:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49105007/IMG_9936_20_1_.0.jpg)
Options abound for seeing the city from two wheels this year. Here's the first batch of bike tours to schedule into your weekends or weeknights this spring, summer, and fall.
Tour de Troit announced their two big rides this year. The first, Cycle into Spring, will take place Saturday, May 7. The second, bigger ride, the Tour de Troit, will happen Saturday, September 17. Registration is required for both.
Cycle into Spring will include pedaling from the Detroit River to Eight Mile and back along the Conner Creek Greenway, nine miles of cycling infrastructure that traces the original Conner Creek and links people, parks, green spaces, neighborhoods, schools and shops. The funds raised will support programming and the development of the final miles of the greenway. This ride costs $30 for just the ride or $40 for the ride and lunch. Non-riders are able to register for lunch only for $15. This event is co-sponsored by the Detroit Eastside Community Collaborative.
The 20-mile ride will begin at 9 a.m. and is police-escorted as well as sweeper and SAG-supported. Sites along the way include Coleman A. Young International Airport, Mt. Olivet Cemetery, the Chrysler Jefferson North Assembly Plant and Chandler Park.
Tour de Troit, on September 17, is a 30-mile ride with police escort; sweeper- and SAG-support; three mechanic "pit stops;" and one rest stop that includes a snack and mechanical support. The main ride will take off at 9 a.m.
Wheelhouse Detroit also announced their 2016 season tours. Tours range from $25-$45 and are for riders of all levels. Bikes can be rented from Wheelhouse for an additional $10. Tours can cover neighborhoods (like Corktown, Hamtramck, Southwest, and Eastern Market), interests (architecture, music, sports), and history (Underground Railroad, haunted Detroit, and automobiles). Tours are on weekends and run from April to October (check the tour your interested in for specific dates and times).
The popular Slow Roll kicks off its season April 25 with its Red Roll, benefiting the American Heart Association. The ride starts in Eastern Market and you can expect to see thousands of your closest bike friends there. All rides for Slow Roll 2016 will meet on Mondays at 6:30 for registration, with rides starting at 7:30. Check the website for meeting locations each week.
*If you have any others you'd like us to mention, please post a link in the comments and we'll update throughout the year.