Let the good times roll: No shortage of community bike rides in Norfolk
NORFOLK — A jumble of sleek road bikes built for speed and upright Townies more suited to easy cruising filled the bike racks outside a brewery Sunday after a community bike ride.
Their riders rested in the shade or cooled down with a beer, catching up with friends and chatting with other cyclists.
According to avid cyclist Leonard Akbar, the community bike ride gets people to see the sights of Norfolk and meet folks from different backgrounds.
“Biking brings everyone together,” said Akbar, who drove down from Newport News with several friends for the ride.
“Yeah, we wouldn’t have been outside today otherwise,” said his friend Terrance Motley, referencing the day’s hot weather.
At Sunday’s Tour de ORF, an hour-long 10-mile bike ride along the Elizabeth River Trail, about 30 riders turned out — despite the the 93 degree heat. The ride is organized by the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation for every first Sunday of the month. Cyclists leave from Smartmouth Brewing Co. at 3 p.m. and hang out after the ride to socialize.
The ride is one of several community group rides organized regularly in Norfolk for bicyclists of all experience levels.
Following the ride through the scorching weather, Kevin Murphy, chair of Norfolk’s Planning Commission and immediate past chair of the ERT foundation’s board of directors, sipped a beer in the cool taproom. The purpose of the ride is to expose more people to the trail and other bike-friendly routes through Norfolk, Murphy said.
The ride usually attracts 30 to 60 cyclists, depending on the weather, he added.
Tour de ORF is led by experienced cyclists directing the route, with other volunteers in the middle or back of the pack.
Hen Cho, a Norfolk native and Elizabeth River Trail Foundation volunteer, drove in from Virginia Beach for the ride. He wore a high visibility vest with the foundation logo over a blue foundation t-shirt.
Cho started cycling during the pandemic. Speed was everything to him at first, but now he likes to bike with intention — plan a route to take in the scenery, go with friends or go alone.
Cho felt underprepared for Sunday’s ride, having recently taken off his usual equipment bags to clean his bike frame. But he shrugged it off.
“A bad day on a bike is better than a good day doing anything else,” he said.
Cho wove through Norfolk, revealing a different anatomy of the streets, taking the trail from Smartmouth Brewing Co. to Nauticus via the Pagoda and Oriental Garden. He navigated cobbled streets, deftly maneuvered foot bridges and traveled under Brambleton Avenue and through The Hague and Ghent on the way back. Another cyclist passed on the opposite side of Redgate Avenue, and he called out with automatic camaraderie for any other person on a bike.
“How’s the ride today?” Cho asked.
Akbar and fellow riders Motley, Akeem Wells, and Bennie Willoughby have been friends for 20 years, but began biking together during the pandemic.
They come to Tour de ORF for the good vibes, Akbar said.
“There’s different people from different backgrounds on the ride,” Willoughby said.
Akbar rode bikes as a kid, but started up again as an adult in 2009 and got the other three into the sport.
“There’s a yearning for going back. It’s adventurous,” he said. “You see more on a bike than you ever see in a car.”
Other regular Norfolk rides
In addition to the monthly Tour de ORF ride, several other cyclist group rides traverse Norfolk on a weekly or biweekly basis.
The record store Freshtopia hosts a group ride every Saturday morning, weather permitting. The group meets for a 10-mile casual cruise through bike lanes and on the Elizabeth River Trail.
The group leaves and returns to Freshtopia at 532 West 35th St. Meet-up is at 10 a.m. and rollout is at 10:30 a.m.
Local Bike Shop NFK, a community-oriented bike workshop, hosts two slow and steady weekly group rides that leave from and return to the shop at 2406 Colley Ave. Both rides are about an hour long and are open to all skill levels.
The Super Casual Wednesday ride meets at 6 p.m. and leaves at 6:30 p.m.
The Slow-Mo Sunday ride meets at 10 a.m. and leaves at 10:30 a.m.
East Coast Bicycles hosts several rides each month that cater to different skill levels. All rides leave and return to the shop at 1910 Colley Ave.
The Monday Adventure Ride starts at 6:30 p.m. and is about an hour and half. It’s a no drop ride, meaning no riders get left behind, and is open to all skill levels.
The Shop Ride meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. It’s a more challenging ride, going about 30 miles, but breaks up into varying skill level groups.
On the first and third Tuesday of the month, East Coast Bicycles hosts a Ladies’ Night Taco Tuesday ride. It’s a women-only ride organized by Norfolk Cycle Sisters. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. and rides for an hour and a half with a food stop.
On every other Thursday, the Kings Rule Together/Queens Rule Together Community Ride leaves at 6 p.m. and goes for 20 miles. Everyone stays together and socializes on this ride. The group meets next Thursday.
Cianna Morales, 757-957-1304, cianna.morales@virginiamedia.com
