Cyclists leave Midtown near Columbus Circle and pedal up Central Park West and Riverside Drive to the George Washington Bridge, starting a 100-mile ride to Glenmere Mansion in the Hudson Valley. The Best Buddies Challenge funds friendship and jobs programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and its first New York ride in 2025 raised $6 million. If you ride, this is the weekend's big charity ride to cheer.
What to expect
In the city this is a moving event, not a stage: riders gather around 59th Street for check-in, then roll north under a police-managed closure along Central Park West, West 110th Street and Riverside Drive toward the GWB. Shorter 72- and 33-mile routes start in Rockland County, and all three finish at Glenmere Mansion with a registered-riders-only party.
Good to know
- Expect street closures on West 59th Street, Central Park West, West 110th Street, Riverside Drive and the West 165th Street approach to the GWB, so plan crossto
- Riverside Drive in Morningside Heights and Washington Heights is a good free place to cheer
- Riders must register and commit to fundraising; Best Buddies does not provide rental bikes
- The finish-line lunch and concert at Glenmere Mansion are wristband-only for registered participants, and family and friends can't buy day-of tickets
- Shuttles run from the finish back to all three start lines after the party
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Common questions
Can spectators watch the Best Buddies ride in NYC?
Yes, from the sidewalk along the route, including Central Park West, West 110th Street and Riverside Drive up to the George Washington Bridge. The finish-line party upstate is only for registered participants.
What distances are offered?
There are 100, 72 and 33-mile rides. The 100-mile route starts in Manhattan at 59th Street, the shorter two start in Rockland County, and all finish at Glenmere Mansion in Chester, NY.
Where does the money go?
To Best Buddies International, which runs one-to-one friendship, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living and family support programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
