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Bike JC – Jersey City Ward Tour

The Jersey City Ward Tour is back on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at 11:00am.

Registration is open now!

1,000's of Bikes. 15 Miles. 6 Wards. 1 Great Day in Jersey City!

Bike JC presents the 12th Annual Jersey City Ward Tour, Sunday, June 4, 2023. Start 11 AM at City Hall, end at Jersey City Jazz Fest

The Jersey City Ward Tour will roll Sunday, June 4, 2023, taking you (and 1,000's of our closest friends) on a tour of our great city, and passing through all of its wards.

Quick links:

Overhead view of the start of the 2022 Ward Tour, at Jersey City Hall

Thank you to our sponsors!

This event would not be possible without their support:

Exchange Place Alliance

The 2023 Ward Tour is presented by the Exchange Place Alliance. The Exchange Place Alliance elevates Downtown Jersey City through capital improvements, repairs and maintenance, landscaping, cleaning, and programming. We thank the E.P.A. for their support of the Ward Tour, and Bike JC's mission.

Route

The 2023 Ward Tour route is 15.2mi long, with ≈300' of elevation gain/loss:

Ward Tour 2023 Route – RideWithGPS (View full route on RideWithGPS)

From the FAQs below:

The route is about 15 miles long. The riding pace is conversational. Most of of the course is slightly rolling to flat. However, there are a few steady uphill sections, and one steeper but very short hill in Lincoln Park just before the halfway rest point where the ride takes a short water and shade break. People with a wide range of athletic abilities should be able to complete this course.

We’ll ride on streets (or sometimes on one side of a street) that are closed to motor-vehicle traffic by the Jersey City Police Department. Police officers will escort us throughout the ride.

Jersey City Ward Tour – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time and date of the 2023 Ward Tour?

The Ward Tour will take place on Sunday, June 4, 2023.

Registration begins at 9am, roll out at 11am sharp, so be sure to come early to get your number and avoid the last-minute rush at registration which can result in missing the start!

Where is the event located?

The ride starts at City Hall (280 Grove St., at Montgomery Street) and finishes at the Jersey City Jazz Festival, at Exchange Place. Riders will find a bike parking area and great food, drink, and entertainment options there.

Early Bib Pickup

We encourage riders to pick up their bibs on Friday or Saturday before the event, to avoid the rush on Sunday morning, at one of the following:

Friday, 6/2

Saturday 6/3

How do I get to the Ward Tour using public transportation?

PATH

The closest PATH station to the start at City Hall is at Grove street, just a few blocks away. Both the WTC and 33rd Street PATH lines stop there. Sunday PATH scheuldes

Light Rail

If you are coming by light rail, the Harismus Cove, Harborside, and Exchange Place stations are all an easy bike ride from the start. Light rail map

Ferry

The NY Waterway ferry runs two lines that you can take you from Manhattan to the Ward Tour start:

Brookfield Place to Paulus Hook:
Midtown / 39th St to Hoboken 14th St:

NOTE! This is not the NYC Ferry! You need the NY Waterway app, and it costs $8-$9 (plus a $1.50 bike pass)

I'll need to drive to the event. Is there parking available?

We suggest public transportation to the start. There are a few parking lots near the start at City Hall where you could park as well.

How much does it cost to ride in the Ward Tour?

  • General admission Ward Tour tickets cost $10
  • Riders under 18 are free, and over 60 are $5

Bike JC is a 100% volunteer organization, and hosting the Ward Tour costs a significant amount of money. Proceeds from ticket sales also fund our year-round advocacy work (including our many other events, which are all free).

What should I bring with me?

Some suggestions: sunglasses, a water bottle, a hat if you'd like to keep the sun/rain off your head, a snack, a light-weight lock if you have one (we will have a supervised bike parking area at the finish line), and a small amount of cash for refreshments from the vendors at the finish. If you plan on purchasing alcohol at the festival please remember to bring a valid ID.

The A B C Quick Check

Before riding, do an ABC quick check (c/o The League of American Bicyclists):

A is for Air

Check the air pressure, spin the wheels and make sure the tires are not worn out.

B is for Brakes

Check to make sure coaster brakes will stop the bike by spinning the back wheel and applying the brake. If the bike has hand brakes check to see that the levers don’t hit the handlebars when squeezed. Lift one tire up at a time and spin it; squeeze the levers to see if the tire stops. The brake pads should be clean, straight and contact the rims properly.

