Thousands of Cyclists Take Over Car-Free Streets Saturday for the Philly Bike Ride

PHILADELPHIA — About 7,000 cyclists are expected to roll through car-free streets Saturday for the fifth annual Philly Bike Ride, the city’s only large-scale social bike ride.

The 20-mile noncompetitive ride starts at 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 17 at 22nd Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, according to organizers. A shorter 7.6-mile family-friendly option is also offered.

The route passes Independence Hall, City Hall, LOVE Park, Chinatown, Penn’s Landing and Boathouse Row. Both routes finish near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the Visit Pennsylvania Finish Festival runs until 2 p.m. with food vendors, live entertainment and a beverage garden.

The ride is open to ages 3 and older, with free registration for ages 3 to 7 and half-price registration for ages 8 to 17. Bike rentals are available, and a packet pickup party takes place Friday, Oct. 16, according to WMMR.

A portion of the proceeds supports the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s youth cycling education programs and Graduation on Wheels, which brings cycling education to Philadelphia public schools.

“Five years ago, we set out to create an event that celebrated this great community, encouraged people to get active and made cycling accessible to everyone,” managing director Chris Browne said in a statement shared with Metro Philadelphia.

Drivers should expect rolling street closures beginning at 3:30 a.m. Saturday around the Parkway, Eakins Oval, Kelly Drive and Spring Garden Street, with streets reopening no later than 2 p.m., according to KYW Newsradio. Dozens of SEPTA bus routes will be detoured starting at 5:30 a.m.

The finish festival is free and open to the public, making the Art Museum area one of the best free spectacles in the city Saturday morning even for non-riders.