Hosted at Paradox Brewery in North Hudson, the Handlebarley Gravel Weekend features two incredible fall days of gravel riding in the southern Adirondacks. Best part is you can sign up to ride just Saturday, only Sunday, or make it a full weekend.
Regardless of the number of days you choose to ride, you're guaranteed some awesome dirt, equally amazing views and a whole lot of fun. Saturday's ride is a 20-mile afternoon social cruise to stunning Elk Lake Lodge followed by post ride drinks at the brewery. The main event is Sunday where we venture east of the brewery to Ironville for a stop Hunter Way Farm and the Penfield Homestead Museum before heading back to the brewery for a pizza and salad feast complete with live music. In between, you'll experience some of the finest paved and gravel backroads anywhere in the region.
Need a teaser, check out this sweet video from last year's event.
Dates: September 14-15
Location: North Hudson
Mileage: 20-44 miles
Participation Cap: 150 riders
Benefits: Penfield Homestead Museum
Best of all, the event benefits the Penfield Homestead Museum in historic Ironville, known as the "Birthplace of Electrical Age." The museum is not just a homestead, but a group of 19th century buildings and extensive grounds. During your visit, you can check out the home built by Allen Penfield, farm yard barns, a church and parsonage built in the 1840s.
Registration Includes
Saturday Elk Lake Ride Only
- Full ride support
- Stocked rest stop at Elk Lake Lodge
- Tour the Elk Lake Lodge property
- One free pint of delicious Paradox craft beer
Sunday Handlebarley Ride Only
- Full ride support
- 2 well stocked rest stops
- One free pint of delicious Paradox craft beer
- Pizza & salad finish feast
- Live music
- Event gift
Full Weekend Package
- All of the above plus a Handlebarley hoodie
Rider Experiences
"The Handlebarley is a unique combination of many things like - a relatively small but diverse group of riders, a variety of terrain, scenery and road surfaces, unique and welcoming rest stops, mileage, and elevation sweet spot that just makes you feel good, and brings a smile to my face whenever I reflect on the event."
"This is a must ride event. Put it on your bicycling calendar! Thanks to the Bike ADK team for an incredibly well run and fun event!"
"Everything about the ride went off without a hitch. The rides were well planned and great distances. The views at the end of both rides were fantastic. We could not have asked for better weather. I would definitely recommend this event to all of my cycling friends."
Event Schedule
Saturday, September 14
1p - On-Site Check In Opens
2p - Elk Lake Route Sendoff
430p - Casual gathering at Paradox Brewery
Sunday, September 15
8a - On-Site Check In Opens
930a - Route Sendoff
12:30p - Post Ride Party Begins
12:30-3p - Live Music
Routes
Faqs
What does registration include?
Registration includes:
Saturday Elk Lake Ride Only
- Full ride support
- Stocked rest stop at Elk Lake Lodge
- Tour of Elk Lake Lodge property
- One free pint of delicious Paradox craft beer
Sunday Penfield Ride Only
- Full ride support
- Well stocked rest stop
- One free pint of delicious Paradox craft beer
- Pizza & salad finish feast
- Live music
- Event gift
Full Weekend Package
- All of the above plus a long sleeve Handlebarley hoodie
Are e-bikes allowed?
Yes, all pedal assist e-bikes are welcome.
How challenging is the route?
By clicking the "Routes" tab you can see a Ride with GPS profile for the routes. From here you can also download the route and print cue sheets.
What does the event support?
A portion of the event proceeds will be donated to the Penfield Homestead Museum.
What is the refund policy?
The policy is as follows:
- Refunds of any amount do not include BikeReg service fees.
- 100% if requested 60 or more days before the event.
- 50% if requested between 60-30 days before the event.
- Refunds are not available if requested less than 30 days before the event. However, the registration can be transferred to another person or deferred to the following year.
- If the event is canceled by organizers, 100% refunds will be issued or registrations can be deferred to the following year.
LODGING
Our lodging partner for the Handlebarley is the newly renovated Blue Ridge Motel is offering discounted rates for Handlebarley riders. When you book, let them know you're riding the Handlebarley by using the code 2024Handlebarley to receive 10% off your stay between September 13 - September 15.
The Blue Ridge Motel was purchased in December 2019 by Blue Ridge Hospitality, LLC, a woman-owned business that is completing extensive renovations to allow their guests many modern comforts. In addition to room renovations, the lobby was also refurbished allowing the motel to offer complimentary continental breakfast and a small gift shop.
Blue Ridge Motel's goal is to make sure that every guest, be it families, hikers, bicyclists, or sportsmen, have an amazing Adirondack experience and enjoy their stay. What can be better than starting off each day, knowing you're rested and ready for a day of fun in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains?