VELOCITY RIDE DAY DETAILS
On this page, you will find everything you need to know for Ride Day. Click the arrows below to open each section and learn more. For Your Way details click here.
Important Update for 2024: There will be three different Check-In, Opening Ceremony and Ride Out times depending on your route distance. Check the chart below to find your route and corresponding timing for Ride Day!
Important Dates to Know
September 13: Last day to qualify for Home Check-in (Fundraise $1,000+)
October 1: Last day to confirm bike shipping and rider shuttle service from Manhattan
October 3–October 5: Bike drop-off–Unlimited Biking Central Park Store–56 W 56th St in Manhattan from 8am-7pm (Must be reserved at this link before dropping off)*
October 6: Velocity Ride Day!
October 8–October 9: Bike pick-up–Unlimited Biking Central Park Store–56 W 56th St in Manhattan from 8am-7pm
October 18: Last day for Team Captains to move/allocate team money to members
October 21: Last day to qualify for fundraising rewards
October 21: $500 fundraising minimum due ($100 fundraising minimum for Youth Riders)
*Please note that you will not be charged for shuttle service for your personal bike. This service is free courtesy of Velocity. The credit card details requested on the Unlimited Biking reservation page are in the event of any additional services or items requested post-booking (for example a helmet rental). In addition, there is also no charge at any time for canceling personal bike shipping.
Bike Drop-Off for Shipping to Start/Finish
Unlimited Biking Central Park Store–56 W 56th St in Manhattan (Must be reserved at this link before dropping off)
- Thursday, October 3 - Saturday, October 5 from 8:00am to 7:00pm
Please note: there is no option for bike shipping on Sunday, October 6. You must opt in by reserving your slot online in advance of Ride Day and dropping your bike off on the days and times listed above to take advantage of this complimentary service.
Sunday, October 6: Ride Day
Rider Shuttle to Start Area
Shuttles depart from the northeast corner of West 169th Street between Fort Washington Avenue & Broadway, New York, NY 10032
- Departs 6:15am - for 100K Riders and First Shift Volunteers
- Departs 8:15am - for 50K Riders
- Departs 9:15am - for 15K Riders
- Departs 10:15am - for Second Shift Volunteers
Arrival Time (by shuttle or on your own–there is ample free parking at the Start/Finish)
Velocity Day Festival Timing
11:30am: Festival Begins
11:30am: Lunch & Beer Service (21+ with valid ID) Begins
2:30pm: Closing Remarks and Survivor Photo
2:30pm: Team Photos (after the Celebration Ceremony concludes)
5:00pm: Festival Ends
Velocity offers two options for checking in for your ride:
- Home Check-In. Riders who fundraise $1,000 or more by Friday, September 13 will earn Home Check-In. We’ll send your Ride materials (including your jersey) to your home before the Ride, so on Ride morning, all you’ll have to do is let us know you’ve arrived at our Home Check-In Express Area and you’re ready to go!
- Ride Day Check-In. If you do not earn Home Check-In by Friday, September 13, you’ll need to check in on Ride Day at the Start/Finish at one of the designated times below:
At check-in you’ll receive your:
- Velocity cycling jersey
- Personalized Rider wristband with emergency helpline number
- Personalized bike frame label
- 20”x24” clear plastic string bag for gear check
- Luggage tag for gear check bag
Finisher t-shirts and any fundraising rewards you have earned can be picked up at the Velocity Day Festival after your ride.
At the Start/Finish, you’ll also have the opportunity to check a bag (you may want a change of clothes and shoes for the Velocity Day Festival), fill out one of our Why I Ride Tribute bibs, and select a few fun Velocity stickers to display on your jersey.
Bike Transportation
Through our partnership with Unlimited Biking, Velocity features complimentary transport from Manhattan for you and your bike. For bike rental information, click here.
Pre-Ride Reservations/Bike Drop-Off:
- Click this link to book your complimentary bike shipping*. Select “October 6” and then follow the steps to confirm. Once completed, Riders must drop off their bike at the location and dates listed below.
- Bike drop-off: Thursday, October 3, Friday, October 4, or Saturday, October 5 from 8:00am-7:00pm: Unlimited Biking Central Park Store–56 W 56th St in Manhattan
Post-Ride Bike Collection:
- After your Ride, when you arrive at the Velocity Day Festival, simply drop off your bike at the Unlimited Biking tent.
- Bike pick-up: Tuesday, October 8 or Wednesday, October 9 from 8:00am-7:00pm: Unlimited Biking Central Park Store–56 W 56th St in Manhattan
*Please note that you will not be charged for shipping your personal bike. This service is free, courtesy of Velocity. The credit card details requested on the Unlimited Biking reservation page are in the event of any additional services or items requested post-booking (i.e., a helmet rental). There is also no charge at any time for canceling personal bike shipping.
Participant Shuttle
Velocity offers complimentary shuttles for all registered Riders and Volunteers from the HICCC campus in Washington Heights to and from the Start/Finish in Purchase, NY.
Shuttle from Manhattan to Start/Finish
Shuttles depart from the northeast corner of West 169th Street between Fort Washington Avenue & Broadway, New York, NY 10032
- Departs 6:15am - for 100K Riders and First Shift Volunteers
- Departs 8:15am - for 50K Riders
- Departs 9:15am - for 15K Riders
- Departs 10:15am - for Second Shift Volunteers
Shuttle from Start/Finish to Manhattan
Shuttles back to Manhattan depart from the Start/Finish at the following times:
- Departs at 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm, and 5:15pm
Velocity offers Riders three distances to choose from: 15K (9mi), 50K (31mi), or 100K (62mi). Note that all distances are approximate and may vary in length by several kilometers. All distances will start and end at The Centre, 2 Manhattanville Road, Purchase, NY 10577.
At the Start/Finish on Ride morning, you’ll find:
- Bagels and coffee for breakfast (tacos and quesadillas for lunch)
- Check-in for any Rider who has not earned Home Check-In, and an Express Area for Home Check-In Riders to simply say hello and let us know they’ve arrived
- Bag Check for a change of clothes/shoes for the Velocity Day Festival
- Tribute Bibs to fill out with the name(s) of those you’re riding for
- Bike parking
- Stretching and wellness area, sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb
- Ample free parking
Below are the check-in, opening ceremony and ride out times for all 3 distances:
Our Velocity Day Festival at the Finish Line is a place to get the whole family involved. Invite your friends and family to join in on the fun and enjoy music, food, drinks (beer for 21+), kids' activities, and more!
Please note that only credit cards will be accepted for purchases of food, beverage, or Velocity merchandise. We will not accept cash or checks.
Velocity Day Festival
The Centre
2 Manhattanville Road
Purchase, NY 10577
Velocity Day Festival Timing
11:30am: Festival Begins
11:30am: Lunch & Beer Service (21+ with valid ID) Begins
2:30pm: Closing Remarks and Survivor Photo
2:30pm: Team Photos (after the Celebration Ceremony concludes)
5:00pm: Festival Ends
The Velocity Day Festival includes:
- Tacos and quesadillas for lunch (Gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options available. Free for registered participants only. Guests can purchase food tickets.)
- Beer garden for those 21+ (Riders receive 2 complimentary beer tickets with additional available for purchase. Guests can purchase beer tickets.) PLEASE BRING YOUR ID for alcohol service!
- ShopVelocity tent, where you can purchase branded apparel
- Sponsor information and giveaways
- Opportunities to learn about Columbia’s Cancer Center
- Design-a-Sign decoration area for friends and family to cheer on their Riders
- Family Zone, sponsored by NHL
- Wellness Zone, sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb
- Gear retrieval
- Bike parking
Your hard work and dedication deserves to be celebrated. Invite friends and family to come cheer you on at the Finish Line and enjoy all that the Velocity Day Festival has to offer!
Velocity Day Festival (11:30am to 5:00pm)
The Centre
2 Manhattanville Road
Purchase, NY 10577
Start/Finish & Velocity Day Festival
The Centre
2 Manhattanville Road
Purchase, NY 10577
Ample free parking is available
Nearest Metro-North Railroad Station: White Plains
The Route
Our 100K, 50K and 15K routes all begin and end at The Centre, located at 2 Manhattanville Road in Purchase, NY. No matter which distance you choose, you’ll experience the beauty of Westchester County and the Hudson Valley.
Please note that the 100K route is designed for experienced cyclists, with more than 4,000 vertical feet of climbs (but also some incredible downhills!). 50K Riders will have access to 2 full-service Rest Stops. 100K Riders will have access to 4 full-service Rest Stops.
As we get closer to Ride Day, check back here to access the Ride with GPS routes for all three distances.
Route Safety
- Don’t forget your helmet. Riders will not be able to ride without an approved ANSI, Snell or ASTM helmet.
- ROADS ARE NOT CLOSED for the Ride. You must follow traffic rules and heed stop signs and traffic lights.
- The route is clearly marked with Velocity route arrows that are posted approximately every ¼ mile. Velocity does not use spray chalk arrows on the roadway.
- Every Rider is required to wear an event wristband for the duration of the Ride, which has an Emergency Helpline phone number printed on it.
- Use the Emergency Helpline number if you need assistance on the route or find yourself having inadvertently left the marked route. The Emergency Helpline will connect you to our command center and help will be dispatched to your location.
- In the event of a MEDICAL EMERGENCY, dial 911 FIRST, and then dial the Emergency Helpline to report the emergency.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Please make sure you are drinking both water and sports drinks during your journey. (Remember: If you’re not sweating and you’re not urinating, you are NOT hydrated!)
- Snacks, water and sports drinks will be available to you at the Rest Stops.
- Medical support is available at every Rest Stop along the route and at the Velocity Day Festival.
Route Timing and Support
- If at any time, you feel you are unable to complete the Ride or need a boost to a Rest Stop for mechanical support, our dedicated Road Crew is there to help!
- Riders tackling the 100K and 50K routes MUST consistently ride at least 10mph in order to make it to the finish line by 4:00pm. Please train accordingly.
- If needed, our Sweep Team will advance you to the next Rest Stop where you can receive support and continue riding or you and your bike can be transported to the Start/Finish. At 4:00pm, if you are still on the route, you will be swept to the Finish Line, no exceptions.
- Please do not use Sweep as a taxi service between Rest Stops, as they are needed for Riders who require true medical or mechanical attention.
- Our caboose follows the last Rider and will provide options to you so that you can spend as many miles in the saddle as possible.
PLEASE NOTE: All mileages are approximate. The true mileage, based on permitting, for each route is as follows:
100K = 67.3 miles
50K = 32.8 miles
15K = 9.6 miles
*Please note, routes are subject to change. On Ride Day, Riders should follow marked signage along the routes and not the Ride With GPS maps.
RIDE WITH GPS
15k RIDE WITH GPS
50K RIDE WITH GPS
100K RIDE WITH GPS
Get The Word Out