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DFW Area Cycling Clubs |
| Club information compiled for my Healthy Living column published in The Dallas Morning News on March 28, 2006. |
General information: Most clubs have both weekday and weekend rides. For complete ride schedules and locations, go to the club's Web site. Although the range of experience in each club may vary, all club leaders said they welcome beginning riders. Some offer special beginner-only rides. If the club offers a regularly scheduled women-only ride, it is noted below. Some clubs that don't offer regular rides will organize impromptu women's outings. Check with club leaders for more information. The age range indicates the range of the majority of riders in each group; many groups have a full range of cyclists from teens to retirees. Also, all fees listed below are annual unless otherwise noted. |
BikeDFW
Have you ever griped about bike lanes? Are you worried about preserving wilderness trails? Do you want to make DFW a better place to bike? Then perhaps BikeDFW is for you. It's a new cycling group dedicated to advocacy issues in the DFW area. The group is having its first meeting at 7 p.m. on April 19. It will be at 4500 Merlot Ave. in Grapevine. For more information and to RSVP, check out the group's Web site at http://www.bikedfw.org/.
Location: Carrollton, Irving, Farmers Branch, Coppell
E-mail: carrolltoncycling@yahoogroups.com
Web site: http://www.carrolltoncycling.com/
Members: 100
Fee: $25
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road and tandem.
Gender breakdown: 65% men, 35% women
General age range: 35 and older
Most of our riders are: Intermediate
We offer rides of these distances: Between 10 and 25 miles, 25 and 50 miles, 50 and 75 miles, and sometimes greater than 75 miles.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? Friendly, recreational cyclist with a racer hidden under the skin.
Location: Corinth E-mail: scottfranklin@gmail.com
Phone: 940-497-5597
Web site: http://www.corinthcycling.com/
Members: 50 or more
Fee: No
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road, mountain, tandem
Gender breakdown: 85% men, 15% women
General age range: 35 to 50
Most of our riders are: Intermediate and advanced
We offer rides of these distances: Between 10 and 25 miles, 25 and 50 miles, 50 and 75 miles, and greater than 75 miles.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? Someone who enjoys riding a bike on a regular basis and is committed to improving fitness level and cycling ability.
More info: The Corinth Cycling Club is one of the fastest-growing cycling clubs in the D-FW area. Fewer than two years old, the club has grown to more than 50 members while gaining local sponsorship from area businesses. In fact, so far in 2006 the club has ridden nearly 15,000 combined miles.
Location: DFW area
E-mail: vinsonkj@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 214-352-7446 or 1-800-875-5662
Web site: http://www.doubledates.com/
Members: 83 teams
Fee: $18 for a full year; $9 if joining after June
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Tandem
Gender breakdown: 50% men, 50% women
General age range: 35 to 50
Most of our riders are: Advanced
We offer rides of these distances: Between 10 and 25 miles, 25 and 50 miles, 50 and 75 miles, and greater than 75 miles.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? Anyone interested in riding a tandem.
More info: We are a very social group. The purpose of the group is to ride.
Location: Coppell
E-mail: tom.ryan@dallasathletes.com
Phone: 214-454-9551
Web site: http://www.dallasathletes.com/
Members: 400 or more
Fee: $12.50 per month for basic and $22.50 per month for VIP.
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road, tandem, TRI
Gender breakdown: 55% men, 45% women
General age range: Average age is 34 but range is from 15 to 65
Most of our riders are: Beginner and intermediate
We offer rides of these distances: between 10 and 25 miles, 25 and 50 miles, 50 and 65 miles, and greater than 75 miles
Does the group have regular women-only rides? Yes.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? The person who is looking to take up cycling or one who has been riding alone who is looking for the group dynamic to improve.
More info: We offer "No-Drop" rides for our beginners on Saturdays, and ride leaders for our Wednesday and Saturday rides.
