For eight years, the La Crosse Area Labor Day Bike Festival has hosted all kinds of rides, for all kinds of riders. This year, along with the: family-friendly neighborhood tours, ice-cream rides, mountain biking, live music, challenging road rides, are two new event options.

Family fun for everyone at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival.

New on the 2018 schedule are the Gran Fondo and Gravel Enduro Series, both optional fee-based events. These are collections of fun rides exploring gravel and road routes in the Driftless region. “Enduro” and “Gran Fondo” means that riders leave together on a neutral start, with several sections timed along the way. The Gravel Enduro Series includes two rides over Labor Day weekend and a bonus recovery ride on Labor Day. The Gran Fondo will have two different rides on two days, with varying distances from 30-75 miles. Take your pick — join them on all of the rides, or pick just of one.

Sign-up for the La Crosse Area Labor Day Bike Festival

The Festival registration, most in-town rides, the Open Streets fair, and live music are all complimentary. However, premium festival registration will give you many additional benefits including: text-based weather updates; t-shirts and a special bag of goodies. The Gravel Enduro Series and Gran Fondo are also optional fee-based events with timing and added benefits.

In-town Bike Festival rides

Family fun for everyone on the La Crosse Area Bicycle Festival ice cream tour.

Most in town guided rides are free, except money for cool treats, and are suitable for families, kids, and are easy. They leave from Riverside Park at the designated time, make frequent stops,

Pump track fun at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival is easy and will help you improve your mountain bike skills.

and have a leader and volunteers to shepherd the ride through the city.

Bike Festival self-guided bike routes

The Bike festival team have designed these countryside routes to be ridden self-supported. Ride your bike alone or in small groups, without the need of a tour guide or ride leader. All mapped routes are designed loops, leaving from public parks or parking lots. Wherever possible, you’ll travel on low-traffic rural roads, or at least on roads with bike facilities. To help you stay self-sufficient, maps show optional stops every 25-30 miles at convenience stores or public parks.

The Bike Festivals Grand Fondo and Gravel series

Join the Gran Fondo Series

Two days with two different distances in two states to choose from each day. Explore road routes through the Driftless region on the Grand Fondo. This type of event will have riders leave together and have three timed sections for the longer route and two timed sections for the shorter route each day. It’s all for fun! Competition is based on your time to complete the sections; your finish order compared to other riders doesn’t matter. Timed segments start outside of cities and villages on low-traffic roads, and end before reentering them. This allows for a great warm-up and cool-down, while encouraging riders to take a break and visit local businesses as they ride through towns. Riders are required to obey traffic laws at all times.

Join the brand-new Gravel Enduro Series

Starting with the Hoka Hilly Hundreds August 19th, this is a collection of fun gravel rides and events explores several gravel and mixed gravel/road routes in the Driftless region. Enduro-style means that riders leave together on a neutral start, with several sections (either gravel or hill climbs) timed along the way.

It’s all for fun! Competition is based on your time to complete the sections; your finish order compared to other riders doesn’t matter. Timed segments start outside of cities and villages on low-traffic roads, and end before reentering them

The Gravel Enduro Series features five events on three weekends and a bonus recovery ride on Labor Day. Take your pick —join old and new friends on the gravel this summer!

Time to make plans now!

Register today for the La Crosse Area Labor Day Bike Festival. Win a Wyatt’s fat bike at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival by registering before August

For lodging options see: Destination La Crosse