City to hold 'Boston Bikes and Bites' Women's Bike Ride and Festival

BOSTON - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced Boston Bikes and Bites, the largest biking event for women in New England will take place this Saturday, July 18. For the first time, the event this year will feature food prepared by local celebrity chefs, including Jody Adams of Rialto; Joanne Chang of Flour; Rachel Klein of Liquid Art House; Jennifer Park of Forge, Bloc 11 and Diesel Café; Seta Dakessian of Seta's Café; and Mary Bandereck of Topsfield Bakeshop. Jody Adams and Jennifer Park will be participating in the bike ride as well. Music for the event will be provided by Zili Misik, an award winning all-female band performing African, Caribbean and American soul.

 "I encourage women from Boston and all over the region to take part inSaturday's exciting event," said Mayor Walsh. "This healthy and fun annual event always offers a terrific day, but it will prove to be even more festive and exciting this year thanks to our celebrity chefs and musicians."

Group rides of 10, 30 and 50 miles will start and end at Daisy Field located at Willow Pond and the Jamaicaway in Jamaica Plain. Cyclists will travel along the Emerald Necklace in Jamaica Plain, with a rest stop at the Powisset Farm in Dover. Along the way, riders will enjoy "bites" prepared by participating premier chefs. Cyclists will be welcomed back to the park at the end of the ride for live music performed by Zili Misik. In addition, there will be skills clinics in mechanics, commuting and road cycling. Instructors from Boston Bikes will be on-hand offering a learn-to-ride clinic for women who never learned to bicycle or who would like to brush up on their cycling skills.

"Cycling continues to be an active recreational activity and it's great to see more women are embracing bikes as a viable method of transportation as well," said Boston Transportation Department Commissioner Gina Fiandaca. "For women of all experience levels with biking, Boston Bikes and Bites is an opportunity to exercise and enjoy the outdoors together on a nice day in the city."

Registration and a $35 fee is required with discounts available for low-income Boston residents. Men who would like to volunteer are encouraged to visit the website to sign up. Proceeds from the cycling event will benefit local organizations working to promote healthy living.

Boston Bikes is part of Mayor Walsh's vision for a vibrant and healthy city that benefits all of its citizens. A division of the Boston Transportation Department, Boston Bikes seeks to make Boston a world-class bicycling city by creating safe and inviting conditions for all residents and visitors, with a focus on improvements in all six universal bike planning areas: Engineering, Enforcement, Education, Encouragement, Equity and Evaluation.

Boston Bikes and Bites is a part of the Boston Bikes' Women's Initiative, a series of rides, biking socials and clinics designed to encourage women to experience the benefits of biking in Boston. The event is sponsored by Ciclismo Classico, a company specializing in bicycle tours. Boston Bikes and Bites is organized in partnership with River's Edge Cycling, which produces an annual Berkshires to Boston Bike Ride.