Press
Below you’ll find a collection of posts, articles, and excerpts which have either been authored by the Dirty Freehub team or are about Dirty Freehub.
Deschutes Trails Coalition announces nine projects to be supported with TRT funds
The nonprofit Deschutes Trails Coalition has selected nine projects to receive a total of $600,000 to improve trails and trail infrastructure around Deschutes County, according to a release.
The funding comes from a portion of the Deschutes County Transient Room Tax and was approved earlier this year by the Deschutes County Commission. The […]
Gravel Girl’s Keys To Winter Cycling
Let’s be honest here; when we talk about winter cycling there are just a handful of us willing to brave the elements. I head out in the worst of winter storms to downhill or cross country ski, but find myself wincing at the thought of snow flurries on a bike. Let me walk you through a host of options for staying “cycling fit” during the […]
Guest Column: Let’s not lose the Skyline Forest
Skyline Forest is the place I ride my bike for a quick escape, the gravel between Bend and Sisters, the long way to ride to Tumalo Falls, the scenic way to ride to Tumalo Reservoir, and an easier climb to go see vast views of Black Butte. I’ve run across badgers, mule deer, elk and even a bobcat. One of the main gravel roads was put in […]
Gravel Girl’s Guide to Cycle Adventures in Central Oregon
Linda English had been cycling on Oregon’s rural roads around her home in Bend for years, but one day in 2013, she seized upon a rare opportunity.
Her husband, Kevin English, also an avid cyclist, had injured himself and needed time out of the saddle to recover. That made him the perfect person to drive the shuttle car while Linda and her […]
What Is Gravel Cycling and Why You Should Give It A Try
THE WASHINGTON POST – Krystal Salvent was an avid road cyclist – until she found herself lying in a ditch after a driver ran her off the road. That experience prompted the Boulder, Colorado, co-leader of Black Girls Do Bike Denver to buy her first gravel bike. “If I can remove that obstacle for myself and focus more on my bike […]
Plan The Perfect Route with Linda English
On this week’s episode of Girls Gone Gravel Kathryn and Kristi catch up with cyclist and route-planning expert Linda English. In 2014 Linda and her husband founded Dirty Freehub, an online resource for cyclists looking for vetted gravel routes. Since then, the site has grown into a non-profit organization that offers resources to gravel […]
Gravel Cycling Takes People Around the County
WALLOWA COUNTY — An online nonprofit group that promotes gravel bicycle routes is taking advantage of the many miles of gravel roads in Wallowa County, as well as the history and beauty of the county by establishing routes for gravel cycling.
The Bend-based Dirty Freehub maps out routes it shares with cyclists. The group has a guide […]
Taking The Plunge Into Gravel E-Biking
I’ve cranked more than a few miles over the years on bicycles: road bikes, mountain and my true passion, gravel. I’m not speedy but I can go the distance. I don’t mind rough terrain. I love a long climb and a rippin’ descent. And most of all, I love exploring, especially the backroads of Oregon—even better if I find other people who […]
Getting into gravel
The popularity of bicycling on gravel roads is on the rise, and a couple who founded a website dedicated to the topic plan to add 35 new routes around Baker County and Northeastern Oregon to their list. Linda and Kevin English of Bend started Dirty Freehub — dirtyfreehub.com — six years ago.
This article requires a subscription to […]
Column: Biking within Bend on Townie
Here’s a bike adventure with one simple purpose: help cyclists in Bend stay out of traffic when they are riding around town. Think of it as a tour that takes you here, there and everywhere. By the end of it, you’ll rethink how to commute across town on a bike. We call this route Townie.
Townie was patched together by your pals from […]
Navigating the spring freeze-thaw like a pro
We’ve all been there. It’s a sunny spring day with the temperature pushing 60. You’re itching to ride your mountain bike after a long, cold winter. You head out, picturing sailing along the fast, flowy trails Bend is famous for.
