What's new at Cranksgiving this year?

Cranksgiving is an annual event that takes place in cities across the country, and it’s all about having fun and giving back. This food drive/bike ride/scavenger hunt sends riders across the city to collect food donations for local organizations. If you’ve been to it before — you might notice some new things this year!

New location!

This year Cranksgiving will start and end at Charm City Meadworks! It’s easy to bike there using the bike lanes on Fallsway and Guilford, and Preston and Biddle. Plus, starting in a new location means we get to support new local grocery stores!

New food partner organization!

This year, the food collected at Cranskgiving is going to two amazing Baltimore organizations! in addition to longtime partner Moveable Feast, we’re also supporting the Franciscan Center! Moveable Feast fosters a community that cares for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses by preparing and delivering nutritious meals and groceries and providing nutritional counseling and other services. The Franciscan Center is Bikemore’s neighbor, and provides emergency assistance and supportive outreach to persons who are economically disadvantaged, including community meals and pantry bags, job readiness training, healthcare, transportation assistance and much more.

New t-shirts!

You might be a fan of our Cranksgiving posters designed each year by local designer and bike rider Ian Jackson, and this year we’re going a t-shirt version too! T-shirts are only available to order during early bird registration from October 29 to November 4.

New team categories!

This year we have two special team categories! WTF is for teams made up of women, trans, femme and non-binary folks, and a Youth/Family category for teams with at least one member under 18!

New online registration!

Participants can now register online beforehand! This means you can sign your wavier online, and will make check in day of super quick! Each teammate needs to fill our their own registration form.

New sponsorship and prizes!

Prizes include basket bags from Swift Industries, tool rolls from PTAP Designs, customs straps from HoldFast, and much more!

Prize sponsors

Event Sponsors

Want more info about how Cranksgiving works?

Read all of our FAQs here!

What the heck is Cranksgiving?

Cranksgiving is on Saturday, November 18th, and it's one of our favorite days of the year! 
 

So, what the heck is Cranksgiving?

Cranksgiving is a national event that combines bike riding and giving back. It's a mix of a scavenger hunt, food drive, and bike ride. We'll give you a list of food items and grocery stores, and then you'll have a set amount of time to ride to as many of the stores to collect as many of the food items as you can. And all of the food goes to Moveable Feast. Basically, it's all about food for people in need and riding bikes with friends, new and old.

What does the day look like?

12:30pm | Registration at Peabody Heights Brewery
1:45pm | Pre-ride rules and kick-off
2:00pm | Biking food scavenger hunt throughout Baltimore
4:00pm | Receipts and food due at Peabody Heights Brewery
4:00pm - 6:00pm | Awards and after party at Peabody Heights Brewery

Do I need to register beforehand?

No, just show up! Registration is from 12:30-1:45pm. It's helpful if you RSVP on Facebook, but there's no formal registration beforehand.  

Do I need a team?

Because riding with friends is more fun, all riders participate in teams of 3 or 4. If you don't have a team beforehand, we'll help "free agents" find folks to ride with during registration, or you can post in the Facebook event and get one going beforehand. 

How does the ride/scavenger hunt work?

When you register, teams will be handed their manifests. On the manifest is a list of grocery stores and food items to purchase, each worth a certain number of points. The way to get the most points is to hit all the grocery stores and purchase all the unique foods. The ride begins at 2pm and only teams who check in at Peabody Heights by 4pm will be considered for prizes. Then stick around for the after party, where we'll announce the winners and prizes, and for beer, food and celebration!

How do we win? What are the prize categories?

The winners are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (the teams that have the most points, if there's a tie, the team that checks in first win) and — our favorite category — BEST COSTUME/TEAM SPIRIT! 

How much does it cost to participate?

By design, Cranksgiving is and always will be a free event — meaning Bikemore will never charge registration to participate. We ask that each person on a team bring $10-15 to help purchase food items on the list. But how much you are able to spend is entirely up to you! 

What should I bring?

- Working bike
- Bag to carry purchases (backpacks, panniers, baskets — whatever you have!) 
- $10-15 for purchasing food to donate
- Water bottle
- Flat kit (Bikemore doesn't provide any ride support)
- (Optional) Smartphone to take photos and upload to social media for additional points! 

Is it a race? I don't ride very fast. Will I still have fun? 

Kinda. That's Ok! Absolutely! Cranksgiving is designed to be a team event (because what's more fun that riding through the city with some friends?!) While prizes are awarded to teams with the highest number of points, you can also win Best Costume & Team Spirit!

CAn I bring my kids?

Yes, we have had family teams in the past! The ride is set up so you pick your own route and pick which stores to go to depending on your own judgement and comfort level. And our Team Spirit/Best Costume prize category is a great one for younger riders! And either way, it's a great way to have fun riding together and give back.

What happens if it rains?

Unless it's a serious safety hazard, this is a rain or shine event. Riding in the rain/cold/wind makes you tough, so show up and ride! Plus, people in need still need food when it's raining.

>> Check the Facebook event for all updates, and to invite your friends!

Bikemore 2015: A Year in Review

This year was an incredibly important year for bikes in Baltimore. From memorializing the life of Tom Palermo to galvanizing people who bike to get to the polls through the launch of our I Bike, I Vote initiative, our members have turned out in ways that leave no doubt that we are growing as a movement--that bikes and Baltimore fit together a little better than the year before.  As 2015 comes to a close, let's look back on all that we've accomplished together! Want to help us grow and do bigger and better things in 2016? Consider a year end gift. Together, we are building a force for biking in Baltimore! 

And now our year in review...

 Memorial Ride for Tom Palermo 

2015 began on a somber note. On January 1st, hundreds of bicyclists gathered to pay tribute to Tom Palermo. His death was tragic, and he will be forever missed. But his passing also deepened the resolve of those in the bicycling community to work harder to ensure another family doesn't have to suffer the same immense loss. 

Hundreds of people on bikes gather to pay tribute to Tom Palermo. Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

Baltimore City Adopts Bicycling Master Plan 

The long overdue update of our city's bicycle master plan solidified Baltimore City's commitment to growing a bicycle network. And while our work has just begun to ensure this is a plan that doesn't simply exist on paper--but is implemented--this was a critical first step in mapping out the city's future as one where all modes are considered on our roadways. 

Mayor Signs Executive Order Forming Bicycle Advisory Commission

The Mayor's Executive order breathed life into a dormant committee by drawing on talent from the private and public sector to ensure the Bike Master Plan comes to fruition. Bikemore has been a part of the commission since its creation in March, and has been able to see firsthand the dedication of these commission members as they work to ensure the city better coordinates agency efforts and allocates proper funding for future projects. 

Hired a New Executive Director    

After an extensive national search, Bikemore hired Liz Cornish to lead Bikemore in its next phase of growth. Cornish came to Bikemore after working on national advocacy issues at the League of American Bicyclists. 

Community Bike Rides 

We upped our game when it came to providing programs that brought people together to share in their love of bikes. We hosted five new community rides that hosted over 200 participants. We hosted rides with the 29th St. and North Barclay Green Community Centers that brought youth and adults together, we hosted women from D.C. as they rode the MARC bike train to explore Baltimore with other ladies who ride, we toured architectural sites by hosting a ride for Doors Open, and partnered with Brewer's Art to host the Future of Biking in Baltimore ride that explored all the places slated to get improvements in 2016-2017. We know that group rides are a great way to introduce folks to urban riding, and build community among existing riders. We look forward to planning more rides in 2016! 

Charles Street Complete Street 

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

October saw the long awaited completion of the Charles Street "complete street" construction. The project created much needed pedestrian improvements, traffic calming, and the addition of buffered bike lanes. Charles Street is now much safer for all road users, and we hope this public-private partnership to create livable streets can become a model that is replicated elsewhere in the city to spur safer street projects. 

I Bike, I Vote Kick Off 

On November 8th, 2015 we threw a party to share our platform for the 2016 election. Our goal was to get people stoked on connecting their transportation and recreation choice--biking to voting. The event exceeded our wildest expectations. We had 5 Mayoral Candidates, 16 Council Candidates and over 200 constituents attend our rally to get out the bike vote. In the coming year, we have more opportunities to engage in the upcoming election and educate voters about where each candidate stands on creating a more bikable, walkable Baltimore. 

Baltimore's First Annual Cranksgiving

We hosted over 80 riders, who went on a scavenger hunt to procure $1000s in groceries to donate to Moveable Feast. We had a ton of fun, and learned a lot about how to grow and strengthen this new bikey holiday tradition. Can't wait for next year to be even bigger and even better! 

Transform Baltimore 

Sometimes fighting for livable streets means getting a little wonky and organizing against policies that don't directly relate to biking, but facilitate a way of thinking about growth that undermines the creation of bikeable places. Our new zoning code has been awaiting City Council adoption for years. Just when we are getting close to the finally adopting a form based code that will ensure that all neighborhoods are developed in a way that considers things like walkability, historic preservation, and safety, the Council began voting on hundreds of amendments at a rapid pace. Thanks to your support, we were able to mobilize dozens of Bikemore members to send emails to the transportation and land use committee and ensure that the amendments most harmful to livable streets were opposed. 

