The buzz of bicycles makes a triumphant return Manayunk this August
By Noel Bartocci
It’s April 2023 and my wife and I are sitting down to watch the new M. Night Shyamalan movie. Being Philadelphians, we always watch his flicks a little more intently and try to spot any hometown references or familiar locations (for those that don’t know, the writer/director is from the area).
Roughly 20 minutes into the movie about a family staying at a cabin in middle Pennsylvania, I pause the scene. I’m not a fan of pausing movies unless completely necessary, but something caught my eye, and I absolutely needed to confirm what I think I saw. Yup, I knew it. The main character is wearing a 2016 Philadelphia Cycling Classic tee shirt. I thought to myself, “What a cool detail. 2016; was that the last race? Has it been that long?”
The U.S. Pro Cycling Championship was an annual professional bicycle race established in 1985 and at the time was one of the longest single-day races in the US (124 miles). At its peak of popularity, the event was among the highest-ranked single-day races in the Western Hemisphere by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and was a part of the UCI American Tour. For over three decades, an internationally celebrated and globally recognized sporting event sped through our backyards. And for each of those 30 years, residents simply walked out their front doors and had a first-hand view of history. One of those residents would be part of the team responsible for the Classic’s return, Carlos Rogers, owner of Hush Salon Philadelphia in Old City by day and race promoter by night.
“I moved to Manayunk in the 9th grade and lived on Terrace St. Just at the tail end of college is when I got exposed to the sport,” he explains, adding. “Those were the early days of the [Cycling Classic] … I used to be a competitive amateur and ran a race team out of my brother’s bike shop on South Street. My career began as this benchmark of a race started to grow in stature.”
Carlos’ pursuit of cycling finally got him on the course in 1994, where he would compete in the race he used to watch speed through his neighborhood. “That was a super thrill, to only be a few years into the sport and there I am, running next to riders that I had only read about at the time… we didn’t have social media, and you didn’t see it on TV, but you read about it. You’d read the article 15 times and dissect the pictures, and here I was, racing with them in Philly”
Shoulder-to-shoulder with titans of the cycling world, on streets littered with personal memories, builds the kind of affection that never truly fades. Over the years, Carlos discovered that he wasn’t the only one that held that affection for the Philadelphia Cycling Classic. Almost every conversation he’s had about cycling, race teams, and organizing since 2016 would transform into reminiscing about missing the Philly bike race. It happened so often that he finally decided to do something about it, even if at the time, he had no idea how.
“Carlos’ passion made it impossible not to lean in. From the beginning, it was clear [Carlos] wasn’t just trying to bring something back — he was trying to bring it back the right way. I knew that if we could connect the right people around that vision, it could happen. Bringing Mayor Nutter into the conversation was natural…he understands this race, these neighborhoods, and this city at a deep level.”
- Eric M. Robbins,
Co-Owner of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic
The Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, as it was called until 2016, was once the final leg of a one-week, three race circuit that included cycling events in Lancaster and Reading. Over the years, the name of the race would change and so would the course, not always including the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. What has never changed, though, is the role Manayunk has played since inception. That’s right–I’m referring to The Wall.
What is The Wall, you may ask? If you’re new to the area or this is your first bike race, you may have heard of it in brief reference, but never really knew where it was. Besides, Manayunk is littered with limb-straining, cardio-testing inclines; it could be any one of these behemoths that branch off of Main Street.
In cycling speak, a “wall” is a steep incline (we got those), but there’s also a literal wall along The Wall. Like all the best things, the name is figurative and literal. When Co-founder Jerry Casale and cyclist David Chauner plotted the course in 1985, they identified a challenging turnaround point for the circuit right in the heart of Manayunk–a natural 17-percent grade incline up from Main Street. If you think that doesn’t sound like much, maybe this will put it into perspective: the highest incline setting on the treadmills at Planet Fitness are 12%. Crank that up to the max, then imagine an additional 5%, and taking that hill on a bike after about 9 miles in the summer heat… and then do that 7 or 8 times in a row. Competitively.
The fabled Wall is accessible via Levering Street (make a right at Valerio Coffee). Then you take that straight up, past Tower Street, where the road becomes Lyceum Ave. (the walled section). The hard part is over once you get to Manayunk Ave, which you take until you hit Ridge and make your way back to the Parkway via Kelly Dr. It’s an arduous trek spanning the lowest and highest elevation points in Manayunk. It’s truly a physical feat worthy of global recognition.
“I never stopped believing this race belonged in Philadelphia. I first knew it as councilman for Philadelphia’s 4th District representing Manayunk and the surrounding neighborhoods. I later saw it from City Hall as mayor, understanding its economic and civic impact, and I’ve experienced the power of cycling as a fan and supporter personally through my wife Lisa’s journey with competitive track cycling on the world stage. When something carries that much history and meaning, you don’t let it fade. You find the right people, the right moment, and you bring it back the way it deserves.”
