Overcast skies did not stop over 30,000 bicyclists from taking part in the country’s largest charitable bike tour on Sunday.
With the sun hiding behind clouds at times throughout the day, cyclists of all skill levels from all over the world flooded NYC on May 4 for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, a 40-mile trek through the five boroughs that is organized by Bike New York.
Adding a celestial spin, Han Solo, Darth Vader and C3PO fans were out in full force wearing Star Wars’ attire to celebrate May 4, the movie franchise’s unique holiday.
Beginning on Chambers Street, the first wave of cyclists rolled out just after 7:30 a.m. under clear skies and warm spring air. With the financial district in the rearview, the route wound its way north past Central Park and through Harlem, where local residents lined sidewalks, offering high-fives, cheers, and often-needed encouragement.
Crossing into the Bronx, riders got a quick taste of the city’s northernmost borough before looping back into Manhattan before reaching the halfway mark in Queens.
For the early riders, Brooklyn brought a burst of energy along with bright sunny conditions. Neighborhoods such as Williamsburg and Greenpoint featured live music, cheering crowds, and volunteers with refreshments and directions. The ride took a tolling-turn once on the BQE, building the anticipation of the looming Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge—the most physically demanding part of the tour.
The ascent to the top of the bridge, at the cusp of the 40-mile mark, tested even experienced cyclists.
Kathleen from Love Your Brain, a nonprofit supporting brain injury survivors, participated in a ride for resilience to raise awareness about the importance of helmet safety and community support.
“Love Your Brain is this amazing organization, nonprofit organization, that provides community service and offerings for individuals who survive brain injuries,” she said. “There’s more brain injury accidents in biking than there are in football. So it just is an awareness of helmets and being resilient, and just a sense of community that Love Your Brain promotes across the organization.”
Kathleen said she exceeded her individual fundraising goal, with 85% of Love Your Brain’s profits coming from brain injury survivors. She expressed excitement about the community aspect, including support from her girlfriend.
“The people like who I’m sitting here with, the community, like my girlfriend flew in from Florida to do this with me, because she loves me and supports my brain, but the community, so just all of us being together in the beginning, middle and end,” she said.
Ken Podziba, president and CEO of Bike New York, discussed the significance of the annual event, which made its 47th ride through the Big Apple this year, and what it means for inclusivity.
“There were so many women, which you don’t see. It invites people of color, people of all abilities,” he said of the tour, which was just ranked by USA Today as the top road cycling event in the country. We have over 100 blind people riding today. It’s just people coming together. 65 countries around the world, every state in the nation. It’s a microcosm of the world.”
Podziba also highlighted Bike New York’s sustainability efforts, which include everything from recycling ink in their offices to refurbishing bikes.
“We completely take it apart, put it back together, we give it to New Yorkers who can’t afford bikes, or we sell enough to a community bike shop in Brooklyn called Recycle Bicycle,” he explained. “And if we can’t use the bikes, because sometimes they’re in such bad condition, we’ll strip the parts and we give it to a scrap metal company. So the parts are reused, so we’re all about sustainability.”
The ride ended with a festive atmosphere on Staten Island, where cyclists were greeted with food vendors, live entertainment, and a strong sense of mutual accomplishment.
Heavy downpours at midday saw celebrations cut short before riders were back in the saddle to board waiting ferries and buses back to the mainland.
