Well  over three thousand cyclists participated in yesterday’s Tour de Troit.

The Free Press coverage noted the fundraising aspect of the ride.

The Tour de Troit was organized to publicize the growing greenways network in Detroit and to raise funds for Corktown-Mexicantown Greenlink planned for 2011. The series of bike lanes and off-road pathways will connect the neighborhoods of Corktown and Mexicantown to each other and to the Detroit River.

“This is one of my favorite days in the city,” [Chris Frey] said. “It shows everybody Detroit is a wonderful city for cycling and there are a lot of things you can really only see by bike.”

It’s expected that over 30 miles of bike lanes will be added to the Corktown, Mexicantown, and West Vernor Business District by early next year. That’s in addition to the Michigan Avenue bikes being installed this Fall by MDOT.

The Detroit News coverage included some reaction from those who watched the procession of bikes.

Jan Rutzel and Pat Buckler marveled as scores of cyclists in bright gear zipped up and down Michigan Avenue today.

The buddies were on Rutzel’s porch on Wabash and became excited when told the cyclists were getting ready for a 30-mile tour of the city that included sweeps through some of Detroit’s most historic neighborhoods.

“That’s wonderful,” Rutzel said. “Anything that helps the city is thrilling.”

That’s one of the best parts of the Tour — the welcoming spectators along the route, especially the wide-eyed children. Many spectators took photos of the riders just as cyclists took photos of the city.

Of course 3,000 riders is quite a huge group. To give some perspective, the lead cyclists were already miles away at the Dequindre Cut while others were still leaving the start. As the first riders were coming off the Belle Isle Bridge, other riders were still going on the island — meaning the group was stretched over 6-miles.

An amazing showing for the Motor City!

Also, this wonderful video from MattMTB really shows just how many riders were on the streets of Detroit yesterday.

The August 2010 Critical Mass Ride in Detroit had nearly 500 riders

Without a doubt, this weekend has more Detroit riding opportunities than any other.

Friday’s rides

• 7 PM: Critical Mass ride from the corner of Warren and Trumbull near the Wayne State University campus.
• 9 PM: University of Detroit-Mercy Midnight Bike Ride. Registration begins at 8:00pm in Kassab Mall at the McNichols campus at the Livernois entrance.

Saturday’s rides

• 6 AM: Beat the Train ride. The group rolls out at 6:30 AM from historic Fort Wayne on the Detroit River.
• 9 AM: Tour de Troit Metric Century
• 10 AM: Tour de Troit. Over 2,700 cyclists have registered as of yesterday. Registration closes tomorrow, so sign up now so you don’t miss out.

First, a quick update from the Tour-de-Troit web site:

REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 at 8:00 pm! If you would like to register in-person instead of on-line, we will have a booth at Blocktoberfest from 12-8:00 on the 22nd.

THERE WILL BE NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION FOR THE 2010 TOUR! Response to this year’s ride has been huge, and in order to be able to guarantee a safe and fun event for our riders, we will not be able to register anyone on site. To guarantee your spot in the 2010 tour, please register now!

If you want to volunteer, please try attending tonight’s volunteer meeting at the Boll Family YMCA. With the huge turnout, the Tour is going to need more volunteers than ever before.

Here is more information on tonight’s meeting or you can visit the Tour-de-Troit volunteer web page:

This year’s Volunteer meeting to discuss the 2010 ride and volunteer roles and responsibilities will be on Monday, September 20th at 7:00pm at the Boll Family YMCA.  The meeting should last less than one hour.

This event is considered mandatory for our volunteers; however, if you can’t join us at that time but still would like to volunteer, please contact us.  Also, please feel free to invite friends and family that may be interested to volunteer, as we could always use a couple extra helping hands!

Additionally, we will be having a registration packet assembly party at 7:00 pm on Tuesday the 21st — we will provide food & drink for this one (think beer and pizza) and we will be putting together 3000+ registration packets.  It should be a good time, and it is a great way to help out and still be able to ride on Saturday.  If you are interested in helping on the 21st, please email us at info@tour-de-troit.org or let us know at the meeting on Monday.

Here’s a link to the Boll Family Y, and metered street parking is free after 6:00pm.

Thanks again, and we look forward to seeing you on the 20th!

Cheers,

Your 2010 Tour de Troit Planning Team

Eric Sharp, Outdoors writer for the Free Press has done a fine article on the Tour de Troit.

Early fall is a great time to ride a bicycle. There’s a hint of crispness in the morning air, yet the days usually bring shirtsleeve comfort without the humidity of summer.

If you’re a neighborhood cyclist who has done a 10-mile ride and you’ve wanted to try something a little more ambitious, it would be tough to beat the Tour de Troit for that first outing.

Yes, there were 2,000 bicyclists registered as of last week. Another 1,000 are expected to sign up before the 25th.

While the T-shirt deadline has passed, it’s not too late to register and take part in one of the Anerica’s biggest bicycle rides.

You must register within the next hour to get a T-shirt for the 2010 Tour de Troit.

More info on the Tour from their press release:

The 9th annual Tour de Troit takes place on Saturday, September 25, and organizers are estimated a record breaking 3,000 cyclists. “We have a very dedicated following,” says Bil Lusa, an organizer of the event. “It offers bikers of all ages and fitness levels an opportunity to tour the City and be involved in a completely unique experience.”

The Tour de Troit is a leisurely bicycle tour of Detroit that explores the city’s historic areas, takes in many of its most breathtaking sights and provides participants a unique opportunity to legally “take over” the streets of the Motor City. The ride will begin and end at Roosevelt Park in the shadow of Michigan Central Station, located in historic Corktown at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and 14th Street. Registration and sign-in will begin at 8:00 am. Coffee and carbs will be served, and bike technicians will be on hand to provide last-minute adjustments.

Hurry up and register.

It’s not every day you get to ride with 3,000 other cyclists throughout Detroit!