2021 Shift Clunkers’ Ride: For the Love of Cycling

Mark your calendars and get planning for the 2021 Clunkers’ Ride on May 1st and 2nd! Organized by our friends at Shift Cycling Culture—a network of individuals from across the cycling industry and broader community who are working together to address cycling’s environmental impacts, founded by regular contributor Lian Van Leeuwen—the Clunkers’ Ride is an opportunity to dust off a beaten-up old bike from the basement and breathe some new life into by spending a day riding it around with friends. It’s an occasion to celebrate our shared love for cycling, rather than the latest and greatest gear we own.

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the cycling industry, disrupting supply chains and making many new bikes and frames exceedingly difficult to come by. In light of this, Shift is challenging folks to take a moment to honor their well-worn gear and nurture their existing bikes instead of longing for that N+1. Perhaps the Clunkers’ Ride could also be a good occasion to pass your old bike on to someone who will give it a second spin…

What’s a Clunker?

So, what exactly is a clunker? The team at Shift Cycling Culture says a clunker can be anything you’d like it to be. It might be a rusty old commuter, a retro mountain bike from the attic, or a fixed gear with bullhorns from your younger years. And if you only have one bike, that’s okay, too!

Join or Organize a Clunkers’ Ride

Last year saw rides in Chicago, Vancouver, Berlin, Bristol, Amsterdam, and beyond. For 2021, there are already Clunkers’ Rides confirmed for Seattle, Berlin, and Turin, with many more expected to pop up. Anyone is welcome to organize a local Clunkers’ Ride next month and the folks at Shift put together this handy and comprehensive toolkit with tons of resources to assist with planning and promoting a ride of your own.

Find additional details about the Clunkers’ Ride and Shift Cycling Culture’s many other programs over at ShiftCyclingCulture.com.

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