Location: DFW area
E-mail: prez@dorba.org
Web site: http://www.dorba.org/
Members: 1,023
Fee: Single, $25; family, $30; under 18, $10; corporate, $75
We have riders with the following types of bikes: mountain, road, tandem, commuter
Gender breakdown: 69% men, 31% women
General age range: 5% 18-24, 24% 25-35, 53% 35-50, 17% 51 and older
Most of our riders are: Intermediate to advanced
We offer rides of these distances: Rides between 10 and 25 miles
Does the group have women-only rides? Yes, the Dirt Divas
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? Anyone who enjoys riding a bike!
More info: Beginner clinics are offered to teach off-road skills. DORBA is one of largest metropolitan bike clubs in the country and has been blazing trails in the DFW area since 1989. We partner with the local cities, counties and city/state parks to maintain more than 18 off-road trails. Our events range from fun social rides to skills clinics to races throughout the year. Our members also span many areas of bicycling -- mountain biking, road biking and commuters. We also hold monthly club meetings with speakers. It is a great group of people who love to have fun. Our club motto is, "No Whining!"
Location: Fort Worth
E-mail: president@fwbaclub.org
Phone: 817-919-6781
Web site: http://www.fwbaclub.org/
Members: 600 or more
Fee: $20 per year due April 1. Memberships after June are prorated.
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road, mountain, tandem, recumbent, commuter
Gender breakdown: 50% men, 50% women
General age range: 35 and older
Most of our riders are: Intermediate and advanced
We offer rides of these distances: less than 10 miles, 10 to 25 miles, 25 to 50 miles, 50 to 75 miles, greater than 75 miles
Does the group have regular women-only rides? Yes. We have women-only rides on Tuesday evenings during Daylight Savings Time.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? There is no ideal rider. We welcome riders of all levels and abilities. We request that all riders wear a helmet, obey traffic laws, be courteous to their fellow riders and maintain bicycle safety as a high priority.
More info: We have a group called the Rusty Chain Gang that welcomes new riders. The beginner rides are at a slower pace with more frequent stops. The FWBA is a nonprofit, volunteer organization. Our main objective is to provide high-quality, year-round, recreational rides with a friendly, social atmosphere. Most rides are followed by a group meal. We are commonly known as an eating club with a bicycle habit. Membership in the FWBA is open to anyone. We welcome new riders and riders from other clubs to join us. We have a very popular "no-drop" policy on our club rides.
Our goal is to see that no rider rides alone. We encourage different levels of riders on the club rides so that we can have several group levels. If you like our rides and continue to ride with us, we ask you to please become a member.
- Membership includes these benefits:
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- 12 monthly issues of "The Paceline," the club newsletter, mailed to your door. "The Paceline" contains each month's ride schedule as well as information on extended trips, club and bicycling-related news, stories and activities.
- Discounts at participating local bicycle shops. Reasonably priced cycling apparel customized specifically for the FWBA.
- Free organized rides every Saturday and Sunday and throughout the week and special ride and social events throughout the year.
Club meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, Building No. 2, Room 2-100. Park in lot A and enter the lower level. Meetings are a lighthearted social affair. We have informative and entertaining guest speakers for each meeting. Visitors are always welcome. Most meetings include a drawing for valuable door prizes.
Twice a year the meeting is combined with special events: The FWBA Picnic and The FWBA Holiday Party and Awards Banquet.
Location: Frisco Superdrome
E-mail: joepmorgan@aol.com
Web site: http://www.superdrome.com/
Members: 20
Fee: $35
We have these types of bikes: Road, track, fixed gear
Gender breakdown: 80% men, 20% women
General age range: 35 to 50
Most of our riders are: Advanced We offer rides of these distances: Between 25 and 50 miles.
Do you have regular women-only rides? No.There are women-only track certification and track racing classes.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? In the past we have focused on track racing with some road racing, but we are looking to grow by reaching out to recreational riders interested in using the track for fitness and interested in learning how to ride safely on the roads.
More info: The unique thing about our group is our association with the Superdrome and track racing. We spend most of our time coordinating racing events, teaching development classes to certify first-time track riders, and coordinating the weekly riding schedule at the track. Track is a great place to ride and race. It can be used as a training tool to supplement road riding or used for training for track-specific competition.
