OFFICIAL PROGRAM AND RIDE GUIDE
Program design
BIKE NEW YORK STAFF
ERIC ADAMS
A LETTER FROM ERIC ADAMS
MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY
Dear Friends,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome everyone as Bike New York hosts the 2025 TD Five Boro Bike Tour.
My Administration is committed to ensuring that our streets in every neighborhood are safe.
Cycling is a rapidly growing transportation option in our city, and over the past three years, we have greatly expanded protected bike lanes and upgraded existing infrastructure to support cyclists and foster sustainable forms of commuting that minimize traffic and greenhouse gas emissions. Bike New York is a crucial part of this mission, offering free bike education, community programming, and job training each year to thousands of underserved New Yorkers.
The organization’s annual Five Boro Bike Tour—the largest charitable ride in the world—is a wonderful opportunity for tens of thousands of participants to get exercise and explore our diverse boroughs while also raising funds for local and national nonprofits. Together, we will continue to forge a brighter, healthier, and safer future for all.
On behalf of the City of New York, I extend my best wishes for a safe and exciting ride and further success.,
Sincerely,
Eric Adams Mayor of New York City
A LETTER FROM KEN PODZIBA
PRESIDENT & CEO OF BIKE NEW YORK
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the 47th Annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour Presented by Manhattan Portage!
Get ready for an unforgettable ride! You’re about to experience the thrill of cycling 40 miles, completely car-free, through the vibrant streets of New York City. As America’s most popular bike ride, the Tour takes you on an extraordinary journey through all five boroughs, offering breathtaking views and the best possible way to see the city: on two wheels, free from traffic.
More than just a ride, this event is a celebration of cycling, community, and shared adventure. You’ll be joining 32,000 cyclists of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities from across the nation and around the world. Together, we’ll transform the streets, highways, and bridges of New York City into a cyclist’s paradise for one incredible day.
By participating in the Tour, you’re also making a difference. Proceeds from this event support Bike New York’s mission to transform lives, especially those from the city’s most vulnerable populations, through bicycling. Your ride helps fund free bike education programs that teach tens of thousands of New Yorkers how to ride safely and confidently. Our Bike Path program provides formerly incarcerated individuals with training and certification to secure employment as bike mechanics. We also partner with the City of New York to refurbish and distribute donated bicycles to New Yorkers in need of reliable transportation. Additionally, we work with communities and officials to advocate for safer streets, expanding the network of protected bike lanes citywide.
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We extend our deepest gratitude to Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and the Department of Transportation for co-producing this Tour, as well as our dedicated government partners, including the NYPD, CECM, FDNY, DSNY, NYC Parks, National Park Service, Port Authority, DEP, MTA Bridges and Tunnels, OEM, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Park Police, NYC Transit, Long Island Railroad, Metro-North, and NYC Tourism.
A special thank you to our title sponsor, TD Bank, our presenting sponsor, Manhattan Portage, and our amazing partners, including Bloomberg, Clif Bar, Unlimited Biking, Kryptonite, Primal Wear, Rockefeller Group, Jamaica Hospital, MarathonFoto, MetroPlus and Con Edison.
And, of course, we owe a huge thanks to the more than 2,000 volunteers who make this event possible—please be sure to show them your appreciation along the route!
Have an amazing ride, stay safe, and enjoy every moment of this incredible experience.
Sincerely,
Ken Podziba President & CEO Bike New York
A LETTER FROM YDANIS RODRIGUEZ
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER
Welcome to Bike New York’s TD Five Boro Bike Tour!
I am excited to join Bike New York once again in officially hosting this year’s ride, as the New York City Department of Transportation, for only the second time in the event’s history, will serve as an official tour co-producer. Whether you are joining us for the first time or are returning to savor 40 miles of car-free New York City streets at the height of spring, I welcome you to the unique experience of cycling in New York City!
You will have much to celebrate today, including the fact that tour cyclists will again make their way through all five boroughs -- from Manhattan’s Battery all the way to St George on Staten Island -- with more hours to complete that long ride than they had in earlier years. Many of the roads on which you will find yourself riding today provide a special treat: the FDR Drive, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge offer tremendous waterfront views that cyclists only get to enjoy for one day each year – riding on this tour.
I am proud to say that New York City strongly supports cycling on our thousands of miles of other streets, bike paths and greenways all the remaining days of the year. Under the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams, cycling continues to expand dramatically. In fact, cycling growth this past year outpaced other modes, with more than 620,000 daily rides -- including over 100,000 rides each day on Citi Bike, the continent’s largest and best bikeshare program. We also now count more than 28,000 daily bike trips over the East River bridges on an average weekday, up over 8.4 percent from last year and an astonishing 17 times higher than when the city first began counting bike ridership in 1980!
In just the last year, and with the strong support and effective advocacy of groups like Bike New York, we have continued to make enormous progress in expanding access and making streets safer for cycling, including by:
• Delivering on our commitments, creating nearly 30 miles of new protected bike lanes across New York City and redesigning lanes to accommodate further growth. In 2024, we continued to
build out our largest-in-the-nation network with new protected lanes along Bedford Avenue and McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn, as well as on Hunts Point Avenue in the Bronx and on Queens Boulevard. Along Second Avenue in Manhattan, one of the city’s busiest bike lanes, we completed a major redesign that widened space for cyclists, accommodating their greater numbers, including those on faster e-bicycles.
• Keeping an eye on equity in everything we do. Because cycling between Northern Manhattan and the Bronx has grown dramatically, we completed a major redesign of the Washington Bridge between my community of Washington Heights and the Highbridge neighborhood. The bridge’s new two-way protected lane and a new dedicated bus lane send a strong signal that every community deserves commuting options that are safe, convenient, and reliable. Also in 2024, DOT remained committed to expanding New York City’s unparalleled network of Open Streets to a wider range of communities, spurring and supporting community groups as they create and program their own activities – and welcome cyclists -- along car-free streets.
• Supporting the continued expansion and improvement of bikeshare and micromobility. With a new annual ridership record in 2024, Citi Bike’s ridership is growing, and New York City is committed to many more years of bikeshare. In 2024, our Citi Bike partners at Lyft joined us to announce a system expansion deeper into the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, with a plan to add more than 250 new stations and 2,900 new bikes into service -- about half of which will be electric bicycles. After a successful pilot in the eastern Bronx, we also launched an e-scooter program in Eastern Queens, breaking ridership records in the process. When these expansions are complete, Citi Bike and e-scooter share will provide more than 75 percent of New York City’s residential population with access to shared micromobility.
• Using technology to prioritize cycling. NYC DOT is leading the nation in innovations to keep cyclists moving as well as to keep them safe. For example, after testing on smaller streets popular with cyclists around the five boroughs, we recently introduced “green wave” signal timing to two miles of Third Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side (where we had cut the ribbon on a new double-wide protected bike lane in 2023.) Signals on Third Avenue now change at 15 MPH, which keeps traffic moving at a speed that is safer for all the street’s users, whether they are in a car, on foot or on a bicycle.
As always, I want to offer personal thanks to Ken Podziba and the entire Bike New York team for their commitment to New York City and to cycling. Each year, the Five Boro Bike Tour organizers at Bike New York work closely with DOT, NYPD, and other City agencies to coordinate a logistically challenging but consistently wonderful event that touches each of the five boroughs.
I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable ride and hope that you will see firsthand why more and more New Yorkers select cycling as their preferred way to get around this great city!
Ydanis Rodriguez Commissioner
New York City Department of Transportation
A LETTER FROM RALPH BUMBACA
REGIONAL PRESIDENT OF METRO NEW YORK TD BANK
Welcome to the 2025 TD Five Boro Bike Tour!