An hour later you’re slowly slogging your way down a muddy trail, knowing you’ll have to spend an hour […]
The Silver Onion 5-Star Route: East of Tucson, Arizona
We’ve put in more than a few miles across the western US, so we don’t use the term “bucketlister” lightly. This ride is outstanding and should be top on your list. With a squiggly climb up to Onion Saddle (an incredible evolving view the whole way) … then the drop down into the town of Paradise, past the cemetery … and over to […]
Winter Gravel Cycling: Routes For Even The Darkest Of Days
Darker. Colder. Sometimes it’s hard to find that motivation to bike outside in the winter. But with a few extra layers of clothing and some good route selection, you’ll be sneaking in quite a few extra miles. Bend, Redmond and Prineville frequently have winters without much snow in town; the key here is learning to check the elevation to […]
Learn About Gravel Biking In The Skyline Forest
Ever wanted to bike the Skyline Forest, but don’t know where to go? An upcoming webinar gives locals the chance to learn about gravel biking on the privately owned land. The Deschutes Land Trust—which has long worked to help preserve the forest and protect it from development—is partnering with Dirty Freehub for a virtual event centered […]
Gravel bike rides to beat the heat in Central Oregon
Cycling, in general, has surged in popularity as more and more folks seek to get outside and away from others during the coronavirus pandemic.
And gravel riding has ridden that wave, as road cyclists look to avoid cars and mountain bikers look to avoid the trappings of trailheads and the sometimes close quarters of singletrack. […]
Visit Bend, Dirty Freehub partner to create ‘Gravel Scenic Bikeway’
Central Oregon cyclists who think they’ve ridden it all better think again.
Visit Bend has teamed up with a local online guide to the region’s best gravel cycling routes to create the Cascades Gravel Scenic Bikeway, Oregon’s first.
The collection of six routes curated by Visit Bend and Dirty Freehub utilize forest service roads and more […]
Gravel Bike Adventures In The Ochoco National Forest
The Ochoco National Forest has a million roads with so few cars that I always give out a big HOWDY wave when they go by. It’s the perfect place for gravel cycling; a recreational paradise. Late spring through mid-summer is my favorite riding time, with loads of wildflowers. We often run into mustangs, deer and antelope as we cruise by green […]
Gravel Riding: A Good Option During the Pandemic
Mountain biking seems like an ideal option in this era of social distancing, when outdoor recreation has become increasingly important and outdoor enthusiasts must become creative. But the Central Oregon singletrack that we mountain bikers love to ride so much is a bit of an issue during the coronavirus pandemic.
Note this article requires […]
Bend Cyclists Say Gravel Routes Are Good for Social Distancing
The founders of Bend-based Dirty Freehub, an online guide to gravel biking routes, say it’s easier to follow social distancing guidelines on gravel routes than most bike paths. They say gravel cycling has become more popular due to the coronavirus pandemic and people still wanting to enjoy the outdoors. Photo By Trevor Lyden.
Borderline: Graveling along the Border in Arizona
Tap your heels three times and you’ll end up in Ruby. Not in Kansas, but in Arizona, right along the Mexico border. Just south of Tucson Arizona.
Now before you hit the next button because you are worried about the border, scan through the photos: rugged, remote and a great place to ride gravel when the rest of the US is covered in ice, […]
Secrets to Finding Gravel Routes
Bakeoven Road starts in the tiny town of Maupin, Oregon which is famous for rafting excursions down the Deschutes River. But Bakeoven is also the start of a 51 mile mixed gravel bicycle ride that includes a roaring waterfall, 20 miles of gravel farm roads with booming views of Mt. Hood, a bumpy road that slices through White River canyon […]
Secrets to Winter Riding
The Village Idiot. That’s exactly what I thought when I saw someone riding a bike in the winter. But once I learned to pile on the right clothes, check the weather and find the right routes, I was able to sneak in a few extra miles during the winter. Miles that don’t include staring at a computer on a spin bike and wondering: Just how long […]
Basecamp: Maupin/Dufur
Fall gravel cycling can be a tad tricky: where exactly does the snow start and end? Rather than taking chances in Bend, here’s a better idea: head to the Maupin, Dufur, Tygh Valley area and enjoy the lower elevation. Locals say the daily temps are 5 to 15 degrees warmer than the rest of the region. While that doesn’t mean riders can plug […]
4 New Gravel Biking Routes to Ride
Kevin and Linda English discovered gravel cycling by accident, literally. It was five years ago and Kevin was recovering from a mountain biking mishap that resulted in a separated shoulder. Back on the bike after a few months of R & R, Kevin discovered that he didn’t have the strength to lift his front tire over obstacles, a key […]
