Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance's Bike and Trail Expo to Take Over MadTree

The Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance (CORA) is gearing up for its second annual Bike and Trail Expo this weekend. The aim of the expo is to showcase Greater Cincinnati’s vast biking infrastructure and foster its thriving outdoor community.

CORA works to build and maintain sustainable, multi-use trail systems around the region that connect communities and create access to outdoor recreation, such as cycling, hiking and trail running. CORA board member and Bike and Trail Expo director Doug Hart says that last year’s expo, in partnership with MadTree, was a huge success, attracting an estimated 3,000 people and hosting 50-plus vendors.

“Last year was unbelievable,” Hart says. “It surprised everyone, including me. I've been in the tradeshow business for my whole life. And I've launched a dozen different shows in different industries. Never one that was nearly as much fun as the Bike and Trail Expo. Not one of them had the buzz and excitement that the Bike and Trail Expo did last year. I think it was a combination of the great vendors, the great venue, free admission, free parking. And nobody had ever gotten together that many people in the bike industry before for a local event. And this year will be even bigger.”

The CORA Bike and Trail Expo 2024 is on March 2 at MadTree Brewing in Oakley from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes the same free admission and parking, along with almost 70 vendors. The vendors will offer a mix of information and products, including a varied selection of bikes and bike equipment, outdoor equipment, outdoor organizations and adventure travel destination representatives for hiking, biking and camping.

One of CORA’s main objectives is to develop a “thriving” outdoor community in Greater Cincinnati. Hart defines a thriving outdoor community as the public having access to trails in one's neighborhood and improving connectivity by creating paved and natural trail infrastructure. There are more than 100 miles of multi-use, natural trails inventoried on CORA’s website, all of which volunteers and members of the board maintain.

“All of our trails are shared use,” Hart tells CityBeat. “We see lots of hiking and trail running, and our trails are all maintained. And there's beginner, intermediate and advanced. So we don't just define it as mountain bike culture. We define it as an outdoor recreation culture because our trails have to be for everybody to use.”

Vendors from REI to Reser Bicycle Outfitters and Queen City Wheels to Great Parks will set up booths during the CORA Bike and Trail Expo at MadTree on Saturday to provide information to outdoor enthusiasts or create a connection with anyone looking to join the community. Hart says he’s proud to partner with MadTree as hosts of the event because their mission to support the environment aligns with CORA’s.

According to a press release from CORA, MadTree recently earned B Corp Certification, which signifies the joining of a global movement of businesses that meet the “highest standards of social and environmental impact.” Hart says MadTree is visibly aligned with outdoor recreation and the environment.

Hart hopes that CORA can continue to create access to multi-use trails in regional parks and surrounding areas. He says he’d like to see more kids on bikes and to encourage an interest in youth to mountain bike or participate in outdoor activities. CORA’s latest initiative is a trail called Goltra, which will open soon in Westwood near Mt. Airy Forest.

The Bike and Trail Expo will offer information and opportunities to participate in outdoor recreation of all kinds, including mountain, road, gravel and electric biking, outdoor gear and adventure travel destinations.

The CORA Bike and Trail Expo — sponsored by Great Parks and Jaguar Land Rover Cincinnati — is March 2 at MadTree Brewing (Oakley) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit coramtb.org.


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