32,000 cyclists from all over the USA and the world took over the streets of New York City for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour on May 4, 2025. It’s a celebration of community, empowerment and the sheer joy of being on two wheels – especially taking over the FDR Drive, the 59th Street Bridge, the BQE Highway, the Verrazano, a total of 40 miles from downtown Manhattan through all five boroughs, ending at Staten Island.
It is the largest bike ride in the United States, and the largest charity bike ride in the world, Ken Podziba, Bike New York’s President and CEO declared.
This year, the event was joined by a celebrity, Jens Voigt of Germany, an actual legend of pro cycling for two decades, competing in 17 Tours de France and winning two stages, gave encouragement to the 32,000 riders, saying, ”It’s my honor to be with you.”
The ride showcases Bike New York’s advocacy of safe cycling and the city’s commitment to promoting biking.
NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodríguez, a former member of the city Council, cheered that NYC now has the largest network of protected bike lanes in the U.S.- 555 miles of protected bike lanes of its whopping 1,500 miles of cycling infrastructure. The city added 29 protected bike lanes – 85 miles – and saw a record 228 million bike trips this year. 99% of New Yorkers live within one mile of the bicycle network. “Biking is good for health, good for the economy, and good for the planet.”
The 40 miles through all five boroughs give riders a taste and perspective of neighborhoods, culture and quirks, with bands to represent each borough.
Along the route, bikers are helped by the 1,500 cheerful volunteers who keep the route safe, pleasant, man the many rest stops along the way and cheer the riders on.
Bike New York’s mission is to empower New Yorkers to transform their lives and their communities through bicycling. “Our vision is to increase ridership, to empower youth to lead healthy, productive lives, to remove barriers to cycling, and to advocate for and expand services to reach more New Yorkers.”
Bike New York operates the largest free bicycle education program of its kind in the world. The events that Bike New York organize, from small-scale local rides to the world’s biggest charitable bike ride, funds the free bike education programs.
In addition to the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, other popular programs include the Twin Lights Ride (Sept. 7, 2025), the Discover Hudson Valley Ride (October 12, 2025), and local rides (see: https://www.bike.nyc/events/)
Bike New York also offers an innovative Recycle-a-Bicycle program, averaging 1,800 salvaged bicycles a year, diverting 45,000 pounds of waste from NYC’s landfills. The bikes, that begin as donations, are sold fully refurbished, with proceeds from sales and full service repairs directly supporting its education programs.
Bike New York’s Bike Path Program trains previously justice-involved individuals to become certified Bike Mechanics for Motivate, the operator of Citi Bike, the nation’s most extensive bike-share program, with 33,000 bikes and over 1,800 stations across metro NYC. Bike Path is a 3-week training program where mechanics are trained to repair regular bikes and Citi Bike’s electric and traditional bicycle fleets. In 2024 the program trained and saw 45 people be hired as Bike Mechanics at Motivate. The Bike Path Bike Mechanic Training & Employment Program has a 98% job placement rate.
By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandner.com
Rain did not dampen spirits of the 33,000 riders, who joined the 46th annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour on May 5, thrilling in the freedom of biking 40 miles of city streets and bridges closed to vehicle traffic.
The riders came from all 50 states and 65 countries; 1700 riders were biking for charity, raising $1 million from the day’s event, making the TD Five Boro Bike Tour the largest charity bike ride in the world, Ken Podziba, Bike New York’s President and CEO, declared.
Along the way, riders get a taste of city’s neighborhoods, culture and quirks, with bands to represent each borough. Along the route, bikers encounter the 1,500 cheerful volunteers who keep the route safe and pleasant, direct traffic come to bikers’ aid, man the many rest stops along the way, and cheer the riders on.
The ride is a celebration of biking – the economic, environmental, health, cultural and community benefits – with the cyclists coming together and literally taking over the streets. But is also an expression of advocacy for more protected bike lanes throughout the city.
Ydanis Rodriguez, Commissioner – NYC DOT Commissioner, said New York City is the safest city for cyclists and with 32 miles of protected bike lanes, the city has the largest network of all large cities. “Biking is good for the environment, good for the economy, good for health. We must continue to make New York City the best and safest for biking.”
But Brooklyn Councilman Lincoln Restler said, “We are on record for most bike deaths. Our streets are not safe enough.”
And Councilmember Dale Brewer, former Manhattan Borough President, added, “We will keep fighting for protected lanes.” She also lauded Bike NYC’s mission of teaching children how to bike.
Bike New York offers free bike education programs for children and adults throughout the five boroughs – in 2020 alone, teaching more than 30,000 New Yorkers the skill. Bike New York organizes numerous annual events, of which the TD Five Boro Bike Tour is the largest and most ambitious.
Bike New York basically was created along with the Five Boro Bike Tour, when in 1977, American Youth Hostels and the NYC Board of Education initiated a high school training program that culminated in a challenge: 50 participating students were asked to pedal through all five boroughs in a single day. Known then as the Five Boro Challenge, it began 250 total riders, and developed into the Five Boro Bike Tour that each year on the first Sunday in May attracts 32,000 cyclists to experience the city in a very special way.
Its mission states, “Bike New York empowers New Yorkers to transform their lives and their communities through bicycling. Our vision is to increase ridership, to empower youth to lead healthy, productive lives, to remove barriers to cycling, and to advocate for and expand services to reach more New Yorkers.”
Here are photo highlights from the 2024 TD Five Boro Bike Tour:
More information about programs, events, recycling a bicycle, resources, and volunteering are at Bike New York, 95 E 45th Street, New York NY 10017, [email protected]. [email protected], Bike.nyc.
