Circus Ride

Welcome to the 4th annual Circus Ride! 

Set atop picturesque Braintree Hill at the mid-1800's Braintree Meeting House, this event embodies all of what makes Vermont so special. The people, the place, the history, the vibe and the amazing back roads. We have no podiums, no pomp-and-circumstance, no timing...but we guarantee you will leave with a meaningful cycling experience that will stay with you for a lifetime!

What is the Circus Ride? 

The Circus Ride was named after the old circus that traveled from Randolph to Rochester up and over Randolph Gap and back again in the early 1900's. It was noted that the elephants pulled the wagons up to the ridge and then they switched them to behind the wagons to ease them down the steep mountain roads. Local MTB guru Paul Rea put this loop together back in the mid-90's when he hosted the New England Mountain Bike Festival in Randolph. The famed route was once highlighted in Mountain Bike Magazine as one of North America's top 10 hardest mountain bike rides.....WOW, how the times have changed but so much has stayed the same. 

A little about the routes

It's an adventure ride!  Between the smooth gravel sections, lay some rowdy woods road segments. The woods roads will require solid bike handling skills, focus, and strong legs. They are rocky, and muddy with multiple lines to choose from. A minimum tire size of 40mm or bigger is STRONGLY suggested, or a xc mtb would be well suited for this route. We will have one food/aid station mid-way through with tasty snacks and cold drinks. There will be a sweep to make sure everyone gets back safe and sound for the afterparty!

* 18.4 miles of rowdy woods roads (class 4)

* 16.4 miles of smooth as butter gravel roads

* 3.2 miles of easy peasy pavement

40 miles with 6,000' vert

Here is an AMAZING VIDEO from our friends- the Green Mountain Gravel folks.

The Side Show, 20ish mile route, will follow much of the start of the longer route but create a shorter loop without going over Braintree Gap. Make no mistake this will still be challenging and fun, featuring many Class IV roads. We will have a friend leading a no drop group on this route for those looking to join a crew and have help navigating. We will be sure to get everyone back to the afterparty! This has about 2,800' of climbing. 

RIDE LEAVES AT 10AM, GATES/REG OPEN AT 9AM

We will be serving First Branch Coffee in the morning before the start that you can drink out of your custom Circus Ride enamel mug! 

Here is the Circus Ride Route & Cue sheet;

Big Tent: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37717641

Side Show: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44687484

After Party!

This year we will have music playing in the afternoon as everyone finishes their rides at the meetinghouse. We will be serving hot soup, hot cider and snacks. Unfortunately we won't be able to serve beer this year. We have the big tent up so rain or shine we'll have a fun party! 

Inclusivity Statement:

We believe that all attendees should have an equal opportunity to participate in our event regardless of their race, color, religion, disability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or national origin. We acknowledge both conceptual and practical barriers of entry into cycling for folks outside of the dominant group of participants. Part of our work is to understand how social structures create or enforce long established patterns of exclusivity in cycling. We hope to create a safe and welcoming space for athletes, volunteers, staff, and spectators from different backgrounds, identities, and abilities at our event. We do not tolerate harassment or intimidation and anyone doing so will be asked to leave the event. We look forward to growing the cycling community with you.