Mountain Biking

Shifting Gears’ Mountain Biking programs are weekly group rides with an inclusive space to explore mountain biking on the lovely local trails of Bellingham.

We practice skills, familiarize ourselves with trails, meet new ride friends, and have fun!

When

Our weekly mountain bike rides are on Mondays from 5:30-7:30pm, from May 2025 through September (except holidays). The rides are free, though we require you to register beforehand, which is found below (and donations are always appreciated).

*Rides are rain or shine, but we will cancel them if conditions are unsafe!

Where

We’ll explore the beautiful trails of Galbraith Mountain and Lake Padden together! Depending on the week, a group may meet at the North or Southside of Galbraith or Transition Outpost for our Demo Days (learn more below!).

Who

The rides are for all women (18+), regardless of riding experience, body size, and biking anxiety. With a maximum of 12 riders plus two Shifting Gears' Leaders in each group, it is a no-drop ride, and we will focus on having fun and supporting each other.

FAQs

Participants must bring a mountain bike*, helmet, water bottle, snacks, and clothing they feel comfortable biking in.
*Bikes are provided for Transition Demo Days!
Ideally, you would have a full-suspension mountain bike or a front suspension (hardtail). Town, road, or gravel bikes are unsuitable for our mountain bike rides. We follow WMBC’s E-Bike Policy, and class 1 e-bikes are allowed on Galbraith as of March 2024.
We’ve partnered with Transition Bikes to offer a monthly Demo Day where we’ll meet at Transition Outpost, get suited up with bikes, and go for a ride! Learn more about these monthly Transition Demo Days below.
Please review ROAM Fest Skill Levels to determine your skill rating. Our rides are no-drop, and we always go at a steady and chill pace. That being said, our Beginner Rides are considered for Levels 2 and 3, while our Intermediate Rides are for Levels 4 and 5. Our Advanced Rides are for Level 6+
We’ll offer two sessions this season specifically designed for Level 1 Riders (with mountain bikes provided by Transition!). Learn more about our Transition Demo Days below.
Pre-registration is required to ensure that we stay within our group capacity. Registration for each ride opens two weeks in advance and can be found below.

Transition Demo Days

The Details

We have partnered with Transition Bikes to offer a group ride every second Monday of the month from June through September. Rides start from the Transition Outpost with complimentary mountain bikes provided by Transition!

Registration Required

Registration for each ride can be found in the event details below. It opens two weeks before the ride. Please register in advance, no later than two days before the designated meeting time at Transition.

2025 Mountain Bike Program Dates

May 12

Beginner Ride: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride: South Galbraith

Registration Opens 4/28

May 19

Transition Demo Day on South Galbraith

June 2

Beginner Ride: South Galbraith
Intermediate Ride: North Galbraith

June 9