with new routes and some old favorites. Ride whenever you want during September and/or join us for some (small) group rides throughout the month—however you do it, you’ll be crushing the second-ever I Bike PHL Challenge.

ROUTES WITH STOPS

BLACK ARCHITECTS & DESIGNERS OF PHILADELPHIA 15 miles: This route—created by our partners from AIA Philadelphia’s Urban Design Committee—highlights six works by Black architects, designers and artists around the city. Ride on your own time or join us for a group ride (featuring some short site tours and speakers) on Saturday, September 18.

VIEWS FROM THE 215: Bike to some of Philly’s best known and best-kept-secret viewpoints. This one makes a stunning night ride (just make sure you’re properly lit!)

NEW BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE TOUR: Say what you will about 2020-21, but we did make some great progress on active transportation infrastructure. This route tours 10+ of the brand spankin’ new protected bike lane projects that wrapped this summer.

I BIKE PHL —> CAMDEN  10.5 miles: Pedal over the Bicycle Coalition’s most favorite bridge to check out A New View Camden, a series of six public art projects about environmental justice and restoration. 

PAPER TRAIL’S GRAVEL ESPRESSO 17 miles: Meet up with our friends at Paper Trail Bike Cafe for their Wednesday night gravel group rides in the Wiss. These rides are 65% gravel and the squad regroups after every climb, so gravel riders of all levels are encouraged to join.

Interested in this ride but don’t have a gravel bike? You can demo one from the shop! 

ROUTES FOR MILES

DOWN BY THE RIVER  9 miles: It just wouldn’t be the I Bike PHL Challenge without this classic cruise on the east and west banks of the Schuylkill. And you should be able to shave seconds off of your best time now that the MLK Drive sidepath has been resurfaced!

MT MORIAH & WOODLANDS LOOP 17 miles: A route that has it all—bike lanes, a little bitta gravel, a cemetery that is being retaken by the forest, another cemetery where everybody famous is buried, and three parks (Cobbs Creek, Clark Park and Rittenhouse).

PAVED TRAILS OF PHILLY 41 miles: Bicycle Coalition member and route planner extraordinaire Mark Yanagisawa packaged some of his favorite paved trails into this loop from the Art Museum. Make sure to stop at all of the water features along the way!

GREEN RIBBON TRAILS ADVENTURE  49 miles (31 road, 18 trail): This one’s for the unpaved enthusiasts out there. Put your tread to the test on the upgraded Trolley Trail, Forbidden Drive, through Fort Washington and back via the Manayunk Towpath.

CHALLENGES

LIBERTY BELL TROPHY CHALLENGE: ride as many miles as you’ve got in you using the I Bike PHL Challenge routes from September 1 – 30. The person who rides the most miles wins! To compete, join our Liberty Bell Challenge on RideWithGPS, or email us your tracked miles.

Pictured left: The 2020 Liberty Bell Trophy handmade by Holzman Iron Studio and its winner, Bicycle Coalition member Joe Chera.

FREESTYLE CHALLENGE: same concept as above, but for all y’all who are out on two wheels elsewhere. Ride as many miles as you’ve got in you using your favorite routes that are (close to) the same mileages as the I Bike PHL Challenge routes. The person who racks up the most miles from September 1 – 30 wins! To compete, join our Freestyle Challenge on RideWithGPS, or email us your tracked miles.