Frequently Asked Questions.
Who is Maybird for?
Maybird is primarily intended for cyclists who take the sport seriously and want more than NICA can offer.
Where do you ride?
Maybird is based in Millcreek, UT. The majority of Maybird rides take place in the Salt Lake Valley and Park City. Different teams ride on different days of the week, and in a variety of locations. In order to be courteous trail stewards, we plan ride locations to spread our riders out across the Wasatch Front and Back.
When do you ride?
Generally, high school athletes ride Tuesday and Thursday and junior high athletes ride on Monday and Wednesday. Advanced riders do long weekend rides throughout the season.
What if I live outside of the Salt Lake Valley?
While we welcome all riders, regardless of location, Maybird rides are rarely held North of Bountiful, East of Park City, West of I-15, and South of Corner Canyon. If you live in Logan, Saint George, etc. you can take advantage of race support, training/education, etc. with Maybird, but it is unlikely that a significant number of team rides will take place in your area.
What ages can join Maybird?
We welcome riders of all ages, provided they meet certain criteria. We are primarily focused on developing riders with a preexisting base of skills and fitness. Generally, this means riders over 12 who have been riding for a couple of seasons. There is no upper-age limit, provided you have some basic skills and fitness, and are interested in going to the next level.
Do you accept post-high school riders?
Absolutely. One of our primary goals is to provide development opportunities for post-NICA riders.
(Riders over 18 are encouraged to provide coaching support to younger groups)
What type of cycling does Maybird do?
While our roster includes riders who are experienced in everything from road racing to cyclocross to enduro racing, we focus primarily on cross country mountain bike racing.
Do you offer skills training?
Skills training and other educational activities are at the core of Maybird’s mission. We require all of our coaches and ride leaders to participate in significant amounts of safety, skills, and physiological training. Accordingly, our riders have significant access to various training activities. We expect all Maybird athletes to be knowledgeable and safe cyclists.
Do you offer training plans?
Yes. We offer a standard group training template. Under certain circumstances, we can offer individualised training plans. Additionally, education is a foundational aspect of the Maybird experience, and we encourage all of our athletes to take part in the skills and educational training mentioned above.
Are you a NICA team?
Maybird is not affiliated with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), Utah High School Mountain Biking, or any other state league, team, or organization. We are a privately-operated USAC-registered club.
Does participation with Maybird conflict with NICA?
Maybird is designed to supplement the NICA experience. Most weeknight Maybird rides end when the NICA season begins. We encourage all eligible Maybird athletes to participate in NICA.
How much does Maybird cost?
Our standard team fee is $175 for high school riders and $75 for post high school riders. We do not charge a fee for coaches and ride leaders.
Additional potential expenses include team kits and race travel. We offer high-quality custom team kit (jerseys, bibs, socks, etc.) from a local company called HyperThreads. There is no limit to the amount of kit that you can buy, but we expect the cost to start between $150-$250 per athlete, depending on your desired trim level (race or pro). We do not require riders to buy our team kit, but we do encourage it.
Additionally, certain riders will have the ability to travel with the team to out-of-state races. This opportunity will not be available to every team member, and cost will be determined at a later time.