise is more your speed, rent a cruiser bike and pedal paved pathways along the Deschutes River through downtown and the Old Mill District. You can make it a family affair by renting a four-wheeled surrey bike from Wheel Fun Rentals. If you like the option of power-assisted pedaling, you’ll find several companies in town that rent electric bikes and even offer tours.
It’s easy to find your peloton here. Nearly all of Bend’s bike shops sponsor fun group rides during the week and on weekends with special long rides staged year round throughout the cycling season. Catch the annual Tour des Chutes or Cog Wild’s Bend Bike and Brew Tour, which combines epic riding with Bend’s best beer.
If you’re more lycra than baggies, you won’t want to miss the Three Sisters Scenic Bikeway. It’s part of Oregon’s Scenic Bikeway program which establishes signed bike routes on roads and bike paths that provide access to national, state, or regional resources “of superlative quality and scenic splendor.” We have five of these designated road cycling routes connecting the communities of Central Oregon, which includes bikeways on McKenzie Pass, a route from Sisters to Smith Rock, and Bend’s first scenic bikeway, the Twin Bridges Loop.
Check out the Cascades Gravel Scenic Bikeway if you want the thrill of the open road paired with a ridealong with Mother Nature. Choose from six different routes, ranging from shorter, flatter, more forgiving rides to more technical mixed-surface fondos that will test your legs and lungs both. You can even try your hand at racing, with The Cascade Gravel Grinder and Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder events bringing together some of the best gravel in the country.
To see a different side of Bend’s cycling scene, come in the fall when Cyclocross is in full swing. Bend landed on the Cyclocross map by hosting several USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships over the years. The community of Bend loves Cyclocross racing, so scan our event calendar and get your cowbell ready.
And don’t let a little snow stop you from cycling all year. Pull on your thermals and give fat biking a try. Bend offers loads of trails to keep you spinning through the winter blues. Check out the groomed trails at Wanoga Sno-Park or head out to Tumalo Falls. Want something even more remote? Pedal out on any of the snowmobile trails you’ll find snaking through the snowy hills.
