Question 1

What schools are part of the OZMTB Club?

Accepted Answer

Our group of schools currently includes Cedarburg, Grafton, and Port Washington and the associated middle schools and private schools which feed into these high schools. All other students in Ozaukee County, including Mequon, Northern Ozaukee, private and homeschooled students ride on OZ MTB.

Question 2

What is NICA? What is Wisconsin MTB?

Accepted Answer

NICA is the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. NICA is the national organization that helps to create a great infrastructure around insurance, training, racing, practices and so much more for our club.

Wisconsin MTB is the local Wisconsin NICA league. There are now NICA leagues in nearly every state. Wisconsin MTB runs all of the races, provides local coach training and certification. You can learn more about Wisconsin MTB here.

Question 3

When do we practice (and where)?

Accepted Answer

Wisconsin Mountain Biking is a fall sport, starting mid July and ending with a fun ride after the last race in October. Practices are Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30 – 7:15 PM, and Saturdays vary by location and times. Early season practices in July are at Lime Kiln Park (Grafton) for a few weeks as we build up and refresh our skills.  After that, we typically practice at Pleasant Valley Park (Grafton) and Glacial Blue Hills Park (West Bend).  Saturday practices might be held at New Fane State Park (Kewaskum), Minooka Park (Waukesha), or other local mountain bike trails.  All practices are dependent on weather and trail conditions. It is expected that you let us know if you are coming to each practice  (we use an app called TeamSnap), but practices are not mandatory.

Question 4

How old do you have to be to join the club?

Accepted Answer

Students entering 6th - 12th grade in the Fall can join the club.

Question 5

Can I miss practice?

Accepted Answer

Yep. A head’s up to your coach is appreciated.

Question 6

How big is the club?

Accepted Answer

During our 2025 season we had 65 athletes and 25 coaches/parent volunteers from all of our teams (Cedarburg, Grafton, OCC and Port).   1/3 of our coaches are female.

Question 7

How do I learn how to ride trails safely?

Accepted Answer

Early season practice (first 2-3 weeks) is all done on the grass at Lime Kiln Park. This is a great time to review key bike handling skills as well as learn new ones. We practice in groups on the grass so we can all learn the fundamentals of safely riding a bike before we head to the trails. Many of the skills we practice are via games.
We also spend 1-2 practices learning bike path etiquette.

Question 8

How much does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Joining the Ozaukee MTB Club has fees that will slightly fluctuate form year to year.  For 2026, these numbers will help you get started:

Required:
League Registration Fees (Pitzone) 
League Student Athlete Registration - 2026 season: $300
Unlike previous years, festival/race weekends are included.
NICA Student Athlete Technology Fee - 2026 season: $5.00
NICA Student Athlete Membership - 2026 season: $55.00

OZMTB Club Registration
		- $50/rider with maximum of $100/family

Optional:
WI State Parks vehicle pass
		- Required for some practices, depending on location.  
Wisconsin State Trails pass
		- For riders 16+, depending on practice/event location.

Scholarships:
Scholarships are available! Money shouldn’t be a barrier to having a blast on bikes.

Riding kit:
The riding kit is optional, but if you plan to race, you will need a jersey as all racers need to race with a jersey representing the OZMTB Club. We may be able to arrange for a loaner jersey.

Question 9

Do I need a $3,000 mountain bike race machine to join this club?

Accepted Answer

Nope, but you do need a solid, well-maintained mountain bike with tires at least 2.2" wide.

Local Bike shops are a great resource for getting fitted on a bike and are very supportive of the NICA teams. The club may also have access to short-term loaner bikes, for riders in need.  Inquire with the head coach.

During our 2025 season, the most common beginner bike is a Trek Marlin, model 5 or higher.  These can be commonly found used on FaceBook Marketplace.

A very informative 2024 Buyer's guide is listed, for hardtail and full-suspension here: https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/1c2souz/mountain_bike_buying_guide_2024_update/

Question 10

Can parents ride along at practice?

Accepted Answer

Signing up as a parent is a simple process involving paying a small fee, undergoing a background check, watching a concussion and risk management video (and a short quiz).  Once certified in NICA's PitZone, you can ride with the club all year and even help with the club pre-ride at races if you’d like.

With rider numbers expecting to reach 75+ this year, we absolutely need parents to help out at practices, rides, and races. We are looking for a variety of skill levels, so even if you are relatively new to mountain biking but love being around bikes and have lots of positive energy, we would welcome you. Please drop us a line.

After completing the above training, parents are considered “Level 1” coaches. Note that we ask Coaches to pay for their own background check and coach registration fee, but coach Scholarships are available!

Question 11

Do I have to race?

Accepted Answer

Nope. We encourage athletes to join the MTB weekend and cheer on their teammates as well as pre-ride the course with the club. Camping, friendships and fun are big and important elements of our MTB Event Weekends.

Question 12

Where are the races?

Accepted Answer

The race schedule does change from year to year. In the last few years we have raced in Waukesha, Eau Claire, Mt. Morris, Telemark and Wausau. Our State Final is held at Trek Trails in Waterloo, WI. We participate in 5 Event weekends each season, participation is optional and is a lot of fun whether you race or come for the pre-ride, bike games, potluck, campfire, cheering on teammates, etc.

You can find the race schedule and locations here.

Question 13

How can I contact a coach?

Accepted Answer

Didn’t find what you are looking for here? Drop us a line.

Question 14

Are scholarships & financial assistance opportunities available?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they sure are. Please follow this link to get started:
https://forms.monday.com/forms/3fbe176ecd3cefe4bbecdd7da9dab3b3?r=use1

Question 15

I’m an enthusiastic lover of bikes, can I still help the club?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! We have many people help at practice or take on a volunteer role with the club. We are also looking for sustaining financial backers to help so money isn’t a barrier to riding or being on the club. You can donate to the club by using the button below or contact us for more information!

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