There are many perks to group cycling. A great pack can encourage you to saddle up more often than you would on your own and push you to ride stronger and longer. Groups can also introduce you to new local routes (bye, monotonous training!), and expand your knowledge of the sport.
On top of that, a stellar cycling club can double as a social network, providing an easy way to get—and stay—connected with community. Lastly, riding together is, quite honestly, that much more fun than pedaling solo.
Here, we’ve rounded up 7 great biking groups across the country that tick all of those boxes…and then some. From Southern California to Portland, Cleveland, New York City, and beyond, these local hubs are among the best for riding, exploring, socializing, and otherwise enjoying all the amazing perks that group cycling has to offer.
[Find 52 weeks of tips and motivation, with space to fill in your mileage and favorite routes, with the Bicycling Training Journal.]
Beach Cities Cycling Club
Cruise around Southern California’s Redondo Beach area six days of the week with this 350-member group. The routes range in distance and terrain—from 20 to 70-plus miles and from flat terrain to more than 4,200 feet of elevation gain.
Jim Hannon
On the easier end of the spectrum and particularly popular among members is the Friday “Bun Ride,” which involves pedaling to a local coffee shop, sandwich joint, or bakery for midworkout treats. The club also hosts regular happy hours and coffee socials both during and after group rides, and they have a seriously cool giveback component—through their Youth Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Education Program, club members can lead bike safety classes at local schools.
Location: Redondo Beach, California
Membership: $25/year; new riders can take a free, one-time trial ride (after signing a waiver)
More Info: beachcitiescyclingclub.wildapricot.org
Portland Velo Cycling Club
This Rose City-based group takes special care of its 380-plus members. Thanks to their ride leader program, which trains and pays members to head various speed groups, each ride has a designated lead responsible for navigating the course and ensuring the group’s safety and enjoyment. This means the rest of the riders don’t need to worry about, well, any details of the workout.
Glen Bolen
“You won’t get dropped and find yourself out on the road alone,” says Glen Bolen, Portland Velo Cycling Club member. “We’ll take care of you.”
Join the signature ride every Saturday, which is divided into different speed groups ranging from 14 to 24 mph, or smaller group rides on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Distances typically range between 30 and 50 miles, with terrain switching every other week between hills (up to 3,000 feet of climbing) and flats (as little as 700 feet).
Location: Portland, Oregon
Membership: $30/year
More Info: pdxvelo.com
New York Cycle Club
Explore the Big Apple on two wheels with the New York Cycle Club. This organization, which has been around for more than 80 years, hosts dozens of rides a week that are as diverse and varied as the city itself—from 35-mile social rides to 100-mile competitive training rides and everything in between. You’ll pedal in, around, and outside the city, including point-to-point rides across the tri-state area.
Neile Weissman
Though the group is massive (current member count: 2,500), newcomers won’t feel like just a number—the club prides itself on warmly welcoming beginners with personalized advice on proper riding gear, nutrition, bike operations, and tips for safe city riding.
Location: New York City
Membership: $30/year; $1 for a 1 month trial
More Info: nycc.org
Fort Worth Bicycling Association
Join this 500-plus member group in North Texas for the weekly rides, and stay for the varied company. “We’re not racers,” says Jerry Franks, vice president of the Fort Worth Bicycle Association, “but some push the pace, while others smell the roses.” Pick your speed du jour in six-plus rides a week covering between 20 to 65 miles each.
Jerry Franks
The routes change often, though all typically follow quiet, safe country roads south and west of the city. Long distance cyclists can get in extra miles with monthly group century rides, plus yearly, multiple-day rides in Leakey and Fort Davis, and a yearly, two-day ride from Austin to Fort Worth. On top of that, the group offers regular social events—members typically eat together after rides, and there’s also an annual picnic and yearly Christmas Party.
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Membership: $25/year, though you can ride with the group before joining
More Info: fwbaclub.org
Cleveland Touring Club
Now more than 40 years running, this 400-member club hosts four weekday rides during the summer, plus special signature and pop-up rides. The weekday rides feature multiple speed groups, with the fastest folks pedaling 35-plus miles at 18 mph and above and the most social bunch tackling about 15 miles at around 10 mph.
Cleveland Touring Club
The routes primarily follow roadways east of Cleveland, which can be hilly, and occasionally chart along Ohio’s scenic Greenways trails. On the social front, the club hosts a monthly hotdog party, regular ice cream and pizza rides where the club picks up the tab, an annual picnic, a yearly holiday gathering, and a fundraising ride every June through the idyllic Amish countryside.
Location: Cleveland
Membership: $25/year
More Info: clevelandtouringclub.org
San Jose Bike Party
Every third Friday of the month, this NorCal-based group hosts a 21-mile party on wheels through San Jose and the surrounding local area. Between 300 to 1,000 cyclists turn out each time (the rides are free and open to the public), for three seven-mile stages of themed riding.
Sheldon Hambrick
Food trucks, DJs, and a dance floor await participants at the regroups where folks are encouraged to refuel, bust a move, and show off their costumes (recent themes include ‘Vikings,’ ‘Krampus,’ and ‘Captain Marvel’). The group also regularly hosts smaller rides to support local events, like an open streets initiative, plus more specialized group rides, including females-only rides and kid-friendly rides.
Location: San Jose, California
Membership: Free; no registration required
More Info: sjbikeparty.org
Coastal Cyclists
Founded in 1972, this South Carolina-based recreational cycling club hosts six-plus weekly rides, covering between 10 to 50 miles and varying in intensity—from leisurely, no-drop social rides to interval sprints. On the fun front, they host an annual oyster roast and yearly holiday party.
Beyond that, they’re big advocates for cycling safety and education in the local Charleston community. Their main fundraiser: the annual Spring Century ride, a 100-miler in April through Francis Marion National Forest that generates funds for the Palmetto Cycling Coalition and Charleston Moves, two local cycling advocacy organizations.
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Membership: $25/year
More Info: coastalcyclists.com
