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Choosing Your Ride

Ride Focus/Intent

Social and Fitness rides can be planned at any difficulty level. Please read the ride description carefully when registering.

Social rides:

Expect breaks for snacks, lunch or points of interest. The group may stay together or regularly regroup and may have a sweep as well as a ride leader. Distances may increase as the season progresses.

Fitness rides:

Expect to ride independently (self-navigate) with few breaks. Designed to improve your riding fitness or to prepare for longer-distance rides or multiple-day trips, EBTC fitness ride series are often progressive with greater distance or elevation gain each week.

Difficulty Level

Difficulty tells you what to ‘generally’ expect, especially for road rides. Please read the ride description to understand what to expect with a specific ride.

Easier Road Rides:

  • are designed for more novice cyclists or experienced cyclists wanting to enjoy a more relaxed ride
  • are slower paced and shorter, generally less than 45km
  • are usually No Drop rides and may include breaks; are for riders who prefer to stay in or be with a group
  • RidewithGPS (RWGPS) is not required for navigation
  • are planned, to the extent possible, for terrain that is flatter or with gently rolling hills

Intermediate Road Rides:

  • Are designed for cyclists who are interested in somewhat longer, faster rides
  • Are generally 40km to 65km but can be longer as the season progresses
  • Recommended for cyclists who can maintain an average pace of 18k/hr or faster; usually have a ride leader and sweep or just a sweep who will keep this pace throughout
  • Cyclists keep a steady pace and generally meet up at some identified rest stops
  • Roads will vary from flat to rolling hills with some steeper climbs
  • RWGPS is recommended, especially if you want to ride ahead of the group

Challenging Road Rides:

  • Are over 70km in distance or involve significant elevation gains, and are designed for experienced faster riders
  • Most are ‘fitness’, designed for riders training for granfondos and multi-day trips. Cyclists take few breaks; they just keep riding
  • Some are ‘social’, with a break(s) and/or group-up points
  • Are for cyclists who can self-navigate the route and have basic mechanical skills
  • Are for cyclists who can maintain an average pace of 22km/hr or faster; the ride leader will keep this pace
  • RWGPS is required, especially if you want to ride ahead of the group