FCNC Partners with Overmountain Cycles to Launch Community Bike Program

We’ve got a special announcement in honor of World Bike Day (June 3, 2024): We are launching a community bike program!

This summer, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina (FCNC), in partnership with Overmountain Cycles, will offer free mountain bike rides at Oak Hill Community Park and Forest, including providing bikes and all of the necessary equipment, with a focus on introducing people to the recreational activity while providing environmental education experiences.  

“We’re excited to offer people the opportunity to try mountain biking and see if they enjoy it without the barriers of acquiring all of the equipment and hauling it to the trailhead,” said Ian Spinelli, FCNC’s marketing and development manager. “Oak Hill Park is a beautiful location to experience mountain biking for the first time. It’s the first trail I ever rode, and I can’t wait to witness others experiencing it for themselves.” 

FCNC will provide mountain bikes of various sizes, as well as helmets, gloves and water bottles, while Overmountain Cycles staff will offer a basic cycling overview and safety instruction, ensure equipment fits correctly, and help guide riders on the trail system. 

Each ride will include two groups: one that will tackle the full, 5-mile route, and a second that will take a shorter, 2.5-mile route.  Both rides will include planned stops where FCNC staff will deliver environmental education tips. Participants should be 13+, and have some experience and comfort riding a bicycle.

The first ride is scheduled for Saturday, June 22, 2024, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., with two additional summer rides scheduled for:

• Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 10 a.m.

• Saturday, August 3, 2024, at 10 a.m.

To register for the event, sign-up is available on FCNC’s website:  https://www.foothillsconservancy.org/communityevents