Saturday, September 2, 2023, the Dallas Police Cycling Team will ride the 8th annual Ride to Remember. This year’s unity ride will be 88 miles in memory of the 87 Dallas Police Officers that have died in the line of duty during the history of our Department and for DART Officer Brent Thompson who died in the line of duty with four Dallas Police Officers on 7/7/16 .
Registration is open for any rider who would like to participate in the unity tour ride which will leave at 7:00am from the Dallas Police Association. The route will take us by the seven Dallas Police sub-stations and DART headquarters. For the safety of the group, and our Police Motorcycle escort, the following bikes WILL NOT be allowed to ride in this event:
RECUMBANT BIKES
BIKES WITHOUT BRAKES
NO GAS POWERED ENGINES.
ANY BIKE WITH AERO BARS.
** FOR THE SAFETY OF THE GROUP, WE WILL CHECK ALL BIKES PRIOR TO LEAVING. IF YOUR BIKE FALLS INTO ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RIDE. IF YOU ARE UNSURE IF YOUR BIKE WILL BE ALLOWED TO RIDE WITH US, PLEASE CONTACT US PRIOR TO RIDE DAY***
The ride route will never be published or shared prior to the event.
The ride average speed will be 14-15 MPH, if you fall behind you must go in the sag wagon until the next stop, this is to ensure everyone’s safety and to keep the whole group on schedule. It is our goal to have every rider make it to each station on their bike; however, being a unity ride with a large group, we must remain together and keep an average pace. If a Ride Marshall asks you to sag, please comply. In order to keep everyone safe,the Marshall will ask only twice before leaving you to finish on your own.
If this ride is too fast pace, please check out our Ride of Honor event. Water, Gatorade, and snacks are all included in your registration and will be available at each of our stops. To keep the time down, and spend less time in the heat, we will keep our stops to 20-30 minutes (depending on the needs of the group). The ride is capped at 100 riders so please register early. We had 100 riders register last year and expect the same this year.
For those who have not ridden in a unity style ride, this will be different from almost any ride you have participated in. Because of the uniqueness of this ride, we have some rules that everyone must obey.
We will be riding two-by two with two lead cyclists in front.
Do not pass the lead cyclists or request that the pace of the ride be changed. The set pace ensures rider safety and will accommodate cyclists of various skill levels while maintaining unity within the group.
Helmets less than 5 years old and eye protection are required at all times.
iPod or other entertainment devices that use earplugs, ear buds, or headphones are prohibited (except for ride marshals selected to wear a radio ear microphone to assist in the pace and escort of the group).
All bikes need to be equipped with brakes.
Ride two by two! (unless otherwise instructed)
Do not leave the lane for any reason! Motorcycles will be passing on the left and we are NEVER allowed in their lane.
No rider may hold onto any moving vehicle!
Call out road hazards and notify fellow riders of slowing or stopping to ensure everyone’s safety.
If you encounter a mechanical or medical problem, pull onto the right shoulder and dismount your bike. The rider will have to sag until the next stop.
Do not stop to pick up a dropped water bottle or any other item! This creates a serious safety issue. Support vehicles will pick up the item once the riders have all passed.
Any rider who falls below the ride pace will be asked to ride in the support van until the next rest stop. This request MUST be honored for the safety of all participants.
If there are any unexpected stops, all bicycles should be moved off the roadway or to the right of the roadway.
Check your bike before ride day Please have your bike in good working order prior to ride day. A bike fit is highly recommended and will help with those aches and pains on this long ride. We will have bike mechanics with us to fix minor issues during the ride.
Lodging
The Omni Hotel is close to the ride as well as the Lorenzo Hotel for those that wanted to stay close to the ride and downtown. Omni 555 S. Lamar St Dallas, TX 75202 1.800.578.2900
Lorenzo Hotel 1011 S. Akard St. Dallas, TX 75215 214.273.3000
RECAP
Start and finish location is Dallas Police Association (DPA) located at 1412 Griffin St E, Dallas, TX 75215.
We will have quick rest stops at each of the substations which are approximately 15-20 miles apart.
BBQ and refreshments will be available for all riders at the DPA.
This is a long ride so please have comfortable cycling equipment. Riders are encouraged to wear a Dallas Police Cycling Team jersey but is not required to participate. You can order Jerseys, Shorts, Socks, and water bottles during registration, day of the ride, or on our team merchandise website.
Parking is available at the DPA and will have the gates open at 5:30am.
Mandatory safety briefing at 6:30am- if you miss the meeting you will have to sit out the first leg so we can brief you in the support van.
