The Bike How You Like Ride

Kick off Bike Month by celebrating the different ways that people can use their bikes, and how easy it is to integrate bike riding into your everyday life. Whether you rode all winter, you’re just coming out of hibernation, you’re just learning how to ride or you already use your bike as you primary mode of transportation, this family-friendly ride is for bicyclists of all ages and experience levels! 

This year we are introducing our 2-mile Fun Route. This route is geared towards those young or not as experienced bike riders that are starting to explore independent bike riding. 

This ride is a fundraiser. Registration fees support WABA’s work in the DC region and our mission of empowering people to ride bikes, build connections and transform places.  

Please note there are no refunds for this ride, and there is a $15 rider transfer fee.

Ride Information:

Choose your route…

Fun Ride (2 miles) 

A 2 mile ride using the 15th St. cycle track with a mini-stop halfway, perfect for those riding with little ones but open to all

• Start/finish location:  Franklin Park (1332 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005)
• Check-in time: 11:00 AM
• Group Start: 11:30 AM

Cruiser Ride (10 miles)

10 miles through downtown DC in bike lanes

• Start/finish location:  Franklin Park (1332 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005)
• Check-in time: 10:30 AM
• Group Start:  11:00 AM

Explorer Ride (30 miles)

30 miles on streets and trails in Washington, DC and Northern Virginia

• Start/finish location:  Franklin Park (1332 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005)
• Check-in time: 9:30 AM
• Group Start: 10:00 AM

Road Warrior Ride (50 miles)

50 miles on streets and trails in Washington, DC and Northern Virginia

• Start/finish location:  Franklin Park (1332 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005)
• Check-in time: 8:30 AM
• Group Start: 9:00 AM

Registration for any of the 4 routes includes:

• A spot at the event on Saturday, May 6, 2023
• Digital access to the ride route and free turn-by-turn smartphone navigation for Ride with GPS
• A commemorative merchandise item (*Limited quantities available) 
• Snacks and water 
• Access to a post-ride bike celebration 

Other Important Details…

• All rides take place on streets with varying levels of bicycle infrastructure: protected bike lanes, painted bike lanes, and slower-speed roads without bike lanes. Participants will share the road with motor vehicle traffic.
• The Bike How You Like Ride is self-guided. Participants will be spread out along the route and navigate using the provided physical cuesheet, or with free turn-by-turn navigation on their smartphone using the Ride with GPS app. 
• Each route will have an optional ride buddy group  led by a  Ride Marshal: a WABA volunteer who is there to help you navigate and offer encouragement and support. 

Route Maps:

2023 Route Maps will be shared with registrants the week of the ride. 

Register

Trouble viewing this form? Click here.

Thank You to our Partners and Sponsors!

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Volunteer As A Ride Marshal

Sorry, Ride Marshal sign-up for this ride is closed.

The next Ride Marshal opportunities will be for the 50 States Ride on September 23 and Cider Ride on November 4, so save the date!

Volunteer

Sorry, volunteer sign-up for this ride is closed.

The next opportunities to volunteer at a ride will be for the 50 States Ride on September 23 and Cider Ride on November 4, so save the date! And, check waba.org/volunteer to see non-ride opportunities.

COVID-19 Notice

COVID-19 Precautions during the 2023 Bike How You Like Ride

Due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19, all participants are expected to adhere to WABA’s health and safety guidelines for in-person events. Thank you for your patience and compassion as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.

Masks 

This event is mask optional. WABA respects anyone’s decision to wear a mask and encourages all people to advocate for themselves. WABA will not tolerate any disrespect towards WABA staff or participants who choose to wear a mask for their own safety and peace of mind.

If you feel sick…

Participants should not attend this event if they feel sick or show symptoms of illness. Because this is a fundraising event we do not offer refunds. You will have the options of converting  your registration fee to a 100% tax deductible donation or transferring the fee to another WABA ride. Please reach out to Akyra at events@waba.org to discuss your options.

Guidelines May Change

WABA reserves the right to update these guidelines and expectations if regional case trends or CDC guidelines changes make that appropriate. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about who, what, where, when, and why. You may want to check out this blog post about What to Expect at a WABA Ride as well!

What is this event?

The 2023 Bike How You Like Ride is a fundraising event for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA). It gives participants a choice of four ride routes exploring Washington, DC and Northern Virginia by bike. 

When is this event?

Saturday, May 6, 2023.

Where does this event take place?

This event will begin and end at Franklin Park in downtown DC (1332 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005).

What time does this event start?

Check-in and group starts is as follows:

50 Mile Road Warrior Route

Check-in time: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Group Start: 9:00 AM

Buddy Ride: 9:10 AM

30 Mile Explorer Route

Check-in: 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Group Start: 10:00 AM

Buddy Ride: 10:10  AM

10 Mile Cruiser Route

Check-in: 10:30 AM-11:00 AM

Group / Buddy Start: 11:00 AM

2 Mile Kid’s Fun Route

Check-in: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Group /  Buddy Start: 11:30 AM

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Can I ride an e-bike?

Yes. WABA welcomes e-bikes on all our rides. Please just make sure your bike has the battery capacity for the route that you choose and is fully charged the day of. There is no support on this ride so there is no way to help if your battery dies.

Are the roads closed for this ride? Are there cars? 

Roads are NOT closed for this ride. We do our best to plan the rides on low-stress streets and in bike lanes, but you will be sharing the road with motor vehicles.  

Feel like you want to practice before the ride? Sign up for a Confident City Cycling Class. Or, for a refresher, watch this webinar on How to Ride in Traffic. 

