Tour de Bronx Returns for Its 32nd Ride: What Cyclists Should Know

Damian Ali

2 hours ago

2 min read

Cyclists wearing helmets wait with their bicycles behind barricades along the Grand Concourse before the 2018 Tour de Bronx.

Cyclists line up along the Grand Concourse before the 2018 Tour de Bronx. Photo courtesy of the Office of former Bronx Borough President Ruben Díaz Jr. via Flickr

What to Know

The free Tour de Bronx returns Oct. 4 with 10-, 25-, and 40-mile routes.
Riders start at 161st Street and Grand Concourse and finish at NYBG.
Streets remain open to traffic, and riders must follow traffic rules.

The Grand Concourse is about to fill with bicycle helmets again. The 32nd annual Tour de Bronx will take place Sunday, Oct. 4, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., giving thousands of cyclists a free way to travel through Bronx neighborhoods, parks and waterfront areas.

Riders will begin at 161st Street and Grand Concourse before finishing at the New York Botanical Garden. This year’s event includes a 10-mile family-friendly route, a 25-mile route, and a 40-mile route for more experienced cyclists.

Organizers expect more than 4,000 participants from New York City and beyond. The 40-mile group will leave first, followed by the 25-mile riders about 15 minutes later. Cyclists taking the 10-mile route will leave last.

The ride has become a familiar Bronx tradition, but its history reaches back more than three decades.

The Tour de Bronx was established in 1994 to introduce riders to the borough’s neighborhoods, scenic waterfronts and greenways while encouraging fitness and bicycle use. Organizers describe it as the largest free cycling event in New York State.

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A large group of helmeted cyclists wave and raise their hands while gathering behind a barricade before the 2018 Tour de Bronx.

Tour de Bronx cyclists wave while gathering before the 2018 ride. Photo courtesy of the Office of former Bronx Borough President Ruben Díaz Jr. via Flickr

That history was celebrated during the Tour’s 30th anniversary in 2024. More than 4,000 cyclists attended that year, according to the Bronx Borough President’s Office. The three routes carried riders through communities including Mott Haven, Melrose and Soundview before ending at the New York Botanical Garden.

This year, registered cyclists may travel through the South Bronx, Wakefield, Riverdale, Orchard Beach and several waterfront parks. The exact routes will not be released until approximately 6 a.m. on the morning of the ride.

Participants should also know that this is an open-road event. Streets along the routes will remain open to cars, and riders are expected to obey traffic signals, watch their surroundings, and use caution. NYPD officers will be stationed at key intersections, while volunteers will help direct cyclists.

Rest stops along each route will provide water, snacks, restrooms, and first aid. There is no designated rider parking at the starting point or the New York Botanical Garden, although limited street parking may be available.

Registered riders will receive numbered bibs. Early pickup will be available Oct. 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. and Oct. 3 from 8 a.m. to noon at Andrew Freedman Hall, 1125 Grand Concourse.

Advance bicycle rentals are also available. Registration, rentals, volunteer opportunities, and additional rider information can be found on the official Tour de Bronx website.