Social media has allowed us to connect with many others that have common interests and you can use this to your advantage to find cycling groups, rides, events and information. Are you a fatbiker looking for a group ride to join? Maybe you're a road cyclist that is looking to post or participate in a ride but don't know where to start. You may even be looking for a place where you can ask questions or find answers for the type of cycling you like to do. Facebook has helped many cyclists to find new ride groups, meet new friends and discover new opportunities.
In this post I will go through some of the Facebook groups that I use regularly to keep up with the cycling community at large, to join in on a ride or event that fits my schedule and find or sell bike parts and accessories. I have started several Facebook groups to keep in touch with my bike friends and give them and others a platform to communicate. For those of you that would like to start your own closed group with your close riding friends, this is a great way to keep up-to-date on your rides and provide a place to talk about all sorts of cycling things that interest you. To start your own group visit this
Facebook Help Center page.
There are many types of Facebook groups out there and I will categorize them and provide links so you may request to join. For these links to work, you must be logged into Facebook. Please be courteous and respect each group's rules. For more information about Public and Closed groups, visit the
"What are the privacy options for groups?" page. To learn more about joining a group, visit the
"How do I join a group?" page.
Group Rides
Public Group
Description:
I created this group to make it easy for my fatbike friends and their friends to get together by posting their own group rides. Minnesota has a lot of fatbikers with riding schedules that may not include the weekends. This is a place where they can organize their own rides with friends and new acquaintances any day of the week. My work schedule keeps me from joining in on Saturday group rides but I'm available on Sundays and Mondays. Others of you may have other availabilities, that's why I created this group. Are you looking for some Tuesday afternoon ride partners at Murphy or Thursday night ride companions at Elm Creek? This group is designed to get fatbikers together for rides that fit their schedules. I miss out on so many fatbike group rides because of my work schedule that I wanted to create a Facebook group that was open to the public and would allow other members, not just those with weekends off to connect and ride together. Invite your friends and let's ride fatbikes together this Winter.
Public Group
Description:
This group is intended to bring cyclists in Minnesota together for group rides by providing a place to post them.
- Posts should be about a group ride you are planning or soliciting interest for. These can be Road, Off-Road, Gravel or MTB.
- Be clear about the time, mileage drop/no-drop and pace of the ride.
- Attending a group ride that is not mentioned in this group? Post it.
- Please include links to more information about the group ride if available (MORC Forum, etc.)
- Please put post-ride photos/video in the comment section of that listed ride, not as a new post.
- Please refer bike related questions/comments to Facebook groups dedicated to that kind of discussion.
Public Group
Description:
2015 Penn Cycle Tuesday Night Mountain Bike Ride
Skill level suggested - Intermediate to Advanced
Helmets Required!
Riders must be a minimum of 18 years old.
All rides start and end at Penn Cycle Eagan - 2290 Cliff Road. Eagan, MN.
Start time is 5:30 pm sharp.
A one-time Free or Deluxe Penn group ride membership form must filed out
to ride. The forms will be kept on file.
Ride Dates:
May 5, 12, 19, 26
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
July 14, 21, 28
August 4, 11, 18, 25
September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Ride Locations:
Lebanon Hills - Eagan
Minnesota River Bottoms - Bloomington/Eagan
Murphey-Hanrehan - Savage
Ride locations will be determined by ride leaders by Sunday for the following Tuesday.
Ride locations will be posted on the Penn Cycle Tuesday Night Mountain Bike Ride Facebook Group or call Penn Cycle Eagan at 651-882-1241 for more information.
Schedule of rides may be changed at leader’s discretion.
Penn Cycle MTB Team Ride Leaders:
Josh Peterson
Pete Schow
Mark Vanderwoude
John Sandberg
In cases of inclement weather or trail closures due to wet conditions, a decision to cancel the ride will be made by 5:00 pm.
For more information please call Penn Cycle Eagan at 651-882-1241.
Public Group
Description:
We're in it for fun. These rides are not training rides, no one gets dropped and we want everyone to have fun, enjoy the trail, learn something new and meet some friends. We want to help new riders feel more comfortable on their bike as well as allow more experienced riders the opportunity to challenge themselves and improve their skills.
Fatbike
Fat Bikes
Closed Group
Description:
This group is dedicated to fatbikes and all their myriad forms. Post pictures, ask questions, join conversations or start your own, but please, keep it civil and friendly! Please do not make any for sale posts here, instead, use the Fatbike Trader group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/fatbiketrader/
Everyone is welcome to join our group, but keep in mind, people with no profile pictures or without any biking photos will likely be ignored. Cheers!
Closed Group
Description:
Fat Bike riders young and old, riding northern Minnesota's Iron Range!!
Fat is where it's at!!!
For most rides a FatBike will not be needed, if a FatBike is the correct tool for a certain ride, it will be noted.
*****
If you have something FATBIKE related for sale. I'll allow the add to stand for 7 days, if after 7 days it's still unsold, please remove.
I'd like to keep this group ride and adventure related, and to not have it get bogged down in ads.
*****
Thank you for your understanding in this regard.
Central MN Fatbikes
Closed Group
Description:
Central MN Fat Bikes are young and old who love to ride fat bikes. We ride trails, gravel, and minimum maintenance roads all year long. Averaging 5-17 mph. We ride all over Minnesota and jump at any chance to take our fatties out. This page is for those who would like to try fat biking and find out why we smile a lot.
