Events: World Bicycle Day 2026
Across all platforms of cycling tracking, I have completely lost track how many tens of thousands of miles a bicycle has carried me. What the bike has taught me across several decades of life is its simplicity begetting simplicity. Even though the bike is a compound machine, it has produced simple experiences.
As a kid, the bike meant everything. It was the center of my universe. My bike, a chrome Kent BMX with checkered pads, allowed me to fly off stacked palettes doubling as jumps. It doubled as an imaginary race car as I barged into the wooded areas in the back yard. It became the first grocery getter when I was asked to pick up small things from the 7-11 down the street. The bike, like our universe, expanded at astronomical rates.
Weirdly enough, my second bike saw me lose interest. It was complicated to go from a BMX bike to a hybrid with gears. The riding position felt weird. I felt slower - so slow, I started skipping on bike rides. The gearing did one thing well: this new bike once again pushed my boundaries farther. I was granted permission to ride into town now. I rode less, but when I did ride, I went farther out.
I got back on a BMX bike after a car accident sidelined my mode of transportation. A quick purchase at the LBS saw me return to the single gear madness. It came to college with me, but it rarely came out. Bike theft was a big thing on campus. When our friend circle would go for a ride, I couldn’t keep up with their geared mountain bikes. Once again the BMX bike was shelved.
For a stint, I got my hands on a GT iDrive mountain bike, which I rode for as long as I could financially support it. I still joke that there is a full mountain bike in separate parts within High Rocks if you know where to look. Driving to the trailhead to ride for an hour saw me consider road riding to streamline the time.
The following years saw road bikes enter the garage. At one point a time trial bike racked up miles. Road bikes continued to come and go, and the time trial bike was eventually swapped out for a gravel bike. Tens of thousands of miles were covered with all of those rigs.
On World Bicycle Day, I chose to think about the experiences the bike has produced. From sunset rides around Gettysburg Military Park to Adirondack epics, the bike has carried me through it all. I’ve descended Whiteface Mountain’s highway at great pace without turning the pedals while never getting a break from the flat routes of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I’ve walked climbs that forced me to return to summit them without putting a foot down. The Catskills produced my longest ride in one shot - 135 miles with Mike (yes, that Mike) - while also seeing three of the four black bears in my life.
It is this recollection of experiences that grounds me in later life. One of the biggest struggles has been coming to terms with the lack of speed anymore. I’ve been dropped too often to claim any relevance. Instead, I resort to thinking of the roadside sights produced by bike rides. These are the experiences one misses while driving. From the roadside waterfalls in the Adirondacks to the kids playing in the river under a trestle bridge in a remote corner of the Catskills, the bike has carried me there.
For World Bicycle Day, it is my hope that cyclists - new and veterans alike - discover something new while out for a ride. Perhaps it was a stream never noticed before or a sunset that looked amazing. Maybe it’s finding a new group ride or a new friend who also enjoys riding. Either way, what better way to honor the bicycle than to allow it to carry us to all the wonderful spots of the world.
