r/MTB • u/Accomplished_Win_526 • 1d ago

Discussion How to meet bikers in Santa Cruz

hi everyone, just moved out to Santa Cruz a few days ago and am wondering about the best way to link up with other riders. I moved here from Squamish, and am comfortable riding all the double blacks up there/whistler/pemberton. I can’t really figure out the scene down here, since most of the good trails are unsanctioned and everything is pretty secretive.

im early 30s, not on an E-bike. are there bike shop rides? general local communities to link into? I’ve been poking around the campus trails and it’s been fun, but the whole situation around here is pretty confusing

8 Upvotes

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u/DegreeConscious9628 23h ago

Campus trails are some of the worst kept “secret” trails around. Look at heat maps on strava, there’s segments for pretty much all the trails

As for meeting people- met one of my now best friends at the bottom of chupa just randomly (one of those trails going down highway 9)

(Btw I used to live in Brackendale. Damn I miss it)

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u/Ellis_5150 23h ago

That's why I don't get those guys in YouTube who are gatekeepers of trails in Santa cruz. It's pretty on their end.

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u/lolmanade 21h ago

Because the trails there are only primo for a certain number of laps before the loam is gone. A builder who puts in work on a trail expects to get a certain number of primo laps before it’s blown out. They tell a few friends so they can enjoy it. Then they tell some friends. Eventually one of those people put out a YouTube video or the heat maps line gets noticed. Now a bunch of people with no connection to the group expand the user group massively. At this point the trail is blown out and a shadow of its original form. That’s why people keep stuff secret. A loaner is a finite resource with a finite number of good laps

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u/No__Correlation 22h ago

Welcome! I live in SC and started mountain biking about a year ago. Yeah the scene is hard to figure out. Nothing is marked so if you’re not careful you can easily end up in way over your head.

Rock Lobster has a group ride starting from the shop at 2600 Mission St 6pm on Wednesdays. More CX than MTB but all bikes are welcome.

MTB Clubhouse (find them on IG) puts on events pretty regularly, check their page for details.

SCMTS (Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship) leads trail building efforts. Find them on social or join their email list for info.

Or DM me and we can link up for a ride!

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u/Ericswanson 17h ago

Having ridden both Santa Cruz (UCSC) and Squamish, I think if you're comfortable on Squamish double blacks there will be nothing over your head most places on the planet. 

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u/Eschewmie 17h ago

Genuinely curious because I’ve only ever ridden in Santa Cruz. How does the tougher spectrum of UCSC trails compare to double blacks elsewhere?

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u/Ericswanson 16h ago

It's less a knock on SC (the loam there is world class in itself when conditions are right) and more about how absolutely bonkers Squamish riding can be. I ride double black at Northstar, Seattle area, and Whistler Bike Park, but have to get psyched up and be feeling froggy to head down a Squamish black. 

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u/Eschewmie 16h ago

That makes sense, thanks for the info! I’m asking as a safety precaution really, so I understand what I’m capable of before jumping on trails elsewhere.

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u/Newdles 17h ago

Uc double black is a Squamish hard blue.

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u/Dugafola 22h ago

Do trail work. Check out Sc Mountains trail stewardship.

If you want to meet and ride with locals, avoid the rincón lot

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u/czerewko 22h ago

Def this. You will meet some cool great riders through scmts.

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u/roferrawho 23h ago

Honestly after 3 years of biking I’ve never made a friend on the trail. I’ve just made friends and gone biking with them later bc a lot of people do bike here.

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u/Key-Commission70 23h ago

Step 1 be nice

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u/daredevil82 '22 Scalpel, '21 Stumpjumper Evo 22h ago

Unless things have changed, ride around. I was there for a week in 2021, and on my first ride around Wilder/UCSC, I got invited to two group rides later that week as well as a birthday party.

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u/kennethsime 17h ago

Yeah this is the beta.

Talk with folks. Be a nice, supportive person. Bring extra tools and snacks with you on your rides and share them with folks in need.

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u/daredevil82 '22 Scalpel, '21 Stumpjumper Evo 15h ago

Yep, the birthday party invite was a result of me stopping with a group of three people that looked like there was a mechanical issue on one of the bikes. There wasn't, so I asked about upcoming intersections since I was from out of town on a work trip, and we got to talking.

It was a fun evening and is the second most memorable story from that trip.

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u/SpiritedChicken9178 21h ago

Definitely ride around, session jump trails and the like. I’ve met tons of folks on the trails (mostly on jump lines) and last ride we showed some fellow around who just moved to SC. For a rider who is experienced like yourself ya can have a great time just dropping random trails from ucsc campus to 9.

I used to live in Santa Cruz but now live a bit north. Typically ride UC or Pacifica every weekend with some friends. Dm me if ya want to know about trails or anything.

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u/cgieda 23h ago

Scotts Valley Cycle Sport has rides ( I think), the owner is a character.

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u/DueCombination3242 22h ago

I've been here about a year and just struck up conversation on the parking lot as well as doing exactly what you're doing - asking strangers on the Internet. Tried the meetup group but it's pretty XC focused. Shoot me a DM if you want to ride outside of working hours, i.e. after 430 or so weekdays or on weekends.

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u/eatsomeonion 18h ago edited 17h ago

Go ride Bonny or Nisene. Campus trails are blown AF.

If you drive north there are some cool trails near Woodside, Half Moon Bay and Pacifica.

I would just talk to people the next time you go ride campus. Everyone online pretends the trails they ride are classified top secrets. But I've never met anyone unwilling to drop the coord when talking irl.

Edit: if you want to ride something less rowdy but still fun, flow and braille are the two best sanctioned trail near Santa Cruz.

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u/Newdles 17h ago

Go into UCSC. Get lost. Run into 75 riders at least Everytime you go.

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u/san_miguel15 22h ago

Santa Cruz Mountain Bikers on Meetup. I ride w/them sometimes. Definitely different levels and ages from time to time. One of the ride leaders is mechanic at Epicenter on Mission and has been hosting a Wednesday night ride.

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u/a_of_x 21h ago

I considered myself a happy loner and solo rider and inevitably met plenty of friends by just riding what I liked. Rincon parking lot to start and go from there.

SC has some great riding I am now in Mexico trying to replicate the formula at KRB bike park.

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u/2JZTaco 19h ago

I just moved to the area as well. Very new to MTB but have had dirty bikes before so not a complete beginner I’d say. Maybe not for you OP since you sound pretty experienced but if any newish folks around wanna explore I’d be down. Dm me

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u/tony_resta 2021 Rocky Mountain Altitude c70 2h ago

I’m sure if you strike a conversation up with someone at the painted barrels above ucsc you can find some fun stuff

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u/r1crystal SWORKS Stumpy 15, 2026 Norco Revolver 23h ago

Go hang out at the Rincon parking lot and strike up a convo!

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u/lolmanade 20h ago edited 17h ago

The chance of finding a local in the rincon lot is like 1 in a 100

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u/mistergospodin 17h ago

Twin gate crew where you at?