DecoBike to Join C.U.R.B. Bike Ride in Long Beach

Pump up your tires, dust off your bikes, and get ready for the 9th Annual C.U.R.B. Bike Ride on Aug. 11 at 10:00 a.m., in Long Beach, with registration beginning at 9:30 a.m.

This year’s ride will start and finish at the Long Beach Recreation Center at the north end of Magnolia Blvd. Riders of all ages are invited to take a relaxed eleven-mile bike ride around the City of Long Beach to honor the memory of James P. Conlon, founder and past president of Citizens United to Remove Barriers (C.U.R.B.).

C.U.R.B. is a local non-profit organization that offers the physically-challenged a chance to live a life free of barriers. The organization works to build ramps, supply equipment, and raise community awareness of the ongoing needs of the physically-challenged.

As a new addition to this year’s ride, those who do not have access to a bicycle, but still wish to participate in the ride, will have free access to a bicycle, compliments of DecoBike, the new bike rental service that debuted in Long Beach this summer.

The ride, which will have a full police escort once again this year, will meander through the Canals, the West End, and of course the spectacular Long Beach Boardwalk, before finishing up at the Long Beach Recreation Center for complimentary food and an chance to win raffle prizes. Recommended donation is $20. Helmets are recommended but not required. Registration forms are available at www.bike4curb.com.

Long Beach residents Casey Kantor, Billy Papetti and Matt Demerest, organized the First Annual C.U.R.B. Bike Ride, with Conlon’s help, when they were just 14 years old, gathering a group of 26 friends to cycle around Long Beach Island. Jim died unexpectedly a few days before that first event, so they have dedicated the ride every year to his memory.

Over the years, the event has raised a total of over $40,000 to help C.U.R.B. continue its mission. Last year the ride attracted over 300 cyclists.