Reference
The four kinds of TGIF ride
Every ride we publish carries one of these four labels. The label tells you roughly what the day asks of you — the ride page tells you exactly.
Session
The ride before whatever’s next.
A Session is usually a shorter weekday ride built around getting out, spinning the legs and riding with people before bigger weekend plans. Social in nature, moderate by TGIF standards, slow for some and fast for others. Sessions have more regroups than Adventure and Expedition rides, but they are not no-drop rides. The hang afterward — usually food or a beer — is part of the point.
- Pace
- Moderate by TGIF standards — slow for some and fast for others.
- Group format
- More frequent regroups than Adventure and Expedition rides. Not no-drop.
- Terrain
- Route-specific. Check the ride page before you come.
- Best for
- Riders looking to spin the legs with people before bigger weekend plans.
- Come with
- A working bike, water, food and what you need to keep yourself rolling.
Group format is the default for this category. Individual rides can and do override it.
Adventure
Go somewhere new without going alone.
Longer days built around exploring somewhere together. More distance, terrain and commitment than a Session, with strategic regroup points.
- Pace
- Steady, with the freedom to ride climbs at your own speed.
- Group format
- Strategic regroups.
- Terrain
- Mixed surface, longer climbs, occasional rough sections.
- Best for
- Riders who have done a long day before and want a new one.
- Come with
- Food, more water than you think, spares, and a route loaded on your device.
Group format is the default for this category. Individual rides can and do override it.
Expedition
The rides you talk about for years.
Big, remote or technically demanding days where riders need to be prepared and self-sufficient. Navigation, weather and mechanical readiness matter.
- Pace
- Slow and long. Measured in hours, not averages.
- Group format
- Self-supported; regroups only where the ride specifies them.
- Terrain
- Remote, rough, exposed. Weather and altitude are part of the ride.
- Best for
- Experienced riders who are comfortable being self-sufficient.
- Come with
- Navigation, repair kit, layers, lights, and a realistic plan for turning around.
Group format is the default for this category. Individual rides can and do override it.
Signature
Worlds of their own, still ours.
The biggest expressions of TGIF — experiences such as Far Out and Endless Summer. The riding format can vary by event.
- Pace
- Varies by event and by route option.
- Group format
- Event-specific — see the individual event page.
- Terrain
- Route-specific — every Signature route is documented individually.
- Best for
- Anyone willing to plan a weekend around riding bikes with people.
- Come with
- Read the event page. Each one publishes its own logistics and route guides.
Group format is the default for this category. Individual rides can and do override it.
Explore Signature Experiences →