More than 4,000 bike riders hit the open streets for the 30th annual Tour de Bronx on Oct. 6, a day when temperatures hit a high of 75 degrees, which proved ideal for cycling in the Boogie Down.
The event featured 40, 25 and 10-mile routes and was heavily promoted by the Bronx Borough President’s office. The ride dates back to 1995, when a few hundred bikers—including then-Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer—got together to draw attention to the Bronx Greenway Plan, according to Richard Gans, former head of the Bronx chapter for Transportation Alternatives, a decades-old non-profit advocating for protected bike lanes and safe streets.
The plan launched in 1993 with the intent to create 25 miles of green space and walking paths in the Bronx. Today, 20 miles have been completed, including 44 acres of parkland and the only trail along fresh water in NYC.
“My favorite part was riding around the water,” said 12-year-old Jet Ali from Yonkers, who was referring to the Bronx River along Soundview Park. Although he has done long-distance rides with his father and older brother before, this was his first time participating in the Tour de Bronx where he completed the 25-mile route.


Many children participated, either on their own bikes or tandem with their parents, like six-year-old Ashton Modesto who was dressed to the nines in his riding outfit. His father, Victor Modesto, added a custom seat to his own bicycle in order to ride his son around. Modesto told the Bronx Times that he was a cross country, mountain biking champion from the Dominican Republic and normally will ride up to 100 miles every other weekend.
“We made it,” shouted Bronx Borough President, Vanessa Gibson as she crossed the finish line at the Kazimiroff Boulevard entrance of the NYBG after her 25-mile route. Shortly after dismounting her black Cannondale, Gibson took to the stage at Daffodil Hill where live music, water, pickle juice and boxes of hundreds of oranges and bananas welcomed riders. “I really appreciate the scenery of the Bronx — riding through Starlight Park, Pugsley Creek, Soundview, along the Hutch’ — it is such a beautiful landscape and it reminds us that we have to do more to increase access to the greenway.”
Bike ridership has increased significantly in the Bronx, according to Shawn Garcia, director of advocacy for Transportation Alternatives which had a table at the event. Work is being done on the Grand Concourse to complete a protected bike lane project that has been ongoing for more than a decade. Yet, despite advances, bike advocates say that the lanes are unusable as cars have adopted the bike lanes as additional parking and seemingly, without penalty.


“In the past three years, we went from 6% of total bike lanes in the city being in the Bronx to 22 percent now — there’s more bike lanes than ever,” said Garcia. “[But] people parking in the bike lane is a lack of respect and, you know, a lot of aggressiveness towards cyclists who are trying to just do the right thing and be in the bicycle lane.”
Award-winning musician, producer and Bronx Hall of Fame inductee, Miguel Amadeo, who has owned the decades-old record store, Casa Amadeo in Longwood, rode along with the BP and the bicycle he used was raffled off to a lucky winner. A shiny, blue kid’s bike was raffled off as well.
With the exception of some tumbles here and there and a few hills – which seemed to be the bane of several riders’ journey – the day ended on a good note as several bikers danced in the grass or took to Little Italy nearby to indulge in some pizza and beer.

Reach ET Rodriguez at etrodriguez@gmail.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes