NCC

Northampton Cycling Club

Membership is full of great benefits, including . . .

  • Racer rewards program
  • Discounted registration for NCC events, including our signature Tour of the Hilltowns race, our family-friendly BikeFest fall festival, and our annual Mt. Greylock Hillclimb
  • Discounts at local bike shops
  • Weekly Group Rides
  • Access to other great club activities and events, such as our Kids Race Series, Kids Cyclocross Training Program, Triathlon Team, and more…
  • The knowledge and satisfaction of supporting a fantastic local non-profit!

Contact Cycling@umass.edu for code for free membership

NCC Club Rides

MONDAY 

  • Delta Ride (Meet: Sheldon Field, Northampton Start: 5:30 PM). No-drop; 12-14 mph, 15-20 miles, touring, commuter, road, bikes are all welcome.

TUESDAY 

  • C-Ride (Meet:Pulaski Park, Northampton Start: 5:30 PM) Riders should be able to average 15-18 mph over 20-30+ miles, depending on the terrain. The route changes each week. The is a no drop ride!
  • Time Trials and Hill Climbs (All Tuesday night races start at 6 PM; start locations vary.TT/HC series details, overview, and points/time tracking available on the Tuesday Night Series events page; see also TT/HC series route descriptions and maps.

WEDNESDAY

  • A and B Ride (Meet:Pulaski Park, Northampton Start: 5:30 PM – always check calendar for start times) Description: We will ride up Route 9 and over to the center of Hatfield via River Rd as a combined group, then stop and let the A group go. The route continues on River Road into Sunderland and then to the Montague Book Mill and back following the Connecticut River. We return on Route 47. The Book Mill run goes a little over 37 miles with a single hill in the middle (see the Ride Routes post for a detailed map of the route).
  • CX Ride (Meet: Renaissance Center (UMass), Amherst 4:30 PM – always check calendar for start times) This ride is led by Dave Goodwin, and is open to all riders. Beginning next to the Renaissance Center building groups form and leave for informal laps on the course and generally separate into A, B, and C groups. Ride on your CX bike, MTB, or hybrid!
  • (Summers/July Only) Montague Crits

THURSDAY 

  • Hilltown route (Meet:Pulaski Park, Northampton Start: 5:30 PM) Description: This is a hilly 36 mile route that rolls through Florence, Leeds and Williamsburg before heading sharply uphill to Route 116 and then downhill to Conway (see the Ride Routespost for a detailed map of the route).  This ride usually consists of A and B level riders. It is typically a combined A/B ride with a REASONABLE, and ideally, CONVERSATIONAL pace (16-19 MPH) up until the center of Williamsburg. The pace picks up on the climb out of Williamsburg, with a regroup point at Route 116 and another regroup after the Whately Road climb. This is a drop ride, but with regrouping.

SATURDAY

  • Saturday B Ride (Meet:Pulaski Park, Northampton Start: 10 AM in the spring/fall, 9 AM in the summer. We can ride anywhere from forty to eighty miles. So long as riders are generally matched we aim to work together and wait on selected hills to regroup. Plan to do some climbing on this ride as we often patch together a series of climbs that can total anywhere from two to six-thousand feet of climbing.
  • Saturday C Ride (Meet:Pulaski Park, Northampton Start: 10 AM in the spring/fall, 9 AM in the summer. We can ride anywhere from 30 to 60 miles. Expect a conversational and supportive pace the entire ride. This ride is NO DROP.

Ride Paces:

  • A Rides = 20mph and above average speed
  • B Rides = 18 to 20mph average speed on flatter routes
  • C Rides = 15 to 18 mph average speed on flatter routes
  • D Rides = 12 to 14 mph average speed

Most NCC rides leave from Pulaski Park, 240 Main St, Northampton: :