Triangle Off-Road Cyclists (TORC) is the Triangle area chapter of SORBA, the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association. We are a key advocate for the establishment of more natural surface mountain biking trails in the Triangle area of North Carolina.
We are a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in August 2005. Prior to that, the Triangle’s mountain bike community was served by individual mountain bike clubs focused on specific trail networks. TORC was formed to unify the smaller clubs into a stronger voice for mountain bikers across our region.
Our volunteers partner with land owners to build, maintain, and manage trails on their property. These trails are primarily used for mountain biking but are multi-use and open to the public.
TORC has built strong relationships with Park and Recreation Departments, private developers, and other land managers. These partnerships provide local mountain bikers with a place to ride that is hopefully protected from future development. And we are always looking for opportunities to build more trails.
How does it work? More details
We work with land managers to create a Memorandum Of Understanding (see: example) that lays out the expectations. This is something that can be renewed every year, or every few years.
We get a Certificate Of Insurance through SORBA. This insurance only covers TORC related activities on the property, like workdays, races, events, etc. Questions about liability? According to the NC State Extension Publications, “the rules regarding educational and recreational use of private lands… limit the liability owed to these users to the same duty of care that is owed to a trespasser.”
Volunteer Trail Team
We assign at least one local volunteer to be a Trail Coordinator. This person will follow the published trail construction guidelines as established by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Trail Solutions Guidebook. They will organize workdays, assist with opening and closing the trails due to weather, and generally be the liaison between the landowner and TORC volunteers and leadership.
The landowner and the Trail Coordinator can decide how to handle trail opening and closing. Ideally the people deciding to close and open, are the ones logging in to Trailforks to flip the switch. This can still be a team effort, but we want to minimize any information lag. See current trail status on our home page.
If you are a land manger, we would love to help you build mountain biking trails on your property. We have been doing this for over 20 years.
Funding
Our funding comes from member dues, donations, and partnerships.
Membership
Help us continue to promote, build, and maintain mountain biking in the Triangle. Join Us!
TORC Leadership
- Shaun King – Executive Director
- Mark Brothers – President
- Mason Harris – Vice-President
- Matthew Gronke – Treasurer
- Nicholas Westphal – Secretary
- Kat Dale
- Sarwat Khattak
- Ernie Williams
- Rob Noti
- Dave Anderson
- James Allen
- Sean Taylor
- Andrew Farris
Board Meeting Notes
Read our Chapter By-Laws