Mayor Michelle Wu Announces Return of Hub on Wheels

Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the return of Hub on Wheels, a family-friendly bike ride starting on a car-free Storrow Drive and highlighting many parts of the City that aims to build community and celebrate Boston neighborhoods. All routes will conclude at a festival on City Hall Plaza, bringing riders together for a day of community, celebration, and fun.  The return of Hub on Wheels is made possible in part due to the multi-year title sponsorship of Wayfair. 

For more information and to sign up for updates, residents can visit this webpage. The Mayor made this announcement at the City’s Ride & Chill event, a free, family-friendly day of biking and activities throughout Franklin Park sponsored by Wayfair and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. This announcement builds on Mayor Wu’s work to make Boston a home for everyone.

“We are thrilled to announce a reimagined Hub on Wheels that will bring people together for a day of biking and community, with a car-free Storrow Drive, a ride through 13 neighborhoods, and a festival for all ages on City Hall Plaza,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m thankful to Wayfair for partnering with us to create more opportunities for our community members to get active, celebrate the unique beauty of our neighborhoods, build community, and create lifelong memories. We are excited to welcome back this cherished tradition, updated with the support of incredible community partners to reflect the diversity of everyone biking in Boston today.”

“Hub on Wheels presents an amazing opportunity to see Boston from a new vantage point,” said Chris Osgood, Interim Chief of Streets. “Traveling throughout the city, the routes offer a day of exploration, celebration, and adventure for the whole family. I want to thank Wayfair for their support of this event and the bike advocacy community for their partnership in helping us expand access to biking.”

The return of Hub on Wheels is part of the City’s broader efforts to create family-friendly streets, and provide free programming that builds community, expands access to biking, and connects residents and families with city services and resources. Hub on Wheels started in 2005 with hundreds of participants, after community advocates including Steve Gag, Steven Miller, Ed Demore, and Jeff Rosenblum built support for a citywide bike ride.. The annual event later became a critical program supporting Boston Bikes, a department launched in 2007 by Mayor Menino. After its launch, Hub on Wheels occurred every year through 2019 when it was paused by the City. Boston Bikes’ work continues today, expanding access to biking, managing the City’s public bike share system and helping thousands of residents build skills and confidence on a bike. 

"I’m excited Hub on Wheels is returning to Boston in 2027. The City’s work to create family-friendly streets and expand access to biking makes this event especially meaningful. I’m proud Wayfair's support of Hub on Wheels can help bring that vision to life for Boston residents,” said Steve Conine, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, Wayfair.

“We’re thrilled to support the return of Hub on Wheels to Boston and the opportunity to bring people together to safely bike through the city’s diverse neighborhoods," said Alexi Conine, President of the Conine Family Foundation. “Through our HubLuv initiative, we heard from people and organizations across the Greater Boston biking community about what they want to see in the event’s future. We’re excited to see the City embrace that input and reimagine Hub on Wheels for 2027."

There will be three routes that participants are able to choose from with all starting and ending on City Hall Plaza. Each route will highlight various neighborhoods across the City. More information will be posted on this webpage at a later date. People interested in receiving updates can sign up at this link.

“The return of Hub on Wheels is a fantastic step forward for Boston,” said Elijah Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Bikes Not Bombs. “By creating safe, car-free spaces, this event invites residents to see our city from a new perspective and celebrates the vibrant biking culture we have built together. We are beyond excited to be part of this tradition and look forward to getting Boston riding in 2027.”

"The event builds community by providing an opportunity for everyday residents of Boston to experience the diversity of neighborhoods by bike,” said Maha Aslam, Transit and Streets Project Manager for Livable Streets.

“Hub on Wheels gave Boston something rare: a day when streets were truly people-centered. Kids on training wheels, grandparents, neighbors, and families all got to experience the joy of riding together. Hub on Wheels was a day to uplift bike joy,” said Tiffany Cogell, Interim Executive Director of the Boston Cyclists Union. “That's an experience that should live in every neighborhood, in the ride to school, the trip to the corner store, the evening loop around the block. But joy alone can’t make cycling a real choice. People will only ride if they feel safe, and that takes a connected network of protected bike lanes that links our neighborhoods. Hub on Wheels shows Boston what that future feels like. Bringing it back is a chance to center the people most at risk on our streets and to build the infrastructure that lets every Bostonian choose to ride, every day of the year.”  

During Ride & Chill, residents and families participated in free, safe, and family-friendly opportunities to learn, practice and ride bikes in and around Franklin Park. In addition, the City hosted a festival at the Shattuck Picnic Area with free programming, including but not limited to dance and fitness classes, a bike repair clinic, a local DJ, live music, and local food vendors. Festival sponsor Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts made Bluebike credits available to ensure broader access to biking, and engaged young people at the event in designing Bluebike wraps for future designs. 

“DCR is committed to providing free, family friendly programming at our parks and properties across the state to help foster a love of the outdoors," said DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle. "Hub on Wheels is a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and connect with friends and neighbors that make up the Boston community.”

To learn more about City’s bike programming and additional events, visit boston.gov/bikes.