Summer races and other cycling events in Pitkin, Garfield and Mesa counties

APRIL 27

BICYCLE FEST

4-6 p.m. Pedal over to the heart of Glenwood Springs for a quick bike check with area mechanics, loads of safety and commuting information, prizes and more.

Centennial Park, 828 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs | 618-8264

MAY 4-5

18 HOURS OF FRUITA

Midnight race solo or as a team on singletrack during this 18-hour event. Check in begins at 6 p.m.

Highline Lake State Park, Fruita | $235-$680 | 18hrsoffruita.com

MAY 4-6

FAT TIRE FESTIVAL

This weekend-long event includes guided rides, a beer garden, bike and gear demos, parties and more.

Fruita | fruitafattirefestival.com

MAY 4-6

KEEN MOUNTAIN BIKE CAMPS

Take in a variety of skills camps during the Fat Tire Festival.

Fruita | rippinchix.com

MAY 6

ROSE HILL RALLY

6:45 a.m. Proceeds of this 50 or 100K ride benefit the Rose Hill Hospitality House, a service that provides lodging to patients and family members residing outside Mesa County.

Canyon View Park, Grand Junction | $45; $25 children 12 and younger | stmarygj.com/rosehillrally

MAY 12

DESERT RATS CLASSIC

7 a.m. Race along Kokopelli Trail, past sagebrush, slickrock, winding double track, sandy washes and fast jeep trails.

Fruita | $115-$125 100K solo, $130-$140, 100K relay; $70-$80 50K | geminiadventures.com

MAY 16

SPRING GULCH HILL CLIMB

6 p.m. This road race will run 6.6 miles with a vertical gain of about 1,700 feet. The race begins near Colorado Rocky Mountain School and concludes near Spring Gulch.

Colorado Rock Mountain School, Carbondale | aspencyclingclub.org

MAY 19

NORTH FACE BIKE PARK COMPETITION

9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Pump track time trials, best trick jam sessions and more.

Carbondale | Carbondalerec.com

MAY 18-20

GRAND JUNCTION OFF ROAD

Climb onto the Uncompahgre Plateau while connecting technically challenging singletrack, double track, gravel roads and occasional paved road in the Lunch Loops trail system and beyond. Choose 15, 30 or 40 miles, or a kids’ ride.

Grand Junction | epicrides.com

MAY 18-24

BONEDALE BIKE WEEK

Celebrate Carbondale without the “car” during this five- day event.

Carbondale | 970-510-1277 | carbondale.com

MAY 19

RIDE FOR THE PASS

10 a.m. A benefit for Independence Pass Foundation, which works on the pass. Aid stations and turnarounds are along the 10-mile uphill (2,500 feet of elevation gain) to the ghost town.

Independence Pass, Aspen | 970-379-1222 | independencepass.org

WEDNESDAYS (STARTING LATE MAY)

SNOWMASS WEEKLY CIRCUIT RACE

6 p.m. This weekly Wednesday evening event is great for beginners or visitors who want to get in some training or learn some local knowledge. One lap is 3.7 miles.

Snowmass Village | aspencyclingclub.org

JUNE 2

PALISADE GRAN FONDO

7 a.m. The Palisade Gran Fondo is a fully supported, timed road cycling event on rolling terrain through picturesque orchards and vineyards of Western Colorado. Choose from the timed 72-mile Gran Fondo or the untimed 40-mile Palisade Piccolo.

Palisade | $55-$70 | palisadegranfondo.com

JUNE 2-3

GRAND ENDURO

8 a.m.-5 p.m., June 3, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. The second annual endure-style mountain bike race will have three timed stages and a $5,000 cash purse.

Lunch Loops, Grand Junction | $149 | grandenduro.com

JUNE 20

FRYING PAN ROAD RACE

6 p.m. The format is set up in 30- and 50-mile races from Basalt up to Ruedi Reservoir and back. This is ACC’s largest race, and riders are broken down by skill level (beginners welcome).

Frying Pan Road, Basalt | $20 nonmembers | aspencyclingclub.org

JUNE 23-24

SNOWMASS DEMO DAYS

9:15 a.m.-4 p.m. Try before you buy during this two-day event, which will feature more than a dozen vendors. Bring your own pedals and corresponding shoes for the optimal experience.

Snowmass Base Village | Free | snowmassdemodays.com

JULY 14

ASPEN INVITATIONAL: RIDE AGAINST POVERTY IN AFRICA

7:30 a.m. Cyclists of all fitness levels ride with US National Pro Cyclists through breathtaking mountains of Aspen while giving the gift of clean water and a bicycle to a rural African family in need. The 100K ride is limited to 60 participants, and pre-registration is mandatory.

