TEAM ROARING MOUSE
Competitive Cycling Team
TEAM ROARING MOUSE
MOUNTAIN
Mountain biking traces its roots to the Bay Area, when Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly, and Tom Ritchey would send it down the dirt roads of Marin county. The sport has come a long way since the early days of no suspension (or functioning brakes!).
Cross country (XC) tests a rider’s fitness as well as skill, with trails that include open fire roads to winding narrow singletrack. Downhill (DH) is a pure gravity game with racers speeding down singletrack with gnarly features and jumps. Technical prowess and bike handling skills rule the day. Enduro is blend of climbing and descending, with a social pace on the up and race pace on the down. This style of mountain biking is fast growing in popularity due to the high fun factor. TRM has a Enduro specific focus within the team.
Team Roaring Mouse members are well represented in all mountain bike disciplines (especially Enduro). Nearly 75% of the team will ride or race mountain bikes in some way during the year. We also organize weekend trips throughout the summer and fall to get away, ride with friends and enjoy the mountains.
Our members range from advanced beginners who are just getting into the sport to expert racers who top the local podiums. Regardless of riding ability, all members encourage those who are newer to the sport to learn and progress in a safe environment.
ENDURO
What do you get when you mix full suspension trail bikes, a conversational climbing pace, and timed, anaerobic-induced descending on technical terrain lasting for 5-20 minutes? Enduro mountain bike racing. It’s a lot like riding with your friends on any normal weekend MTB ride.
Enduro events boast a relaxed vibe coupled with a healthy amount of fun and sense of camaraderie. Expect a weekend with 3-4k of climbing over 20-40 miles, lift assisted climbs, chip timing, camping, food, beer, and the chance to ride at renowned destinations where you and your friends can enjoy a love of the mountains.
Team Roaring Mouse has approximately 30 registered users in the California Enduro Series. We have men and women racing beginner to expert classes in all age groups. Our emphasis is on fun. Results are fantastic and celebrated, but never expected. Some of the venues where we play are Northstar Resort, Mammoth Mountain, China Peak Resort, Ashland OR, and Auburn CA.
For a glimpse at the life of a pro enduro rider, watch On Track with Curtis Keene and the recaps of the Enduro World Series (EWS) on YouTube or Red Bull TV.
CYCLOCROSS
Cyclocross is what happens when adults refuse to grow up. Part criterium, part cross-country and all fun (in a type two sort of way), this cycling discipline will both humble and exhilarate.
Team Roaring Mouse has a large number of members who participate in cyclocross each year, including a dedicated subset who make this discipline their racing priority.
Our members race across all categories and age groups. There will rarely be a day with only one Mouse in the field. Because of this, you can look forward to incessant heckling, beer hand-ups and good ol’ fashion cheering that will motivate you through the pain.
ROAD
On any given day, you can almost always find members from Team Roaring Mouse out on the road. We interpret "road" in the broadest, most fun sense. Smooth roads and fast pacelines are great for training and team camaraderie. Scenic climbs in gorgeous, low traffic areas of Norcal? Heck yeah! Old patchy asphalt, gravel roads, even the occasional single track detour? Yes for sure.
Norcal is a powerhouse of road racing and we do our part. We've entered (and won!) our share of road races and crits. One of our core team values is to support the cycling community. For the past several years we have provided course marshalling and other support for the Berkeley Hills Road Race, the oldest continuously running bike race in America.
GRAVEL
As a cycling discipline, gravel riding is the new kid on the block. This style involves mixed terrain, often transitioning from dirt to pavement throughout the course of the day.
Gravel grinders are a style of racing that takes these mixed terrain adventures to a new level. These events are a hybrid between road racing and cyclocross. Courses are typically 50+ miles and involve lots of elevation along rarely traveled fire roads in obscenely beautiful locations.
Nearly all Team Roaring Mouse members get out for gravel fun now and again, whether riding together in the Marin Headlands or traveling to the Sierras for a long race along the mountains.
WOMEN'S TEAM
Team Roaring Mouse is a proud supporter of and advocate for women on bikes. Our members include women of all ability levels and riding disciplines. Whether you’re just getting into riding road with a group or you’ve been a semi-pro enduro racer for years, TRM welcomes you to our crew. We’re also happy to boast that a quarter of our membership is women. While this isn’t gender parity yet, it’s still far above the average national rate that estimates only 10% of all cyclists are women.
Having a sizable women’s presence on TRM allows our members to meet, ride, and compete with others who share their cycling experience. This large peer group can provide advice or encouragement on all aspects of cycling, whether you need help mastering a tricky technical section on a trail or are looking for suggestions about the best chamois to buy. We also organize women’s team rides and events throughout the year.