This signature New York City experience is like no other as we ride together on traffic-free streets through our iconic neighborhoods and enjoy the cheers of its residents. It is truly special the way the TD Five Boro Bike Tour brings thousands of people together through a common passion for cycling – from casual riders to the competitors – and a love of this great city. As a native of Brooklyn, my favorite part is cresting the bridge into the familiar streets.
TD Bank has been an active member of the New York City landscape for more than two decades, and we’re proud to support the tour for the 18th year. This year, we are honored to contribute even more to the diverse communities we serve with a bike build volunteer project dedicated to providing local youths the opportunity to learn to ride a bicycle. Bike New York’s ongoing commitment to bicycle education and sustainability ties into TD’s own commitment to enhancing the lives of our community members, and the funds raised today will help them continue serving our neighbors throughout the five boroughs.
On behalf of TD Bank and our more than 2,000 colleagues throughout New York City, thank you for joining us and participating in the 2025 TD Five Boro Bike Tour.
See you on the tour!
Ralph Bumbaca Regional President of Metro New York, TD Bank
This is how NYC rolls.
We’re cheering on the thousands of riders joining forces to support Bike New York’s mission to get everyone riding.
I’M A BIKE NEW YORK ER
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
• Members receive Membership exclusive merchandise
• All Members ride in Start Wave 1 of the TD Five Boro Bike Tour
• Members receive 15% off on Bike New York Regional Rides(Discover Hudson Valley Ride and Twin Lights Ride)
• Members receive 50% off hourly bike rentals with Unlimited Biking(Tour rentals and e-bikes are excluded from this promotion).
• Members receive 35% off all helmets and eyewear from the Rudy Project
• Members receive 15% off bags from Manhattan Portage
• Members receive 15% off helmets from FEND
• A 20% discount on a Ride with GPS account, a powerful ride planner and tracker for cyclists.
• We will notify you about our membersonly Social Rides, Local Rides, and Meet and Greet events via our monthly newsletter.
• Members get 25% off on all purchases at Primal Wear (exclusions may apply, contact us for details).
• Members receive 20% off on CLEVERHOOD rain gear.
• Members also receive 10% off all purchases at our Bike New York Online Shop, including jerseys, other apparel, and Tour merchandise.
• Members receive 15% off all Kryptonite products at Bike New York's Recycle-A-Bicycle shop.
• Members receive 10% off on repair service at Bike New York's Recycle-A-Bicycle shop
BIKE NEW YORK’S EDUCATION PROGRAMS
They say you never forget how to ride a bike, but many people never had the chance to learn. We offer free classes and programs for adults and children throughout the year at more than a dozen Community Bike Education Centers and bike shops across the five boroughs. Learn more and sign up at www.bike.nyc/education.
Road Map: Our Adult Class Curriculum
Youth Classes
KIDS’ LEARN TO RIDE CLASS
This free group class is for children who are ready to ditch their training wheels and ride a two-wheeler for the first time. With our safe, easy, effective method and experienced instructors, kids will learn how to balance, pedal, start, stop, and steer a bicycle. Most students get the hang of it in one session!
AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS
We teach youth ages 10 and up the skills to ride a bike, the rules of the road, best practices for riding in a group and on the streets, and the joy and freedom of biking. Sessions are one day per week for several weeks.
BICYCLE FIELD TRIPS
Schools can bring groups of youth ages 10 and up on a 2-hour field trip to one of our Bicycle Education Centers, where they can learn how to ride a bike for the first time, learn safety and basic bike handling skills, and take a group ride using our fleet of bikes.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
GAIN CYCLING SKILLS THROUGH THE GET KIDS BIKING PROGRAM
On February 19, 2025, MS 244, a middle school in Kingsbridge, Bronx, buzzed with energy as volunteers from TD Bank and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), alongside instructors and mechanics from Bike New York, came together to assemble 100 brand-new Jamis bicycles. These bikes, generously donated by TD Bank, are part of the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Get Kids Biking program, an initiative dedicated to introducing students to cycling.
Expanding Access to Biking in NYC Schools
Launched in 2017 at a single middle school on Staten Island, the Get Kids Biking program quickly grew, reaching all five boroughs by 2019. The program operates through rotating fleets of bikes, ensuring students across the city can participate. In 2023, TD Bank bolstered the initiative with a donation of 100 bikes, while NYCDOT purchased six trailers to facilitate their transport between schools.
TD Bank has stepped up again this year, donating another 100 bikes. Twenty of these will remain at MS 244 as a permanent fleet, while the remaining 80 will replace older bikes in circulation. Retired bikes will be refurbished and sent to schools that have previously hosted the program, helping to establish lasting bike fleets and expanding access to even more students.
Why Teaching Cycling Skills In School Matters
Teaching students how to ride a bike is about more than just fun—it’s a key part of building a Bicycle-Friendly Community. New York City has invested heavily in bike infrastructure, including dedicated bike lanes and a thriving bike-share program. However, a truly bike-friendly city requires more than just infrastructure—it also needs education, engagement, and equity. This is where the Five E’s of cycling promotion come in:
• Engineering – Creating safe bike lanes and routes.
• Evaluation – Analyzing cycling rates and crash data to improve safety.
• Encouragement – Hosting events like Car-Free Earth Day and Bike to Work Day to inspire more cycling.
• Equity – Ensuring underserved communities have access to cycling resources.
• Education – Teaching essential cycling skills to make biking safe and enjoyable.
Youth cycling rates have declined sharply since the 1970s, with fewer students biking to school. Programs like Get Kids Biking help reverse this trend by providing hands-on cycling education, teaching safety skills, and making biking
To celebrate achievements,their ten students and two staff members from MS 244 will participate in the TD Five Boro Bike Tour
a normalized part of the school experience. By integrating cycling into the school day, the program ensures that biking is accessible to all students—not just those who already know how to ride. Think of it as Reading, Riding, and Arithmetic. Jason Martinez, a teacher at MS 244, was thrilled that his students were a part of the Get Kids Biking program – “first and foremost, thank you for allowing us to participate in this fantastic program. It was a tremendous success this year. Many kids learned how to ride a bicycle and were eager to go further. We heard many of our students tell their guardians that they now wanted a bike for Christmas. It’s wonderful to see kids get active again.”
Collaboration Fuels the Program’s Success
The Get Kids Biking Program thrives through strong partnerships between Bike New York, NYCDOT, and NYCPS:
• Bike New York provides the curriculum, trains teachers, and offers ongoing instructor support while also maintaining and repairing the bikes.
• NYCDOT manages bike storage and transportation between schools, supplies thousands of helmets, and offers essential administrative support.
• NYCPS provides the teachers, students, and physical spaces that make the program possible.
To celebrate their achievements, ten students and two staff members from MS 244 will participate in the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, showcasing the success and impact of the Get Kids Biking program. Through collaboration and dedication, this initiative is helping shape a new generation of confident, skilled, and enthusiastic cyclists. “A quick note to express our school’s sincere gratitude for the opportunity to have participated in the Get Kids Biking program once again in October 2024. Having access to the bikes was a motivating experience for students and teachers alike. Many great memories were made on two wheels in the fall!”
CYCLING THROUGH HISTORY
By Lorrin Thomas,
This year will be the eighth time I’ll ride forty miles through the five boroughs of New York City with thousands of other cyclists taking part in the TD Five Boro Ride. I was first enticed to do the ride by a friend who taught her now-grown son the joys of long-distance riding perhaps before he learned to read. Inspired by the two of them, I found a kid-sized vintage Fuji road bike for my older son and, after he mastered the down tube shifters and practiced riding twenty miles at a stretch, he joined our 5 Boro team. The following year I persuaded his younger brother to do the ride. With his eight-year-old legs and heavy hybrid bike, he was miserable by the time we reached a hard headwind on the BQE and furious at me as we ascended the 4% grade of the Verrazzano bridge a few miles later. But he persevered, and after some ice cream, he admitted he was proud.
