Ned SHRED mountain biking program connects Nederland Elementary students to trails in their own backyard

For kids at Nederland Elementary School, some of Boulder County’s best beginner mountain biking trails begin just steps from the classroom door. Through the Ned SHRED MTB program, those trails have become a place for adventure, confidence-building, and a connection to nature for students in second through fifth grade.

Inspired by the school’s successful winter SHRED ski and snowboard program, community organizers wanted to create a similar opportunity centered around mountain biking, a sport deeply connected to the culture and landscape of Nederland.

The idea grew from a discussion with some PTA parents about how fortunate the community is to have trails so close to the school, but how few kids are out biking them.

Planning for the program began during the winter of 2022 through a partnership between Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures (SMBA), Nederland Elementary PTA parents, Peak to Peak Endurance, and school principal Caleb Melamed. Together, the group worked to make mountain biking accessible to every student, regardless of experience level or equipment. 

One of the program’s greatest successes is that it removes barriers to participation, especially access to quality mountain bikes. Peak to Peak Endurance founder, Gavin Coombs, helped lead fundraising and grant-writing efforts to purchase an initial fleet of 30 bikes and gear large enough for an entire classroom to participate. More recently, Gavin helped raise funds to purchase a fleet of smaller bikes for second graders. Community partners also donated rain jackets, helmets, gloves, and water bottles.

Coaching support is provided by SMBA, a locally founded non-profit that runs junior mountain biking programs in Nederland and Boulder. It was founded in 1993, by its executive director, Matt Tomasko, who originally started mountain bike programming at Nederland Elementary nearly 30 years ago while working as the school’s PE and music teacher. 

At its core, Ned SHRED is about introducing children to the trails and outdoor resources surrounding their school and neighborhoods. 

Each spring and fall, students spend a full school day riding and learning with SMBA coaches. Beginners practice balancing, braking, and pedaling on the soccer field near the school, while more experienced riders explore beginner-friendly trails near Mud Lake.

“When we started, we had a few kids in every class that did not know how to balance, pedal, or ride a bike,” SMBA coach Heather Williams explained. “Each year, we have fewer and fewer ‘never-evers’ on the field.”

Since the program began, approximately 20 students who had never ridden a bike have learned to ride through Ned SHRED. This year, every fourth grader is expected to successfully ride local trails.

Williams says some of the most memorable moments come from watching beginner riders gain confidence. She recalls a pair of twins who first learned to ride during fourth-grade SHRED sessions. By the end of fifth grade, they completed a six-mile ride at Mud Lake. Today, both students participate in the middle school mountain bike club and ride their bikes to school daily.

“Watching the kids challenge themselves and work so hard to ride a bike, and then seeing the huge smiles when they finally balance and link pedal strokes together, is pretty amazing,” Williams said.

Last fall, all of the fourth-grade “never-evers” were ready to hit the trails. During one ride, Williams captured a student on video pedaling up a small hill while excitedly saying, “I love this, this is so much fun!”

The program has also become a powerful community effort. Teachers ride alongside students, parents volunteer throughout the day, and local businesses donate snacks and supplies. That shared support helps create an experience students remember long after the ride ends.

Parent volunteer Erik Langeteig described Ned SHRED as more than just a field trip.

“There’s something really special about watching kids learn the sports our community and economy are centered around, together with their classmates and friends, right in their own backyard,” he said. “It’s a shared developmental experience that becomes part of who they are.”

Over the past three years, Ned SRED has helped spark a growing culture of youth mountain biking in the Nederland Community. More students are continuing to ride beyond the school-day program. SMBA has seen an increase in participation in their after-school and weekend rides and their summer camps. Additionally, participation in the Nederland Middle School bike club, which is a precursor for the high school team, has continued to grow. What began as a simple idea to connect youth to the outdoors has inspired kids to make mountain biking part of their lives.

“The freedom and independence that riding bikes creates is amazing,” Williams said. “Being able to introduce this to kids who may not otherwise have the opportunity is really meaningful. We are contributing to a whole new generation of riders who will be able to commute, mountain bike, road bike, and gravel bike, for the rest of their lives. They will learn about open spaces, act as ambassadors for the sport, and hopefully become stewards of the land, open spaces, and advocates for safe routes to school and work.”