STEEL TIER, $25
Gets you access to ride in the Virtual Tour and a downloadable finisher certificate for participating in the virtual ride.
Virtual Rides
Train for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour — on your own time — with a one-of-a-kind virtual ride that takes you through car-free NYC streets, past famous landmarks, and over historic bridges, right from home!
Bike New York has partnered with virtual ride provider FulGaz to offer a virtual, 4K version of our iconic TD Five Boro Bike Tour, starting in January 2022.
This past August, cyclists of all skill levels came from around the world to roll through every borough of New York City totally free of cars. Now, we’re offering a second chance to experience America’s best and largest bike ride — virtually — with our partner FulGaz. Participants will be able to ride the Virtual Tour between January 8 and January 31, 2022, on the FulGaz app with a 30-day free trial.
Get New York Strong, and support free bicycle education, with this uniquely urban in-home ride.
CARBON TIER, $50
Gets you access to ride in the Virtual Tour and a downloadable finisher certificate for participating in the virtual ride. Plus, score a shiny new medal! Images of swag coming soon, keep an eye out!
Please note: Swag cannot be shipped to international riders at this time. If you are an international rider, and you’d like to register for the Carbon Tier, your contribution will be processed as a donation to Bike New York and you will not receive a medal.
TITANIUM TIER, $85
Gets you access to ride in the Virtual Tour and a downloadable finisher certificate for participating in the virtual ride. Plus, score a shiny new medal, branded water bottle, and branded neck gaiter! Images of swag coming soon, keep an eye out!
Please note: Swag cannot be shipped to international riders at this time. If you are an international rider, and you’d like to register for the Titanium Tier, your contribution will be processed as a donation to Bike New York and you will not receive a medal, water bottle, or neck gaiter.
BONUS: All U.S. registrants are eligible for a smart bike giveaway from our partner Stages Cycling! The fastest U.S. rider on top of our leaderboard will receive a free Stages SB20 Smart Bike Indoor Trainer, worth over $3,000.
Terms and conditions can be found in the registration link and the Virtual Tour FAQs.
Virtual TD Five Boro Bike Tour Route
The Virtual Tour takes you through all five boroughs, starting in downtown Manhattan and heading up glitzy 6th Avenue before passing Central Park and Harlem. You’ll make your way through the Bronx before heading down the FDR and across the Queensboro Bridge to Long Island City. Make your way through Queens and Brooklyn before jumping on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and over the Verrazano Bridge to Staten Island.
Central Park Loop Route
Coming soon!
Virtual TD Five Boro Bike Tour Cycling App Partner
Virtual TD Five Boro Bike Tour Giveaway Partner
Title Sponsor
Presenting Sponsor
SPONSORS
FAQ
I’m new to FulGaz. How do I get started?
Download FulGaz and set up a free account
FulGaz is offering new subscribers a 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
Downloading the trial gives you full access to FulGaz with no restrictions on content, or how often or how far you ride. If you’re returning to FulGaz for another go, send FulGaz a support ticket and they’ll hook you up with another trial on the house.
Connect your devices
When you load up FulGaz and hit Get Started, you’ll be greeted with a pairing screen. Here your smart bike/trainer/speed sensor will be picked up and listed. Select the devices you’d like to connect and click Let’s Ride.
Pro tip: If you can’t see your devices when trying to connect, they are most likely paired with another app (RGT, Rouvy, Zwift). You will need to deselect your trainer from that app’s pairing screen, quit that app, and restart FulGaz.
Set your preferences, weight, and slope scaling
Click the settings icon to take a moment to set your display preference (metric or imperial). For the most realistic experience, enter your weight and bike weight. There are many other settings here; it’s best to get a feel for riding FulGaz first before adjusting these. Start at around 60% uphill to get the feel. You can adjust this in ride also.
Pro tip: If you find the hills too hard, you can adjust the Slope Scaling, this is essentially the “trainer difficulty”. Adjusting this won’t make you faster, but it will make hills easier!
Download the Virtual Tour video and ride
FulGaz suggests downloading the Virtual Tour video ahead of time. For any event, you must download the video. Before the event, test your set-up with something from the Easy collection. These rides will give you a good “feel” for how FulGaz looks and interacts with your trainer or smart bike.
Get event-ready
Before you start the Virtual TD Five Boro Bike Tour, make sure you turn up at the start line ready.
Here’s a quick checklist
- Download the ride ahead of time.
- Stay hydrated – have at least two bottles of water available.
- Have a towel and fan to help you cool down.
What equipment do I need?
To participate in this event from the comfort of your own home you will need some cycling equipment.
Pro Set-Up
- Road bike
- Smart trainer (e.g., Elite Suito, Wahoo Kickr) or a smart bike.
Basic Set-up
- Road bike
- Standard trainer
- Speed sensor if using a standard trainer.
