Our next ride is a celebration of vinyl! Philly is a great city to be a record aficionado with shops and bars spinning vinyl all across the city. One of our organizers, Peter K, developed this route that passes by 14 record-related shops! Thanks to WNR organizer Jo N for leading us on this ride.

Here’s the list of the 14 record shops and bars that spin vinyl that we’ll pass on our route:

• Beautiful World Syndicate
• Latchkey
• Fountain Porter
• Molly’s Books and Records
• Repo Records
• Philly AIDS Thrift
• Digital Underground
• Cratediggaz Records
• The International Bar
• Philadelphia Record Exchange
• Milk Crate Cafe
• Creep Records
• Glory Beer Bar
• 48 Record Bar

Buying records is a great way to support musicians who’ve been struggling to make a living on the fractions of a penny paid out per stream. It also encourages the ritual of listening to entire albums instead of being at the mercy of algorithm-driven playlists.

The ride ends near 2nd and Chestnut where you’ll have your choice of three bars to end your evening: 48 Record Bar, Sassafras, and Brownies Irish Pub. 48 Record Bar is a small space with a capacity of 35 people so free free to go to Sassafras or Brownies instead. Also consider hopping between the bars to give folks an opportunity to check out 48 Record Bar!

Join us this Wednesday as we celebrate analog culture via bikes and records!

Please take the time to read our How We Ride guide for our ride practices. Here are a few that are especially important to keep everyone safe:

• After dark, PA law requires a headlight and a red tail light or reflector on all bikes.
• We ride for fun–while we sometimes encounter hostile drivers, our practice is to avoid conflict as much as possible. When there’s conflict, please pull over to the side to let cars pass instead of confronting drivers.

Finally, a reminder of risks and responsibilities. You don’t need to sign a waiver to join Wednesday Night Rides, because it’s an entirely voluntary & free group activity. But please keep in mind:

• Everyone rides at their own risk.
• Every rider is responsible for themselves, their behavior, and their bike.
• Keep your bike properly maintained. Here’s a link to a basic bike check.
• Cycling has inherent risks–you could crash, fall down, or get hit by a car, and get hurt or even killed–though we try to minimize these risks.
• If you have a health condition that could affect your ride or put you at additional risk, consider a) checking in with a doctor, b) letting us or a friend know, c) having a backup plan to get home if riding doesn’t work out.
• We always plan to have a sweeper, but can’t rule out that you could get lost, or that your bike could break down and you’ll need to find another way home.

We’re always looking for new folks to lead our rides! This record store themed ride is a great example of sharing something you’re passionate about through a Wednesday Night Ride. Reach out to us if you’re interested and we’d love to help you create your dream route. Our only criteria for leading a ride is that you’ve joined us before. You don’t need to have prior group ride lead experience or come up with the whole route on your own, we can help with that!

Thanks for riding! See you Wednesday.