VeloLove Youth accepts riders who are currently in Kindergarten through 7th grade at the time of application.

Older riders (8-12th grades) can apply for the VeloLove Elite program.

A working mountain bike: Please make sure that the tires are aired up (and hold air) and that the brakes and shifters are working properly. If you are looking for a new bike, or you are unsure if the bike you have is “trail worthy/trail safe”, our dedicated team shop Timpanogos Cyclery can set you up with a good bike, and make sure that it fits your rider. 

Helmet: Make sure that it is properly fitting. The front of the helmet should sit in the middle of the forehead and should stay in place. The helmet should not be over 5 years old, as the foam does deteriorate and weaken. If someone shows up without a helmet (junior athlete or adult) they will not be allowed to ride with us. No exceptions.

Water bottle/Camelbak AND water: If you use a water bottle cage on your bike, make sure that the bottle fits snugly within the cage so the bottle does not fall out during the ride. Please do not use disposable water bottles, they will fall out on the trail. Make sure that your Camelbak or water bottle is filled before practice, as some of our ride locations do not have water available for refills. We have found that Camelbaks are easier for young kids to use.

Bike gloves: While not required, they are recommended to protect hands in the event of a crash. 

Sunglasses: While not required, they are recommended to protect eyes from debris (dirt, sticks, bugs) and in the event of a crash. 

Tube and tire levers: Bring an extra tube the size of your tire. This can be placed in a backpack or a jersey pocket. 

Hand pump or CO2/plugs for tubeless tires: This is recommended for all adult leaders and coaches.  

Shoes: Close-toed shoes are required! NO SANDALS. You do not need to have “mountain bike specific” shoes, however they are helpful and can maintain a better contact area on the pedals than a regular shoe. We also recommend using flat pedals for our younger riders (not clipped in) until they are proficient riders.

Our rides are mainly in Utah County, with some exceptions for special events. The Utah County trailhead locations we utilize the most are:

Valley Vista, Pleasant Grove

Lambert Park, Alpine

Hogs Hollow, Corner Canyon

Little Valley Loops, Corner Canyon

Timpanogos Park, Provo Canyon

Hidden Hollow, Eagle Mountain

No. All riders must apply and be accepted into the VeloLove program before they ride with the team. In addition, all parent and youth riders must have a signed waiver before they can participate.

We will begin rides in the spring when the trails are clear (usually around mid to late April). Each year, our final event of the season will be on the Wednesday following Labor Day.

Our school time schedule

Monday and Wednesday from 5:15pm-6:45pm. Athletes and parents are required to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of the ride so that all athletes can get checked into their assigned groups, and we can ensure we have enough ride leaders in each group.

Our summer schedule

Monday and Wednesday from 7:30am-9am. The 15 minute early arrival applies to all rides.

We can not make this club work without the help of parents. We ask that you attend rides and help as a ride leader as often as possible. Don't worry, we will ensure that you understand what you are doing and give you the tools you will need to succeed. Most parents who are new(er) to mountain biking, find that this is an excellent time to start riding with the youngest groups. There is an ability group that will fit for every ride leader parent.

If you don’t/aren’t able to ride, whether it is due to a physical limitation or a scheduling conflict, please reach out to see how you can help with parties, prizes, sponsorship, race support, planning etc.

The first two weeks of rides we do a lot of adjustments to the ability groups, so don't worry too much about what group you select for your athlete. Select the group that you feel bets fits with your athlete's skill level.

Ability Groups:  When applying for VeloLove Youth, you will self-select your child’s ability group.

The ability groups are a way for us to ensure that the riders stay on trails that they are comfortable with, that they don’t feel pressured to go faster than they are capable, and ensure that they aren’t bored in a group which is slower than their ability.

WE WILL MAKE CHANGES TO THE ABILITY GROUPS AFTER THE FIRST FEW RIDES TO ENSURE EACH ATHLETE IS IN A GROUP THAT FITS THEM.

Group descriptions are listed on the application form as well as here. 

PINK: K-2nd Early Beginner Athlete is just learning to ride on trails or can do beginner trails at a slow pace. Example trails: Soft Rock at Valley Vista, or A/B/C line at Little Valley Loops.                                 

RED: 3-6th Late Beginner Athlete is just learning to ride on trails or can do beginner trails at a slow pace. Example trails: Soft Rock or Rose at Valley Vista, A/B/C line at Little Valley Loops.

*Note that pink and red are both beginner groups, with age being the difference.

ORANGE: K-2nd Intermediate Athlete has been riding for a year or more and can do beginner trails easily. Example trails: Gamble at Valley Vista or Cowley's Curse at a slower pace. River or High Bench at Lambert Park.                                                               

YELLOW: 3-8th Intermediate Athlete has been riding for at least a year. Can do beginner trails without any hesitation on the ascent or descent. Athlete is able to do longer rides. Example trails: Gamble at Valley Vista or Cowley's Curse at a slower pace.                                                                    

GREEN: 3-8th Advanced IntermediateAthlete is very comfortable ascending and descending on a bike, at a fast pace. Athlete has been riding for at least a couple years. They can handle intermediate trails without stopping for breaks. Example trails: Cowley's Curse and Cure and The Pit at Valley Vista, Ann's trail, Fango, Longview, Achtung, at Corner Canyon.                                                  

BLUE: 3-8th Advanced Athlete is confident and skilled on a bike, can ride advanced trails without hesitation. Athlete has been riding for a few years, can do longer, more technical rides at a fast pace without getting fatigued. May start to race on the junior high team. Example trails: Cowley's Curse, Cowley's Cure, The Pit, Sneaky Shiz at Valley Vista. Ann's, Canyon Hollow, Rush, Achtung, Zooropa, Vertigo, Fango at Corner Canyon

WHITE: 7-8 grade ADVANCED Athlete has previous race experience, has been riding for several years and can easily do 15+ miles at a fast pace without taking breaks. Athlete MUST be confident on all terrain. This is a good group for athletes going into JR DEVO! This group is FAST and will ride between 10-15 miles in a practice. DO NOT SIGN UP for this group unless your athlete is prepared to work hard and they have the skill, speed and endurance to handle longer, more challenging rides. Example trails: Sneaky Shiz and Thunderdome at Valley Vista, Rattlesnake (Altar) at Timpanogos, More technical sections of the BST, Rush, Achtung, Vertigo, Zooropa... basically, the white group athlete should be able to ride any trail with the exception of black trails.

All athletes are required to purchase THIS YEAR’S  jersey. Shorts, bibs, socks, hoodies etc. are optional and can be purchased on the team store. We are very lucky to have sponsors who support this free program. This is our way of ensuring that we support them and appreciate their sponsorship.