Paepcke Park, E. Hopkins Avenue, Aspen | $750 fundraising commitment per rider | brake-the-cycle.com

JULY 25

MISSOURI HEIGHTS RACE

6 p.m. This event is a classic road race starting and ending at Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley campus. The race will run about 18 miles (1,700-foot elevation change) along the roads above Colorado 82.

CMC Spring Valley | aspencyclingclub.org

JULY 28

POWER OF FOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE

8 a.m. Power of Four will include tons of climbing as it goes 33 miles to all four Aspen/Snowmass mountains. It’s quite the sufferfest if you’re not properly trained, so for a tamer but still challenging version, try the shorter “Power of Two” option (18 miles).

Snowmass Village | $90-$110 | aspensnowmass.com

JULY 29

PORCUPINE BIKE LOOP RACE

8 a.m. The annual Porcupine Bike Loop Race encourages costumes and requires helmets. The mountain bike event leaves from the bike valet tent at Mountain Fair, then tackles the singletrack of Prince Creek. Expect doughnuts, bacon and beer (for those of age) along the way.

Sopris Park, Carbondale | alohacyclery.com

AUGUST, DATE TO BE CONFIRMED

TOUR OF THE VALLEY

Choose from a 30-, 55-, 75- or 100-mile ride through the Grand Valley. Proceeds have previously supported Colorado Mesa University Cycling, the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association and Community Hospital health education and wellness activities.

Canyon View Medical Plaza, Grand Junction | 970-256-6222 | yourcommunityhospital.com

AUG. 4

NEW CASTLE TRAILS SUMMER CONFERENCE

9 a.m.-6 p.m. Join with other cycling enthusiasts for a series of group rides and runs in the morning, then music, food and drinks all afternoon. The lineup includes Roots of Creation, Whisky Stomp, Red Dirt River Band and New Mamm Creek. Advance tickets include three food/drink tickets, and tickets purchased the day of include two.

VIX Ranch Park, 627 N. Wildhorse Drive, New Castle | $15 advance; $20 day of event; free for children 10 and younger | facebook.com/newcastletrails

AUG. 4-5

ASPEN/SNOWMASS BIG MOUNTAIN ENDURO

These races will be intense, and during the two-day event RFMBA will a have tent set up at the vendor expo. Besides racers, there will be unique volunteer opportunities during the weekend for non-enduro racers.

Snowmass Village | bigmountainenduro.com

AUG. 15

MAROON BELLS TIME TRIAL

6 p.m. See how well you trained over the summer. The time trial starts at the Aspen Highlands base village and goes up about seven miles with a 1,400-foot elevation gain to the visitor center.

Aspen Highlands | aspencyclingclub.org

AUG. 18

SNOWMASS LOOP MTB FONDO

Returning for a third year, this is a supported ride that benefits RFMBA.

Aspen Snowmass | 303-522-0010 | snowmassloopmtbfondo.com

SEPT. 2

GRAND TRAVERSE MOUNTAIN BIKERACE

7 a.m. The 40-mile mountain bike race will start in Aspen and finish in Crested Butte. Part of the Triple Crown Series started by the more famous winter ski race, the mountain bike race is the day after a foot race from Crested Butte to Aspen.

Aspen Mountain 1A Base Area | $105-$240 | summer.thegrandtraverse.org

SEPT. 8-9

DESERTS EDGE TRIATHLON FESTIVAL

8 a.m.-noon. Enjoy an off-road XTERRA triathlon Saturday and road triathlons Sunday. Both days include sprint and Olympic distances.

Highline State Park, Fruita | $80-$205 | desertsedgetri.com

SEPT. 22-23

RIFLE ADVENTURE WEEKEND

8 a.m.-5 p.m. Participate in mountain bike wayfinding and 5K running races Saturday and motorsport events Sunday.

Rifle | madracingcolorado.com

SEPT. 29

TOUR OF THE MOON

7:30 a.m. The Tour of the Moon was made famous in the 1980s Coors Classic and later in the cycling movie “American Flyers.” Register early — it sells out!

Colorado National Monument, Grand Junction | $115-$160 | tourofthemoon.com

OCT. 1-DEC. 16

URBAN TREAD ADVENTURES

This five-race series includes cyclocross and trail-running races. Participate in all races for a chance to take home the overall series jersey.

Grand Valley, locations vary | madracingcolorado.com

OCT. 21

ALOHA SHAKA CROSS SERIES

Nov. 4 and 22. The annual cyclo-cross series returns for the fall with grass, pavement and dirt events.

Roaring Fork High School, Carbondale |$30 adults; $25 17 and younger; 9 and younger free; $5 off registration with a nonperishable food item | alohamountaincyclery.com