Member Spotlight: Bri Goley

Tell us about your cycling journey. What got you into riding and what keeps you coming back?

I bought my first hardtail mountain bike in 2016 — a Trek Skye — and I still remember thinking $650 was an outrageous amount of money to spend on a bike. (Adorable, I know.) It’s pretty funny to look back on that now and see how much things have changed.

I didn’t truly fall in love with mountain biking until 2020, when a friend convinced me to sign up for my very first Dakota Five-O… despite the fact that my longest ride at the time was a very ambitious 7 miles. Naturally, I bought a shiny new Juliana Maverick that spring, and that’s when it all clicked. Turns out, mountain biking is really fun. I was officially hooked. Unfortunately, Covid put a real damper on the traditional Dakota Five-O experience, so I came back in 2021 to finish my first Dakota Five-O.

I’ve dealt with anxiety and depression for much of my life, but mountain biking has been one of the best tools I’ve found for keeping my brain quiet and my spirits up. It gives me confidence, a sense of purpose, and a reminder that I can push through hard things — on the bike and off. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper than therapy… well, depending on the bike.

What is your favorite cycling discipline (MTB, road, gravel)?

Although I’ve developed an appreciation for gravel riding, it’s mountain biking all the way for me. Whether it’s hard charging a technical section, ripping corners, or hucking myself off big drops, the feeling is unlike anything else. I love the mix of adrenaline, focus, and flow — it’s one of the few times my brain goes completely quiet. There’s also so much room for progression in this sport. That feeling of progression is incredibly addictive, from cleaning a feature that once terrified me to noticing my confidence and skills steadily grow. Every ride feels like a small adventure and a chance to push my limits, and that’s what keeps me coming back for more.

What’s your favorite trail or area to ride in the Black Hills / Western SD Region?

This is such a hard question to answer, but Storm Mountain is definitely one of my favorites. It has this perfect combination of tech and flow.

What’s your all-time favorite place you’ve traveled to ride?

I’ve ridden in a lot of amazing places — Moab, Sedona, Montana, Colorado, and North Dakota — but Bentonville absolutely takes the cake. The trail building there is in a class of its own. Every feature feels intentionally designed and perfectly built, from flowy jump lines to technical sections that challenge you just enough without being intimidating. The trails are so well done that it’s almost impossible not to progress — you end every ride feeling faster, smoother, and more confident.

What is the cycling related accomplishment you are most proud of and what made it significant?

The cycling accomplishment I’m most proud of is completing my first true Dakota Five-O in 2021 — mostly because I survived it and voluntarily came back. I’ve since completed it three more times, somehow getting faster each year and eventually hitting my goal of a sub-7-hour finish in 2024. I’m by no means a standout cross-country racer, but watching my fitness improve over time has been both surprising and very satisfying. What makes it significant is the combination of persistence, stubbornness, and the realization that consistency actually works — even if it takes a few years and a lot of suffering on the same course.

What Black Hills Bike Hub activities have you participated in, and how did they benefit you as a rider?

I’ve participated in a lot of BHBH activities, but it’s been the most beneficial to me to attend the women’s rides throughout the summer that are organized by Emily Berry and Brittany Neiles. These rides have helped me grow my skills and confidence on the bike while also giving me the opportunity to meet and ride with new women in the community. I really enjoy the supportive, welcoming atmosphere and the connections I’ve made through these rides. I particularly loved the opportunity to lead some of these rides, share my riding knowledge with other women, and encourage them to step outside their comfort zone. There’s no better feeling than helping a fellow rider clear a feature they’ve walked in the past.

What Black Hills Bike Hub projects have you contributed to and how will these support BHBH’s vision of making Rapid City a better place to live, work, and play? 

In addition to leading several women’s rides, I’ve contributed to hands-on trail work on M Hill to help keep the trails rideable and enjoyable. I’ve also volunteered at multiple BHBH-hosted events, including the cyclocross races and the Air and Style event, supporting community engagement and creating welcoming, well-run experiences for riders and spectators. Additionally, I helped plan and organize International Women’s Mountain Bike Day last year, which focused on inclusivity, skill-building, and encouraging more women to feel confident and connected on the trails. Altogether, these efforts support BHBH’s vision by improving trails and helping create a biking community in Rapid City that’s welcoming, supportive, and actually pretty fun to be a part of.