Routes & Rides
Just visiting Portland, tired of your same old route, or hoping to meet fellow cyclists, scroll down to learn more about what the Portland cycling community has to offer. Rides require, at a minimum, an appropriate bike in good working order, water, and a helmet. We suggest a spare tube, energy food, maybe a little cash in case you stop, and your biggest smile! It's also a good idea to confirm dates, times, and specific requirements before joining any of the group rides. We'll see you out there — and have fun!
Scenic Routes Around Portland
Back Cove & Eastern Promenade
One Portland's iconic trails, Back Cove offers great views of the Portland skyline. These gentle trails are a mix of stone dust and paved surfaces offering the perfect loop for a relaxing ride.
4 Lighthouse Tour
Discover Portland, Maine and the shores of Casco Bay by bicycle! This relatively flat ride brings you along the coast, past iconic lighthouses, and through Portland’s history.
Portland to Cousin's Island
Looking to log a few more road miles along the coast, then this is the perfect loop. Enjoy smooth roads, wide shoulders, and rolling terrain as you cruise up to Cousin's Island and back.
Weekly Mountain & Road Rides
Women's Mountain Bike Rides & Events
Please check the Greater Portland NEMBA and Single Track Sisters Facebook pages for updates on weekly rides and events, or call 207-774-2933 and ask for Deanna.
Thursday Night - Mountain
The CycleMania Thursday Night Mountain Bike Ride is an all inclusive ride covering Portland's numerous in-town trails. The ride departs CycleMania at 6:00pm and all you need is a mountain bike and an enthusiastic disposition for riding it. For more info call 207-774-2933.
Friday Morning Coffee - Road
This ride starts at the Congo Church on corner of Main St and Blanchard Rd in Cumberland at 5:30am. This moderate paced road ride (17-20 mph) stops to regroup as needed. The ride finishes back at Congo Church by 7:00am. For more info call 207-650-8877.
Join a Club or Group Ride!
Portland Velo Club
Portland Velo Club (PVC) is the largest cycling club in Maine and promotes the development of fast, competitive bicycle riders. We ride and race road, mountain and cyclocross bikes throughout Maine and New England. PVC includes a Men’s Masters Team and a Women’s Cycling Team. See some of our most popular group road rides below and learn more about our club online.
Monday Night - Women's Only Road
This is a women’s only recovery-paced ride with an average speed 14-16 mph with several wait spots to remain “no-drop”. This ride is offered for those new to group riding, or for women who have ridden hard or raced the weekend before and want a slower pace. Distance is approximately 16 miles of rolling terrain.
Wednesday Night - Road
The Wednesday Night Ride is a group ride that begins at the South Portland High School Parking lot on Highland Avenue. The A ride leaves at 5:30pm and will ride 20-26mph with no waiting. If you get dropped from the A group, hop in with the B group. Pace is dictated by both groups, but plan for a hard ride no matter what most nights. Sprint for the glory at the end, if you like!
Saturday Morning - Road
This is a team training ride, open to all with group riding familiarity. The ride is about 30 miles long, if departing from Cyclemania. It’s mostly rolling to flat terrain with 4 major sprints on the ride: "Prouts Neck", Fire Hydrant Hill”, “Inn By the Sea”, and finally the “Cookie Jar”. This is the largest competitive ride in the state, with over 75 riders and over a 23mph average speed.
Forest City Cycling
Forest City Cycling of Portland was founded in 1988 as the Competitive Cycling Club of Portland; since then,Forest City Cycling has evolved into a broader-based and more recreational riding club for Greater Portland’s biking community.
Monday Night - Road
This is a moderate-to-fast 30 mile loop to Cousins Island. The Monday ride leaves at 6:00 from the Glickman Academy parking lot and covers a mostly flat course at a moderate to moderate-quick pace. There are several stopping points for people to regroup in all ride groups so no one gets permanently dropped. There is a range of rider speeds on Mondays, from 16-24 mph, so there is almost always someone to ride with.
Thursday Night - Road
The Thursday Night Ride is both faster and longer than the MNR, logging about 38 miles. It leaves at 6:00 from from the Glickman Academy parking lot, and covers a rolling course at a moderate-quick pace, and features a climb of Dutton Hill. There are several stopping points for people to regroup in all but the Elite group, so no one gets permanently dropped. The speed range means there is almost always someone to ride with.
Saturday Morning - Road
The Saturday Morning Ride is an inclusive, moderately paced (16.5-18mph), longer than usual, no-drop ride. The Saturday ride is great training for charity rides and an excellent introduction to riding in a group. Routes purposely vary to introduce cyclists to the variety of roads in the greater Portland area, and maps will be published both on the SMR Blog and our Facebook page.
Still looking for more info about cycling in Maine? The Bicycle Coalition of Maine has you covered with news, educational resources, a calendar of events, and an interactive road ride map for the entire state.