Frequently Asked Questions

Mountain biking in Bend

Yes! Cog Wild operates a fleet of front suspension and full suspension bikes from
Santa Cruz and Ibis
. Bikes are primarily rented to our guided ride, skills or shuttle clients. When supply allows bikes are available to next day or walk up clients. Email or call for day of or next day rentals.

Cog Wild’s daily shuttle travels up the Cascade Lakes Highway to Wanoga, Swampy or Dutchman Trailheads. There are multiple ride options from each shuttle drop spot. Bend Trails and Trail Forks are great sites for researching trails and ride options. Maps are available to purchase at Cog Wild. Arrive 15 minutes early for your shuttle if you’d like to look at the map and discuss route ideas with Cog Wild’s staff.

The soils around Bend are porous and sandy. They get muddy in the spring when the snow is melting and that is the time to stay off. Summer and fall rain drains quickly and creates hero dirt conditions.

Mountain biking in Oakridge

The shuttle meet spots for the Oakridge shuttles are spread out across the landscape. Look in your confirmation email for a link to a Google Map to each specific location. Here is a summary and a link to a map for all the meet spots around Oakridge.

Here is a Google Map with all Cog Wild’s Oakridge Shuttle Departure Locations

Bike rentals are available through the Willamette Mountain Mercantile, Oakridge’s only bike shop, who carries Santa Cruz and Ibis Cycles. They are a full service bike shop, offering same day service on repairs, and a variety of outdoor gear for bike and non bike related recreation. Reserve a bike here or contact the shop directly: oakridgebikeshop@gmail.com, phone: 541-782-1800.

Cog Wild currently does not rent bikes in Oakridge.

  • Check out Cog Wild’s Airbnb! Perfectly situated in Uptown Oakridge; within walking distance to the pub and local restaurants and a quick ride to the bike shop. Ride loops from the house or coast down to our headquarters to catch a shuttle.
  • Schmid Acres vacation rentals has two properties: one sleeps four and the other sleeps 8 +
  • Salmon Creek Campground, east of Oakridge, is the best option. The campground is tiny so show up mid week to snag a choice site. Expect it to be full on weekends. First come first served, no reservations.
  • Black Canyon Campground, west of Oakridge, is a big campground with 75 sites, many along the Willamette River. Reservations can be made online.
  • Blue Pool Campground, first come first served, no reservations.
  • Tired Dog Ranch, private campground & lodging.

Cog Wild collaborates with the Willamette National Forest staff to determine when it’s too wet to be on trail. The Forest Service maintains a soil moisture gauge that measures the amount of water in every layer of soil down to 40 inches below the surface. When we get multiple days of rain in a row, the soils can become super saturated, meaning they can absorb no more water at any soil depth. Then, water pools on the trail and riding will damage the trail bed. When the weather has been dry for an extended period of time then the soil can absorb more moisture and we can ride with out damaging the trail. Ultimately the USFS staff makes the call and when it’s too wet we are asked to pause operations until the trails dry up.

General Questions

Cog Wild’s main office is in Bend, Oregon at the LOGE Hotel. We have a satellite location in Uptown Oakridge.

All guided rides and skills sessions include:

  • Transportation from Cog Wild to the trailhead (the ride ends back at Cog Wild).
  • Snacks including an assortment of Picky Bars. Full day guided rides also include a hearty gourmet sandwich from Nancy P’s Bakery.
  • New Cog Wild water bottle.
  • A helmet & gloves if renting a bike.
  • Complimentary beverages post ride from Deschutes Brewery, Humm Kombucha or Polar Seltzer.

Please come prepared for your ride or skills session with the following: 

  • A hydration pack or backpack if convenient. 
  • Comfortable riding clothes: can be bike specific or multi purpose athletic clothing. Bring a layer: Mornings are chilly and your ride will start at a higher elevation trail head. Watch the weather, pack a rain shell if rain is in the forecast. 
  • Closed toed athletic shoes
  • Sunglasses

HOW DO I ASSESS MY RIDER ABILITY?

Please use this guide to help you assess your rider ability:

  • Kids: children from age 7 to 12. Kids should be comfortable riding a bike for approximately 2 hours before going on a guided ride. Any person aged 13 or older is considered an adult.
  • Beginner: Beginners include anyone who doesn’t ride a mountain bike often, prefers to ride gravel roads or very gentle or paved paths and trails and is able to be on the bike for an average of two hours.
  • Advanced Beginner: An advanced beginner rider has mountain biked a few times on flat or very gentle hills and non-technical terrain.
  • Intermediate: Intermediate riders include anyone who rides a bike often and is relatively fit, comfortable on single track dirt trails or steeper roads and is able to be on the bike for up to four hours.
  • Advanced Intermediate: Advanced intermediate riders are comfortable riding for up to 6 hours. They are very comfortable climbing or descending on most singletrack trails and can ride some technical features.
  • Advanced/ Expert: Advanced riders are those who ride mountain bikes often, are able to ride 50 to 100 miles per week, enjoy and seek out technical single track and are comfortable on bike rides up to eight hours.

Yes! Cog Wild operates Cascadia Junior Cycling, a full spectrum recreational to race focused development program for ages 5 through 18.

Our mountain bike camps, clubs and race teams provide young riders incredible opportunities to improve their skills, build fitness, and have fun riding with their peers and mentors. We have established an effective pipeline for riders to follow as they increase their ability and set bigger goals. Whether that goal is to ride a feature on a local trail or win a national championship race, our coaches work hard to prepare the riders and support their success.

Yes! Cascadia Junior Cycling, Cog Wild’s program for kids, offers recreational and race focused programs for youth aged 5 to 18. Programs run in the after school in the spring and fall and for 10 weeks during the summer and includes summer camps in Bend.

The chart below explains the suggested trail etiquette for Oregon. Find out more at Central Oregon Trail Alliance’s website.

Trail graphic courtesy of Bendtrails.org

Around Bend, the trails are maintained by volunteers with Central Oregon Trails Alliance.

Around Oakridge, volunteers work on the trails with: Oakridge Trails Alliance and the Disciples of Dirt.

Everyone is welcome to work on trails with these organizations. Follow the links above to their websites for information about upcoming trail work opportunities. Trail work parties are a great way to meet fellow mountain bike enthusiasts and trail work is fun!

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