Palos Meltdown Information
The Event
Long before there was a CAMBr Race Series, there was the Palos Meltdown! With racing for all ages and abilities, this historic event draws riders from all over the region. The Meltdown is held as a fundraiser for Chicago Area Mountain Bikers (CAMBr - a registered 501(c)(3) organization) to help build and maintain the extensive and varied system of mountain bike trails at Palos - now close to 30 miles in total. The race is held within the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Palos Forest Preserves, on an extensive singletrack trail system built and maintained by CAMBr, just half an hour outside of Chicago. The trails are flowy, fun, and built with all levels of rider in mind. The event strives to keep a fun family atmosphere while providing a both challenging and fun race experience for first timers to the seasoned elite athlete.
Packet Pickup
Racers can pick up their number plate and shirt (if you ordered one) at Richards Bicycles in Palos Heights (www.rbikes.com) on Saturday August 9, from 11 AM until 3 PM, or on Sunday August 10 (race day) from 7:00 AM onward at the big CAMBr tent next to the finish line. We recommend Saturday to beat the crowds!
Race Color Scheme
New for 2025 - we will be using the following color scheme to differentiate the various categories and courses:
Race Day Schedule
Special Categories
Fat Bike is only available in the Novice, Sport, and Comp races.
Single Speed is only available in the Novice, Sport, Comp, and Pro/Expert races
Clydesdale is only available in the Sport race.
Adaptive Mountain Bike (aMTB)
Strictly for riders with mobility impairments. E-assist permitted for this race only.
Cash Prizes
See https://runsignup.com/Race/PalosMeltdown/Page/Awards