The nostalgia I feel for those long-ago rides involves a certain amount of forgetting – for example, I prefer not to think about how much trouble it was to help multiple small people get their bikes up and down the stairs of the subway and the ferry terminal. Most of the joy comes from remembering
all that we shared: the silly jokes, the extreme snacks, the stories of minor disasters and disasters averted that we would tell and retell on the ferry back to Manhattan.
This year my nostalgia is even more acute, since my sons (left and center) have left home and won’t be joining us on the ride, though their intrepid friend (right) will be part of the team once again this year. On top of the weight of my personal memories, this is the 400th anniversary of New York’s founding – Dutch traders built Fort Amsterdam in lower Manhattan in 1625, on the site of the current Customs House – which means that, for a historian-cyclist-mom like me, there’s a lot of history, personal and otherwise, to process during this year’s ride.
I didn’t have a bicycle during the six years I lived in New York in the early 1990s, the first time since I was four years old that I’d been without one. My only wheels were rollerblades – it was the nineties! – a hand-me-down pair about two sizes too big for me that I used all the time. I vaguely remember some very long trips on those skates, at least once from the Upper West Side
These small riders are now young adults. Author’s photo, 2014
History Professor at Rutgers University – Camden
to Brooklyn, but have no recollection of how I navigated pedestrians or traffic or why I thought rollerblade transit was a good idea. I probably just wanted to get somewhere fast on my own steam while watching the world go by. That was what drove me to prod my friends and my brother to go on long weird rides with me when I was younger, and it’s the thing most cyclists would say when asked what they love about riding.
Soon after I moved back to my hometown, Philadelphia, to go to grad school in history, I bought a new bike and started commuting nine miles each way from my apartment to campus in all weather. I loved the freedom and the time to myself. During some challenging moments – like when the snowy and partly frozen pedestrian path along the Schuylkill River began to thaw on a warmish February day, turning into unnavigable slush that reduced me to tears – I would think of the one-legged bike messenger who had enthralled me when I was working near Union Square. He zipped around Broadway traffic like the Roadrunner, leaving other couriers in the dust. His bike had one pedal but no other adaptations aside from a pair of crutches strapped to his top tube. (During one of the harder stretches of my younger son’s first time riding forty miles through the city, I tried to motivate him by telling him the story of the one-legged bike messenger. It didn’t work.)
The first time I managed to ride a bike in New York City was a few years after I moved away, when I concocted a bike tour of upper Manhattan and the Bronx with my college boyfriend (now husband) and college roommate, who lived in Washington Heights. Our destination was the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, but we first took a history nerds’ detour to visit the nearby Hamilton Grange, the house Alexander Hamilton built in 1802 and lived in for only two years before he died, in his late forties, in a duel with Aaron Burr. The house had been moved a couple of blocks away from its original site in 1889 and was then wedged between
St. Luke’s church and an apartment building constructed in the early 20th century¹.
I knew nothing about Hamilton beyond his authorship of the Federalist Papers and his role as the first Secretary of the Treasury. My old roommate, who had a knack for picking up on details whose significance was veiled by obscurity, told us that Hamilton, a fellow Columbia alum, had been born and raised in the British Caribbean. (Lin-Manuel Miranda would elaborate on this fact as the foundation of his blockbuster musical Hamilton about fifteen years later.) We decided that Hamilton must have been the first Caribbean transplant to settle in a section of the city that, a few decades into the next century, would constitute the largest community of Caribbean migrants in all of the Americas.
The archival research I was doing for my dissertation was based in New York (I commuted weekly by train, not bike) and I was reading tons of newspapers from the early 20th century, which meant that I occasionally came across some intriguing references to bicycles. There was a bike path in Brooklyn that was wildly popular in the 1890s but fell out of use by cyclists barely a decade later². The city’s traffic was largely controlled by police assigned to bicycle squads at the turn of the century –until they were decommissioned for corruption in 1909.³
Route check in the Bronx.
Relying on paper maps, of course.
Author’s photo, 1998.
Soon the internet got bigger and newspaper databases got better and I was able to connect some of the dots. I learned that the 1890s was the most pivotal decade for both the technological development and the popularization of the bicycle. That was when the Ocean Parkway bike path was constructed, connecting Prospect Park to Coney Island (and despite its disuse for a time in the early 20th century, it’s recognized as the oldest continuously used bike path in the world). The southbound stretch opened in spring 1895.
Given the frequency and severity of bicycle collisions with horses and carriages, pedestrians, and other cyclists in that era, the commissioner of the Department of Public Parks announced in advance of the path’s opening a list of common-sense rules that would turn out to be evergreen: protect pedestrians, limit speed, and observe the “law of the road”—that is, keep to the right, pass on the left. A new squad of three police officers on bicycles tried to enforce the rules, though cyclists liked to race on the wide new path. In April 1895, the New York Times printed a front-page story about “an unusual and exciting bicycle race” that involved two bicycle cops chasing and eventually overtaking and arresting a young man who’d told them to go to hell when they warned him he was riding too fast.
By the time the northbound path was finished in June of 1896, there was so much enthusiasm for cycling on the parkway that, according to news reports, ten thousand cyclists and 100,000 spectators along the 5.5mile route turned out to celebrate the second opening. This was the peak of the “bicycle mania” that was sweeping the U.S. and Europe and that briefly made cycling the most popular sport among Americans.
The possibilities of cycling weren’t limited to sport. In 1897, a group of volunteers from the 25th Infantry
Regiment, one of the units of Black “Buffalo Soldiers” in the segregated U.S. Army, participated in the Army’s most ambitious test of a bicycle corps. They set out from their station at Fort Missoula, completing a 2,000-mile tour through the Rockies on bikes that weighed 60 pounds when fully loaded. On top of all that, each soldier carried a ten-pound rifle plus ammunition.
As far as I can tell, there are no surviving first-hand accounts by any members of the bicycle corps aside from that of the commanding officer, Lt. James Moss, a 25-year-old white man from Lafayette Parish, Louisiana who was sent to his remote post in Montana after graduating last in his class at West Point. So we are left to imagine what it was like to slog along muddy tracks and inch such heavy rigs up steep mountain trails for fifty miles a day, all in the service of a country whose Supreme Court had just upheld the first major test of legal segregation with the argument that the Fourteenth Amendment “could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color.”⁴
getting to pedal for hours through New York City without once thinking about the cars
Had I been one of those men, a recent development in the cycling world would have added to my personal joy on the bike and therefore boosted my stamina somewhat: the victory of eighteen year-old Marshall “Major” Taylor, a Black rider from Indianapolis, who won a preliminary race in a major multiday event at Madison Square Garden in late 1896, beating out the fastest sprinter in the U.S. Before the end of the decade, Major Taylor went on to break seven world records and became a worldwide celebrity.
Predictably, women’s attraction to cycling caused more controversy than any other aspect of the new national obsession. For one thing, many women wore bloomers instead of skirts while riding. The advantages were obvious, but bloomers had represented a threat to the social order –that is, to the patriarchy— for decades, since the first suffrage activists adopted them as a
symbol of their freedom in the 1850s. Suffragists of a certain age in the 1890s loudly defended women cyclists and the various “costumes” they wore.
