About This Group

Centretown Gravel Rides is my answer to the recurring problem of having to drive your car to the start of a gravel ride in Ottawa. My goal in creating this group is to allow folks who live in the downtown core of Ottawa to explore the amazing network of parks, trails and pathways that crisscross our beautiful city.

What Can I Expect on a Ride?

As a community, we aim to provide a friendly space for riders of all abilities to come together and explore our city. We aim not to live up to stereotypes of cycling enthusiasts as elitist, snobby jerks more interested purity tests than riding your goddamn bike. We want people to feel comfortable coming as they are - whether that's clad head to toe in Lycra, or riding their winter beater that has seen one too many cold nights outside.

Our rides vary from relaxed social gatherings to more involved, challenging routes. No matter the difficulty, however, we never abandon a rider - even if you've gotten in way over your head. On the other hand, there's no pressure to stay with a ride if you aren't feeling it. We aren't your parents, if you want to leave early or join late, that's totally fine! We just ask that you let us know before riding off into the sunset, so we don't panic when you go missing.

Rules of the Ride

We keep it simple here. There's really only two rules you need to follow:

• Don't be an asshole. This means that:
  • You never talk down to others on the ride.
  • You don't put yourself or other riders in danger.
  • You always treat pedestrians on shared trails with respect.
• Pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way. Anyone who isn't in a car is our friend, so we'll treat them as such.

Of course, that being said, the ride leader reserves the right to, without warning, boot you from the ride for any reason if you're acting in a way they think will have negative consequences on the ride or other riders. Luckily, we've never had this happen! Don't be the first. 😄

What sort of routes can we expect?

Speaking generally, we aim to have rides that are at least 50% gravel. Depending on the destination or area, this isn't always possible, but it's usually the expectation that there will be gravel on the route.

Routes are usually between 30 and 70 km, usually scheduled to arrive at the end shortly before or after sunset. Longer rides are occasionally held, but usually on weekends. Routes will normally start and stop in the same location, or at least near to each other. All routes start and stop in/near Centretown.

What do you mean by "Gravel"?

Good question! I use the term fairly broadly. This could perhaps better be called "Centretown Bike Rides That Go On Just About Any Non-Asphalt Surface Imaginable", but focus groups said that doesn't really roll off the tongue.

Terrain can include any mix of:

• Asphalt Roads (Avoided as much as possible)
• Gravel Roads
• Multi-use pathways
• Wide gravel trails
• Hiking-esque trails
• Barely-there divots in fields
• Literal fields

It is generally recommended to have at least 32mm tires, with ~38mm or larger being best for more difficult routes. Some riders have had success with road bikes, but only on the most mild routes imaginable.

This all sounds great. How do I sign up?

Easy! Just register on this site. You'll get an email announcing new rides. You can always unsubscribe later as well!