What is changing?
For the 2020 season, Thursday night group rides will be capped at 100 women at each location. Online registration will open one week prior to each ride and is included in your WMBA membership. For many of our group rides, we will offer rides at two locations, separated by skill level.
Why this change?
The WMBA community has grown tremendously over the years, and we want to make sure that our growth is sustainable. By limiting group ride sizes at each location, our impact will be felt less by each park. Smaller group sizes should also allow for a better experience on the trail for all of our members.
It is also the policy of Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation that group rides with more than 100 people are considered special events, and special events are not permitted at parks that are TOPS properties. The WMBA Board of Directors worked in conjunction with COS Parks and Recreation to make sure that WMBA is acting in good faith as community partners to protect the trails that we all enjoy riding on.
Is pre-registration required?
No, but it is strongly recommended. There are maximum group ride sizes that are dependent on the park venue we use each week. For most locations the ride size will be limited to 100 riders. If there are additional spots available after pre-registration, they will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Is there a waitlist?
We will not have a waitlist for the 2020 season.
How exactly does registration work?
We will share more details on our online registration system in May.
Why didn’t you pursue a different option?
The WMBA Board of Directors considered many options to manage our growth strategically and to comply with all applicable park policies. After weighing many pros and cons, the BOD decided that pre-registration and splitting up ride locations would offer the best experience. Just as we have done in past years, we will collect member feedback at the end of the season and we will take that into consideration as we plan how to organize our rides for the next season.
Why can’t we go back to the old system?
WMBA grew to the point of having multiple group rides in excess of 100 riders in 2019. That growth pushed us into the definition of a “special event” for the Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation managed properties. Because we want to be good members of our community we worked in conjunction with COS Parks and Rec to make sure that our rides would adhere to all park policies and would not negatively impact the parks we love to visit or negatively impact other trail users.
I have some more questions, can you help me?
Yes, we’re here to help. We have planned a virtual town hall meeting prior to our first group ride to offer some more information on this change and answer any questions that you might have. Or you can always reach out to bod@wmbacos.org if you have additional questions.