This week we have a special event before the ride: from 6-7p, please join us at Partners and Son (618 S. 6th St) for our zine launch! You can buy the zine there (just five bucks!) or pick up if you pre-ordered - pre-order here until noon on Wednesday. More info about the zine is on the pre-order page.
After the zine launch, we’ll take a ride past many (but by no means all!) of the independent bookstores we’re lucky to have in Philadelphia. Starting outside of Partners and Son at 6th and Kater, we’ll pass through a cluster of bookshops near South St, loop through the Italian Market, Rittenhouse, and Fairmount, and finally make our way over to Fishtown and South Kensington. We’ll end at Punch Buggy Brewing right on the American Street bikeway.
Here’s are the 22 (!) independent bookshops we’ll pass by or near:
- Partners and Son
- Wooden Shoe Books
- Atomic City Comics
- Another Corner
- Garland of Letters
- Mostly Books
- Black & Nobel
- Brickbat Books
- Head House Books
- Molly’s Books & Records
- Binding Agents
- Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room
- Whales and Windmills
- Iffy Books
- Book Corner (next to the Parkway Central Library)
- Harriett’s Bookshop
- Lot 49 Books
- Midsummer Books
- Fishtown Books
- H&H Books
- american grammar
- Ulises
As usual, we’ll ride according to our How We Ride guide. Please follow these ride norms so everyone’s on the same page, and we keep the ride safe and fun. We’d like to highlight:
Stop at lights. Please, please DO NOT block intersections contrary to the traffic light. Our group can be very large and extended, and holding traffic risks serious conflict. If the light turns red, please stop.
Roll past conflict. Whether it’s angry motorists or unruly pedestrians, please do not engage with conflict and move on in a way that de-escalates the situation.
Finally, a reminder of risks and responsibilities. You don’t need to sign a waiver to join a Wednesday Night Ride, 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.
Want to lead a ride in 2026? We’re looking for ride leaders. Let us know if you’re interested! 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.