more people are setting out on bikes to discover them.
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)
In the latest sign of surging interest in endurance, gravel, and adventure riding, a new event dubbed the Oregon Bicycle Adventure Summit will take place in Eugene later this month.
The event is the brainchild of Eugene resident and co-owner of Co-Motion Cycles Dwan Shepard. Shepard, a veteran of Oregon’s bike industry who has been active as a sponsor and participant in rides and races throughout the state for many years, felt it was time to organize the enthusiasm for “gravel grinders“, gran fondos, and rides like the Oregon Outback.
Adventure-minded bike riders are increasingly looking beyond the standard fare to find new challenges and discover new places. This summit is more evidence that event promoters, the bike industry, and other organizations are beginning to cater to this exciting new market. As we shared back in November, even Oregon’s statewide tourism development agency, Travel Oregon, is devoting resources to collect, map, and promote Oregon’s best undiscovered logging and gravel road routes.
Tour of Aufderheide in Oakridge.
At the Bicycle Adventure Summit later this month, Shepard says he’s lined up a series of presenters and will have an expo area where attendees can learn about how to prepare for the upcoming season of rides. “It will be a special event that gets people excited about the year ahead,” wrote Shepard in an email to supporters and volunteers, “We’d like people to find out what kinds of adventure they can get involved in, how to prepare and train for the events, what to expect, and so on.”
Among the presenters will be promoter Donnie Kolb of VeloDirt. Kolb has been promoting unsanctioned and unsupported adventure rides in Oregon for several years. What started as a simple website to catalog new gravel road routes in eastern Oregon has blossomed into a popular brand with hundreds of eager followers. The Oregon Outback event — a 360-mile mostly off-road ride through central Oregon coming in May attracted hundreds of would-be participants is his most ambitious undertaking yet. Another presenter will be Steve Cash of Dark30 Sports, the promoter that put on the first annual Tour of Aufderheide back in August.
Other presenters include
- Mudslinger Events (ride/race promoter)
- Evviva Cycling (training and coaching)
- Hutch’s Bicycles (bike shop)
- Travel Oregon (tourism agency)
- Backcountry Gear (online retailer)
- Rolf Prima (wheel manufacturer)
- Co-Motion Cycles (bicycle maker)
The event is free to attend and organizers will accept voluntary donations of canned food for Food for Lane County.
Here are the details:
-
Oregon Bicycle Adventure Summit
January 21st from 5:00 – 9:00 pm
Cozmic Pizza (199 SW 8th Ave, Eugene)
Facebook event page
See you there!