CHAOS, COSTUMES, AND CHUGS: MGR AT THE FEAR & LOAMING FRIENDURO 2025

October 20, 2025

This last weekend marked the most recent iteration of the Frienduro in the Tillamook State Forest, and it was Moon Gravity Racing’s first time in attendance. None of our athletes were competing, but we eagerly signed up as volunteers to help put on such a special and genuinely unique event.

More Than a Race: An Obstacle Course on Wheels

To call this event as a race would be a misclassification. This event is better defined as an obstacle course with bikes. While the goal of getting down the hill with the fastest time was still part of the equation, the costume-adorned athletes had far more creative challenges to face. The whole event is a great testament to the humor and dedication of the Westside Trail Federation (WTF) builders.

The action took place on the upper section of the zone's oldest trail, Fear & Loaming—a name that perfectly reflects the dark, loamy humor of the trail builders.

The Challenges: Biathlon, Beverages, and Building

Teams of two had to stop at three points along the course to complete different challenges:

Olympic Biathlon: Right after the flattest section of the track, athletes were gassed from sprinting out of the gate. They had to stop, and one partner would attempt to catch their breath enough to blow up a balloon. The other partner then had to shoot it with a BB gun. Once the balloon popped, they were back on the bike!
College Penalty: As soon as the riders were back up to pace, they were stopped again for a game that felt more like a college hazing ritual than a race. Each team was forced to chug a fizzy beverage of their choice—a penalty most thought they had put behind them years ago.
Trail Therapy: With bellies full of soda and the clock still running, the final challenge was the most rewarding: trail building. Riders left their bikes, sprinted up a steep hill to fill a bucket of dirt, and added it to the lip or landing of a badly decaying jump.

The Moon Gravity Racing team donated our volunteer hours at this jump station. It was amazing—this might be one of the only "races" where the trail ended up in better condition than when it started! Though some athletes were still in race mode, many others, full of fizzy soda and out of breath, just sauntered up the steep hill. Regardless of their time, once they caught their breath, smiles adorned all of their faces.

Community and Component Testing

The Fear & Loaming trail system is known as one of the highest-rated shuttle zones in Northwest Oregon. It’s definitely not beginner-friendly—it’s a playground for intermediate to advanced riders looking to improve or flex their skills. The majority of the network is old-school single-track, built by countless volunteer hours, which speaks to the heart of the mountain bike community here in Oregon.

This dedication to quality dirt demands quality gear.

We got a taste of the terrain before we even set up: the shuttle road is rough. The MGR team showed up to the event with a flat tire on our vehicle. The community spirit was immediate, though—many different people quickly attended to us, helping us patch the flat before we even got our tent up. We later heard of at least one other car riding a flat out to the highway, proving that even getting to the trails is a test of resilience.

The rough terrain and chaotic nature of the Frienduro also served as an excellent, unplanned testing ground for our latest innovations. While our focus was volunteering, we had a friend running our Single Crown Raceplate—the same model we previously put through the ringer at the Sturdy Dirty event. The mix of steep, technical loam and the sudden braking/acceleration required for the Biathlon and beverage chug challenges subjected the mount to varied, high-stress impacts. It performed perfectly, confirming that our design is ready for the unpredictable demands of aggressive trail riding.

At MGR, we build components like our Race Plate Mounts to eliminate these points of failure. When the trails are this aggressive and the event is this chaotic, you need equipment you can trust completely. Our commitment is to ensure the only thing riders are worried about is finishing their chug.

The Real Winners: Awards and Appreciation

At the end of the event, the crowd gathered amongst the sponsor tents. A surprisingly warm day, contrary to the forecast, meant the central campfire was more for ambiance than necessity. “Chicken and Guns,” a local eatery, hit the spot, serving chili in Fritos bags with baked potato and cheese—perfect fuel after a fall day in the woods.

The prizes, abundant thanks to sponsors like SRAM, Propain, Kitted, Black Stone Stich Works, and the Gravity Cartel, were as delightfully strange as the event itself. While awards were given out for the fastest team, they also recognized Best Costume, Oldest Bike, Biggest Fall, Furthest Distance Traveled, Worst Aim, and many more.

My favorite award went to the "Shuttle Boss." This event has no lift, and athletes are transported up the hill entirely by volunteers using their own vehicles. The award went to the person who took the most riders up to get their practice and "race" laps in—a very well-deserved recognition for all the laps driven by our friend, Eric Weinerman.

This event was coordinated by many, but a massive thank you must go out to Derek Kidd. Organizer, announcer, and vibe-bringer, Derek is a staple in the mountain biking community, and none of this would be possible without his energy.