By Sam Klugherz
Photo courtesy of Bikeout
Summertime is quickly approaching, which means plenty of organized fun bike rides will be happening in the region. Here are some great upcoming opportunities to ride with fellow Philly cyclists.
- Philly Free Streets is a great chance to ride through the city and enjoy the sights and sounds of North Broad without cars. For the free event, the City of Philadelphia closes streets to cars, allowing for people of all ages to walk, bike, and play on the car-free road. The family-friendly event will take place on Saturday, August 3rd from 8 AM to 1 PM on an 8-mile round trip stretch of North Broad Street between Butler Street and Arch Street. More information about the event can be found here. No registration required.
- The 11th annual Philly Naked Bike Ride for 2019 will take place on August 24th at 5 PM. PNBR encourages cyclists to ride “As Bare As You Dare” to promote “fuel conscious consumption, positive body image, and cycling advocacy.” Additionally, there are pre-ride festivities complete with body paint. The ride is free and no registration is required. The route will be approximately 10 miles and is announced on PNBR’s Facebook page 24 hours before the ride will take place. The website can be found here and the link to the Facebook event is here.
- Bikeout 2019 will be held on September 14th and 15th. Bikeout is a unique overnight cycling travel experience. After Meeting at Lloyd Hall just behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art, participants ride about 38 miles via the Schuylkill River Trail to a campsite in Phoenixville. Once the riders arrive, they are provided with a farm-to-table dinner prepared by a local chef. Participants depart for Philly the next morning. Tickets for the weekend event go on sale next month, and when they do, you can buy them here.
- Bikes & Beers rides are another chance to ride with the area’s cyclists and enjoy some beers at a post-ride festival. Bikes & Beers will be hosting three rides in the Philly area: at Flying Fish in Somerdale, NJ on June 15th, at Victory in Parkesburg, PA on July 13th, and at Yards in Philadelphia on October 12th. For each ride, Bikes & Beers offers different ride distance options and snack pit stops along the way. Bikes & Beers also partners with a local brewery for each event offering free beers included with registration. The festivals also include live music, a raffle, and outdoor games. A portion of the proceeds go to the Bicycle Coalition. Registration is required, and the links to register can be found on the Bikes & Beers website here.
Photo courtesy of Bikes & Beers