Copper Country Cycling Club (C4)

What to expect

    • Weekly group rides: Separate beginner rides and intermediate/advanced rides. We start at the Nordic Waxing Center at the Tech Trails. These rides are normally Thursdays at 6:00 pm, but TBD based on current member preferences.

    • Weekend trips: In the fall, we will load up a van and our club’s trailer to experience some great riding nearby. These are normally day trips to Copper Harbor, Marquette, and Adventure Mine, but they could also include full weekend trips to a location like Duluth.

    • Collegiate Racing: In 2023, C4 is hosting a collegiate mountain bike race as part of the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference. We will have the downhill and cross country events in Copper Harbor on Saturday, September 2nd, with the dual slalom and short track cross country at the Michigan Tech Trails on Sunday, September 3rd.

    • Casual Races: Why not have fun racing your friends in a casual environment? We’ve started to make our own races at the Tech Trails, using some of our favorite trails. In 2023, we had 50 people for our Halloween Enduro!

    • Copper Country Color Tour: This annual scenic road bike ride started almost 50 years ago and has become a local tradition. Our club organizes this ride every year, and our club volunteers help ensure a safe and fun ride.

    • Community Involvement: Our club helps to build and maintain the Tech Trails, while also helping local biking events like the Color Tour.

    • Spring Break Trip: Every year, C4 plans a trip to a fantastic mountain biking destination. Past locations have included Moab, Utah; Pisgah, North Carolina; and Bentonville, Arkansas.

Join us for open club meetings & casual group rides! Click the link below to join us on Involvement Link to get emails about what we’re up to. Be sure to sign into your Involvement Link account using your Tech email and password!

We are the official cycling club and USA Cycling collegiate team at Michigan Tech. All are welcome, regardless of experience or ability. Our weekly meetings throughout the fall are casual evening affairs followed by group rides at Tech Trails. On weekends we often travel to Copper Harbor and other nearby riding destinations while the race team may compete at various other schools in the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference. Once the snow sticks, things settle down, with few events in the winter. In the spring, we turn to road rides until the trails thaw out.

Home to the Michigan Tech Cycling Team

Copper Country Color Tour

Experience the fall colors at their peak in the Keweenaw. This road ride has three different routes available: 60K, 115K, and 210K. Visit the website below to sign up and for more information, including route information. C4 puts on this event every year, and it’s a great opportunity to volunteer to build the biking community in the UP.

Membership

Membership is open to any school or community member who enjoys cycling, on or off road, racer or casual rider. Feel free to sit in on one of our meetings held weekly before the snow sticks. Our meetings are sporadic in winter and held in main campus buildings.

Watch our e-mail list for details on group rides and meetings.

Becoming a member entitles you to attend our awesome trips, use of club tools, awards at club events, and our pricing on all club apparel. Becoming a member requires a small $10 club membership fee but no fee for group rides.

Weekly Group Rides

Thursday night group MTB rides are held at 5:30 PM at the Nordic Waxing Center (Tech Trails Trailhead) during the fall semester. Everyone is welcome to attend, no matter their riding ability. Be sure to bring a helmet or rent one from the Outdoor Adventure Program to participate in the group ride.

Updates or ride cancellations will be made via the email list and posted on our Instagram.

Communication

All of our communication happens via our email list, Facebook group, and Instagram page.

Be sure to like our page and request to join the group to stay connected!

You can join our email list joining the club on Involvement Link

Club Travel and Activities

The club travels to trail systems throughout the region, collegiate races, and a spring break trip every year. Trips usually include destinations such as Copper Harbor, Marquette, collegiate races, and a spring break trip to a destination such as Moab, UT, or Asheville, NC. Locally, we organize events such as the Copper Country Color Tour, Halloween Enduro, Michigan Tech Collegiate MTB Race, bike maintenance clinics, bonfires, movie nights, and night rides.

Club Leadership

President
Ashdon McDaniel
agmcdani@mtu.edu

Vice President
Greg Jowett
gcjowett@mtu.edu

Race Director
Bryant Goodenough
bgoodeno@mtu.edu

Color Tour Director
Mark Schmelzle
mhschmel@mtu.edu

Secretary
Dylan Romzek
daromzek@mtu.edu

Treasurer
Jakob Christiansen
jakobc@mtu.edu

Faculty Advisor
Dr. Kit Cischke
cmcischk@mtu.edu

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