Is this ride supported? 

No. All four ride routes are unsupported. That means:

• Streets are not closed for this ride. You will ride on streets with motor vehicle traffic.
• The route is unmarked. 
• There is no support and gear vehicle to pick you up.  

Participants are expected to:

• Call 911 in case of an emergency.
• Have an emergency-contact who is not a ride participant “on call” during the ride.
• Carry a charged cell phone (and charged battery pack for the longer rides).

Is the route marked with signs or arrows?

No. The route is unmarked.

Participants should navigate using the physical cue sheet provided in their check-in packet, or with free turn-by-turn navigation on their smartphone using the Ride with GPS app. 

Will there be ride marshals?

Yes.  Ride Marshals are volunteers who are there to help participants navigate and offer encouragement and support. 

Lead Ride Marshals will lead an optional group start for those who wish to ride together.

Buddy Group Ride Marshals will lead and stay with those individuals that would like to ride with other bikers or feel that they will need a little encouragement along the way.

Sweep Ride Marshals will bring up the back of each ride group. 

Do I have to ride with a group?

Nope! There will be a  group start for each group (see timing above), but once you’ve checked in you can start your ride any time you’d like. 

Where can I find information about the routes?

WABA will release the 2023 Bike How You Like routes in an email to registrants the week of the ride.  

I’m not sure which route is right for me! 

We’d love to talk to you about this and help you pick the route that is the best fit for the ride you want to have! Email Akyra at events@waba.org if you’d like to chat about it.

Do I have to follow traffic laws?

Yes.  WABA asks and expects all participants to ride lawfully and with respect for other road users. This means:

• Stop at all red lights and stop signs. 
• Always yield to pedestrians. 
• Following posted signs
• Use hand signals when turning.
• Communicate verbally with other riders. 
• Do not ride more than two abreast, and do not take up more than one lane of travel. When riding on sidewalks, trails, or paths, be cautious when passing other users and slow down.

Do I have to wear a helmet?

Yes. WABA’s insurance requires that everyone riding a bicycle on a WABA ride wears a helmet while riding.

Click this link for a resource on how to properly fit your helmet.

What should I bring to the ride?

• Bike
• Helmet (Required by our insurance. You can’t ride without one.)
• Bike lock (Even if you don’t plan to stop during the ride, it’s good to have a lock with you during the ride, in case of an unanticipated or emergency stop along the ride route. If you’d really rather not carry your lock during your ride you can leave it with WABA staff at check-in and collect it at the finish line.)
• SmartTrip card (in case you decide you’d like to take the metro during or after the ride)
• Weather appropriate clothing (the ride is rain or shine!)
• Water bottles (you can fill it at the check-in area if you need to)
• Saddle bag (to carry spare tube, tire levers, and pump or patch kit)
• Spare tube (especially if you have a non-standard rim size!)
• Charged cell phone and charger
• Sunglasses and sunscreen
• Additional snacks
• An adventurous spirit!

Will you feed me? 

There will be snacks and water available for registered attendees at the ride start, ride finish, and pit stops along the way. There will be water jugs from which you can fill your reusable water bottle. WABA does not provide cups or plastic water bottles—bring your own!

Snacks will be vegetarian. There will be limited vegan and gluten-free options – please ask pit-stop staff if you need help.

Snacks will be single-serving and pre-packaged (you can have more than one!)

Questions about Registration 

Do I have to be a WABA member to register for this ride? 

Nope!  But current members can receive a discount on ride registration by using a discount code. WABA emailed this code to members. 

If you haven’t received it, email events@waba.org and we’ll be happy to help! 

If you’d like to become a member, visit waba.org/join!

What is your refund policy?

Because this is a fundraiser there will be no refunds for this event except in case of illness.

If you are feeling sick or have symptoms of an illness, do not come to the event. Email events@waba.org and let Akyra know you cannot come because you are sick, and we will transfer your registration fee to a 100% tax deductible donation or put your registration fee towards a future WABA ride.

Can I transfer my registration to another individual?

Yes. However, there is a $15 admin fee for transferring registration. Please email Akyra at events@waba.org to make your transfer.

I would like to register for the ride but can’t afford the registration fee. Can I still participate?

Thanks to other generous riders we have a ride scholarship to help. If you are not able to pay the registration fee please contact us at events@waba.org. 

If you are looking to donate a ride to the scholarship fund you can do so through the ride registration or contact us at events@waba.org.

Is there a youth rate for this ride?

Yes.  

You must purchase ride registration for all individuals who will ride their own bicycle in the event.

I am riding a tandem bike with another individual! Do we need two registrations?

Yes, unless riding solo is not an option available to one of the participants. If so, please register for one person and send us an email with contact information for the other rider so we know who is coming at events@waba.org. 

Can I register a guest for this ride?

Yes. You can register multiple people at one time. However, you must provide the name and email address of every attendee. 

I want to register a child or person who does not have their own email address.

Please email events@waba.org and we will get this worked out. 

Is there a wait list for the ride?

No. 

Can I register onsite the day of the ride?

Yes! Ride registration will be open until check-in closes. You can register yourself on your phone or WABA staff at the info table can help you register at check-in. Please arrive during the check-in time for the route you wish to ride, and we’ll get you set up. 

Can I switch routes on ride day?

Yes. Please arrive during the check-in window for the route you wish to ride, and we’ll get you set up.

If you are switching to a longer route, you may need to pay additional fees to cover the cost.

I have a question that you haven’t answered here.We are happy to help! Email your question to Akyra at events@waba.org.