Roughly 32,000 cyclists from near and far braved windy conditions to take over city streets on Sunday for the 48th annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour.

It was a brisk morning when the first of five cyclist waves burst across the starting line in lower Manhattan at 7:30 a.m. While the sun came out and conditions warmed, more and more riders snaked their way through the 40-mile course, riding into strong winds throughout the day.

The first of five waves of cyclists waiting to begin the TD Five Boro Bike tour in lower Manhattan. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Dylan Christie

“It’s a little nippy, it’s a little breezy, but things are gonna warm up,” said Ken Podziba, CEO of Bike Mew York, the organization behind the event. He spoke with amNewYork before cyclists began moving across the starting line.

However, the weather this year was markedly better than during the 2025 bike tour, when cyclists had to deal with a rainy ride.

“I’ve been doing an anti-rain dance all year long. So thank God no rain today. Zero percent chance,” Podziba said. “When it doesn’t rain, everyone shows up.”

Podziba said the 32,000 participants were made up of riders from every state in the nation as well as 60 foreign countries.
Bike New York CEO Ken Podziba near the starting line to the TD Five Boro Bike Tour in lower Manhattan. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Dylan Christie

He also noted the bike tour made history this year by marking the first time a sitting mayor rode the entire course. The mayor, Zohran Mamdani, road after delivering remarks at the starting line, finishing on Staten Island around 11:15 a.m.

“Nearly 50 years ago, this tour began with the love of New York City; hundreds of cyclists; and one very special sponsor, Nathan’s Hot Dogs,” Mamdani said in his remarks. “And now, today, we are brought back by those same loves of the city that we call home and the love of cycling across our city.”

Mayor Zohran Mamdani doing the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Kara McCurdy | Mayoral Photography Office

Bikers began in Manhattan, went through a small section of the Bronx, returned to Manhattan, then ventured into Queens and Brooklyn, before crossing the finish line at a festival on Staten Island.

One rider named Rebecca, told amNewYork that the toughest parts of the course were climbing the Queensborough Bridge between Manhattan and the World’s Borough and the Verrazzano Bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island. Both are steep and long — with the Verrazzano having once been the world’s longest suspension bridge.

“There were some tough moments, but it was great,” she said. “I just kept going. Don’t think, just move.”
Cyclists faced strong winds while making their way up the Verrazano Bridge during the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Ethan Stark-Miller

She also highlighted that the powerful winds gusting accross the bridge were “almost blowing me over because I was going so slowly.”

David Elsky, 30, also found the Verrazzano particularly challenging this year due to the strong winds.

“That was the one part of the ride where we really kicked it into high gear, got the heart rate up, which helped keep warm,” he said. “But the crosswind was borderline dangerous.”

Cyclist David Elsky rode in the TD Five Boro Bike Tour dressed as Ricky Bobby, the fictional Nascar driver from the 2006 comedy film “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Adam Daly

Elsky did the ride dressed as Ricky Bobby, the fictional NASCAR driver from the 2006 comedy film “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” who was portrayed by Will Ferrell.

The affair, which has been held nearly every year since 1977, is the largest charity bike ride in the world, Podziba said. It raises money both directly for Bike New York’s own educational programming and a slew of charities.

Karen Ubelhart, 71, was one of those cyclists who rode for a cause — specifically the cancer patient support charity Livestrong. She has done the bike tour most years over the past 17 with her brother, because their sister Kathleen — who was an avid biker — died of breast cancer in 2016 and they promised her they would keep raising money for the charity after her death.

Ubelhart said she managed to complete the course this year despite recently having both of her hips replaced.

“We promised [my sister] we’d keep doing it until we can’t,” she said. “I’m 71 and I just got two new hips and I couldn’t ride the last two years because of that and so this is my first ride. That’s why I’m emotional, because I did it.”

Karen Ubelhart, who rode in the bike tour for the first time in two years after getting her hips replaced. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Ethan Stark-Miller

Sarabpreet Singh rode with a group from the nonprofit Let’s Share a Meal. The New Jersey-based organization, following the values of Sikhism, provides meals and emergency aid to homeless people.

“This was my eighth year, I feel very proud to be part of the city,” Singh said. “It’s a good vibe.”