Ride Information

DGBC rides on roads, trails, bike paths, gravel, dirt, snow, and other suspicious surfaces.  

We use road bikes, hybrid bikes, fat tire bikes, mountain bikes, electric bikes, and pretty much anything with two wheels. 

We wear cycle-specific clothes, street clothes, and sometimes Halloween costumes.  

The only thing we ALL wear is a helmet.

Our Regular Rides

These are our regularly scheduled rides.  If you're not sure which ride is perfect for you, visit our Start Here page.  

Rides are always subject to leader availability and weather conditions, so please check our calendar for the latest information prior to the ride.

Bill Chalberg

Monday Nite Ride

Leader: Bill Chalberg

Why ride on Monday night? 1. To have fun. 2. To relax and chat as you ride. 3. To learn what group riding is like.  

Note:  if you are a woman who is new to group riding this ride offers the opportunity to learn from other women,

The ride starts Fishel Park in Downers Grove at 6:30 pm and will end there. We will ride with lights when  sunset gets earlier. To use the words of transportation planners, we ride on low stress streets. If you are a woman who would like t


Wednesday Night Ride (WNFRR)

Leader: Show and Go

The Wednesday Night Frontage Road Ride (WNFRR) starts at the main Waterfall Glen trailhead parking lot off Cass Ave. and Northgate at 6:00pm.  There is no designated leader on these rides, which always follows the same route every week.  The goal is to ride competitively and increase your endurance and speed. Ride re-groups at stoplights and on Davey Rd. after the Joliet Rd. climb.  Riders should be prepared to make their own way back to the Cass Ave. parking lot if necessary.  

Wednesday Night Ride (WNFRR B+)

Leader: Matt Yackley

The Wednesday Night Frontage Road Ride (WNFRR B+) starts at the main Waterfall Glen trailhead parking lot off Cass Ave. and Northgate at 6:00pm.  The goal is to learn how to ride in a paceline, work together as a team and increase your endurance and speed. Ride re-groups as needed and at the top of the 355 connector climb.  Riders should be prepared to make their own way back to the Cass Ave. parking lot if necessary.  

Thursday Night Escape (TNE)

Leader: Various

The Thursday Night Escape (TNE) starts at 6pm at McCollum park on Main St. in Downers Grove.  Various members lead a lively ride that will help you build speed and fitness.  This is the most popular ride each season for the DGBC - often 25-30 riders and 3 groups…a great place to start!

Saturday Morning Ride(s)

Leaders:  Various

Saturday Morning rides generally leave at 7am (to beat the heat) from the Downers Grove Library parking lot.  The rides are usually split up among A, B+, and B ride pace.  Ride distance will build over the course of the summer and these rides are rarely less than 30 miles long.

Saturday Beginner Ride (Limited Series)

Leader: Susan Hayse

The Saturday Beginner Rides will take place every Saturday during the month of June and ride at low speeds on quiet side streets around the area.

Sunday Easy Ride

Leader: Susan Hayse

The Sunday Easy ride starts from a variety of start locations (check the calendar).  The rides focus on bike trails and paths with time for a snack break.  The ride is usually about 20 miles long and will increase in distance over the course of the summer.

How can I tell how fast I'm riding without a speedometer?


If you know how far you went and how long it took you, you can easily calculate how fast you rode using this formula:

D/T = R

where:

D = distance (how far you rode)

T = time (how long it took you to ride that far)

R = rate (how fast you rode)


If you rode 10 miles (D) in 1 hour 15 minutes (T), then R = 8 mph

If you rode 10 miles in 1 hour,  then R = 10

If you rode 10 miles in 45 minutes, then R = 13.33

If you rode 10 miles in 30 minutes, then R = 20

Other Ride Leaders

These club ride leaders will post rides occasionally on our calendar.

Loni Wiedemann

Jeff Bolam

Jeffrey Rauch

John DeLand

Larry Grubart

Matt Yackley

Scott Burstein

Gary Bolton

Tom Drexler

Debra Wesley

Donna Granback

Routes (See our Resources page)