About 700 riders competed in last year’s event
Published in the April 29 – May 12, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
It’s back. The second annual Spring Bike Classic presented by Specialized Bicycle Components and Bicycling Magazine, takes place May 3. This one-of-a-kind event provides every kind of cyclist — from experienced athletes to casual riders — with a premier experience in Northern California, including safe, beautiful routes; support; a family-friendly expo; after party, and the chance to go behind the scenes at Specialized.
Specialized has played a significant role in making Morgan Hill a city well known in the cycling world. The company started in Campbell in 1974 and moved its headquarters to Morgan Hill about a decade later. Now with about 350 employees, local residents often see a cycling pack of Specialized workers on their lunch break cruising through the downtown and rolling along rural South Valley roads.
The event starts at the home of Specialized’s headquarters. The three routes of 25, 60, and 90 miles offer riders of every ability the chance to enjoy some of the most scenic roads in Northern California — the same climbs and thrilling descents used as proving grounds for Specialized’s cutting-edge bikes and equipment.
Entry fees include lunch, attentive on-course mechanical and nutritional support, and the chance to ride alongside Bicycling Magazine editors, and Specialized’s staff. The 25-mile route (10 a.m.) is suitable for new riders and families, while the 60 (9 a.m.) and 90 (8 a.m.) mile loops feature timed climbs with prizes for the top male and female climbers. All riders, their families and the Morgan Hill community, are invited to attend a post-ride party with healthy lunch options including some of the Bay Area’s best food trucks, beer, a kids bike rodeo, and more.
The entry fee for the 90-mile ride is $80; the 60-miler is $60 and the 25-mile ride is $35. Riders 17 and younger can participate in any of the three distances for a special youth rate of $20. Register for all three distances at Bicycling.com/SpringClassic. Bicycling and Specialized are working directly with the city of Morgan Hill and the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance to create a safe and community-friendly environment that attracts riders andfamilies from across California.
The Spring Classic, created in 2014, was conceived as a way to show off some of the country’s best road cycling routes and attracted about 700 riders to its inaugural event.
