Established in 1970, FWBA has become one of the largest bicycling clubs in North Texas, with members who ride bicycles for recreation, fitness, sport, bicycle endurance events, competitive cycling events and triathlons. The club has riders of all fitness levels, skill levels, and ages. As a cycling club, our goal is to offer recreational bike rides in Fort Worth and the surrounding area. Our members ride various types of bicycles: road, hybrids, mountain, gravel, tandems, and recumbents. Because of our diverse background and skill levels, we offer several types of regularly scheduled rides allowing riders to choose the rides that best suits their riding skill.
Our Rides
FWBA schedules group rides each Saturday and Sunday year round throughout the Ft. Worth area, including Tarrant, Johnson, Ellis, Parker, Hood and Palo Pinto counties. Ride times, locations, and routes are posted on the Home page and Ride Calendar. To accommodate the various skill levels, the weekend club rides typically offer several distances and paces. Mountain or gravel bike rides are organized at some of the local State Parks or various North Texas locations. During the weekday, Club members meet at several locations and these rides are also noted on the Ride Calendar.
Each club ride is led by a volunteer, designated ride leader. For the newer or less experienced rider, the ride leader makes every effort to ensure everyone has a ride companion. Ride leaders provide navigational cue sheets at the start of each ride. Riders are also provided route hyperlinks which are posted on the RidewithGPS website, where maps and GPS/.tcx files for your Garmin or navigation device of choice are accessible. First time riders can call or email the ride leader before riding any club ride.
Routine club rides are not fee based and visitors are highly encouraged. Check the Ride Calendar page for specific details.
Special Events
The FWBA hosts a Spring Picnic, Holiday Party Banquet, participation in the famed Fort Worth Parade of Lights and several special ride events every year. FWBA riders are also very social and gather after rides for friendship and meals at local restaurants or share a cold watermelon in the parking lot. These types of gatherings are always an excellent opportunity to meet and get to know club members and others of the cycling community.
The FWBA is a nonprofit, totally volunteer organization dedicated to a high quality, year round recreational ride program with a friendly, social atmosphere. While our rides are open to the general public, membership makes you a part of our community. Membership in the FWBA is open to anyone. If you like our rides and continue to ride with us, we welcome you to become an FWBA member. Your $25/year family membership fee:
- Gives you free access to several RidewithGPS Basic & Premium Account features on our club routes ($50 value)
- Helps defray ride leader expenses for ride snacks, drinks, pre-drives
- Subsidizes club events described above
- Funds up-front inventory costs for jerseys, shorts, jackets, and other FWBA gear
- Provides member discounts at local bike shops
As you can see, the membership fee is a great value and supports club operations. We hope you will join us as a member and that you will join us out on the road soon!
Leakey Scenic Challenge
Ride HQ is the Frio Pecan Farm. It is a delightful resort with 2-bedroom cabins and several 3 or 4 bedroom houses that can all be reserved. The Pavilion is our meeting, greeting, and eating location each evening with plenty of room, a stage, cash bar, and whatever adventures we plan for. The Pecan Farm also has a kids' playground, paved loop for kids to ride, acres of trees, and friendly deer to watch. It is a fun place for the whole family!
Friday is a jump start with some great climbs and equally breath-taking descents. Although it is a warm up for the main event, it is usually challenging. We do offer a more relaxed "Flatland Route" along the river for those so inclined. Saturday is the most scenic, challenging, unforgettable century loop you will ever ride in Texas. Known to some as the Twisted Sisters, this route traverses valleys, mountaintops, river crossings, big climbs, big descents, and tree-covered backroads. Sunday offers a pilgrimage to the Lost Maples Cafe in iconic Utopia, Tx before heading home. Did I mention that we eat A LOT!? Some combination of provided meals, pot-luck, and an emerging restaurant base in town. A delightful lunch is provided out on the century route on Saturday. All meals are accompanied by fun and fellowship. You will GAIN weight on this trip. There is no telling what the weather will be: hot and dry.. cold and rainy... FABULOUS... you never know till you get there - bring all of your gear. We ride lots of miles, tell lots of stories, laugh all weekend, meet lots of new friends from all over. If you do this ride once, you will be hooked forever. Fort Davis Weekend
Austin to Ft Worth An on-again, off-again Spring event... most recently we have taken the AMTRACK Texas Eagle from Burleson down to Austin on Friday. It is amazing how much fun it is sitting in the upper deck bar car watching Texas roll by on the rails. Then we get on our bikes and ride back to Ft Worth, about 100 miles Saturday and Sunday.. not for the faint of heart! Due to the vagaries of Texas' spring weather.. sometimes we have a screaming tailwind, sometimes a punishing headwind! Once we took a detour to San Antonio.... look at a map and see how that works. On Sunday the FWBA club ride leaves Ft Worth and heads south to meet us half way and escort us back home! |
The third weekend in October is the FWBA's annual pilgrimage to Leakey in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. (It is pronounced LAKE-EE... we need to establish that right up front. The locals are pretty adamant about that.) This is the absolute best road riding in Texas. Vanderpool, Lost Maples, Camp Wood, Sparrow's Nest... some of Texas' greatest challenging beautiful hills. The Apple Store in Medina - best rest stop EVER. Friday and Saturday have full sag coverage provided by FWBA's BEST! For non-riding spouses or hiking enthusiasts, there is Garner State Park along the Rio Frio and Lost Maples State Park. 
The second weekend in August we trek to the historic west Texas town of Fort Davis. Thursday we ride to Balmorhea State Park for swimming in the crystal clear water of the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool. Friday we ride to Alpine Loop. Saturday we ride the (in)famous Davis
Mountains Scenic Loop past the University of Texas' world class McDonald Observatory at the highest, darkest peak in Texas. At some point we see the Marfa lights, sample the local fare at the Drug Store with old fashion Soda Fountain & other Ice Cream Stores. Stay at the historical Hotel Limpia, among others in town or in the State Park at Indian Lodge then head home on Sunday.