Frances Willard, a suffragist and temperance activist who learned to ride a bike in her mid-fifties, described her adventures in A Wheel Within a Wheel: How I learned to Ride the Bicycle (1895). The book was mostly memoir but advanced a few arguments about social reform, including her conviction that “the bicycle [is] perhaps our strongest ally in winning young men away from public-houses [saloons].”⁵ Meanwhile, according to bicycle historian Jody Rosen, newspapers around the country were publishing stories of the mounting costs of women’s “bicycle fever.” A number of divorce petitions filed by men cited their wives’ neglect of household duties, including children, in favor of “taking long bicycle rides.” One complainant added that his wife’s riding companions were “people who were strangers to propriety.”⁶
Within about a decade, the craze over the “silent steed” had ended, eclipsed by the mania for the “horseless carriage” that continues to this day.⁷ It’s now a bit safer than it was in 1910 or 1920 for cyclists to share the road with cars, but every rider knows it’s unwise to take safety for granted, even in a bike lane. I’ll miss riding with my kids this year, but their absence won’t diminish the great joy of the TD Five Boro Bike Tour: getting to pedal for hours through New York City without once thinking about the cars–and then eating a giant lunch and celebrating the forty fun miles with friends in the majestic aura of the Verrazzano Bridge.
¹ In 2008 Hamilton Grange was moved again about a block southeast to the edge of St. Nicholas Park.
² “Sports That New York Has Discarded,” New York Times, Sept. 15, 1929, SM6.
³ “Bicycle Squad in Disgrace,” New York Times, Nov. 10, 1909, 8.
⁴ Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896).
⁵ Frances Willard, A Wheel Within a Wheel (London, 1895), 12.
⁶ Jody Rosen, Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle (New York, 2022), 82-83.
⁷ Bikes have made a comeback at various points, of course. Newspapers by the mid-1920s were reporting that “A New Generation Discovers the Bike – Youth Exhausts Thrill of Auto and Roller Skate and Goes in for the Old-Time Fun of Pedaling,” New York Times, Oct. 18, 1925, SM2.
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. “Major Taylor” New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1898.
SHOP THE OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE STORE AT CENTER415 DURING PACKET PICKUP
STATEN ISLANDERS CAME TOGETHER TO KEEP NYC MOVING
Bike New York was once again proud to partner with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), Amazon, NYPD, Staten Island FerryHawks, and Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell to provide hundreds of Staten Islanders with sustainable, affordable transportation and recreation through Keep NYC Moving.
By encouraging Staten Islanders to donate their gently used bicycles, Keep NYC Moving brought joy and health to hundreds of New Yorkers by refurbishing and restoring bikes for new riders. This annual program focuses on collecting, repairing, and distributing bicycles, offering a practical transportation solution to those who need it most. For many recipients, these bicycles were life-changing—creating pathways to employment,
promoting well-being, and empowering riders of all ages to explore their city in the most liberating way possible—on two wheels.
“Seeing the joy on the faces of New Yorkers and their children as they received a bike was one of the highlights of the year. A bicycle provides a new sense of freedom as a fun, healthy, and low-cost way to get around. We are so grateful for the
Photo credit: NYC DOT
generosity of Staten Islanders who donated their bikes and for our partnership with Bike New York, NYPD, Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell, and the FerryHawks in making this event possible,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.
Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell and the FerryHawks helped facilitate donations through event sponsorships across the borough. As a token of appreciation, each bike donor received two FerryHawks game tickets per donated bike. This initiative exemplified the power of community— turning unused bicycles from garages and storage spaces into sources of mental and physical wellness and sustainable transportation for those in need.
With Amazon’s support, Bike New York meticulously refurbished each bicycle, ensuring they were in top condition. Amazon covered the cost of bicycle mechanics, who spent months rebuilding and
repairing the bikes. If a bike was beyond repair, its parts and metal were recycled, diverting waste from NYC landfills.
“We are proud to support Bike New York, an organization that runs critical programs helping New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds learn to ride,” said Carley Graham Garcia, Amazon’s Head of Community Affairs in New York. “This program not only provided much-needed transportation— key to economic mobility—but also delivered significant health and environmental benefits.”
To ensure fair distribution, the NYPD Office of the Borough Commander collaborated with local precincts to identify underserved communities and individuals who would most benefit from a newly refurbished bike.
“At Bike New York, we believe bicycles are more than just a mode of transportation—they represent freedom, opportunity, and empowerment,” said Ken Podziba, CEO of Bike New York. “Keep NYC Moving is a shining example of how collaboration and community spirit can break down barriers to mobility and make New York City a more connected and sustainable place for everyone.”
The annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour—Bike New York’s largest fundraising event—helps support initiatives like Keep NYC Moving, ensuring that this impactful program continues to serve communities in need.
Through the generosity of Staten Islanders and the dedication of its partners, Keep NYC Moving has made a meaningful impact—providing transportation, independence, and a new way to explore the city.
Photo credit: NYC DOT
Photo credit: NYC DOT
EVENT DAY RIDE GUIDE
START SCHEDULE & MAP
The Start wave corridor (shown in white on the map below) runs along Greenwich/Trinity/Church. Start waves correspond to the color of your bib and bike plate. See below to find out when and where to go. Course Marshals in safety vests will be on site to direct riders to appropriate entry streets.
• If members of your group are assigned to different Start waves, please ride together in the latest Start wave for your group.
• Riders assigned to later Start waves cannot move to an earlier wave.
• Riders heading southbound to the Start Line must enter their wave via Broadway. Riders heading northbound to the Start Line must enter their wave via the Hudson River Greenway.
WAVE 1 (7:30AM)
VIP & Charity Riders, Preferred Start, Members
Recommended arrival time: 6-7 AM
Preferred Start & Members should enter at Chambers St.
VIP & CHARITY BREAKFAST
VIP Riders: Access VIP breakfast at Canal and Church
Charity Riders: Access Charity breakfast at Broadway and Worth
WAVE 2 (8:30AM)
Recommended arrival time: 7:30-8 AM
Southbound/west side access: Warren St.
Northbound/east side access: Barclay St
WAVE 3 (9:15AM)
Recommended arrival time: 8:15-8:45 AM
Southbound/west side access: Vesey St.
Northbound/east side access: Maiden Ln.
WAVE 4 (9:50AM)
Recommended arrival time: 8:50-9:20 AM
Southbound/west side access: Rector St.
Northbound/east side access: Cedar St.
WAVE 5 (10:30AM)
Recommended arrival time: 9:30-10 AM
Southbound/west side access: Battery Place
Northbound/east side access: Morris St.
• After a Start wave is released, the next Start wave moves up. Please refer to access points for earlier waves.
• Sixth Avenue will reopen to cars at 12:00PM.
Finish Festival (10:00AM – 5:30PM) Ft. Wadsworth
GETTING TO THE START
The route closes to vehicular traffic at 7:15AM; be sure to take this into account when planning your arrival. We do not recommend driving to the Start Area.
Bike
We’re quite partial to this option. From anywhere in Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn, the best way to get to the Start Area is by bike. The Hudson River Greenway and Broadway both lead directly to wave access points. For detailed directions, use Google Maps to plan your route. Be sure to click the bicycle icon.
Driving & Parking
We recommend that participants driving to the TD Five Boro Bike Tour park on Staten Island in the morning. You can bike to the Ferry and ride over to lower Manhattan to the Start. After you finish riding, you’ll ride back to your car and avoid any lines at the Ferry.
NOTE: Cars parked along the Tour route will be towed and impounded.
Subway
Note that some subway stations do not accommodate bikes. The MTA requests that participants do not bring bikes on the L/M/G trains. Visit www.mta.info for customized travel directions using TripPlanner, or call the MTA for more information by dialing 511. Check the schedule for changes as Tour day approaches.
Riders bringing their bicycles should use:
World Trade Center
Chambers St.
Cortlandt St.
South Ferry
Brooklyn Bridge
Bowling Green (n/b exit only)
Broad St.