C is for Cranks, Chain, and Cogs

Grab the crank arms and try to wiggle side to side. There should be no movement. Spin the pedals and cranks to see if the chain drives the rear wheel. The chain should look like metal not rust or black gunk. If the bike has gears check to make sure the gear levers and derailleurs (gear-changing mechanism) work to shift the chain between gears.

Is there a place for me to store a bag or backpack while I ride?

Due to the large number of participants, we can't provide this service this year. Please consider packing lightly so that you can carry whatever you bring with you on the ride.

Are people from outside of Jersey City allowed to participate?

Of course! We love introducing more people to all of the interesting, diverse, lively, and historic neighborhoods of Jersey City.

Am I required to wear a helmet?

New Jersey State law requires anyone under the age of 17 to wear a bicycle helmet. In addition we ask all participants over 17 years of age to also wear a helmet. Please contact us with questions or concerns in the event that you are over 17 and the helmet requirement would rule out your ability to participate due to financial and/or religious factors. We would like everyone to be able to participate so we will try to work with you to make sure you or your group are able to ride in the tour.

What is the age limit for riders?

There is no age limit for riding in the Ward Tour, but riders should be able to maintain a pace of approximately 8 mph. This is a fairly relaxed pace for an adult who bikes even occasionally. We also take some short breaks to catch a breath and to allow for smooth traffic control, and our one long break in Lincoln Park roughly at the halfway point, after the only steep uphill on the course (so you can just walk your bike up that hill if you want).

Are the roads closed to traffic?

Yes, the route has rolling closures which means that traffic is not allowed on the road until the riders pass.

How challenging is the course? Are there a lot of hills?

The route is about 15 miles long. The riding pace is conversational. Most of of the course is slightly rolling to flat. However, there are a few steady uphill sections, and one steeper but very short hill in Lincoln Park just before the halfway rest point where the ride takes a short water and shade break. People with a wide range of athletic abilities should be able to complete this course.

We’ll ride on streets (or sometimes on one side of a street) that are closed to motor-vehicle traffic by the Jersey City Police Department. Police officers will escort us throughout the ride.

What if I am unable to complete the ride?

If you run into mechanical issues on the course, we'll have bike mechanics along the route to help fix minor problems so that you can continue on the ride.

In the event you feel unwell or sustain an injury, Jersey City Medical Center will be providing the ride with EMTs on bicycles in addition to a rescue wagon, and can treat you immediately as well as help you determine whether it's safe for you to continue on.

What if I don't have a bike to ride?

Citi Bike Day Pass Request

Citi Bike has provided us with codes for free "day passes" for use on the Jersey City Ward Tour.

Enter your email address (the same one you used to register for the Ward Tour) in this form, and we'll send you one!

The code will provide you a free Citi Bike day pass with extended free ride time. Instead of 45 minutes of free riding, you may ride up to 2 hours at no additional fee. Ebike fees still apply.

Please note, these codes can only be used by people who do not yet have existing Citi Bike memberships.

Instructions for redeeming a code

The code provided here will provide you a free Citi Bike day pass with extended free ride time. Instead of 45 minutes of free riding, you may ride up to 2 hours at no additional fee. Ebike fees still apply.

Please note, these codes can only be used by people who do not yet have existing Citi Bike memberships.

DAY PASS MEMBERSHIP CODE REDEMPTION INSTRUCTIONS

Your Code is [INSERT CODE HERE]

Download and sign into the Citi Bike App

Click on the Menu on the top left of screen

Click on Get unlimited rides

Choose Day Pass

Enter your payment information. This is used as a backup in case you use an ebike or ride for over 2 hours. You may use a credit, debit, or prepaid card.

Click Enter promo code, and enter promo code into pop up

Discount/credit will be applied

Finish checking out by clicking Join and Save at the bottom of your screen

This day pass activates immediately and works for 24 hours. If you don't yet have the Citi Bike app on your phone, we recommend you download it at home or in a place where you have access to WiFi. For best results, enter your backup payment information and activate this code the morning you intend to start riding instead of activating it at the start of the ride. If you need help, please arrive to the ride early so we can help you troubleshoot.

Local bike rental options

I noticed there's no rain date. If it's raining does that automatically mean the event will be canceled?

No! The Ward Tour is officially rain-or-shine. It will still be held the event of rain, unless there are safety issues such as lightning storms, very high winds, hail, etc. If the weather is severe enough that the tour absolutely must be canceled we will alert riders via email and on social media asap.