Connection equipment
FulGaz works on Apple TV, macOS, an iPhone or iPad, and Windows and Android devices. To get started, you will need to download the app onto your respective device. For an excellent viewing (and riding) experience, we highly recommend using an Apple TV connected to your lounge room TV or monitor.
Please note: Rides in “event mode” will force you to download the ride before starting. This ensures an uninterrupted riding experience, so make sure you download the ride well ahead of time to avoid delays.
When is the Virtual Tour available?
Registration for the Virtual Tour opens at 12 PM ET on Monday, November 29. The Virtual Tour itself will go live at 12 PM ET on Saturday, January 8, and will be available through the month of January.
Additional virtual rides, including a Central Park Loop, will be available in the near future!
Stay informed by signing up for our mailing list here.
Is the TD Five Boro Bike Tour still happening in May?
Yes, the Virtual Tour will not replace the 2022 Tour. We will host the TD Five Boro Bike Tour on Sunday, May 1, 2022. For more information on the 2022 Tour, please click here.
Do I have to ride the Virtual Tour at a certain speed?
Nope! Riders can enjoy the Virtual Tour at whatever speed they please.
When will I receive a promo code for my 30-day free trial?
Registered riders will receive a promo code for their 30-day free FulGaz trial via email a few days prior to January 8.
Please note: Do not activate your promo code prior to December 31 if you wish to ride the Virtual Tour regularly between January 8 and January 31. If you activate the 30-day promo code on December 7, you will not be able to access the Virtual Tour on January 8 using your 30-day free trial.
I live internationally. Can I still receive swag?
Unfortunately, at this time we cannot ship swag to international riders.
International riders can purchase a Carbon or Titanium registration if they wish. However, because we cannot ship swag internationally, their contribution will be processed as a donation to Bike New York. If you accidentally purchased a Carbon or Titanium registration and do not want your contribution processed as a donation to Bike New York, please email info@bike.nyc.
What are the terms and conditions for the Virtual TD Five Boro Bike Tour?
VIRTUAL TD FIVE BORO BIKE TOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Swag and Prizes
If you registered for Steel, Carbon, or Titanium, you may be eligible to receive certain swag (as described below), and the fastest registered rider may be eligible to receive a Stages SB20 Smart Bike Indoor Trainer provided by Stages Cycling (the “Grand Prize”).
Only residents of the United States are eligible to receive swag and the Grand Prize. The Grand Prize will be provided only to individuals who are 18 years of age, as of January 8, 2022, or older. Please note that you are not eligible to receive swag or the Grand Prize where prohibited or restricted by law. Employees of Bike New York and its partners, sponsors, consultants, and agents, and their employees, officers, directors, and representatives and their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling, and their respective spouses, regardless of where they live) or persons living in the same households of such persons, whether or not related are also not eligible.
- If you registered for Steel, you will receive a digital certificate.
- If you registered for Carbon, you will receive a digital certificate and a medal.
- If you registered for Titanium, you will receive all of the above, plus a Bike New York water bottle and neck gaiter.
- If you are eligible for the Grand Prize and were the fastest rider, you should receive the Grand Prize by the middle of February. Please note that we can’t guarantee delivery by the middle of February due to the ongoing disruptions to the shipping and delivery industry. If you are the Grand Prize Winner, we will notify you by email on or before February 8, 2022.
Please note that Bike New York may determine that it needs to cancel, terminate, or suspend your eligibility to receive any swag or the Grand Prize at any time. We will let you know of any such determination as soon as reasonably practicable.
You acknowledge that you are responsible for all taxes and fees that you may owe on swag and the Grand Prize. Bike New York will issue a Form 1099-MISC for the Grand Prize winner.
To receive swag or the Grand Prize, Bike New York will verify your identity (including name and address). You agree to cooperate with Bike New York in all aspects for the verification. You agree that personal data, especially your name and address, may be processed, shared, and otherwise used for the purposes and within the context of the Virtual Ride, including to verify your identity, postal address, and telephone number or to otherwise verify your eligibility to receive swag or the Grand Prize. You have the right to access, review, correct, or delete any personal data held by Bike New York by writing to info@bike.nyc.
If you have questions about the delivery of your swag, please contact Always Advancing at virtual5boro@alwaysadvancing.net.
If you have any questions about the delivery of the Grand Prize, please contact info@bike.nyc.
Our mission: We unlock the life-changing effects of cycling through education initiatives offered to the public at no cost. Here’s just a handful of the programs you’ll sustain when you ride in one of our Virtual Rides.
We believe that knowledge is power.
Bike New York provides a completely free, year-round curriculum of classes for children and adults at every stage of their cycling journeys, from first rides and fundamentals to commuting and touring. We pioneered the largest free bike education program of its kind and have inspired similar programs around the country. In 2020 alone, Bike New York’s programming reached over 33,000 people.
