Fall Dirt Pile Cyclocross Race #1 @ New Belgium Brewery - 2026

FALL DIRT PILE CYCLOCROSS BIKE RACES @ NEW BELGIUM BREWERY

SEPT. 29, OCT. 6, 13, 20 & 27
Online registration ONLY (opens Wednesday for following week)

Hosted by: Send Town Bike Club, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to getting kids on bikes in Fort Collins, courtesy of New Belgium Brewing.

Along with our Community Partners, we're excited to welcome you and your family to some fun evenings! With strider through adult categories, there’s no other event like this Tuesday night bike racing tradition in Northern Colorado. Fun courses for all are on tap, along with a food truck, beer garden, volunteer opportunities, and more end of series prizes from our partners!

The races are also our largest fundraiser, supporting our mission: Cultivating a lifelong passion for cycling through adventure and community. Please consider an additional donation.

REGISTRATION & RACE DAY

• Registration & completed waiver required to race or ride on the course, no exceptions, no waitlist

• Kids-Strider, Kids-Beginner & Kids-Intermediate categories race for FREE! (optional donation per ticket)

  • Post race treats for kids categories provided by our awesome Community Partners...including your local bike shops!

  • Kids category racers must register each week (no series registration available)

  • Those 18 and under racing in adult full course categories receive a 50% discount using code ONLYFOR18UNDER

• Age 19 and over race for $17.50

  • "Entire Series" registration is only available before the first race and not available for free categories

  • At the last event of the season, racers are eligible for end of series prizes, which may include a bike, gift cards & other items from Community Partners!

    • Each paid race counts as one entry

    • Additional entries may be available for purchase

    • Must be present to win (giveaway to occur before the open race)

• ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL DONATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED in all categories, with all proceeds supporting our youth programming, scholarships, and more!

• SAFETY is our priority...and we need your help:

  • Adhere to parking details below

  • Be courteous at the venue, including while racing!

  • Be aware of all race course crossings when entering/exiting the venue

    • Before crossing: Stop and look both ways; wait for course marshal direction as applicable

    • Manage all kids at crossings

  • Please do not allow kids to climb the brewery's trees

  • No drones are allowed without express permission

• PARKING is in the big empty lot on the New Belgium property, located on the North side of Buckingham, just west of Lemay

  • ABSOLUTELY NO VEHICLE/BIKE/PEDESTRIAN ACCESS FROM LINDEN ST. This is a New Belgium Brewing semi-truck entrance only and anyone found accessing this area will be asked to leave and unable to participate in the future (no warming up through the truck area!).

  • There is NO PARKING ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS!

  • Please, NO PUBLIC NUDITY when changing clothes for your race!

TIMES & CATEGORIES

4:00pm - Event opens

4:15pm - Kids-Striders: Strider-only course for laps upon laps of fun! - presented by THE WOMEN'S CLINIC OF NORTHERN COLORADO

4:25pm - Kids-Beginner: Beginner kids pedal bike course, featuring the shortest pedal course length with a dirt/gravel surface around the water treatment plant (recommended for ages 4 - 8, depending on experience) - presented by ALPINE BANK

4:40pm - Kids-Intermediate: A more-challenging-than-the beginner fun course option for those kids with more riding/racing experience, featuring a medium length, dogtown singletrack, and dirt pile closed circuit (geared bikes with 20"+ wheels required; recommended for experienced riders, ages 7+) - presented by TRAILCRAFT CYCLES

4:45pm - Beginner (adult/all ages): Full Dirt Pile course (2 laps;~20 min; chip timed) - presented by NCAP: NORTHERN COLORADO ANESTHESIA PROFESSIONALS

4:46pm  - Advanced-Juniors: Full Dirt Pile course (~2 laps; chip timed), featuring very steep grades, loose soil, obstacles that require dismounting/carrying your bike, and more challenges; this is a very difficult course and juniors must be able to ride it unassisted! (recommended for experts ages 12+) - presented by ORTHOPAEDIC & SPINE CENTER OF THE ROCKIES

5:10pm - Intermediate (adult/all ages): Full Dirt Pile course (3 laps;~25 min; chip timed) - presented by SOUKUP BUSH & ASSOCIATES, CPAs

5:45pm - Open, SS, Klunker & Uni-Cycle (adult/all ages): Full Dirt Pile course (5 laps for initial races; 4 laps for later races due to light;~30-35 min; chip timed); Klunker & Uni will start immediately following open wave - presented by CONNELL RESOURCES

We look forward to seeing you at the events!

FAQ

• Where do I park and how is the venue laid out?
  

• What kind of racing is this?
  For full course/adult categories:

  • Spring events are classified as short track mountain bike racing, which is a fast-paced mass-start format that takes place on a short, dirt circuit on which multiple laps are completed.

  • Fall events are classified as cyclocross (CX) bike racing. This fast-paced mass-start format that takes place on a short, dirt circuit with a few obstacles like barriers, stairs and more, on which multiple laps are completed. Aside from the dismounts for obstacles, this is very similar to the Spring short track racing!
    
    Most mountain, gravel or cyclocross bikes are acceptable and encouraged…use your own discretion based on your experience and abilities!
    

• Which category should I register for?
  If it's your first time, start with Beginner and see how it goes!

• The category I am trying to register is full, can I still race?
  Unfortunately, due to safety reasons, we cannot allow additional racers if a category is full. Come hang out though (heckling encouraged), and race the next week!

• Are the races chip timed?
  As part of our ongoing commitment to create an all-around great racing experience, and in response to valuable feedback from participants, we again have official timing for all full Dirt Pile course categories. While less essential for some participants, others value it highly and having it supports our goal of increasing participation across all categories. We work with a third-party partner, Big Horn Timing, to ensure the process meets the highest standards.

• What kind of bike do kids need to participate in the Kids & Junior races?
  These courses consist of a combination of gravel road and singletrack/dirt trail. A mountain bike is recommended, but any bike with tires that are not slick will do. Bikes with slick/road tires are not safe to race.

• Which category should I register my kid for?
  If it's their first time and their confidently/independently pedaling on mixed surfaces, the Kids-Beginner category is the best place to start! More experienced kids tend to race in the Kids-Intermediate category, and the most experienced, expert level older kids race Juniors-Advanced (note: this is the full dirt pile course and they may be racing amongst adults-IT IS VERY CHALLENGING with steep climbs, descents, off camber sections, dismounting and carrying their bike (Fall) and more. Do not register for this category if you are not familiar with the terrain and rider ability requirements.

• How can I cancel my registration?
  Up until 3 days before the event, you can self-service cancellation / refund using the Manage Order button on your confirmation email. After that point, no refunds are available.

• I am interested in volunteering at the races, who should I talk to?
  Thank you...we'd love your help! Please contact us at races@sendtown.org.

• I have questions or concerns before, during or after an event, who can I talk to?
  Please find a race coordinator on site or email races@sendtown.org.