Boulder - Magnolia - Eldora - Brainard Loop

Type

Road, Cyclocross

Level

Novice
Rides suitable for cyclists who are new to the sport (or who have not been on a bike for some years), family-friendly rides or any riders that feel a need for some mentoring. Note: please note that minors under the age of 16 cannot participate in rides unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Families with children should, in any event, confirm with the ride leader ahead of time that the ride will be suitable for their needs.

Intermediate
Targeted towards riders who have a few years in the saddle, who have developed some riding confidence and fitness and feel ready to move to the next level. Could attract more experienced riders who are looking for a relaxed or less aggressive ride.

Advanced
Limited to experienced riders with superior bike handling skills and who are comfortable with a fast pace (probably including single and/or double pace-line riding) and/or hilly terrain, and the possibility of heavily trafficked roads. Advanced rides are less likely to be "no-drop" unless identified as such.

Intermediate, Advanced

Distance

68 - 68

miles

Terrain

Hilly, Very hilly

Date

Saturday, 18 Jan, 2025Weekly on Saturday

Time

7:00 AM

Description

This is a bit of a crazy climbing ride. Not Mark Lowe crazy but very challenging nonetheless!

We'll meet at the lot across from the Boulder Justice Center at 7:00. We start by climbing the first 4 miles of Boulder Canyon ( the reason for the early start time--get that out of the way before traffic really gets going) and then head up Magnolia, which is the steepest climb in Boulder County.

At the end of that 4 mile climb the road does turn to dirt for about 7 miles. The dirt section is not very challenging climbing-wise and is rideable on a road bike, but of course wider tires (e.g. 28) are preferred over narrower ones (e.g. 23mm).

We'll then hit the Peak-to-Peak highway and turn to head up to Eldora. We'll drop into Nederland to refuel and then head up to Ward and Brainard Lake. We'll return via Lefthand and Lee Hill.

The route is 68 miles with 8300 feet of climbing. Very challenging with lots of spectacular scenery!

Sponsored By

Organization

Rocky Mountain Cycling Club

The Rocky Mountain Cycling Club (RMCC), formed in the Fall of 1993 and currently with over 400 members, was created to cater to active, enthusiastic cyclists of intermediate and advanced ... morelevels and interests. This is accomplished in two ways: first, by scheduling and conducting an annual slate of rides which challenge riders to plan and develop their conditioning levels and cycling ability, and, second, by aggressively working to return benefits to members such as promotions and valuable discounts. We are focused on helping you develop as a rider and to gain as much enjoyment as possible from cycling. Finally, the RMCC is an official supporter of Bicycle Colorado, and works to safeguard the rights and safety of cyclists in Colorado. What sets our club apart is the full range of pedaling experiences we offer, whether you ride for fitness, for fun, or for endurance. These include flat rides, climbing rides, shorter rides, and longer rides We strive to offer the greatest variety and scope of riding experiences possible!

Our program calendar goes year round and offers rides every Saturday and Sunday, weeknight rides when we are on daylight savings time, and special events like Brevets and Challenge Series rides. In total, our schedule contains over 150 rides each year! Weekend rides begin with mileage options from 20 miles early in the year working up to 60 miles for recreational cyclists. For riders aiming at longer distances, routes begin at 35 miles and work up to centuries and above.

The RMCC also counts as members riders with ultra experience, including premier events like RAAM (Race Across America), PBP (Paris-Brest-Paris ), and the Furnace Creek 508, and is the official ultra-marathon, super-randonneur club of the region.

All the starting locations are strategically located along the Front Range from Loveland to Monument and from Aurora to Copper Mountain. This allows an optimal mix of climbing (Saturdays) and flat (Sundays) riding as well as a great variety of local scenery. Riding within traffic-congested areas is minimized.

The RMCC uses modern, high-quality, GIS-based maps and route narratives to take advantage of the decades of local cycling experience represented by club ride coordinators, and provide easy-to-read and meaningful ride instructions to all participants.

What Riding Interest Do You Have?
Recreational (R): For the intermediate cyclists, this series will add to your riding pleasure and help you get ready for summer tours/events such as Ride the Rockies or the Copper Triangle.

Endurance Riding (E): These training rides continually progress in distance and difficulty to prepare cyclists for longer rides such as the Triple Bypass and the Joe Lookingbill Denver-Aspen Classic.

Brevets: Sponsored by RMCC and sanctioned by Randonneurs USA (RUSA), brevets are challenging endurance events which can be ridden as events in their own right or to qualify for super-randonnée events and awards. See the Brevets page for further information.

Challenge Series Rides: These are timed events run by RMCC that are focused on climbing, ranging in distance from 80 to 200 miles. Read more about this series on our Challenge Series page.

Group Rides: