As Cycle Oregon continues to work on spreading more bike love throughout Oregon, we’re excited to announce that we’re going to get a little more dirty this year and have joined up with Mountain Bike Oregon to be their 2019 title sponsor.

“Mountain Bike Oregon is a world-class, multi-day cycling event that has helped the town of Oakridge establish itself as mountain biking mecca. The event is a natural fit for Cycle Oregon, which is focused on supporting rural communities and transforming lives through cycling,” says Steve Schulz, Cycle Oregon Executive Director. “We are continually working to expand our brand into different modes and accessibilities of cycling, and to introduce folks to the benefits of bicycle tourism. Mountain Bike Oregon is a great event to help us achieve this.”

As title sponsor, Cycle Oregon will partner with Mountain Bike Oregon to provide financial support and 30-plus years of logistical experience. Together, the two organizations seek to strengthen the cycling-focused festival and the economic benefit it provides for the communities of Oakridge and Westfir.

One of the country’s premier mountain biking events, Mountain Bike Oregon will this year be held July 19-21 in Oakridge, Ore. Now in its fifteenth year, the festival features three days of fully-supported single-track riding in the Willamette National Forest for mountain bikers.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Cycle Oregon as our title sponsor for 2019,” said Daniella Crowder, Mountain Bike Oregon Event Director. “Cycle Oregon has done so much to boost tourism throughout the state and support local economic development. We hope that by working together, Mountain Bike Oregon and Cycle Oregon can provide an even better experience for the riders who choose to spend their vacation exploring our state on two wheels – either by road, gravel or single-track trails.”

Mountain Bike Oregon has consistently been named in the Top 10 Mountain Bike Festivals in the country, helping raise awareness about the world-class mountain biking trails around Oakridge. The Central Oregon town about 45 miles east of Eugene was recently designated a Gold Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA), which recognized the town for its extensive trail network, masterfully designed for mountain bikers of every skill level, and built by professional trail builders and local volunteers.  Oakridge is one of only 6 Gold Level Ride Centers in the world.

Mountain Bike Oregon offers three days of fully-supported rides for mountain bikers of varying levels, a centrally located group camp site, breakfast and lunch, an all-inclusive beer garden, food carts for dinner, and nightly entertainment. Registration is now open at mtboregon.com.

This isn’t the first time Cycle Oregon has partnered with other cycling events. Over the years, the organization has helped support events such as The Gorge Ride, Ride for Two Rivers, Sisters Stampede, the Oregon Active Transportation Summit and the Policymakers Ride, among others.

“Cycle Oregon is more than just awesome bike rides. Embedded in our DNA is becoming part of the fabric of Oregon’s rural communities and we can only do so many events as an organization,” says Schulz.  “By partnering with other events throughout the state, we can help provide support outside of our signature events. Our hopes are that with our strong brand reputation and over three decades of experience and roots throughout Oregon we can help other events become even more successful and make an even bigger impact supporting Oregon’s rural communities.”