CRC Junior Mountain Bike Team

Any rider ages 8–18 interested in mountain biking is welcome — no experience required. We have ride groups for beginners, developing riders, and competitive athletes. Our older kids are typically home schooled or attend private school so we have fewer high school aged student athletes. Albemarle County has a great bike scene right now. VAHS was founded here. All NICA and VAHS races are within 1 hr drive. We have 5 local HS schools with mountain bike teams, several private bike clubs, 2 high schools with NICA race courses and many great local public riding locations (Heyward Tract, Song Mtn, Biscuits and Gravity, Observatory Hill, Walnut Creek, Preddy Creek, Rivanna Trail), and several private properties that have bike trails (Miller School, Blue Ridge School, Horseshoe Bend, Liberty Hall, Teventrails). The Charlottesville Area Mountain BIke Club is huge and very active. Now is a good time to be here if you’re into mountain biking.

We’re a composite team that rides and races in the spring and fall. There’s no specific tryout, and racing is optional. Our Spring riding season kicks off in March, right after Daylight Saving Time, and continues until the end of May. Our Fall riding season starts right after back to school and runs through the end of October. To keep in the loop, sign up for our email list, usually sent out in January and July. We’ll follow up with a registration email in February/July, and then we’ll start riding in March/September. Don’t wait—spots fill up fast, and a waitlist might form soon after registration opens. We also have a great community of families who ride together on the team. If you’re interested, you can ride with your student athlete and become part of our team family!

Registration details will be sent out over email in late summer and mid winter. To be added to our email list, send an email to: crcjrmtb@gmail.com

Equipment includes a functional mountain bike, helmet (mandatory), water bottle or hydration and during early spring and late fall, a light may be needed. All items can be found at our sponsor, Blue Ridge Cyclery.

For most riders, the best choice is Blue Ridge Cyclery, our official team partner and one of the most trusted bike shops in the region. Whether you need a quick safety check, a pre-season tune-up, or help diagnosing a strange new noise (we’ve all been there), their mechanics know mountain bikes inside and out — and they treat junior riders with care and patience. Riders should plan to get their bikes checked at least once pre-season and again mid-season, especially before racing. Keeping your bike running smoothly not only prevents breakdowns on the trail, but also helps you ride confidently and safely. Why Blue Ridge Cyclery? Blue Ridge Cyclery isn’t just a shop — they’re part of our riding community. They’ve supported youth cycling for years, show up at local events, and consistently go the extra mile to help young athletes feel welcome in the sport. Their staff includes experienced mechanics, knowledgeable riders, and genuinely kind humans who believe in what we’re building with CRC Juniors. As a sponsor, Blue Ridge Cyclery: Helps ensure riders have access to safe, dialed-in bikes Supports our team with resources, expertise, and community presence Shares our mission of making mountain biking accessible, fun, and encouraging for all kids If a rider ever has a mechanical issue at practice and the coaches can’t fix it on the spot, Blue Ridge Cyclery is usually our next stop — and they’re always happy to help.

Nope! Many of our kids show up not knowing how to shift yet. By the end of the season, they’re flowing through trails with confidence. We teach everything they need to know.

To join the team we have a modest fee of approximately $35 per season. This helps fund our team equipment, additional training for coaches, and it supports our pizza habit. If this is an impediment, please let us know and we will put you in touch with our scholarship manager. Please note that the cost for racing is in addition to the cost for joining the team. This includes a jersey ($70) and race fees ($300). Again, scholarships are available and we have a few used jerseys available that we can share.