These train stations do not accomodate bikes:
Fulton St.
Wall St.
Rector St.
Whitehall St.
Bowling Green (s/b exit)
Subway Service Notes for Tour Day
• No J train service between Brooklyn & Manhattan. Trains only operate between Jamaica Center & Hewes St with shuttle buses operating between Hewes St & Delancey-Essex Sts.
E trains are operating on the F line in Manhattan terminating at 2 Av
• A/C trains are running local downtown only from 59 St-Columbus Circle - Canal St, they will be making express stops uptown from Canal St – 59 St-Columbus Circle.
Please plan your subway travel accordingly.
PATH Trains (from New Jersey)
From Hoboken, take the PATH train toward 33rd St. and get off at the Christopher St. stop. From Newark, Harrison, Journal Square, Grove St., and Exchange Pl., take the WTC train and get off at the World Trade Center stop. The fare is $3.00, payable by MetroCard.
• Bikes are not permitted on the first car of the train.
• Note that you will need to use stairs to get to street level, so be prepared to carry your bike. For up-to-date information, system map, station locations, and parking information, visit www.panynj.gov or dial 1-800-234-PATH.
Train Ferry
Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry is one of the best boat rides you can take, and it’s FREE!
If you are parking or staying on Staten Island, you can take the ferry to lower Manhattan, and then bike to your Start location. There are no bike limits for the Staten Island ferry.
• Ferry service for the Tour begins From 6:00 AM - 11:00 AM, service runs every 20 mins. Starting at 11:00AM, ferries will run every 15 minutes until 6;00PM, and then every half hour after that.
Note: Lines for the Manhattan-bound ferry may be long starting in the early afternoon.
Long Island Railroad (LIRR)
On Tour day, off-peak fares apply, and bike permit rules are suspended.
• Cyclists can take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to Penn Station or Grand Central-Madison and then transfer to downtown subway service, or cycle downtown.
• We ask that you space you and your bikes evenly throughout the train to facilitate the flow of people boarding and disembarking at stations. Please bring a bungee cord to secure your bike.
For more information on departure times and station locations, including weekend timetables, visit www.mta.info/lirr.
Metro-North Railroad
Take the Metro-North to Grand Central Station at East 42nd St. and Park Ave.
To get to Bowling Green via subway from Grand Central Terminal, take the 4, 5, or 6 train to the Brooklyn Bridge or City Hall stations.
On Tour Day:
• Bikes are allowed on all trains on the Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven Lines.
• Bike permit rules are suspended. There will be no restrictions on the number of bikes per train. Off-peak fares apply.
For more information on departure times and station locations, visit www.mta.info/mnr.
NYC Ferry
Note: This is not information for the Staten Island Ferry.
We do not recommend using NYC Ferry on Tour day, as their ability to take bikes on board is significantly constrained.
NY Waterway (from New Jersey)
We do not have specific Tour day information for NY Waterway. Please visit NY Waterway’s website for more information.
While you’re in NYC...
If you’re coming to New York City for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, then make sure to check out nyctourism.com for official visitor information to help you plan your trip! The guide is a great resource for everything you need to know regarding where to stay, eat, drink and play while you’re in town.
PARKING ON STATEN ISLAND
We recommend that participants driving to the TD Five Boro Bike Tour park on Staten Island in the morning. Parking will be easier, and you’ll avoid waiting in line for the ferry at the end of the day.
If you park on the street, please observe all posted parking restrictions. Cars parked along the Tour route will be towed.
Paid Parking Lots
Due to ongoing construction, there will be limited parking at the Staten Island Ferry lots. Alternatively, use street parking or the following nearby private and municipal lots nearby:
Empire Outlets Parking Hours: 24/7
Cost: $25/day*
Prepay your Tour day parking now
Note: The Empire Outlets garage will be accessible for parking until 8:30AM on Tour day. You must park elsewhere after that time.
Saint George Courthouse Garage and Parking Lot
Hours: 8:00AM – 8:00PM
Cost: $12/day* (Subject to change)
Pay with cash or credit card (no debit card)
25 Wall Street Hours: 24/7
Cost: $15/day* (Subject to change)
Pay with cash, credit, or debit card. Cars that park without checking in with an attendant are subject to being booted. Riders must comply with all posted rules and regulations.
South Beach Lot #4, 446 Father Capodanno Blvd Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants parking at South Beach can cycle to the Staten Island Ferry in order to get to the Start Area in lower Manhattan.
MTA Staten Island Railway
Park on local streets or in a Staten Island Railway Park-and-Ride at Dongan Hills, Great Kills, Annadale, Prince’s Bay, or Huguenot stations, then hop on a train to the ferry.
You MUST exit the train at the Tompkinsville stop and bike the remainder of the way to the Ferry. Riders will not be able to access the Ferry from the St.George railway stop.
Bicycles will be allowed on the trains, and you can board at any Staten Island Railway station. MetroCard fares are collected as you enter and exit at the St. George and Tompkinsville stations. Visit www.mta.info or dial 511 for more information.
RIDER TIPS
We work hard to ensure that you have a great time on the Tour. But just in case you aren’t able to complete the ride, or if you need assistance for any reason, here’s what to do, who to contact, and where to go.
Please note that once the Tour starts, the front of the pack will travel at approximately 15 mph, the tail at about 6 mph. Cyclists who fall behind will be given the option of boarding SAG (Support and Gear) vehicles traveling at the tail of the Tour, or leaving the Tour as the route permits.
Hitching a Ride with SAG
SAG vehicles follow the back of the pack and they can assist you if you are running out of steam or fall too far behind. They will be stationed at each Rest Area, or you can signal and then pull off to the side of the road. They will take you and your bike to the Finish Festival.
Leaving the Tour
If you need to leave the Tour for any reason, we recommend doing so at the following locations. If you leave the Tour, you will be riding with motorized traffic and will have to watch for cars and road hazards.
Mile 14: York Ave. and 63rd St. (Manhattan)
This is your last chance to exit the Tour in Manhattan. If you don’t want to continue, travel straight on 63rd St. after the Tour exits the FDR Drive. Do not take the left-hand turn onto the ramp of the Queensboro (59th St.) Bridge.
Mile 27: Brooklyn Bridge
Before the Tour enters the BQE, you can leave the Tour at Old Fulton St. and Cadman Plaza West and take the Brooklyn Bridge bike path into downtown Manhattan. Marshals on the Brooklyn side will direct you. (This exit point is recommended for those traveling with children who want to exit the Tour.)
Subway
The Tour passes near many subway stations. Bikes are allowed on the subway, but some unstaffed subway stations have turnstiles that do not accommodate bikes. Marshals and Information Tents at Rest Areas can provide more details on which stations to use. Visit www.mta.info for up-todate info.
Medical Concerns
If you feel that you need medical attention, speak to a Tour Marshal or NYPD officer immediately, or visit a medical station located at each of the Rest Areas along the course. Do not wait for SAG. If you have an emergency, and there are no Tour Marshals or NYPD officers nearby, call 911 and say that you are with the TD Five Boro Bike Tour.
Marshals and Police
Volunteer Marshals and NYPD officers will be riding with you and are stationed along the route to provide assistance and keep the Tour rolling safely and smoothly.
Here’s who to look for:
Rider Assist Marshals will be riding alongside you in safety vests to help keep the Tour moving. They can also help out with flat tires and minor repairs.
Course Marshals will be stationed along the route in safety vests. They can give route directions and alert you to road conditions ahead.
NYPD officers will be on the route to manage car traffic.
Please follow all instructions given by Marshals and NYPD.
