Coffeeneuring

Coffeeneuring is riding your bike somewhere for a cup of coffee, and then doing it again. The Coffeeneuring Challenge turns that into an autumn tradition: a handful of rides to different places between early October and late November, each one ending with a coffee or another approved fall drink.

The name is a joke on randonneuring, long-distance riding where you push through 200 km or more against the clock. Coffeeneuring flips it. The ride can be short, the pace is yours, and the destination is the point.

The reward, every time.

Where it Comes From

Mary Gersema (“MG”) started the challenge in 2011 on her blog Chasing Mailboxes, written from Washington, D.C. She came to it from randonneuring and wanted a low-stakes version anyone could join. It has run every autumn since, and 2026 is the sixteenth edition. Riders take part from all over the world on the honor system.

How it Works

The rules change a little each year. The core stays the same:

• A set number of rides to a set number of different places (2026: 8 rides, at least 7 places)
• At least 2 miles (3.2 km) round trip each time, with no upper limit
• No more than 2 rides a week, and only one coffee stop a day counts
• Approved drinks are generous: coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cider, even a coffee stout
• A “coffee shop without walls” counts: a park bench, a summit, a bridge, anywhere you stop to brew or drink
• Keep a record (photos, a Strava track, a journal) and send in a form at the end

There are optional extras too. A theme within a theme adds your own twist on top, and meetups turn it into a group ride.

My Years

Links

• Chasing Mailboxes, home of the challenge
• 2026 rules
• Strava Coffeeneuring Club
• More riding: Cycling