With that said, we also are growing our focus on supporting other riding groups within the Frisco area. We are working on sponsoring a road rally in Frisco and possibly a circuit road race.
Location: DFW area
E-mail: clubinfo@greaterdallasbicyclists.com
Phone: 214-503-0808
Web site: http://www.greaterdallasbicyclists.com/
Members: 350
Fee: $20 for single or family
We have riders with the following types of bikes: road, mountain, tandem, recumbent, commuter.
Gender breakdown: 65% men, 35% women
General age range: 35 to 50
Most of our riders are: Advanced We offer rides of these distances: less than 10 miles, between 10 and 25 miles, 25 and 50 miles, 50 and 75 miles, and greater than 75 miles.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? Someone who shows up on time with a spare tube and well-maintained bike. And someone who is a considerate and safe rider for cyclists and car traffic. Not someone who listens to music while riding or talks on the cell phone.
More info: GDB is the club to meet fun-loving people and ride a bike in the safety of numbers about anytime you want. Plus with GDB you learn other cycling skills and get to see many different styles of bikes and the latest accessories.
Location: Fort Worth
E-mail: lmrabicycleclub@yahoo.com
Web site: http://www.lmrabicycleclub.com/
Members: About 60
Fee: $15 for individual or $25 for LMRA affiliated. Sponsored guest is $40.
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road, mountain, tandem, commuter.
Gender breakdown: 80% men, 20% women
General age range: 10% are 18-24, 30% are 25-35, and 50% are 35 and older
Most of our riders are: 45% are beginners, 15 % are intermediate, 40% are advanced
We offer rides of these distances: Between 10 and 25 miles and 25 and 50 miles. Rides greater than 50 miles are offered on special occasions.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? Anyone who, when they sit on a bicycle, finds the reason to smile. Anyone new to the sport, returning to the sport, not wanting to ride alone; cruisers, pacers, swifties, younger and more experienced, single or families, children. We are a great diverse group of riders. All are happy to welcome another cyclist, beginner or otherwise.
More info: LMRA is an activity of Lockheed Martin Recreational Association. It is affiliated with multiple organizations including Bell Helicopter, Fort Worth schools, Radio Shack and others. Those not affiliated through these other organizations can still join. Contact Rita Elrod at 817-732-7731, ext. 107 for affiliate information.
Location: Arlington / Grand Prairie
E-mail: lscrider1-club1@yahoo.com
Web site: http://www.lonestarcyclists.org/
Members: 125
Fee: $20 per family per year
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road, mountain, tandem, recumbent, commuter
Gender breakdown: 65% men, 35% women
General age range: 30 to 80
Most of our riders are: Intermediate
We offer rides of these distances: Between 25 and 50 miles.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? We ride for fun, not speed, no pace lines. Average speed is 13 to 15 mph.
More info: Lone Star Cyclists is an organization of cycling enthusiasts dedicated to the interests of recreational bicycling, safety and camaraderie. We like to ride our bikes, get home in one piece, and we seriously enjoy having fun. Lone Star Cyclists was established in 1973 as the Grand Prairie Bicycling Association. We organized the Tour d'Italia bicycle rally in 1985, and it is held annually on the third Saturday of June in Italy, Texas. A good part of our proceeds lend support to several charities. We are affiliated with the League of American Bicyclists and the Adventure Cycling Association.
Location: Richardson
E-mail: info@matrixcycleclub.org
Phone: 972-231-3993
Web site: http://www.matrixcycleclub.org/
Members: 140
Fee: $40 first year; $30 renewal
We have riders with the following types of bikes: road, mountain, tandem, recumbent, commuter, track, cyclocross
Gender breakdown: 80% men, 20% women
General age range: 35 and older
Most of our riders are: Intermediate and advanced
We offer rides of these distances: Between 25 and 50 miles, and 50 and 75 miles.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? Anyone interested in any type of bike racing or "fast recreational" cycling.
More info: Matrix is recognized as one of the premier racing clubs in the state. It earned the Texas Bicycle Racing Association's Club of the Year designation twice in the last three years. A number of members compete at the national and world championship level.