Closed Group
Description:
Pictures and stories of fancy fancy Fatbikes. Please join us and share the group page with your fellow bike geeks.
Events
Public Group
Description:
Group to publish interesting bike races, marathons, and other interesting events, and to discuss.
Gravel
MN Gravel Enthusiasts
Public Group
Description:
This public group is a resource for anyone looking to ride gravel, share gravel routes, post group rides or events (races, rides, etc.), discuss equipment or gravel Q&A. This is a Minnesota specific group, so please keep posts Minnesota gravel related. If sharing gravel road routes, please use the following formats:
GPX files, Strava, Mapmyride, RideWithGPS, Runtastic or Endomondo route links or Gravelmap.com links.
Public Group
Description:
Celebrating gravel races, rides and road trips to those experiences.
Discussion
Public Group
Description:
This page is for anyone with questions about bikes: mechanical, size, fit, use, equipment, Trail conditions and routes, etc. Ask and we shall try to answer!
Women On Bikes
Public Group
Description:
Ride Like a Girl Cycling is designed to be a resource for any woman looking to get into cycling or who already rides for work, pleasure or sport. This group was developed by female cyclists with the assistance of Penn Cycle to create a gathering place to find information, resources and to meet other women to ride or race with in our growing cycling community. Members looking to ride together, share bike routes, post group rides or events (races, rides, etc.), discuss equipment or Q&A are encouraged to do so. This is a female only group, so invite friends accordingly.
Public Group
Description:
Everyone is welcome to be a part of this group, but please RESPECT THIS SPACE as a discussion forum for women, trans*, and femme, gender variant cyclists.
Grease Rag is a free and open shop night for WTF (women/ trans/ femme) cyclists of all experience levels. www.greaserag.org/calendar
1st & 3rd Thursdays: Uptown
Wrench at Sunrise Cyclery (2901 Blaisdell Ave) 7-9P
2nd & 4th Tuesdays: Northeast
Wrench at Recovery Bike Shop (2555 Central Ave NE) 7-9P
2nd and 4th Thursdays: U of M
Wrench at U of M Bike Center (401 SE Oak St) 7-9P
2nd and 4th Mondays: Seward
Wrench at SPOKES (1915 East 22nd Street) 7-9P
Hiatus: Phillips
Wrench at Grease Pit (2750 Bloomington Ave.)
Hiatus: Near North
Wrench at Venture North (1830 Glenwood Ave)
Tuesdays: Frogtown, St. Paul
Wrench at Cycles for Change (712 University Ave. E.) 5-9P
Wondering where that squeak is coming from? Bring it in and we'll check it out together at the listed Grease Rag open shop nights. We also host a variety of social events and rides, which are listed here: www.greaserag.org/calendar
*Please do not post "For Sale" type posts in this group. Use the Twin Cities Bicycle WTF FTW Post group. "For Sale" posts will be deleted. "Tell me about your experience with this type of product" posts are always welcome here.
*Please post coupons and "sale alerts" in the Twin Cities Bicycle WTF FTW Post group.
Thank you!
greaseragmpls@gmail.com
Twin Cities
Public Group
Description:
Love Minneapolis. Love Bikes.
Public Group
Description:
Show us your rad rides! This page is for those of you who cannot help but post pics of your projects to gloat. It also could serve as a public record of your ownership!
Public Group
Description:
Post ride info, races, mountain bike rides, meetings etc.
For Sale/Swap
Public Group
Description:
• For individuals to sell, trade, barter, and post free BICYCLE related items in the Twin Cities Metro Area.
• Posts should always include: price, pictures and details.
• Posts should NOT include: just a link to your craigslist ad, spam, offensive language or anything off-topic. It will be immediately deleted and you will risk being banned.
• Posts should be deleted after the item is sold.
This groups is NOT for posting stolen bikes, asking general maintenance questions or posting advertisements. Those pages already exist and they are here:
• Stolen bike page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1382934645280517/
• Bike shop sales page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bikeshopsales/
• Bicycle Advice and Answers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/638674832881457/
• If you have a join request and have no mutual friends in this group, and you have your privacy settings locked down, chances are your request will not be approved.
Closed Group
Description:
A place to:
- Post any cycling gear that you have for sale or trade.
(or)
-Post what cycling gear that you have interest in buying.
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-This is a closed group that assists members in selling and/or bartering of cycling related equipment (at their own risk).
- Not adhering to the rules is cause for dismissal from the group: Warnings will be given on a case by case basis.
Rules:
1: No links to eBay, Craigslist, unaffiliated Facebook groups, or any other off-group location. "You would not take a steak to steak house and ask them to cook it and call it theirs? Would you?"
2: Selling or trading on here is at your own risk. Please use your best judgement in your transactions.
3: No Spam.
4: Treat others with respect. (Yes, I had to make it a rule sadly)
5: Delete your posts that have sold.
6: Posts that are over 30 days will be deleted. This is an attempt to keep the site current and items relevant.
7: If you suspect spam or someone acting as an uncivilized connoisseur of cycling equipment, Report it.
-Rule #2 and #6 cannot be reiterated enough.
Public Group
Description:
This is a group for Bicycle Shops in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to post their deals. If you are a bike shop please consider using this group instead of the Twincities Bicycle Trading Post.
Fat Bike Trader
Closed Group
Description:
The place to sell/buy all used Fat Bike related products.
Shop owners can post great deals or group buys as well.
The FSBO for Fatties...what do you have to sell?
