Road Rides
The Florida Freewheelers host several “Road Rides” during the weekdays and weekends. The ride start times, location, route, distance, category and ride leader are all listed on our ride schedule for the upcoming week. Most of the weekday rides repeat each week, but our weekend rides are always different routes all around the Central Florida area. You can contact the ride leader in advance if you have any questions about the ride.
We categorize our Road Rides by the rolling speed with A being the fastest pace and D being the slowest ride (see Ride Category Table below). The D ride is also a no drop ride, so the ride leader will ensure everyone stays with the group and doesn’t get dropped during the ride. This makes the D ride a good starting ride for a new rider who wants to learn how to ride safely on the road with a group, but also wants to ensure they don’t get lost or left alone during the ride. Club members also have access to our vast library of route maps and GPS route files on our Ride Maps page.
In addition to our Road Rides, the club also leads both Social and ATB rides.
A – 20+ mph: Experienced Riders Only. Be able to read a map and change a flat. Very fast to racing pace.
B – 17-21 mph: Experienced Riders Only. Be able to read a map, change a flat, and ride 20 miles non-stop.
C – 15-18 mph: Be able to read a map and change a flat, but don’t be upset if you get dropped.
D – 12-15 mph: No-Drop ride. Ride leader will make sure no rider is dropped.
S – 10-15 mph: Leisurely, social ride. Distance varies. Ride leader and sweep will make sure no rider is dropped.
ATB – Mountain Bike Ride: Speeds and distances vary. Call the ride leader for more info.
Social Rides
The club usually hosts social rides each month. These rides are designated in the ride schedule with an S ride type. Social rides are group rides where the riders have a chance to converse during the ride. The rides go at an easy pace of the slowest riders so no one is left behind. Social rides also have a designated “sweep” rider in the rear to ensure no rider drops off the back of the group. They sweep will stop the entire ride if anyone is having a problem or needs assistance. They will also ensure that the group doesn’t break apart and get separated during the ride. The typical social ride is about 15-25 miles long and usually has a stop about halfway so you can grab a snack or drink and socialize with one another. Make sure to call the ride leader listed in the schedule before you join your first social ride to get the details on the ride.
ATB Rides
ATB stands for All Terrain Bikes. These “fat tire” bikes work well riding on natural terrain. These are the Mountain Bikes or MTBs of cycling. We occasionally schedule some easier ATB rides where hybrid bikes are also fine for riding off-road, but the tire width should be at least 1-1/2 inches wide (36 mm).
We ride off-road, and that means off-pavement. We like to ride in the woods and the wilderness. We enjoy windy single-track trails that flow through the natural landscape although sometimes we’ll ride on the jeep double-track trails. Some of our rides are very easy social-type riding, while others can be very challenging with technical features like roots, rocks, log jumps, narrow passages and elevation changes.
We are always welcoming new riders to this fun and exciting type of cycling. We stay together in the woods and help each other in case of any problems (flats, etc.). We enjoy developing new riders, and we often have picnic rides to spend time together socializing afterwards and share our stories of the trail. Come on out and enjoy the trails with us! The more the merrier!