About the Club

Who is Oakland Devo?

We're a team of middle and high school girls and boys who love adventures by mountain bike. Our club consists of kids who live in and attend public and private middle schools in Oakland and its surrounding areas.

What is our mission?

Our mission is to get more kids on bikes. We focus on mountain biking because it is safe and fun. It gives kids an opportunity to get outside, get exercise, explore, learn about the natural world that is around us. We want all kids to be able to experience this sport, regardless of income, and as much as we are able to we try to make that happen. We want to give kids who don't do a sport a chance to try an activity that might be a good fit for them. We think screens are OK, but we like offering a fun alternative to looking at a phone. :) We want to teach all kids the basic physical skill of riding a bike for safety, fun and confidence. We want to help teach life lessons through coaching kids to ride and race mountain bikes, building strong minds, bodies and character in the process. We hope to produce lifetime riders.

What does DEVO stand for?

Development.

Who can join and ride with the team?

Any 6th to 8th graders who are located in or near Oakland can join our team!

What’s the season like?

The Oakland Devo season is about 6 months long — January to the end of May. However, we start our pre-season events in October with a series of Fun Rides. The Fun Rides are a way for kids to try it out to see if they’ll like it. They’re generally mellower and will focus more on skills training.

When the season starts, we’ll be riding 1-3 day a week. Our main ride is every Saturday from 10am to 1pm. We will also have a weekday ride (optional) that’s convenient to the coaches and the riders who want to participate (usually 5 - 6).

We will be going to 3 NorCal races. These are typically one in each month of Feb, Mar, and April. We will be camping at or near the venues. The final venues are TBD but they have been at Granite Bay in Folsom, at Six Sigma up in Lower Lake, and Fort Ord near Salinas/Monterey.

Throughout the season, we’ll have a number of “field trips” to other Bay Area trails like China Camp, Tamarancho, or Mount Tam.

Our final trip is a ride up Mount Tam from Mill Valley. We’ll summit Tam, then ride down to Pantoll Campground and camp out for the night. The next day, we’ll pack up and ride back down. We’ll need parent volunteers for this event. This is the highlight of the year. It’s amazing to see our kids complete an epic ride then hang with their MTB friends over a campfire.

Is DEVO associated with Oakland Composite or nica?

The ​Oakland Devo club is an officially recognized middle and high school mountain biking team in the Norcal NICA league. It was created by coaches from Oakland Composite, one of the Norcal NICA teams. Many of our Devo alumni riders have gone on to ride for other Oakland area high school teams like Oakland Composite, Oakland Tech, Skyline High, Bishop O’Dowd, Piedmont High, and others.

Do we race?

Yes, our team will be going racing. In 2022 NorCal League developed a race format for middle school riders. Historically Devo is a non-competitive club and is somewhat unique in welcoming younger riders. Devo’s main focus has always been on fun adventure rides and mountain biking field trips. Our priority is for our riders to have fun and learn to love mountain biking. The race format that NorCal has implemented is about creating an inclusive venue that has opportunities for all athletes with all riding interests to participate. There will be divisions based on grade levels and gender and there will also be an untimed open ride category that allows everyone to get out and have fun on the track. Devo middle school riders have also raced junior categories in other, external races that have ‘junior’ fields.​

What do my fees cover?

Your $310 registration fee ($110 to NICA/NorCal League and $200 to Oakland Devo) covers...

  • Coaching support at weekly practices

  • Racing support

  • Team equipment (tents, trailers, etc.)

  • Coach training subsidies (Wilderness First Aid Training, CPR, MTB101, background checks, risk management training)

  • Team liability and injury insurance

  • Mountain bike, parts/components, and maintenance discounts at participating retailers

  • Team shirt

Do you have scholarships and financial aid available?

Yes. If you want a bike and you are worried about the cost, contact us.

Who coaches the club?

NICA trains and licenses our coaches to lead and assist our club. Licensing includes classroom/online education (including safety/risk management), on-the-bike skills training, wilderness first aid, and a background/security check.

Does the club offer transportation to rides?

Most of our rides are in our local parks: Joaquin Miller Park and Redwood Regional Park. However, for field trips, no, we cannot offer transportation. We have an extensive team, and families work together to help with carpooling. If you want to ride with us and go on adventure rides, we can help you find rides, but our insurance does not allow coaches to transport kids.

Does the club do anything else in addition to riding?

Sure, we do some trail work, to make the trails even better, sometimes even help build new ones. We’ll have movie nights and some social events too. Some of us go to ride camps as well, which are usually on weekends, where we camp out, learn new stuff and ride in cool places.

How can I join or try it out?

In the Fall (our pre-season), we’ll have a handful of “Fun Rides.” This is a great opportunity to try it out. For more information, check out our registration page.

How can I help?

Come out for a ride with us! We need ride leaders, coaches, a team manager, and other volunteers (snack providers, fun ride helpers, field trip coordinators, etc.) and here's the thing, we need women coaches and ride leaders, also people of color. "You can't be what you can't see." So, we also ask if you'd like to ride with us, or if you know people who would. We’d love to get more local adults involved. We've started ten teams, and are looking to reach more kids in Oakland and the un-served areas south and east of here. Contact us.

How do I stay in touch with Oakland Devo?

Anything Else?

If we didn’t answer a question you are wondering about, please contact us.