More than a decade ago two Detroiters came together to form the city’s most iconic group bike ride meetup, Slow Roll, due to a lack of representation in the biking scene.
“We started Slow Roll just because we wanted to start a thing for ourselves that we felt like represented what Detroit was, which was community and togetherness and having a good time,” said Jason Hall who co-founded Slow Roll with Mike MacKool. “It was necessary,” said Hall, noting existing groups at that time would ride fast and be aggressive with drivers.
“Detroit didn’t have at the time, we felt like, a representative ride of the city,” he said.
Today, it’s a different story. There has been an outpouring of group bike rides offering an experience for every kind of rider, and on almost every day of the week. Thousands of Detroiters have come together to explore the city during treks that end with brunch or drinks, rides that are fast or slow and inclusive of specific identity groups.
“I love the way that the scene has evolved over the last 10 years or so,” Hall told BridgeDetroit. Hall said he’s proud to participate in group bike rides in Detroit, knowing that Slow Roll likely influenced the formation.
After the founding of Slow Roll in Detroit, chapters spread to other cities nationally and internationally and the original Detroit group featured in a Super Bowl commercial ad. While Slow Roll no longer exists, many other group rides in Detroit have come together, including Hall’s Thursday night e-bike ride.
Like Slow Roll, the group Babes on Bikes, designed for women and non-binary individuals, is another that was formed to increase representation.
“We weren’t really finding group rides that were led by women and a lot of the rides were longer distances, they were faster paces,” said co-founder Claire Huttenlocher, noting a lot of the rides were also “drop” rides which means if you can’t keep up or have to stop you get left behind.
“Those rides didn’t always feel very welcoming or accessible, especially to non competitive riders,” she said. “We really felt there was just a need for a safe and welcoming group ride that allows us to really get outside and be active while also exploring Detroit neighborhoods, supporting small businesses,” she said. After each ride, Babes on Bikes has visited local bars, including Jolly Pumpkin, Collect Beer Bar, Tenacity Craft, and others.
Black Girls Do Bike, a community of women of color with a passion for cycling, notably has had a chapter in Detroit and has held group bike rides for years.
Other groups are less identity-based and more location-based, like the People for Palmer Park ride that meets on Thursdays.
Oakland County resident Tony Crook said he’s been riding with the Palmer Park group for two years.
“It’s definitely a social outlet,” he said. “Obviously the COVID culture helps that, everyone’s used to being isolated so now you get a chance to chat while you’re riding for about two hours.”
Another benefit of a group ride is protection, Crook told BridgeDetroit.
“Metro Detroit isn’t the most biker friendly community in the world, but when you see 20 or 30 bikes together even drivers tend to back off a little,” he said. “I have to be a little extra careful riding by myself.”
Detroit ranks 21 out of 65 major U.S. cities for bike fatalities, an improvement compared to prior years of 2012-2016.
Whether you want to do a group bike ride for social, physical, or safety reasons, there’s plenty of options that we’ve compiled into a list for you.
Some of them are “drop” rides which means if you can’t keep up or have to stop, the group will bike on without you. We noted based on available information whether a ride was drop or no drop. Another pro tip: Plan to get to the ride at least 15 minutes early so you don’t miss the rollout!
Sunday
Sunday Flyers
About: “We are promoting female leadership in the Detroit biking community…We peddle hard and party hard.”
Speed: 16-20 mph
When: Sundays at 9 a.m., 1.5 hours
Where: Steps of the Detroit Institute of Arts
Monday
Metropolis Cycles
About: “A weekly Monday night ride that starts at Metropolis Cycles.”
Speed: 12-15 mph
When: Mondays at 7 p.m., 2.5 hours
Where: Metropolis Cycles, 2117 Michigan Ave
No drop
Soul Roll
About: “One of the oldest Bike Clubs in Detroit.”
