It doesn’t matter if you’re a longtime rider or a total newbieat thesebike festivals,the perks of being there are numerous—you can stock up on the latest gear (many festivals offer bike demos as part of the entry fee), learn critical skills,join group rides, or grab a map and head out on your own. When you’re done riding, returnto the grounds for whatgood festivals do best: music, food, and beer.
Sedona Mountain Bike Festival
Sedona, Arizona
Every March, the brings together thousands of singletrack fans for a laid-back gathering of riding, beer drinking, and gear testing. Itsthree-day event pass grants access to demo fleets from more than 90 top mountain-bike brands, shuttled drop-offs to the area’s best trails, skills clinics, live music, food-truck fare, and craft beer. Riders get to traverse the scenic trail system within the Red Rock Ranger District of Coconino National Forest, and proceeds from the event go towardits maintenance. (from $169), a 20-minute shuttle ride from next year’sevent location at Posse Grounds Park,has nine A-frame chalets that sleep up to fiveand five two-person studios, plus an outdoor pool and private entryto trailheads like Bell Rock and Slim Shady.
Sea Otter Classic
Monterey, California
As one of the oldest and most well-attended festivals in the country, the annual , held on the Pacificcoast in April, is a sight to behold. Started in 1991, the four-day gathering has a massive gear expo with over a thousand brands, as well as stunt shows, kids’ programs, and road and mountain-bike races for elites and recreational riders, who show up in numbers nearing 10,000. The competitionscover almost every discipline, from cross-country and downhill to dual slalom, plus noncompetitive races for all ages. Camp on-site (from $70) or rent an RV from nearby (from $150) for the full festival experience. In 2017, the event expanded to Europe, too, with the still growing taking place every May in Costa Brava, Spain.
Crankworx
Whistler, British Columbia
is the ten-day mountain-bike party that has taken over this resort townevery August since 2004. Watch as the pros battle it out in downhill or best-trick contests, sign up for a women’s or adaptive group ride, get the family involved through Kidsworx, or check out the accompanying photo and film competitions. The centrally located (from $225) has 192 modernrooms and a valet bike service. The event has also gone global: you’ll now find Crankworx in New Zealand and Austria, too.
ʱ岹貹Ǵdz
Portland, Oregon
,the monthlong tradition that takes place every June,is as much a worthy bike festival as it is a way to experience the true spirit of Portland. It'swacky collection of free, volunteer-organized events and gatherings includesgalactic disco rides, a banh mi–powered bike tour of the city, and the notorious local version of World Naked Bike Ride, which sees upwardof 10,000 participants. In true Portland style, there are group rides for every sector of the community, from vegans andremote workers to human-rights activists and bookstore enthusiasts. The recently opened (from $179) has 179 design-forward rooms, plus bikes and film cameras to rent from an on-site gear shed.
Virginia Trail Festival
Stokesville, Virginia
Held over Memorial Day weekend, thetakes place within the 200,000-acre Shenandoah National Park, which is an easy 90-minutedrive from Washington, D.C.Organized by local bike-touring outfitter Shenandoah Mountain Touring, it’s a family-friendly campout at the(from $50), where you’ll have access to up to 500 miles of purpose-built mountain-bike trails from your tent and group meals prepared by volunteer cooks. After your ride, take a plunge in the North River, which flows through the campground. At night, post up around the campfire or stargaze from the on-site observatory.
Alyeska Bike Festival
Girdwood, Alaska
More and moreski resorts are realizing they need to attract summertime visitors—and what better way to do that than by throwing a killer bike festival? Alyeska Ski Resort, located an hour by car from Anchorage, hosts theat the start ofSeptember to mark the final weekend of its summertimebike park. Participants can ride lift-accessed downhill mountain-bike trails, sign up for dirt-jump contests and enduro races, or enter more lighthearted events like a tractor pull or pond crossing. Stay at the 300-room, château-style (from $299) so you can hop on the aerial tram atsunset and soak in the saltwater pool at the end of the day.
Rebecca’s Private Idaho
Ketchum, Idaho
Join professional cyclist Rebecca Rusch in her hometown of Ketchum for, a bike festival over Labor Day weekend that features gravel races of varying lengths, from 18 miles to a four-day stage race. The event raises funds for bike and trail-building organizations. To counter its growing popularity, Rusch limitsthe number of registrants to around 1,000in orderto keep the vibe more low-key. That said, the festival ends with a raucous beer-guzzling, gelande-quaffingcontest. Many of the group rides start from the (from $385), which has 93 rooms andsix suites, and Four Mountain Sports, an on-sitebike shop that offersdemos and rentals from the brands Giant and Norco.
Fruita Fat Tire Festival
Fruita, Colorado
The trail-heavy town of Fruita is a verified mountain-biker’s hub in Colorado. Many of those knobby-tire enthusiasts unite for one weekend in May every year for the fun-loving. You can test out new bikes from the demo fleet, listen to live bluegrass from a central beer garden, and join skill camps and guided group rides throughwine country andColorado National Monumentand over Douglas Pass. The company has a number of vacation rentals, from downtown bungalows to a teardrop camper.