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 2026 through September 2026 (except holidays). The rides are on a sliding scale, from free to $30 depending on your ability to pay, and we require you to register beforehand, see the link found below (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 at Transition Outpost or The Landing at Evil Bikes 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 8 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
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Participants must bring a mountain bike*, helmet, water bottle, snacks, and clothing they feel comfortable biking in.
*Bikes are provided for Transition Demo Days!
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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.
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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.
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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, generally sticking to the green trails and easy blues at Galbraith (such as Lost Giants, Cowbell, Art’s, Cedar Jumps, Dog Patch, Breax Zone etc).
Our Intermediate Rides are for Levels 4 and 5 and would venture to the blues and occasionally dabble in a black if the group is up for it (think Unemployment Line, Double Vision, Blue Ribbon, SST, Air Chair, Mabels, etc.).
Our Advanced Rides are more occasional and are for Level 6+. This might be Double Black/Double Down in the Chuckanuts, Cougar Ridge, Brown Pow. -
We encourage brand new mountain bikers to sign up for the “True Beginner” Rides on our Transition Demo Days, which is the first Monday of each month. Learn more about our Transition Demo Days below.
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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.
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On transition demo days (first monday of each month), you will sign up for a ticket based on the demo bike you are requesting. Make sure to check their size chart before you sign up for it.
Then, in the questions, you will choose whether you would like to be in the “True Beginner” or “Begintermediate +” Group. Both groups are aimed at getting folks the skills they need to enter our typical Beginner and Intermediate groups on any other day. True beginners have never ridden mountain bikes before, or want a thorough, slow entry into mountain biking. Begintermediates are ready to go up on the mountain but want a slower introduction to blue trails (think Unemployment Line, 911, Mullet, Atomic Dog).
Transition Demo Days
The Details
We have partnered with Transition Bikes to offer a group ride on specific dates throughout the summer. Rides start from the Transition Outpost with complimentary mountain bikes provided by Transition! You will register by demo bike and size in the ticketing. If you do not want to demo a bike and will bring your own, select “I don’t need a bike!” as your ticket.
Folks will also choose which group they want to be in, which is a little different on Transition Demo Days. They will choose between “True Beginner” for folks who have never ridden a mountain bike before, or a very new and want a thorough intro and “Begintermediate” which is for folks who feel confident on the greens and have dappled in the blues, but want a little more support.
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.
Demo Bikes
We have demo bikes available in size XS-L, and they come from Transition Outpost. Some E-bikes are available in size S-L. Here are some examples of demos available (not all models all the time). Please make sure to check your size before registering.
Evil Bikes Demo and Shuttle Days
The Details
We have partnered with Evil Bikes to offer free demo and shuttle days on Sunday, August 16 and Saturday, September 5! Rides start from The Landing at Evil Bikes in Fairhaven with demo bikes provided by Evil Bikes.
Shuttles will take riders to the top of the Chuckanuts to send it down Double Black and Double Down – techy trails that rival Galbraith’s finest. Note that this is not a Beginner ride: this ride is perfect for Intermediate and Advanced riders!
There are two shuttle groups offered: the first group meets at 2 PM and will work alongside an Evil Bikes coach and Shifting Gears coach throughout the afternoon to help folks level up their riding. The second group will ride alongside an Evil Bikes ride leader and a Shifting Gears ride leader for a fast-paced, no-coaching lap. All riders are invited to the après-ride hangout at The Landing at 6 PM.
Registration Required
To attend the event, register for the day(s) you want to attend. Registration will open one month before the demo days and can be found in the event details below. Please register in advance, no later than two days before the designated meeting time at Evil Bike Co.
Demo Bikes
After you register for the event, use this link to reserve an Evil demo bike from 1 PM to 4:45 PM on August 16 or September 5 by putting “Shifting Gears” in the reservation notes. If you do not want to demo a bike, just register for the event and bring your own.
2026 Mountain Biking Program Dates
Registration for all mountain bike programs opens two weeks in advance. We have limited space, so make sure to sign up as they open! If registration is full, you can sign up for our waitlist at the bottom of the registration form. Select a date to sign up on our calendar (below).
April 20: Outpost
Transition Demo Day
May 11: Outpost
Transition Demo Day
May 18: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride
Intermediate Ride
June 1: Outpost
Transition Demo Day
June 8: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride
Intermediate Ride
Advanced Ride (Cougar Ridge)
June 15: Galbraith
Beginner Ride (South)
Intermediate Ride (North)
June 22: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride
Intermediate Ride
June 29: Galbraith
Beginner Ride (South)
Intermediate Ride (North)
July 6: Outpost
Transition Demo Day
July 13: Galbraith
Beginner Ride (South)
Intermediate Ride (North)
July 20: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride
Intermediate Ride
July 27: Galbraith
Beginner Ride (South)
Intermediate Ride (North)
August 3: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride
Intermediate Ride
August 10: Galbraith
Beginner Ride (South)
Intermediate Ride (North)
August 16: Chuckanuts
Evil Bikes Shuttle/Demo Day
August 17: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride
Intermediate Ride
August 24: Galbraith
Beginner Ride (South)
Intermediate Ride (North)
August 31: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride
Intermediate Ride
September 5: Chuckanuts
Evil Bikes Shuttle/Demo Day
September 14: Outpost
Transition Demo Day
September 21: Galbraith
Beginner Ride (South)
Intermediate Ride (North)
September 28: South Galbraith
Beginner Ride
Intermediate Ride
All Upcoming Programs
Select a date to learn more about specific programs and register to participate.