Events

Bike for Mike 3rd Annual Mike Ride

The 3rd annual Mike Ride, a fundraiser to provide bikes for families in struggling neighbourhoods and make Hamilton a more bicycle-friendly city, will be on Sunday, May 5, 2013.

By Ryan McGreal
Published April 24, 2013

On Sunday, May 5, 2013, the Bike for Mike charity will hold its third annual Mike Ride, a fundraiser to provide bicycles, locks and helmets for students and their families in struggling neighbourhoods.

Last year's Mike Ride raised enough money to provide more than 100 bikes through a donation to the Mike's Bikes Fund of Hamilton Community Foundation.

Mike Ride 2012 (RTH file photo)
Mike Ride 2012 (RTH file photo)

Bike for Mike was started to honour Mike Chamberlain, an avid cyclist who died on May 29, 2010. Mike dreamed of making Hamilton a bicycle-friendly city, and the annual Mike Ride is an ongoing effort to realize that dream.

Mike Chamberlain (Image Credit: Bike for Mike)
Mike Chamberlain (Image Credit: Bike for Mike)

Details

Participants can sign up for one of three rides, all of which start at Bayfront Park:

Riders of all ages are required to wear helmets, and bikes must be street-legal with reflectors and a working bell/horn/gong. The ride will proceed rain or shine, so dress appropriately and bring sunscreen as needed. Longer routes include a pit stop at the halfway mark, but be sure to bring water.

The routes are on a combination of trails, bike lanes, bike routes and mixed traffic, and streets will not be closed for the event, so riders must obey the Ontario Highway Traffic Act.

Remember also that the Mike Ride is not a race - take your time and go at a safe, comfortable pace.

The registration cost is $10 for participants aged 16 and under (must be accompanied by an adult), and $50 for participants aged 17 and up. The money raised goes to fund bike purchases for families in need, so you are encouraged to donate more if you can. The charity also accepts donated bikes.

Please register online.

What You Can Expect

Last year, my then nine-year-old and I did the 20 km ride, and it was a most enjoyable ride - fun and not technically challenging. I was impressed at how much of the route was on dedicated bike lanes - the city has been slowly, quietly filling out its bike lane network.

Here's a video of last year's ride, produced by Bike For Mike:

There were around 300 participants last year, and the organizers hope to double that for this year's ride.

Ryan McGreal, the editor of Raise the Hammer, lives in Hamilton with his family and works as a programmer, writer and consultant. Ryan volunteers with Hamilton Light Rail, a citizen group dedicated to bringing light rail transit to Hamilton. Ryan wrote a city affairs column in Hamilton Magazine, and several of his articles have been published in the Hamilton Spectator. His articles have also been published in The Walrus, HuffPost and Behind the Numbers. He maintains a personal website, has been known to share passing thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, and posts the occasional cat photo on Instagram.

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By Conrad664 (registered) | Posted April 24, 2013 at 17:42:58

Im there and il brings lots of my friends with me and there friends as well :)

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