Ride Details - Bikes Not Bombs

Bike-A-Thon: Ride Details

Join us for the 36th annual Bike-A-Thon in Jamaica Plain on September 17th, 2023!

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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Training Rides

Excited to ride but want to get in some practice or test out the routes? Join us at the three group training rides we're offering this summer. You can view more details here.

Am I Ready to Ride?

Some people may wonder: will I be able to ride this route? The answer is usually yes but you may need to do some training! If you're interested in joining us on our group training rides, click here for more details! We’ve listed some rough guidelines below to help you 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!

For the 10 mile ride:

This is a family friendly ride that prioritizes flat, smooth surfaces and designated cycling paths.
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.

For the 35 mile ride:

Departure is at 10:30 am.
The exact length of this route is 35.5 miles.
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 9:30 am.
The exact length of this route is 51.7 miles.
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 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 to 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 to the after-party in time for food.

Is My Bike Ready to Ride?

Making sure that your bike is up to snuff and ready for the ride is a key component 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 (as well as support vehicles for major breakdowns), 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.
At least one water bottle.
A GPS device or smartphone with an app to view the Route you are riding. We recommend Ride With GPS and using their free 7-day trial to enable turn-by-turn directions.
We also 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 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 & jelly, 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 Stony Brook MBTA station on the Orange Line and the South West Corridor bike path.

You can ride your bike, get a ride, use public transportation, or drive your own car.

Bikes are allowed on most of the MBTA lines and on the Commuter Rail at all times 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 station platforms at Downtown Crossing, Government Center, or Park Street; on the Green Line; or on the Mattapan Trolley.

The closest Commuter Rail stations are Forest Hills and Ruggles stations, both of which are located on the South West Corridor bike path. Forest Hills is a 1.3 mile (approximately 7 minute) bike ride away and Ruggles is a 1.6 mile (approximately 10 minute) bike ride away.

Car parking is limited, so please stay tuned for an updated parking map for recommended nearby streets. Two options for parking nearby are the free parking lot at The English High School or the paid parking at Forest Hills station. Both are within a 10 minute bike ride away from Stony Brook Field via the South West Corridor bike path.

We recommend that you arrive early to accommodate for time spent looking for parking. Always make sure to check signage!

When Should I Show Up?

Arrive at the field near the Stony Brook MBTA stop (Orange Line) with enough time to check in, grab a snack, and have our mechanics safety-check your bike (if you like) 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	7:45AM	8:30 AM
50 Mile	8:45AM	9:30 AM
35 Mile	9:45 AM	10:30 AM
10 Mile	10:45 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.
- On ride day, arrive at Stony Brook Park with enough time to check in, grab some breakfast and have your bike looked over by our shop mechanics (if desired), before the ride departure.
To switch during the ride:
- Our 35, 50, 63, 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 and all route maps are accessible via QR codes on your rider bib.
- Additionally, riders on the 100 mile route have an optional shortcut. Marshalls will be diverting riders to these routes at certain times to ensure all riders are back in time for lunch.
- The route cut-offs as shortcuts will be updated here with exact mileage once our exact Routes are finalized!

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.