Roland Avenue Cycletrack

Christmas came early with the installation of the Roland Avenue Cycletrack. This two mile stretch of parking protected bike lane taught us a lot of lessons.  First, in what took only 14 months from project concept to completion--it showed the value of local dollars in speeding up the implementation of new bike facilities. To our chagrin, it lapped the installation of the Maryland Avenue Cycletrack--which spent the entire year under State Highway review due to use of Federal funds. So while this facility had some challenges in design and community support, as Baltimore's first parking protected bike lane, we decided it was important to throw our support behind the project and ensure its installation. As the Roland Park community and city continue to work out the kinks in terms of parking compliance, maintenance, and signage, the result is a beautiful reminder of what a complete street in Baltimore can look like. Change is hard, and we knew wherever the first facility of this kind was installed we would face some opposition. But seeing BCDOT's commitment to the project despite some divisive community opposition gives us hope that whatever opposition future projects face, we have turned a corner in terms of the city leading on complete street issues. And that is cause for celebration. 

Thank you for helping us build a force for biking in Baltimore in 2015! 

Baltimore Cranksgiving 2015

Poster Design by Ian Jackson

With just two days to go until Baltimore's First Annual Cranksgiving we wanted to put together a quick post to make sure folks have the info they need to make Saturday, November 21st a HUGE SUCCESS! 

What is Cranksgiving? 

Cranksgiving is a national event, that began in New York City in 1999. It's a bicycle ride/scavenger hunt/food drive that brings people on bikes together to do good during the season of giving. 

How Much Does It Cost to Participate? 

By design, Cranksgiving is and will always be a free event-meaning Bikemore will never charge registration to participate. We do ask that each person on a team bring $10-15 to help purchase food items on the list. But how much you are able to spend is entirely up to you! 

Is it a race? I don't ride very fast. Will I still have fun? 

Kinda. That's Ok! Absolutely! Cranksgiving is designed to be a team event (because what's more fun that riding through the city with some friends? Don't worry if you don't have a team formed when you show up, we can help free agents or pairs come together!) While prizes are awarded to teams with the best time and highest number of points, additional prizes will be awarded for things like best team costume and team spirit! 

When does registration begin? How does the event work? 

Registration begins at 12:30 at Pavillon I (the big one in the middle) in Patterson Park. The Scavenger Hunt will begin at 2pm. Only teams who turn in their manifests by 4pm will be considered for prizes. This is a Rain or Shine event. Riding in the rain/cold/wind makes you tough. So be tough and show up and ride, even if the weather isn't perfect. 

When you register, teams will be handed their manifests. On the manifests is a list of grocery stores and food items to purchase each worth a certain number of points. Additionally our partner Baltimore Youth Cycling will be at a few of the stops presenting teams with additional bonus challenges, also worth points. The team with the highest number of points, in the shortest amount of time wins! 

After the prizes are awarded we will all ride to Moveable Feast (901 N Milton Ave, Baltimore, MD 21205) together. 

From there we will head to Hot Tomatoes II (2201 Gough St, Baltimore, MD 21231) for beer and pizza. 

The Rules: 

1. Teams must stay together. It's safer. It's more fun. It's the rules. 

2. Keep all your receipts (that's how we score you). If it's not on the receipt it doesn't count for points. If we can't read the receipt, or it's unclear what item it is, it doesn't count for points. Only receipts printed between 2-4pm will be counted (so no sneaky stuff). 

Tips for Success: 

1. This is an unsupported ride. Meaning if you have problems during the event, they are YOUR responsibility. You are assuming all the risk that comes with riding your bike on city streets. Call 911 in an emergency, head to your nearest bike shop if you have a mechanical issue. 

2. Protect your property. Lock your bikes at stops, don't leave bikes or food unattended. Be smart. 

3. Have fun. In the end we're bringing people together to bring much needed food donations to Moveable Feast. Don't get so competitive that you lose sight of that, or cause the judges unnecessary grief about who wins. Because this is about food for people in need and riding bikes with friends. The. End.  

You can pregister here to let us know you're coming. But you'll still need to register your full team and get your manifests before the race, so come early so we can get people signed up and with their teams. Folks not registered before we start the pre-ride talk (Most likely 1:45) will not be eligible to participate. 

Want help pulling together a team before Saturday? Post in the Facebook Event and get one going! 

Also, we are still looking for volunteers, particularly folks not riding to help with scoring! Sign up here!