Go Slow, Say Hello: Bike the Bay Returns to San Diego for Its 19th Ride
Cyclists from across San Diego County will converge on the waterfront Sunday for the 19th Annual Bike the Bay, a noncompetitive community ride that offers riders a chance to cross the Coronado Bay Bridge by bicycle while exploring the Bayshore Bikeway and four South Bay cities. For more information, including how to register, visit the ride’s the official website.
The event, organized by and benefitting the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, takes place Sunday, August 23, starting and finishing at Embarcadero Marina Park South. The standard route remains 25 miles, taking riders through Coronado, Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and National City before returning to San Diego. The ride is primarily flat and designed for cyclists of a wide range of abilities.
This year, organizers are expanding the options. A new five-mile “Just the Bridge, Thank You” route gives casual riders and families the opportunity to ride across the Coronado Bay Bridge without completing the full loop. For more ambitious cyclists, a new 50-mile route doubles the traditional course, sending riders across the bridge twice. The standard 25-mile ride remains available as well.
“Last year, feedback indicated that 25 miles was both too short and too long,” said Chloé Lauer, executive director of the San Diego Bicycle Coalition. “We responded with two new ride options.”
The changes reflect the event’s intentionally broad approach to cycling. Bike the Bay isn’t designed only for experienced road cyclists. Families, casual riders, commuters, recreational cyclists and people looking for an endurance challenge can all choose a route that works for them. The event also draws participants from groups that are sometimes left out of traditional cycling events, including the Blind Stokers Club, a San Diego-based organization that pairs blind or visually impaired cyclists with sighted tandem-bike captains. The club has roots dating to 2005 and organizes rides around the country and internationally.
That inclusiveness is reflected in the culture Lauer says organizers try to create around the ride.
“There’s a few phrases capture the culture of the event,” Lauer continues.
• “Go slow and say hello.”
• “It’s a ride, not a race.”
• “All wheels welcome.”
The community aspect continues after riders finish. The event’s post-ride festival at Embarcadero Marina Park will include food, beverages, a beer garden and entertainment. BikeSD will also host a full-service bike valet, giving riders a convenient place to leave their bicycles while they enjoy the festivities.
Bike the Bay is also a fundraiser for the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition. Proceeds support the organization’s work to make bicycling safer and more accessible throughout the county, including advocacy for protected bike infrastructure and community repair programs.
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