SERVICES ALONG THE ROUTE
Rest Areas
All Rest Areas include snacks, water stations, toilets, bike repair courtesy of Bike New York mechanics, first aid, and information. Complimentary refreshments include New York City water provided by NYC Department of Environmental Protection, bananas, pretzels, and electrolyte beverages, provided by Bike New York and select sponsors. Signs and Marshals along the route will direct you to bypass lanes.
Mile Location
11 FDR Drive at 116th St. (Manhattan)
17.5 Astoria Park (Queens)*
20 Con Ed Learning Center (Queens)
27 Commodore Barry (Brooklyn)
*All cyclists near the front of the pack will be held here for about 20 minutes while the NYPD closes down portions of the route to traffic. Cyclists near the tail of the Tour will be directed to a mandatory shortcut that bypasses this stop and leads to the next one.
Water Stations
We recommend bringing two water bottles so you can stay hydrated while you ride. All water stations include water, toilets, bike repair, and information.
Mile Location
9 The Bronx Dedicated to David Schlichting
28 Brooklyn Bridge Park
33 Gowanus BQE
39 Stapleton Water Station
Toilets
Toilets are available at all Rest Areas, Water Stations, the Finish Festival, and at the following locations throughout the Tour:
Mile Location
0 Start Area – Battery Place, Bowling Green, and along Church St.*
3 Sixth Ave., at approximately 56th St., before entering Central Park**
7 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. and 115th St.
**Please note: Toilets located in Central Park will not be available during the Tour.
Medical Help
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics from the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Bike Unit are available to attend to medical needs, as are ambulances from the NYC Fire Department Emergency Medical Service. Ask any Marshal or NYPD officer for medical assistance if you need it. There are also EMTs at each Rest Area and at the Finish Festival. If you have an emergency, and none of these are available, dial 911 and say you are with the TD Five Boro Bike Tour.
Information Tents
Information Tents at the Start Area (in Bowling Green), Rest Areas, Water Stations, and the Finish Festival are your go-to resources for all questions and concerns; they also make for great rendezvous spots in the event that you get separated from family and friends. (Do not stop in Central Park, on any of the bridges, or in the middle of the road to wait for friends. If you must stop, please signal and pull off to the side of the road.)
Entertainment
TD Bank Entertainment Zones and Cheer Zones are located along the Tour route to keep the party rolling from start to finish. Visit www. bike.nyc for more details, including Entertainment Zone locations and artist websites.
SAG Vehicles (Support and Gear)
SAG vehicles provide transport to the Finish Festival for cyclists (and their bikes) who require assistance. SAG buses and trucks will be stationed at each Rest Area and will follow the end of the Tour. If you are running out of steam or falling too far behind, signal and then pull off to the right side of the road to wait for SAG. Make sure your bike plate is attached to your handlebars so that we can reunite you with your bike at the Finish Festival; your bib will serve as your bike retrieval ticket.
Tour Photos
Photographers will be stationed along the route to take your photo as you ride. For identification purposes, make sure your bike plate and bib number are clearly visible. After the Tour, MarathonFoto will contact you via email so you can view and purchase your photos.
Lost and Found
Check at Information Tents at Rest Areas and at the Finish Festival for items lost along the way. No luck? After the Tour, email info@bike.nyc to see if your lost item has been returned to our office.
Repair Services
If your bike needs attention, flag a Rider Assist Marshal or stop at a Repair Tent. Labor for basic repairs is free, but there is a charge for parts. Flat tires are very common, and our Marshals will be able to get you back on the road faster if you pack a spare tube. Many of our bike repair partners will have tubes for sale (cash only).
Free bike repair labor is generously provided by:
BBike New York
Bill’s Cyclery
NYC Velo
Ride Brooklyn
Izzy’s Bike Shop
Spokesman Cycles
Chelsea Bikes
SERVICES ALONG THE ROUTE
Repair services can be found at these locations:
Bowling Green - Broadway & Battery Pl.
• Duarte Park - Canal St. & 6th Ave.
• Central Park - East Drive & 72nd St.
• Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. & 115th St.
• Bronx Water Station - 138th St.
FDR Rest Area - Pleasant Ave. & 114th St.
Astoria Park Rest AreaInside Astoria Park
Con Ed Learning Center Rest Area
- Vernon Blvd. and 43rd Ave.
Kent Avenue & N. 14th St.
• Flushing Ave. & Clermont Ave.
Commodore Barry Park Rest Area
- Flushing Ave. & N. Elliott Place
• Brooklyn Bridge Park Water
Station - Pier 2 Parking Lot & Furman St.
Gowanus Water StationGowanus Expwy between 81st & 82nd St.
• Finish Festival - Ft. Wadsworth
The Rider Identification Kit (RIK) comprises a helmet cover, a bib, and a bike plate made from an environmentally friendly material called Ultra Green. In order to ride in the Tour, your bib must be pinned visibly on your torso and your bike plate must be attached to your handlebars. Please do not discard your bib or bike plate at the Finish Festival.
RIDER ID KIT FINISH FESTIVAL
After conquering five boroughs and as many bridges, you will finish your day at Ft. Wadsworth. Once you arrive, pick up your TD Five Boro Bike Tour finisher medal, then kick back and relax before you head to the Staten Island Ferry.
Entertainment
Check out the live entertainment on the main stage and stop by exhibitors’ booths for great giveaways.
First Aid
Courtesy of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and the New York City Fire Department Emergency Medical Service.
Official Merchandise
Get decked out in official Bike New York and TD Five Boro Bike Tour gear— we’ll have shirts, jerseys, water bottles, and much, much more. All proceeds go directly to funding our free bike education programs, so shop away!
Photo Ops
Get on stage and take a victory photo at the Finisher Photo Op presented by TD Bank.
Food & Drinks for Purchase
We’re bringing in some of the best local food vendors to the Festival. After putting in that many miles, you’re gonna be hungry!
Bike Repair
Labor for basic repairs is free, but there’s a charge for parts (cash only). Be sure to bring some spare tubes with you.
TIPS & FAQS
Bag Restrictions
• If your bag is confiscated it will not be returned to you
• No bags with shoulder straps (including backpacks, messenger bags, hydration packs, and drawstring bags)
• No panniers or bags that hang on the side of your bike
• No covered baskets
• No bags over 420 cubic in. (6.9 L.)
BAG RESTRICTIONS
WITH
PANNIERS AND ANY BAGS THAT HANG ON THE SIDE OF YOUR BIKE COVERED BASKETS
ANY BAGS OVER 420 CUBIC INCHES (6.9 LITERS) SADDLEBAGS (AKA SEAT BAGS) FRAME BAGS HANDLER BAGS FANNY PACKS UNCOVERED
Rules of the Road
Wear your helmet. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Also:
• Have your RIK visible at all times: attach the bike plate to your handlebars and affix the bib to your outermost layer. You will be asked to leave the Tour if any element of your RIK is missing.
• Respect other cyclists.
• Only human-powered bikes and pedalassist e-bikes are allowed in the Tour.
• Ride in a straight line. If changing lanes or pulling over, look first and then signal to show which way you’re planning to go. Use hand signals to indicate that you are slowing down, stopping, turning, or changing lanes.
• Keep to the right; pass left. (Call out “On your left” when passing another cyclist.)
• Move completely to the side of the road if stopping for any reason.
• Do not ride against the flow of the Tour.
• Do not use your cell phone while riding.
• Maintain adequate distance between yourself and other cyclists—especially on downhills.
• Control your speed and be prepared to slow down for congestion or road hazards.
• Keep at least one hand on the handlebars at all times.
• Do not wear earbuds or headphones.
• Slow down when approaching a security checkpoint and make sure your complete RIK is visible.
• No photos on bridges or their access points. Your camera may be confiscated.
TIPS & FAQS
What to Bring
• Your Rider Identification Kit
• A helmet—no ifs, ands, or buts about it!