- Michael Nutter, Partner,
Co-Owner of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic and former Philadelphia Mayor
I first moved to Manayunk in mid-2011 and was lucky enough to find a one-bedroom apartment on Main St. It didn’t take me long to get used to the roads being closed for events. Marathons and festivals were a regular enough occurrence for which I quickly devised a routine—park my car a little further up the hill the night before, take a walk to check things out the day of, and it’ll all quiet down by sunset. Just a chill day in the neighborhood. My first bike race challenged that notion. It wasn’t a passive closing of the street, so much as a neighborhood-wide block party.
The packed sidewalks hummed with a low current of electricity that would increase exponentially as the buzzing of bike wheels grew in the distance. As it got closer, the excitement rose like a wave. Onlookers would vibrate in anticipation, waiting for that wave to crash over. It was legitimately like nothing I’d experienced before. And that was just on Main. Further up the route, people would be cooking in their front yards, camp chairs on porches with full coolers, set up to watch the festivities.
Manayunk comes alive in a different way than it does for food truck, music, and art festivals. Those events are destinations for people from all over to come visit, and for a day, the streets become something else. The bike race has some of that, sure, but layered under it is a pride in our community. The sheer uniqueness of our home is so appealing to this sport that they sought us out. They come to us because of what we are and where we live, 24/7/365. That’s a different, special kind of celebration. I can only imagine how the neighborhood will feel on August 30, 2026, having taken a break from race days for ten years.
“Seeing the Philadelphia Cycling Classic return to Manayunk this year fills our community with pride and excitement. For years, neighbors, local businesses, and visitors have talked about the energy and unity this event brought to our streets. From cheering crowds on the Manayunk Wall to the buzz along Main Street. Its comeback isn’t just about a world class bike race; it’s a celebration of Manayunk’s spirit, our shared history, and the vibrant community we continue to build together. Bring it on!”
- Gwen McCauley, Manayunk Development Corp.
Carlos’ journey to revive the Philadelphia Cycling Classic was a more of a marathon than a race (pun intended), requiring him to pace his ambition.
“I got into race promotion after my racing career and began promoting my own race in Riverton, New Jersey, which is just a few miles from Center City,” he explained. “I had the experience of racing up and down the East Coast and a few times overseas and in the Caribbean. And I knew what I wanted my race to look like.”
He started from scratch, knocking on residents’ doors, asking if they would be open to closing the streets for most of a day to have a race. Carlos earned his neighbors trust and slowly but surely, was able to kick off the inaugural Historic Riverton Criterium in 2011 (a criterium being a one-day, circuit bike race). The race is going strong, 15 years later, as well as raises donations every year that are invested back into various local community organizations.
After proving he could get a one-day circuit race up and running via organizing, promoting, networking, and not taking “no” as a definitive answer, Carlos set his sights on bringing cyclists back to Philadelphia. However, he didn’t just want simply restart the most recent iteration of the Classic, but bring it all the way back to the original course. The 2016 version of the course was shortened and didn’t include Eakins Oval, the Parkway, or Logan’s Circle.
The story of bringing back the Philadelphia Cycling Classic to our streets is not one about luck or divine intervention, but of a former cyclist with a passion for the sport and affection for Manayunk simply networking. It was through his co-worker that Carlos was introduced to his eventual co-owner, Eric Robbins. After that, it was only natural to involve former Mayor Michael Nutter, the last Mayor of Philadelphia to oversee a bike race and an enthusiast in his own right. It was then through a chance email that they were introduced to the CEO of UGI, the parent company of AmeriGas, who happens to be a passionate cyclist himself and understood the draw and appeal of the sport. The idea of running it all back was no longer just an idea, but an eventuality.
“The Philadelphia Cycling Classic shares our commitment to community: bringing people together, showing up for the neighborhoods that have supported us for generations, and fueling what comes next… Many of our employees live in, and customers are based in, the communities this race runs through. We are proud to be the title sponsor which allows us to invest in our hometown while bringing back a world-class event.”
- Michael Sharp, President, AmeriGas
2016 may not seem that long ago, but a whole lot of life and change has happened since in the last decade, for both the streets and its residents. There was a time where it seemed like we watched our last Classic and the memories of it would turn into old stories we’d tell new neighbors. In the time that’s passed, Manayunk has evolved into the destination it is today. Sure, some features and faces remain the same, but new storefronts, refreshed infrastructure, and an influx of new friends and families have made it both recognizable and brand new.
For generations of Philadelphians, the Philadelphia Cycling Classic is a string of tales and experiences that we’ve been sharing with a passing hope it’s rekindled again. The return of race day on August 30th isn’t just a big moment for Manayunk, but for the entire city, state, and sport.
If this is your first race day, and for a lot of those reading this, it very may well be—be sure to pause and take it all in. The buzzing, the vibes, and the intense sense of community. And if you happen to live directly on the race route, stock up, get comfortable, and have a helluva day.