One-Day Waiver - MCA GRRLS

From 2006 until 2016, Babes in Bikeland was the largest and longest-running all femme, trans and women-centered allecyat (unsanctioned urban bike race) in the country. The ride inspired generations of new riders to challenge themselves, meet a new community and experience a bike space guided by the ethos of “by us and for us.”

Though ten years have passed since the last iteration of Babes, the community hasn’t gone away! We envision Babes in Bikeland 11 to be a celebration — a bike race and ride for women, trans, femme and gender expansive riders.

For the 2026 event, you will simply register on BikeReg to participate. And at the start, riders will have the option of two route lengths (approximately 10 or 30+ miles). Compete solo or cruise with friends. Dress in your speediest spandex or a fun costume. The choice is yours.

Registration opens at 12pm at Venture Bikes (Midtown Greenway at 10th Ave ramp). Race starts at 2pm.

If the cost of registration is a barrier to you participating, please reach out to us! [email protected].

Babes in Bikeland is for femme, trans, women and gender expansive riders — cis men are not eligible to ride in the event, but we would love your support! You can reach out [email protected] to express interest in volunteering.

Join us in celebrating the strength of all women at the 2026 YWCA Women’s Triathlon. We welcome all women and non-binary people who identify with womanhood to challenge themselves to a swim, bike and run around Lake Nokomis. The event course is also para-friendly for adaptive athletes, and some scholarships are available for first-time athletes. All racers ages 11 and up are welcome to participate in the SuperSprint and ages 14+ in the Sprint categories.

MTB Essentials:

MTB Essentials is perfect for the majority of riders out there. This session will cover everything you need to get dialed in for years to come. It all comes down to the basics and having the ability to get multiple reps in our ground school environment is key.

Our team of coaches will explain the rationale behind the technique, demonstrate it, then guide you through it. This instant feedback by coaches with years of real world riding and racing experience is instrumental in your growth during this session.

Topics covered:

Classroom

• Bike Setup: Positioning of Controls, Suspension Setup, Tire Pressure/Style

• Body Positioning Overview

• Hydration/Fueling

Technique

• Body Positioning

• Pumping

• Dynamic Braking

• Effective Turning

• Intro to Lifts

• Intro to Drops

• Intro to Jumps

We GUARANTEE a massive boost in confidence and fun on the trail! The best upgrade to ANY bike is a BETTER RIDER!

• ALL RIDERS MUST HAVE SOME TRAIL EXPERIENCE. Please reach out if you are unsure if MTB Essentials is the right fit for you.

MTB Progression: This builds on the MTB Essentials and having familiarity with our verbiage is key. Combining Essentials & Progression will get you close to 90+ min of jumping.

Topics Covered:

Classroom

• Rider Specific Control Setup

• Suspension Setup: Sag, Rebound, Compression settings

Technique

• Turning Matrix: Varying surfaces, increasing and decreasing radius, pre turn obstacle management (approx 45 min)

• Drop Progression: Height increases, speed decreases, and implements get added (approx 35 min)

• Lift Progression: Lift heights grow, as does the complexity (approx 35 min)

• JUMPING: Riders build confidence with more reps on multiple takeoffs and increasing distances (approx 45-55 min)

JUMP Session:

This event is all about getting comfortable in the air. That starts with a solid understanding of what it takes to get into the air properly. It's also critical to get as MANY reps as possible in a controlled environment and that's what the TRS ground school setting gives you. Please be sure you have a solid base for this class. It IS NOT recommended for new riders. There is quite a bit that comes before jumping a bike and the Essentials and Progression provide that.

Our Pro level coaches break down the dynamics involved with jumping a bike. Based on over 70 years experience, they guide you through their real world experience and give you key insight and cues on what to do and also what not to do. Our coach to rider ratio guarantees a high level of personal attention.

After showcasing the proper technique, you'll work through a series of reps and the distance will incrementally increase as your comfort level increases. Analysis and feedback using slow motion video will have you "busting big" in no time.

There's no substitute for experience when it comes to jumping a bike. The only problem is that experience in the right setting can be hard to come by. You'll get well over a 100+ reps on our jump lines and receive valuable feedback in the moment.

Are you ready to take your jumping to the next level?

RIDERS MUST HAVE:

• Experience jumping

• Full suspension bikes with suspension in working order

• Full safety gear including pads (Full Face helmet not required, but suggested)

This class is intended for riders with jump experience and will move at a specified pace. Coaching staff reserves the right to hold riders to pre determined distances based on performance.

Please reach out if you are unsure if this class is a proper fit for you.