Events: Doylestown Bike Works’ Cranksgiving is for a Good Cause

(2015) If you’re one for left-of-center events then Cranksgiving is for you. It’s a bike race. It’s free. And it’s a fundraiser. How can this not be an event that should be stamped onto the refrigerator calendar?

Starting from Doylestown’s high school, Central Bucks West, riders will sprint to three nearby grocers to partake in holiday cheer. While it’s not the longest race, the terrain can be a bit of a challenge. Take for instance Old Easton Road; it’s a relentless shallow climb that leaves one wondering if he should sit and climb or stand and hammer. Either way the climb can eat up some of the power that should be saved for the latter portions of the race. One comforting thought is that the farthest grocery store is tackled first. After returning into Doylestown the race has a chance to take on a Red Hook Criterium attitude of sorts.

The registration is easy on the wallet: zero dollars. Although that’s a bit of misnomer. The waved fee can be applied to the food each rider will dive into once entering the store. Some of the items riders should look for include: soups, rice, beans, coffee, tea, pasta, baby food, baby formula, and diapers.

Some recent changes see the riders dumping the items in the reception boxes at the exit. In the days of old, riders were forced to fill up mussette bags and sprint with cans-a-flopping. This certainly increases the chances of buying larger items, which benefits those in need.

In this month of giving thanks, it’s great to see events that benefit the community. Doylestown Bike Works has been quite the liaison between cyclists and Doylestown in particular. With a nice easy start time of 10am, I expect to see many riders gearing up for velodrome tactics to win the day. Even if one doesn’t finish in the top ten, giving back to the community is still a really good feeling.