Speed: 10-12 mph
When: Saturdays and Mondays at 7 p.m. , 2-3 hours
Where: Saturdays at Dequindre Cut Parking Lot, Mondays at Eastern Market Shed 5
No drop
Wednesday
The Hub at Back Alley Bikes
About: “Organized ride where cyclists with all kinds of experience can participate. The goal is to grow as a rider, and as a biking community.”
Speed: 12-14 mph OR 16-18 mph
When: Wednesdays at 7 p.m., 1-2 hours
Where: The Hub at Back Alley Bikes
Where We At Wednesdays
About: “The new Wednesday ride hosted by any bikelife clubs that want to lead a ride on Wednesdays.”
Speed, When, and Where: varies
Thursday
Trek Detroit Thursday e-ride
About: “All eTransportation is welcome. eBike, One Wheel, you name it. NO GAS power allowed.”
Speed: < 28 mph
When: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., 2 hours
Where: behind the Trek Detroit Store, 3613 Woodward
People for Palmer Park
About: “Enjoy riding (weather permitting) with a fun group of cyclists around the periphery of the park, through the neighborhoods of Palmer Park Apartment District, the Golf Club neighborhood, Ferndale, New Center, Boston Edison, and more.”
Speed: 10-15 mph
When: Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., 1 hour
Where: Palmer Park Splash Pad lot, 910 Merrill Plaissance
Midnight Marauders
About: “We like to ride at night! When the city is ours and we don’t have to worry about asshole drivers as much. We will be bombing through the streets of Detroit.”
When: Thursdays, 10 p.m., 2 hours
Speed: 15+ mph
Where: Venue changes
Drop
*Midnight Marauders is on hiatus right now and will be coming back in the spring.
Friday
Critical Mass
About: “Critical Mass is a huge bike ride that takes place in Detroit! Anyone and everyone is welcome to come. All ages and all bikes (or skateboards, roller skates, unicycles, etc.) are welcome!”
Speed: Slow
When: Last Friday of every month at 7 p.m., 2 hours
Where: the corner of Trumbull and Warren
Saturday
Soul Roll
About: “One of the oldest Bike Clubs in Detroit.”
Speed: 10-12 mph
When: Saturdays and Mondays at 7 p.m. , 2-3 hours
Where: Saturdays at Dequindre Cut Parking Lot, Mondays at Eastern Market Shed 5
No drop
Biking Belle Isle
About: “We discover Detroit & Metro area, on two wheels.”
Speed: 10-13 mph
When: Saturday at 9 a.m.
Where: Varies
No drop
Rotating
Babes on Bikes Detroit
About: “Weekly bike ride for ANY/ALL women and enby [non-binary] folx”
Speed: 10-15 mph
When: Weekly rotating date
Where: Weekly rotating venue
No drop
We Bike Detroit
About: “We ride once a month from May until November… We ask club members to donate $10 at each ride in support of a charity we announce before the ride – we ride for fun and to build a better world.”
Speed: 11-13 mph
When: Once a month, check events section on Facebook
Where: Varies
Drop
Cruise Detroit
About: “A monthly-ish meander on bicycles in and around Detroit. This is a gender diverse queer space that is unwavering in the conviction that Black Lives Matter.”
Speed: 10-15 mph
When: Monthly, 3.5 hours
Where: Varies
No drop
Cass Tech Bicycle Club
About: “To energize people with our passion for riding, while facilitating their zest for healthy living.”
When: Once or twice per month
Where: Varies
Speed: 10-14mph
No drop
Bonus: The state’s largest bike ride, Tour de Troit, is Sep. 16. The ride is 20 to 25.6 miles and concludes with lunch and a party.
Did we miss a regular weekly biking meetup? Email us at jbrooker@bridgedetroit.com to get it added to the list.
This is very misleading. Jason prohibits what devices are allowed. Banning riders from showing up if they choose not to ride a bike. He did this to all EUC riders after years of friendly rides together. And without warning tells us not to show up anymore. Wish we could all get a long and ride together like it USED to be. This info is no longer current and be warned if you show up for a ride and can’t join!
These rides and more are included on our events calendar. https://detroitgreenways.org/events-calendar/