HomeRider Information

Rider Information

Welcome

Welcome to the CCCC Rider Information Page. Our goal is to provide our member riders with a safe and enjoyable ride. To help you make the most of your riding experience with us, we invite you to browse the rider information below:

Club Rides

All of our club rides are led by member volunteers. These volunteers are called Ride Leaders and they are responsible for coordinating and posting rides to our Club Ride Calendar. We currently offer rides nearly every day of the week during the high season (Mid-May through Mid-November, weather permitting), and occasional indoor social events (along with an occasional fat bike ride!) during the winter months. Most of our rides originate within the 5 county area that our club covers (Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Antrim and Kalkaska). Our rides can occur throughout the day as we strive to offer morning, afternoon and evening rides. Several of our more popular rides offer multiple route lengths to suit the needs of our members, and many of these rides break into smaller groups at a pace comfortable for them.

It is very important as a rider that you know your biking capabilities including ride length and pace (speed), and choose rides compatible with your goals and abilities. We do not live in a flat area, so terrain becomes a factor as well. Rides may include hills, pavement of varying degrees, gravel roads, singletrack, or combinations of all of these! Make sure you read the description of the route provided by the Ride Leader. If you are unsure, contact the Ride Leader or the Ride Director for further clarification.

If a ride is cancelled due to weather, we try to give at least 90 minutes notice prior to the start of the scheduled ride. Please note it is important that you refresh your browser often when checking on the status of a Club Ride in order to see any last minute updates to the calendar entries.

Rider Handbook

Newly available is a club Rider Handbook (PDF). This document is something that all club members and guest riders should review before joining us on a ride. It covers your responsibilities as a rider to help ensure a safer and more enjoyable experience for all. Please take a few minutes to review this document.

Ride Calendar Legend Explanation

Our Ride Calendar legend uses a color coded characterization scheme that allows users to easily identify different types of rides or events on the Ride/Event Calendar that are of most interest. For road rides we use a 3-tiered classification of A, B and C type rides, more fully explained below.

“A” rides are meant to be faster paced, longer distance and/or a more hilly terrain and will require a fairly high degree effort to complete. Riders should be in good biking condition for an “A” ride.

“B” rides are the most common type, and in general are intended to be at a more comfortable pace of 14-16 mph over rolling to hilly terrain and a distance of not more than 50 miles. These rides may include multiple routes to accommodate those wanting shorter or longer variants. Many of these rides do contain a social element (stopping for coffee, etc).

“C” rides are the most inclusive and social of our rides and are typically much shorter distances (10-30 miles) and conducted at a slower pace (8-14 mph) and almost always include a food or beverage stop along the way.

It is important that all riders honestly assess their abilities and make sure they are comfortable with the ride they have chosen. Maps (or route files) will be provided for some of our rides, but not all.

Some of our Regular Club Rides Described

Honor Ride

So named for its’ starting point in the town of Honor, MI. This ride is typically held a couple times a month on Monday mornings starting at 9am (10am in early Spring and late Fall) and leaves from Maley Park. The route changes frequently and can range to Frankfort, Beulah, Crystal Lake, up to Empire and Glen Arbor. The route generally covers 35-45 miles with mixed terrain, and usually includes some hills, but is always quiet, scenic, and fun. This is a very social ride which often includes a food/coffee stop along the way and always has a short cut for those looking for less miles. Average pace is 14-16 mph. This ride is typically listed as a “B” ride.

Old Mission Peninsula (OMP) Ride

This ride is held every Wednesday morning out of East Bay Park in Traverse City and leaves at 9am (10am in early Spring and late Fall). Depending on your chosen route, this beautiful ride is 22-41 miles long with views of both East Bay and West Bay. This is a mostly flat ride with a couple of short climbs on the way out and on the way back. This is a very social ride and does break up into smaller groups riding at a comfortable pace for each group. Average pace is 14-16 mph. This ride is typically listed as a “B” ride.

Muffin Ride

This ride leaves out of Darrow Park near downtown TC at 9am (10am early Spring or late Fall) every Friday morning. This a trail ride from TC to Suttons Bay and back on the Leelanau Trail. The standard route is 32 miles roundtrip with a couple of longer options and sometimes a shorter option (Cruisers will start at the Fouch Road Trailhead for a 24 mile route). As the name implies, we ride up to Suttons Bay and meet up at Chimoski’s Bakery for coffee and a treat before returning to Darrow Park. Average pace is 14-16 mph. This ride is typically listed as a “B” ride, but certain groups will ride at a slower pace and shorter distance (“C” classification for that route).

Saturday Morning Hill Training

If you are looking for some exercise or want to improve your hill climbing, climb the Hills of Leelanau County. Ride leaves from Darrow Park in TC on Saturday mornings. The route may vary from week to week but expect a lot of climbing. A typical route is a 40 mile loop with 12 miles of climbing with 2700-3000 ft of elevation gain and an average pace of 14mph. Some of the hills you will climb might include Grandview, Darga, Sullivan, Nash, Kasson, Gallivan, Lincoln, and Hoxie. There are also some fast descents as well. Although this ride is very hilly and typically a longer ride (40+ miles) this is a No Drop Ride with several regrouping points along the way. So if you are looking for a ride to increase your riding strength and endurance as well as improving your hill climbing abilities without fear of being dropped this is a good ride for you. This ride is classified as a “A” ride on our calendar.

Bike For Fun (BFF)

A newer category of rides designed for those that are looking for shorter, slower paced rides with a social aspect. These rides occur throughout the week with morning, afternoon and evening events and are usually 10-25 miles with an average pace of 10-12 mph. They will almost always have a fun stop included (coffee, lunch, wine tasting). These rides are all considered “C” rides.

Monthly New Member Ride

New for 2025, these by invitation rides occur on the 2nd Sunday of every month and are intended to provide our newest members with an orientation to riding with the Club. Typically led by the Club Ride and Membership Directors, we’ll gather at the Cherry Bend Community Park Pavilion, and after informal introductions will ride to Suttons Bay and back on the Leelanau Trail, with a refreshment stop along the way. The primary objective is to answer any questions new members might have, and to initiate connections to other rides or activities that they might be most interested in. The pace will generally be slower, with emphasis on communication and getting to know each other. These rides are considered “C” rides.