Welcome to the 6th annual Braintree 357 – CIRCUS RIDE! 

As the days cool off and fall approaches, it’s almost time for the Circus Ride. We host this event for the soul purpose of celebrating the love of riding bikes and being together. It is intimate, grassroots & highlights our local community’s passion for cycling.

If you have attended in the past you know what we mean! Set atop pictuersque Braintree hill at the mid-1800’s Braintree Meeting House, this event embodies all of what makes Vermont so special. The people, the place, the history, the vibe & the amazing backroads. We have no podiums, no pomp-and-circumstance, no timing…but we guarantee you will leave with a meaningful cycling experience that will stay with you for a lifetime! That my friends, is priceless!

What is the Circus Ride? The Circus Ride was named after the old circus that traveled from Randolph to Rochester up and over Randolph Gap and back again in the early 1900’s. It was noted that the elephants pulled the wagons up to the ridge and then they switched them to behind the wagons to ease them down the steep mountain roads. Local MTB guru Paul Rea put this loop together back in the mid-90’s when he hosted the New England Mountain Bike Festival in Randolph. The famed route was once highlighted in Mountain Bike Magazine as one of North America’s top 10 hardest mountain bike rides…..WOW, how the times have changed but so much has stayed the same.

A little about the route; It’s an adventure ride!  Between the smooth gravel sections, lay some rowdy woods road segments. The woods roads will require solid bike handling skills, focus, and strong legs. They are rocky, and muddy with multiple lines to choose from. A minimum tire size of 40mm or bigger is STRONGLY suggested, or a xc mtb would be well suited for this route. We will have one food/aid station mid-way through with tasty snacks and cold drinks. There will be a moto sweep to make sure everyone gets back safe and sound for the afterparty!

* 18.4 miles of rowdy woods roads (class 4)

* 16.4 miles of smooth as butter gravel roads

* 3.2 miles of easy peasy pavement

38 miles/6000′ vert

Here is an AMAZING VIDEO from last year from our friends- the Green Mountain Gravel guys

>>RIDE LEAVES AT 10AM, GATES/REG OPEN AT 8AM<<

Here is the Circus Ride Route & Cue sheet;

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37717641

AFTERPARTY; We are excited to hangout with you all again! The historic Braintree Meeting House is a warm and welcoming venue that has hosted many great parties over the years. Our friends at Bent Hill Brewery will be there with their tasty beers, and we’ll be slinging some great local food. Starting at around 2:30 our friends Soulstice will lay down their rootsy groove as we rest our weary legs. All are welcome to come hangout, so invite your friends! PLEASE NO DOGS!

What do you get with your entrance fee?  You will get one free beer and plate full of tasty food to fill your bellies. You will also get a classic B357 event shirt from our friends at Factotum Designs in Waterbury….AND memories that last a lifetime!

Meet our host & sponsors- 

Host-

Apex Trailworks LLC

Sponors-

Wilson Dentistry 

Rural VT Real Estate 

The Gear House 

Vermont Glove

Ridgeline Outdoor Collective 

Factotum Designs 

So sign up today, field is capped at 150 to keep it low impact on our community.

Registration

See you Oct 8th!

-The B357 crew