• Photo identification—you may be asked to show it
• Cell phone
• Water bottles (you can refill them at Rest Areas and Water Stations along the route)**
• Weather-appropriate clothing (be sure to check the forecast)
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• An extra bike tube; make sure it’s the same size as your current tubes, with the right valve—either Presta or Schrader
• Patch kit in case of a flat
• A smile!
*If you are riding with a child who does not have a phone, please make sure to write your rider number, cell phone number and name on the back of your child’s bib.
**Water bottles will not be provided.
Riding in a Team
• Make sure you and others in your team have stored important numbers and contact info on your phones, including that of someone not riding in the Tour, your hotel, your team members’ home and cell numbers, etc.
• If you get separated from your team, continue to the next Rest Area and look for them there. Do not pull over to the side of the road to wait for them.
Riding with Youths
• A youth is anyone under the age of 18 on the day of the Tour.
• Each youth must be registered on the same team as a parent or guardian riding in the Tour.
• Adult to youth ratio must be 1:1. No exceptions.
• Children under the age of 3 are not allowed on the Tour.
• Youths ages 3 to 9 must ride with an adult on a tandem bike, in a child’s seat, on a tag-along bike, or in a bike trailer. If you are towing a bike trailer, please keep to the right when going uphill.
• Youths ages 10 to 17 may ride their own bikes, but must remain in close proximity to the adult with whom they are registered.
• Plan ahead in case your group gets separated. Instruct youth riders to seek out a Marshal wearing either an orange or yellow vest, or a member of the NYPD, who will guide them to the nearest Information Tent where staff can communicate with Tour Command to reunite you.
ROUTE MAP
SHOW
You conquered 40 miles of car-free streets alongside 32K riders from all corners of the world.
Now it’s time to show off your hard-earned medal!
Share a celebratory pic of yourself and your medal on social media, and remember to tag it with #MedalMonday and #TDFBBT. We want to see your creativity shine! Extra points will be given for unique, humorous, or adorable medal photos. Need some inspiration? Check out our favorite shots from 2023!
Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @BIKENEWYORK to keep up with our latest updates and announcements. And if you want to be featured in our feeds, tag your Tour weekend social media posts with #TDFBBT. Remember, capturing photos while you’re riding is not allowed, but there are plenty of opportunities to snap some awesome shots of your Tour experience off the saddle. Get snapping!
We’re creating exceptional experiences in the built environment — at home and at work. Visit rockefellergroup.com to view our development pipeline in New York and nationally.
by Sam Slaton
SPINNING GOLD
Jen Powell-Wiley rode in her first TD Five Boro Bike Tour in the late 1990s. She has been a volunteer for the Tour for more than 25 years, served as a Tour Super Captain in Queens from 20122024, and has been a member of the Bike New York board of directors since 2013.
When I reach Jen Powell-Wiley via video call on a Sunday morning in early March, I’m surprised to learn that she isn’t in New York City, but Puerto Rico.
“It’s 84º here!” she exclaims, beaming. “Back home it’s 24º.” Jen is equally warm—a far cry, as she tells it, from the Jen who arrived in the Bronx via the Bay Area some 30 years ago.
“Back then,” she explains, “I was incredibly cautious. I was taught, ‘don’t bring attention to yourself, make sure everybody is happy, and be a good girl.’” In her family, “failure was not an option.”
Today, Jen is a grant writer helping nonprofits around the country secure funding to solve notoriously knotty problems. It’s a career where failure is a given—ultimately, even the best grant
writer is only ever able to make a persuasive ask for money; there’s no guarantee the money will be given. So to make that ask as persuasive as possible, a good grant writer must, in a short amount of time, become an expert—or at least convincingly fluent—in the nuances of issues that people dedicate their careers to understanding. If there was ever a recipe for failure, it looks something like, “grasp in a few weeks what it took experts decades to understand.”
But that’s exactly what Jen does. “When someone approaches me today and says, ‘I need a grant proposal for the CDC about HPV vaccinations…’ I might not know anything about that, but now I say yes to everything,” she tells me. “Failing isn’t scary anymore. That’s a very different ‘me.’”
So where did this “different me” come from? What changed? The short answer is, not much—but also everything. For Jen, it was all about the bike.
The French philosopher Frédéric Gros writes that we “[conquer]” the impossible “by the obstinate repetition of the possible.” In other words, we accomplish everything by doing not much, over and over.
Recalling Gros’ idea, I share a story with Jen about my first long ride. My older brother had invited me to tag along on a 60-miler from Williamsburg to the ranger station in the Palisades. I figured if he could do it, I could do it. I was quickly and thoroughly humbled. By the time we got to the rolling hills of what area cyclists call the River Road, I knew I’d never make it back to Brooklyn. My corpse would become a roadside warning to future foolhardy cyclists: “Abandon all hope, ye who ride here!” As I labored up a particularly brutal hill, going just fast enough to avoid falling, an elderly man glided up on his vintage steel bike. He was lean and tan, long scraggly hair spilling from his helmet. I was
gasping for air; he was breathing easy. It seemed unfathomable that we were engaged in the same activity. Noticing my struggle as he breezed by, he turned to me and said, “the great thing about biking is, you can always spin those pedals one more time.” Then he smiled and rode away, uphill.
I knew I couldn’t make it to the ranger station, much less Brooklyn. But I knew I could “spin those pedals one more time.” And if I could do that, I could do it again. And if I did that long enough, I’d make it home. And if I could make it home, I could make it anywhere.
* * *
I jumped at the chance to join because it was another way to give back and make sure the Tour continues to be great.
In the late 1990s, Jen decided to give the Tour a shot. Though she’d been mountain biking for a few years, she was terrible: “If there was a thornbush, I was going into it,” she laughs. “I had no business riding the Tour.” It seemed impossible. And yet, she signed up. There was that seed of “[saying] yes to everything,” even if that seed hadn’t yet taken root.
The morning of the Tour, it was “pissing rain.” But Jen is as exuberant as she is determined, and nothing was going to stop her from tackling the Tour.
Slowly but surely, Jen and her friends conquered the impossible (about 20,000 spins) through the obstinate repetition of the possible (just one spin). “During the ride, I was not experiencing joy,” Jen tells me, “but on the ferry back to Manhattan—we had mud in our teeth, we looked like shit, but we had tallboy Budweisers and we were so happy!”
For Jen—that is, the new Jen, the one that had proven to herself that she could conquer the impossible by spinning those pedals one more time—the fun had just begun. That “different me” was born, Jen explains: “I showed myself what I was capable of. Cycling opened my eyes to not being afraid, to saying yes to everything. I credit the Tour with a new me.”
continued on next page
Jen said she wasn’t “experiencing joy” during that first ride, but joy and happiness are not the same. Frédéric Gros argues that “happiness is fragile precisely because…opportunities for it are rare and random, like gold threads in the world’s fabric.” Foremost among ancient alchemists’ failed pursuits was the transmutation of base metals into gold—a true, unconquerable impossibility. And yet, on a bike, a more precious alchemy does become possible: one spins from the base materials of one’s life innumerable gold threads with which to weave a new sense of self—“a new me.”
That “new me” that Jen discovered on her first Tour wasn’t confined to the saddle, and she couldn’t wait to change Old Jen’s life. New Jen was sick of the “shitty boyfriend” that Old Jen had been dating, so she “kicked his ass out.” The weekend after her first Tour, New Jen rode her first metric century out to Montauk. Then she bought a steel Bianchi Brava— which she still rides!—and rode into the rest of her life
One year after she set off from Downtown Manhattan on her first ride through the five boroughs, Jen was back, this time as a Tour volunteer. “It had meant so much to me,” Jen says, “that I wanted to give back.”
