BIKE 5

Bike 5 Cities is now BIKE 5!

on August 24, 2022 at 5:19 pm

With three distances and multiple speeds to choose from, the event has expanded with more opportunities for riders of all ages and abilities!

Riders in Eatonville at the first Bike 5 Cities in 2017

Initially, the Bike 5 Cities event started as a solution to the question so many people ask us as cyclists, “Where do you ride?” To answer the question, the Bike/Walk Central Florida (BWCF) team’s goal was to create a regional bike-friendly map and host a ride to guide people looking for comfortable routes along Central Florida roads and trails. The first ride in 2017 led 250 mostly inexperienced cyclists along a 28-mile route based out of the host city, Winter Park, as a single large group. There were some gaps, but the ride became a valuable advocacy tool to continue our push for more bicycle-friendly infrastructure.

Some of the nearly 500 Bike 5 Cities Riders in 2021

In October of last year, the event’s 5th, nearly 500 riders conquered the route across 21 different groups in addition to an experiment, the first 5-mile-long family-friendly ride. The ride had evolved into the largest fundraiser for the BWCF team, providing the much-needed funding required to educate and advocate supporting their goal of transforming Central Florida into a premiere biking and walking community.  

In addition to education and advocacy aimed at making communities more walkable, bikeable, and rollable, the BWCF team’s mission strives toward creating a connected and equitable transportation system that is safe and comfortable for all. With the introduction of the pilot 5-mile family ride last year, the BWCF team realized that they were missing out on a vast audience. Those not being reached include a group of folks who may have bikes and are curious about exploring beyond their neighborhoods with some guidance. The event needed to be expanded and include opportunities for more folks to participate in the pedal-powered pastime regardless of age or ability.

This year’s event gives birth to new opportunities and a new identity, dubbed “BIKE 5,” with the full name, BIKE 5 | 5 Miles, 5 Parks, 5 Cities. This new identity hints at the flexibility the team felt was needed to capture the larger audience. The “Bike 5 Miles” option continues the family-friendly pilot from 2021, a route around Lake Baldwin. The “Bike 5 Parks” name hints at the leisure element of enjoying a park on a beautiful Floridan fall day and brings less experienced riders on a leisurely 11-mile tour between Winter Park and Orlando. Finally, “Bike 5 Cities,” the former name of the whole event, still stands as the keystone ride, now spanning 30 miles with expanded routes in Casselberry and Seminole County.

The new “BIKE 5 | 5 Miles, 5 Parks, 5 Cities” strives toward creating a connected and equitable transportation system. With the new identity, the Bike/Walk Central Florida team will continue to evolve the annual fundraiser and celebration of cycling to be more inclusive! 

Are you ready to BIKE 5? Then, you can join the event on Saturday, October 29, 2022! For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and all other event details, stay tuned for updates here: www.BikeWalkCentralFlorida.org/BIKE5/. See you on the trail! 