Hundreds of passionate bicyclists came riding into Downtown San Jose on Sunday, October 29th for Bike to the Future - showing up to both support the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition’s annual fundraiser ride and take on a 6, 15, 31, or 51 mile course that routed all throughout the South Bay. Riders as young toddlers and as experienced as double century riders came through to join the fun, and SVBC managed to raise nearly $30,000 with the generous support of our biketivist and bike-loving community. While we did not quite hit our goal of $60,000, there’s still time for us to close in on this number - donations to this ride will remain open through the remainder of this year.

The day began at 7:00am when the first wave of riders turned up to check in. As the light of day was just arriving, dozens of riders lined up at the start line in anticipation of the 51-mile course that lay ahead. This event was also supported by 50+ volunteers who came to help us host this magnificent celebration. Our master of ceremonies, Anthony Montes, provided some opening remarks, and our knowledgeable helmet-fit expert Herman Wadler provided the necessary safety information that riders would need to know for the route - watch for cars, obey all traffic laws, and make generous use of hand signals when needed. With that all said, the countdown began - and off they rode!

The cycle repeated three more times as riders for the 31-mile, 15-mile, and 6-mile route gathered at the starting line ready to ride. Of the four options, the 15-mile route was particularly popular with families and young riders because of its easy route along local bike paths. Meanwhile, the 6-mile riders enjoyed the added appeal of a touring San Jose’s many murals as well as participating in a scavenger hunt suitable for all ages.

Upon returning, riders enjoyed live music by Los Improviders, boxed lunches, a family-friendly bike safety class, Emerald E-bike demonstrations and test rides, and an awards ceremony recognizing our top fundraisers, largest fundraising teams, and e-bike giveaway winners.

At the end of the day, this event was more than just a fun day of riding. Bike to the Future was a celebration of how powerful it is when a community comes together to dream up a better tomorrow. Each and every rider that turned up bright and early to participate in this fundraiser ride supports our organization’s mission to build healthier and more just communities by making bicycling safe and accessible for all - and, in turn, SVBC’s success as an organization is powered by the support and enthusiasm of our Santa Clara County and San Mateo County better biking community.

Thank you so much for joining us on this ride. We couldn’t have pedaled this far and fast without you!

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Thank you to our host Supervisor Otto Lee and our presenting sponsors Emerald E-Bikes and Google for helping us host such a fabulous event, and a HUGE thank you to our top five fundraisers – Daniel Wu, Elaine Haight, Jules Brouillet, Giuliano Carlini, and Nick Brosnahan – and everyone else who took part. Your support means the world to us.

This event has ended, but the opportunity to support SVBC is ongoing! Consider donating to our Giving Tuesday fundraising efforts, and supporting us as you make your final charitable donations through the end of the year!

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Check out some of our favorite moments from Bike to the Future below!