Ride Details - Bikes Not Bombs

Bikes Not Bombs invites you to: the 37th annual Bike-A-Thon, scheduled for Sunday September 8th 2024. Visit BikesNotBombs.org for more information.

Bike-A-Thon: Ride Details

Join us for the 37th annual Bike-A-Thon in Jamaica Plain on September 8th, 2024!

Routes

Sponsor the Bike-A-Thon

Volunteer

Training Rides

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Preparing for the Ride

Registering to Ride

Riders can register as individuals or as part of a team. Some of our biggest fundraisers have been part of a team, either with their friends, family members, or their co-workers! You can find more information about registration here.

Fundraising

Riders can manage and view their fundraising efforts on the same site where they register here. You can find detailed instructions for how to set up your fundraising page, how to collect funds, how to meet your fundraising minimum, and more.

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Am I Ready to Ride?

The answer to this question is usually yes, but for longer rides you may need to do some training. Below are some rough guidelines to help determine which route is best for you. When fundraising, your supporters might even sponsor you with more money if they see that you’re pushing yourself! Need some help training? Join one of our Bike-A-Thon group training rides this summer! We will host three rides: 20 miles in June, 35 miles in July, and 50 miles in August. Check out the page here for more info and to register.

For the 10 mile ride:

Departure time is at 11:30 am.
Riders should be able to maintain an average speed of at least 5 mph for the whole ride, and stop for no longer than 45 minutes at the rest stop. This would put you at the finish line by 2:15 pm.
This is a family friendly ride that prioritizes flat, smooth surfaces and designated cycling paths.

For the 35 mile ride:

Departure is at 10:30 am.
Riders should be able to maintain an average speed of at least 8 mph for the whole ride, and stop for no longer than 1/2 hour at the rest stop. This would put you at the finish line by 3:00 pm.
Riders should have completed at least one ride of 15 miles or more within the last month.

For the 50 mile ride:

Departure is at 9:30 am.
Riders should be able to maintain an average speed of at least 9 mph for the whole ride, and stop for no longer than 1 hour total among both of the rest stops. This would put you at the finish line by 4:00 pm.
Riders should have completed at least one ride of 30 miles or more within the last month.

For the 63 mile ride:

Departure is at 8:30 am.
Riders should be able to maintain an average speed of at least 9 mph for the whole ride, and stop for no longer than 1 hour total among both of the rest stops. This would put you at the finish line by 4:00 pm.
Riders should have completed at least one ride of 40 miles or more within the last month.

For the 105 mile ride:

Departure is at 7:30 am.
Riders should be able to maintain an average speed of at least 12 mph for the whole ride, and stop for no longer than 1 hour total among all of the 4 rest stops. This would put you at the finish line between 3:00 and 4:30pm.
Riders should have completed at least one ride of 75 miles or more within the last month.
At mile 33, riders can take a shortcut that will divert to the 63 mile route. All riders who have not passed this point by 11am should take the shortcut to ensure that they return in time for food.

Is My Bike Ready to Ride?

Making sure that your bike is ready for the ride is critical to having an enjoyable, worry-free day. Though we will have skilled mechanics on-hand to do a last-minute safety check on the morning of the ride, and at rest stops to handle any minor problems that pop up, there is no substitute for preventative maintenance! Please note that the mechanics will not be able to handle any major repairs the day of the Bike-A-Thon. To help make sure that all of our riders are safe, riders who show up with unsafe bicycles on the day off will be asked not to ride.

If you haven't had a tune up or had your bike looked over by a professional mechanic within the last year, we highly recommend taking it to the Bikes Not Bombs Bike Shop or your local bike shop of choice.

What Should I Bring?

Bring your helmet! All riders are required to wear a helmet.
A water bottle
We highly recommend bringing sun protection: sunscreen, sunglasses, and a cycling cap with a visor are all good options.
Please bring any needed inhalers, EpiPens, or medication that you might need and keep it with you at all times during the ride.
If you collected any donations in the form of cash or checks and you have not already turned them in, bring them with you! View detailed instructions on our event fundraising page here!
If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, you may want to bring along some of your own snacks for extra fuel. Food provided will include fruit, coffee & tea, water, sports drinks, peanut butter & jam, bread, yogurt, and granola for breakfast and snacks; and a delicious and filling lunch with many vegetarian and vegan options.

Getting Here

All of the Bike-A-Thon routes will be leaving from 100 Boylston St. in Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, right by the Stonybrook MBTA station on the Orange Line and the Southwest Corridor bike path. Please note the correct zip code is 02130, as there are two Boylston streets in Boston - you want the address in Jamaica Plain!

You can take the Orange Line to the start, ride your bike, get a ride, or drive your own car.

Bikes are allowed on the Orange Line and the Commuter Rail at any time during the weekends, and you can view more information about bringing bikes on the MBTA here. Per the MBTA website, bikes are not allowed on the Green Line, Mattapan Trolley, or on station platforms at Downtown Crossing, Government Center, or Park Street.

Car parking is limited. We recommend parking at English High School (free) or at the Forest Hills T Station ($3 per day on weekends), both of which are located a short bike ride away via the Southwest Corridor bike path. The Stonybrook T station is located two stops away from the Forest Hills station on the Orange Line.

When Should I Show Up?

Arrive at the field near the Stony Brook MBTA station (Orange Line) with enough time to check in, grab a snack, and (optionally) have our mechanics safety-check your bike before your ride departs! Review the check-in and departure times below.

Route Check-In and Departure Times:

ROUTE	CHECK IN & REGISTRATION	DEPARTS
105 Mile	6:45 AM	7:30 AM
63 Mile	7:30AM	8:30 AM
50 Mile	8:30AM	9:30 AM
35 Mile	9:30 AM	10:30 AM
10 Mile	10:30 AM	11:30 AM

What if I Want to Ride a Different Route Than the One I Signed Up For?

Decided that you'd rather ride a different route than you registered for? No problem!

To switch before you start the ride:

Look up when your desired ride departs on our Bike-A-Thon schedule here.
Make sure you have downloaded the new, correct route to your smartphone or GPS device.
On ride day, arrive at the Stony Brook Park with enough time to check in, grab some breakfast and have your bike looked over by our shop mechanics (if wanted), before the ride departure.

To switch during the ride:

Our 35, 50, 63/Metric Century, and 105 mile routes are one continuous loop, and riders are welcome to switch to a shorter route while they are riding for any reason. Cutoffs will be clearly marked. All rider bibs have QR codes that pull up links to each route when scanned with a smartphone.

Additionally, we recommend that riders on the 50, 63, and 105 mile routes consider diverting to a shorter route if they have not reached a cutoff by a certain time, in order to ensure all riders are back on time.

At mile 31, riders on the 105 mile can divert to the 63 mile route (the Metric Century). All 105 riders who have not passed this point by 11am should take the short cut.
At mile 23.7 riders on the 63 mile can divert to the 50 mile route.
At mile 17, riders on the 50 mile can divert to the 35 mile route.

What Are the Route Rules?

All riders must follow our route rules and sign the waiver. By signing the ride waiver you are agreeing to abide by the following:

All riders must wear a helmet at all times while biking
No riding with headphones
Riders under age 15 must ride with a guardian
Riders should obey all traffic laws: stop at red lights, yield to pedestrians, use hand signals and ride single file in traffic
Ride predictably, no stunts
Keep a bike's length between yourself and other riders; no drafting or pacelining.

Riders aged 15-17: If you will be aged 15-17 on Bike-A-Thon day, and won't be coming with a parent or legal guardian, then your parent or guardian must sign the e-waiver during registration.