I'm moving back home to Tacoma in a few weeks and wondering if there were some good group rides to get onto. Up here in Bellingham you can ride with 30+ people at least three times a week that are fast paced and challenging. Is there anything like this down in the Tacoma area that you guys are aware of?

Thanks,
Shawn

Old Town Bikes and Tacoma Wheelmen have rides, but it looks like you're looking for something fast paced which Old Town does. But with racing season and summer here, they rarely meet unless there's no race or event on a weekend.

Old Town Bikes race team ride info =>
https://narrowsvelo.org/rides.php

Tacoma Wheelmen info =>
https://twbc.org/

If you're looking for a somewhat close-by Tuesday training race/ride, might I recommend going to Pacific Raceways in Auburn =>
https://www.buduracing.com/pdf/courses%20for%202009.pdf

Another option would be to drive (I know you're in the Tacoma area) to Seattle for some of the fast paced CATs ride done by Cascade (https://www.cascade.org). I drive to some of those since Tacoma fast group rides are rare during this time. Since I'm coming back from an injury, I'd be happy to train/ride with you. Maybe we can carpool to a Cascade group ride.

Sounds pretty good jazzy. I've heard of the Tuesday night crit type races in Seattle and Auburn isn't too far away I guess. I suppose I'll have to get used to getting back in the car to go ride my bicycle again lol. I get down to Tacoma mid to late June. When the time gets closer we should definitely try and get something started.

Spoke and Sprocket in University Place (near Fircrest Golf Course) does some semi-hammer rides on Saturday mornings at 8 am and also does some wednesday evening rides. Depends on the makeup of the riders as to the speed, but usually 20-22 mph in the flats.

Tacoma Bike (new bike shop just off Puyallup Ave) does some rides I've heard are pretty fast on Sundays, check with the shop for times and start locations.

Old Town--in the offseason does rides on Saturdays in the am from cutters point coffee on 6th Ave.

Rainier cycle--no rides I'm aware of.

Tacoma Wheelmen rides are at a very sedate pace with lots of coffee stops.

Toughest group ride that I have done in the south sound is with the Capitol Bike Club in Olympia, last summer I went on a couple of crowded group rides 30-40 riders, that reached speeds in the mid and (sometimes) upper twenties with constant accelaerations and attacks. I was dropped numerous times--I don't race, and riding with that crew I realized I was nowhere ready to race.

Thanks tomat. That's exactly what I was looking for. I don't race either but want to. Getting dropped the first time out helped me realize that I really do need to start training. And coming back week after week has garnered me a little respect in the group. I'll have to look into those groups.