PedalPGH ride will take place Sunday, featuring four routes
The 26th annual PedalPGH rides, billed as Pennsylvania’s largest bike ride, will be held Sunday, featuring four routes of varying lengths and difficulties — all beginning and ending at Southside Riverfront Park.
The event, held since 1994, benefits BikePGH, the Lawrenceville- based nonprofit that also runs the OpenStreets series. Registration is $ 70, $ 5 for kids under 18, and comes with a package that includes a T- shirt, water bottle and access to rest stops and post- ride refreshments.
The easiest route is a 10- mile loop that mostly runs along flat riverfront trails on the South Side and Downtown. Then comes the most popular option, a 25- mile route running through Oakland, Shadyside, Lawrenceville and the North Shore. That’s followed by a 40- mile route and a 62- miler that BikePGH dubs the “epic challenge.”
“That one will take you through the worst of the hills of Pittsburgh, but give you some of the greatest views when you get to the top,” said Kéya Joseph, director of events at BikePGH.
The 10- mile route is mostly on protected trails, while the other routes will include on- road stretches with car traffic. Police will be stationed on busier intersections to help bikers cross.
Organizers are expecting around 3,000 registrants this year, as they’ve tended to draw in past years, Ms. Joseph said. The event has been a boon for BikePGH, raising over $ 1 million since its inception. BikePGH advocates for better safety measures for bikers and pedestrians in Pittsburgh.
To view route maps and register, visit pedalpgh. org.