Jen’s done frozen stints in Staten Island and grueling gigs in the hot sun in Gowanus, but she found her Tour home when she became a Super Captain in Queens.
The job’s no joke; the title is not just some honorific bestowed upon longterm volunteers.
“The Super Captain job is really about being a part of the Tour for weeks before
the actual ride,” she tells me. “We’re working closely with the team at Bike New York, talking every couple of days, helping them identify road hazards—very micro stuff.”
The logistical work leading up to the Tour is obviously important, but Jen insists that she is focused first and foremost on the people. This “passion,” as Jen calls it, is something she learned from a former Super Captain, Paulette Meggoe, who made it clear by her example in Gowanus that the role boils down to “making sure people are okay.”
“The partnership with Bike New York is lovely, and it’s gotten stronger over the years,” Jen says. It’s a mutual effort to make sure everybody enjoys themselves, riders have a good time, police understand logistics, and volunteers feel appreciated.”
One group of volunteers is particularly close to Jen’s heart: Boy Scout Troop #729. Before the Tour, Scoutmaster Antonio Camacho and his fellow Scout leaders spend months preparing young Boy Scouts to help out during the ride along Vernon Boulevard. After their shift, they join the great flow of people on bikes. “These are New York City kids,” Jen explains. “They rarely leave their neighborhoods, yet here they are biking all over their city. I tell them they’re doing a fabulous job because I want them to understand that they are important, that they are contributing to something really big and beautiful.”
understand, because back, year after year. “I’ve watched these
Jen says. One particularly squirrelly,
distractible, overenthusiastic teen is now a mature, committed, and composed Captain in his 20s. I ask whether Jen thinks the Tour might’ve had something to do with this transformation. “Oh, absolutely,” she says. Who knows how many “new mes” the Tour (paired with Jen’s energetic encouragement) has coaxed into being?
Though Jen is stepping away from her Super Captain role, she knows that she is “ending on a high note.” The 2024 Tour, she tells me, “was the easiest and best Tour ever. The team at Bike New York have their shit down, so I know it’s in good hands.”
She’ll continue to be a member of the Bike New York board, on which she’s served for about as long as she’s been a Super Captain. “I jumped at the chance to join because it was another way to give back and make sure the Tour continues to be great. I want to make sure that what we’ve got going will continue.”
Talk about giving back: from one transformative ride, 25 years worth of committed volunteer service, all to help others spin from the raw materials of their lives those precious golden threads with which Jen has woven so much joy, confidence, optimism, and freedom.
* * *
Over the years since her first Tour, “New Jen” has become, simply, “Jen,” the exuberant rider who’s pedaled 210 miles in a day (one spin of the pedals at a time), toured Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket over the course of a week, convinced countless others to try the impossible, encouraged countless more as they gasped over the Queensboro, thinking they couldn’t do it.
In what would certainly come as a shock to Old Jen, she’s even fallen in love with karaoke: “precycling Jen would’ve never stepped foot into a karaoke bar. Now, every chance I get, I sing, even though I sound like a cat being stepped on.”
Her go-to song? Kesha’s “TiK ToK.”
DJ, you build me up
You break me down
My heart, it pounds
Yeah, you got me
With my hands up
If you’ve been on a long ride, you know the feeling. If this is your first time, get ready. Just remember this: during the ride, keep your hands on your bars. There will be plenty of time to lift them high at the finish line.
F o r m u l a B i c i b r i n g s y o u t h e m o s t i c o n i c
c y c l i n g e x p e r i e n c e s i n I t a l y , s e t i n
b r e a t h t a k i n g l o c a t i o n s : f r o m l e g e n d a r y
a l p i n e c l i m b s t o r o l l i n g h i l l s a n d h i s t o r i c
v i l l a g e s .
v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e t o d i s c o v e r m o r e
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We proudly support Bike New York and the 2025 TD Five Boro Bike Tour.
Explore our community partnerships and learn more.
2025 CHARITY PARTNERS
Welcome, charity riders!
Access Justice Brooklyn
Allyson Whitney Foundation
ALS United Greater New York
American Cancer Society
American Liver Foundation
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD)
Blue Card, Inc., The Boomer Esiason Foundation
Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC)
Break Free Foundation
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Brielle Grace Breast Cancer Foundation
Broadway Green Alliance
BronxWorks
CACNA1A Foundation
CaringKind
Children’s Tumor Foundation
Christodora, Inc
Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County, Inc
Culikid
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
debra of America
Familial Dysautonomia Foundation
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research
Girls in Gear
Girls on the Run NYC
Good Shepherd Services
The GRACE Foundation of New York
HeartShare Human Services of New York
Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation
iMentor
Inner City Handball Association Inc.
Liberation Programs
Lighthouse Guild
LiveOnNY
The Livestrong Foundation
Long Island Bicycle Co-op
LoveYourBrain Foundation
Lung Cancer Research Foundation
Make-A-Wish Metro New York and Western New York
The Marty Lyons Foundation
MediSys Health Network
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, The National Blood Clot Alliance
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC TEAM TEAL)
The cyclists riding on behalf of these inspirational charities prove that the bicycle is a powerful tool to effect change.
New York Cares
New York Edge
New York Legal Assistance Group
NMDP Foundation
NYC Health + Hospitals
NYU Langone Health
On Your Mark
Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
The Pink Agenda, Inc.
Planned Parenthood of Greater New York
Project Sunshine
Renaissance Youth Center
Rise Alliance for Children
Roads to Success
Ronald McDonald House New York
Sharsheret
Studio in a School
Sun River Health
The Sylvia Center
Three and a Half Acres Yoga
Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation
The Tourette Association of America
Tuesday’s Children
Volunteers of Legal Service
Wild Tomorrow
Bike New York is 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to transform lives and communities through bicycling. In 2018, we taught bike skills to more than 30,000 kids and adults. Funding for these programs comes from numerous annual events, including the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, Bike Expo New York, and regional events. Visit www.bike.nyc for more information.
NYCC’s Biggest Ride of the Year
Bike New York thanks the following agencies, officials, organizations, bike shops, and sponsors for their support of the TD Five Boro Bike Tour.
City Government Officials
The City The City of New York
Eric Adams, Mayor
NYC Department of Transportation
Ydanis Rodriguez, Commissioner
NYC Police Department
Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner
NYC Citywide Events Coordination and Management
Dawn Tolson, Executive Director
NYC Fire Department
Robert S. Tucker, Commssioner
NYC Department of Parks and Recreation
Susan M. Donoghue, Commissioner
NYC Tourism & Conventions
Julie Coker, President & CEO
NYC Community Affairs Unit
Fred Kreizman, Commissioner
NYC Department of Sanitation
Javier Logan, Acting Commissioner
NYC Department of Emergency Management
Zachary Iscol, Commissioner
NYC Department of Environmental Protection
Rohit T. Aggarwala, Commissioner
Central Park Conservancy
Elizabeth W. Smith, President & CEO
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Janno Lieber, CEO
Federal Agencies
Bike Shops
Bill’s Cyclery
Bicycles Izzy’s Bike Shop
Velo
Cycles
Supporting Sponsors
Sponsor
Hospital Medical
Primal Wear Rockefeller Group
Unlimited Biking
332
3,031 bikes built for sale
45
mechanics trained through the Bike Path program
1,744 bikes donated to schools or other organizations
$ work orders
667 bikes sold donations
736
58,057.4 MATERIALS REUSED
Environmental Impact Report for pounds of materials total items
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT*
120.73
2.07
4,590 26.1 metric tons of CO2E billion BTUs
2,037 15.4
This emissions reduction is equivalent to... million phones vehicles off the road LEDs The energy saved through recovering these materials is equivalent to:
