Tuesday Night Bike Ride (TNR)
The Tuesday Night Bike Ride (TNR) came highly recommended when I asked about must-do bike events during my brief time in Tucson, and my interest was piqued when someone compared it to the well-known Thursday Night Ride that takes place every week in Portland. The TNR is a party ride that takes place every Tuesday in Tucson, Arizona, the ride meets at 8:30 p.m. at the University of Arizona flagpole and rolls out at 8:45, typically lasting about two hours.
Being the nerd I am, I showed up early around 8:00 p.m. and found nobody there, so I cruised around a bit until people started gathering at the flagpole at 8:30. I made some quick introductions and asked folks about the local scene and what it’s like to ride in Tucson. The city has a proud bike culture, and after talking with many people, I truly wish I had more time here to explore. One person described Tucson as an anomaly, a vibrantly blue town in the very red state of Arizona.
As the ride began, we took to the streets. This week, the route mostly stayed close to the University but made a short detour to the western neighborhoods. The pace was steady and on the quicker end of what you’d expect from a party ride. The route itself felt rather chaotic, and the pack often forked and reconnected at some of the narrower turns. The streets around the University have many light rail tracks, I was curious about this and mentioned it to a fellow rider who responded, “The tracks are part of the danger that makes TNR exciting.” For a party ride, there was a definite sense of rebellion and pride in the chaos. In addition to bicycles, there was a group of "Wheelie Boys" (not all were men) weaving in and out of traffic, gas-powered mini moto bikes, as well as some roller skates and e-scooters—all of which added to the excitement. There were two short stops on the ride: the first one had bikes racing down a large stairway, and the other was a longer, more social stop atop a parking structure. After the final social stop, the ride dissolved as people either went home or broke off at bars, with very few of us making it back to the flagpole.
The Tuesday Night Bike Ride started about 16 years ago and has grown and evolved over the years, reportedly hosting up to 200 riders on some nights. Although this is intended to be a bike ride, the group welcomes skateboards, roller skates, one-wheels, and scooters. However, not everyone feels fondly of how the ride has been changing in recent years. There’s a lot of talk about aggressive riding, with some riders aggravating traffic and unsafe maneuvering while doing wheelies and other tricks close to and between other riders. This is a party ride, so some level of chaos should be expected and most people I spoke with really enjoy the tricks, but there’s an underlying concern for group safety and how this behavior affects Tucson’s already tense dynamic with cars. More concerning though are the gas-powered mini bikes. This group sometimes takes on the task of corking traffic, but they also perform tricks, burnouts, and speed through the group in ways that make every rider I spoke with uncomfortable. Everyone I spoke to wished these kinds of gas-powered, and the faster electric, bikes would not participate in the ride as they feel inappropriate for the setting and bring a hostile and dangerous vibe to the group. From what I can tell, this is an issue that has yet to be formally addressed.
The ride promotes a welcoming and inclusive space and had a very diverse group. I did speak with a few of the WTFNB folks who did express mixed feelings about the group. They all said they enjoy the ride and what it represents, but it was noted that the group is male-dominated and that there’s room for improvement in creating a more positive space for WTFNB participants. One woman mentioned she enjoys the ride but only participates when she has friends with her. The overall vibe of the ride felt somewhat disconnected, with people separated into their own groups. While everyone seemed friendly, it would be nice to see this ride evolve into a more connected community space, where everyone feels more in tune with one another.
All things considered, I truly enjoyed the ride. It’s definitely a party, and I had a lot of fun. It felt great to finally get out of my air-conditioned hotel and ride, and the warm Arizona night is a wonderful time to do so. If I were a resident of Tucson, I could see myself attending this ride on occasion and would recommend it to visitors looking for a taste of the local bike scene. Although there is some underlying tension regarding the ride's evolution, I believe that the core of the event is positive and that it will continue to evolve in a good way.