We’re dedicated to making cycling more inclusive and accessible, and that’s why we hold free classes in all five boroughs at our Community Bike Education Centers. Students are provided with bikes, helmets, and the insights and knowledge of experienced instructors, creating an encouraging environment for building core riding skills—and having a blast while learning!
We respond to the moment.
When COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill, Bike New York was forced to temporarily suspend its in-person programming. Though cycling events came to a halt, the need for bike resources swelled as a huge influx of people turned to cycling for transportation and recreation. We knew we couldn’t slow down.
To address the sudden surge in demand for accessible bike education, we pivoted from teaching in the streets to bringing our lessons to the virtual classroom. Since launching our digital education program and Virtual Bike Education Resource Hub in April, we’ve helped hundreds, if not thousands, of students build their bike skills, confidence, and knowhow—and with aspiring cyclists from across the country tuning in to our weekly classes, we’re making a difference far beyond the five boroughs.
We're keeping our neighborhoods green.
Recycle-A-Bicycle is our personal spin on a local bike shop. We’ve called Brooklyn home for well over a decade, so it’s no stretch to say we know the neighborhood.
In addition to providing New Yorkers with gear and hosting area service programs, RAB accepts donations of old, used, and broken bikes, which we completely restore, refurbish, and sell. What can’t be repaired is salvaged for parts. This means we’re not just giving thousands of well-loved bikes a second chance: In 2019, RAB reused or repurposed nearly 12 tons of material. That’s the same as saving 77.95 metric tons of CO2e!
We know that learning to ride can be scary, so we do everything we can to keep things safe and fun.
Bike New York works with local communities and NYC DOT to host Bike Bonanzas, no-cost family activity days made to outfit children and their parents with all the tools they need to pedal proudly. We bring our ever-popular Learn to Ride Class for Kids, DOT’s Vision Zero helmet giveaways and fittings, and bike swaps (for kids to trade their old bikes in and upgrade to the next size) to parks and public spaces across the city. Consider it an all-ages block party with bikes.
We're making cycling accessible where it's needed most.
In July 2019, Bike New York celebrated the opening of Brooklyn’s Shirley Chisholm State Park by launching a free bike share pilot program designed to make exploring nature as easy as checking out a library book. The Bike Library hosts a fleet of 84 bikes (refurbished by graduates of Recycle-A-Bicycle’s Earn-A-Bike program) available for park visitors to “check out” for rides around the grounds in the summer and fall.
In the Library’s first three months, park-goers took 8,585 rides along 10 miles of car-free pathways by scenic Jamaica Bay. The cyclists we served came primarily from the surrounding neighborhoods, with 74% of bike share users hailing from Brooklyn. 34% of rides were taken by people under 18 years of age and, excitingly, riders reflected an even gender split. The Library reopened and expanded for the 2020 season, offering New Yorkers a meaningful way to enjoy the outdoors while social distancing and other pandemic restrictions were in place.
We go the extra mile for kids who love their bikes.
We know that one of the best ways to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and regular physical activity in children and young adults is to give them the freedom to explore on two wheels. We partner with Woodhull Hospital, Lincoln Hospital, and New York Cycle Club to produce our Kids’ Ride Club, a friendly, fun group ride program for youth cyclists in low-income neighborhoods. And to challenge kids to see what cycling life is like beyond city limits, we held our inaugural bike touring trip for teenage bike enthusiasts in 2019, a tristate adventure that pushed them out of their comfort zone to prove just what amazing things they could accomplish together.
We help our neighbors tap into their potential.
Last year, Bike New York partnered with One Community, a nonprofit dedicated to professional training and employment placement, to pilot an intensive, hands-on bike mechanic training program that helps formerly incarcerated New Yorkers continue down the path of rebuilding their lives through the power of stable employment. The program focuses on the particulars of repair and maintenance for Citi Bikes and prepares participants for a well-paying union job on Citi Bike’s mechanic team. Recycle-A-Bicycle provided 60 hours of instruction, as well as tools, materials, and support, to a cohort of students. Learn more about this program here.
We're working to build the path to a safer future for all street users.
In 2019, Bike New York began a concentrated effort to actively engage in and spearhead local-level advocacy initiatives. Within its first year, projects included:
- Providing expertise and detail to the City Council’s Streets Master Plan Bill, which passed in October of last year. It commits the city to install 50 miles of protected bike lanes per year starting in 2022, and to measure bike network connectivity.
- Supplying a broad set of ideas for Mayor de Blasio’s “Green Wave Plan,” issued in July 2019. It raises NYC DOT’s target for protected bike lanes from 20 to 30 miles per year in 2020 and 2021. It also calls for more attention to the quality of barriers along protected bike lanes, bike-speed signal timing, and bike parking.
- Producing a Bike Network agenda to take advantage of congestion pricing.
And in the summer of 2020, Bike New York launched its new Street Action Now! program to instruct a cohort of students in how to analyze unsafe street conditions, perform a street audit, and work with community boards to provoke real change on their blocks.
Together we ride.
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