Members are entitled to free indoor spin classes, professional coaching services and discounts at Richardson Bike Mart, among other benefits. Meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at Richardson Bike Mart (Coit & Campbell in Richardson)
Location: Dallas
E-mail: race_coord@miragecycling.org or info@onlinebikecoach.com
Phone: 214-616-9850
Web site: http://www.miragecycling.org/
Members: 310
Fee: $30
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road, mountain and commuter. Tandem and recumbent are welcome.
Gender breakdown: 60% men, 40% women
General age range: 5% are 18-24, 60% are 25-50, 35% are 51 and older
Most of our riders are: Intermediate, semi-competitive and advanced
We offer rides of these distances: under 10 miles, between 10 and 25 miles, 25 and 50 miles, 50 and 75 miles, and greater than 75 miles.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? Yes.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? We consider ourselves to be a "Come One, Come All" club, with emphasis on people either just being introduced to the sport, or coming back after a long hiatus. The club is very egalitarian, so resources are split up evenly, and are centered on participation.
More info: We are the primary club based out of the Richardson Bike Mart's Dallas Store on Garland Road. Meetings are held on the Second Monday of every month at Mattito's Restaurant in Dallas, at 7:30pm. We host two or three bike events per year, have members on the boards of several of the more popular bike rallies in North Texas, and pay dividends equally for participants in rallies as well as races.
Location: Plano
E-mail: pba@planobicycle.org
Phone: 972-838-2768
Web site: http://www.planobicycle.org/
Members: 350
Fee: $18
We have riders with the following types of bikes: road, mountain, tandem, recumbent, commuter
Gender breakdown: 75% men, 25% women
General age range: 25 and older Most of our riders are: Mix of beginners, intermediate and advanced
We offer rides of these distances: Between 10 and 25 miles, 25 and 50 miles, 50 and 75 miles, and greater than 75 miles.
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? We have rides to accommodate most levels of riders -- slower riders who like to socialize, faster riders who just want to ride hard and everything in between.
More info: We welcome guests to come try us out. We support the Collin Classic (www.collinclassic.org) with a rest stop and volunteers. We also have annual rides and picnics a couple of times a year for members and their families.
Location: DFW area
E-mail: bob@bobcatos.com
Web site: http://www.rbent.org/
Members: about 200
Fee: None
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Recumbent (bikes and trikes), road, mountain, tandem, commuter
Gender breakdown: N/A
General age range: 35 to 50
Most of our riders are: Intermediate
We offer rides of these distances: less than 10 miles, between 10 and 25, between 25 and 50
Does the group have regular women-only rides? No
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? Someone who enjoys cycling to be cycling. We have a few hot rods, but most are pretty laid back.
More info: We have no dues and no meetings. We just ride.
Location: Lewisville / Flower Mound
E-mail: membership@texasflyers.org
Web site: http://www.texasflyers.org/
Members: 60
Fee: $25 single, $35 family
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road, mountain, tandem, recumbent, commuter.
Gender breakdown: 70% men, 30% women
General age range: 35 to 50
Most of our riders are: Intermediate and advanced
We offer rides of these distances: Between 10 and 25 miles, 25 and 50 miles, and 50 and 75 miles.
Does the group have women-only rides? No.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? We have cyclists of all levels, from beginner to very advanced. We are not looking for a particular "type" of cyclist, only that they want to get out and ride.
More info: Originally we were known as a racing club, but over the last several years we have evolved into a recreational club devoted to promoting the cycling lifestyle. We have riders of all abilities from beginner to USCF licensed racers.
Location: Uptown Dallas
E-mail: donovan@uptowncycles.com
Web site: http://www.uptowncycles.com/
Members: rides average 50 to 60 people
Fee: No
We have riders with the following types of bikes: Road, mountain, recumbent, tandem, commuter
Gender breakdown: 60% men, 40% women
General age range: 25 to 50
Most of our riders are: Beginners and intermediate
We offer rides of these distances: Rides under 10 miles
Does the group have women-only rides? Coming soon.
Who is the ideal cyclist for your group? The noncyclist. We just want everyone who likes bikes!
More info: We're fun, social. Discover living outside of the box (car).