Best of Philly Spotlight: How to Cycle in the City
From dodging potholes and SEPTA buses to being a mindful group rider, here's how to make your bike commute a breeze.
Our Best of Philly winner shares tips for biking in the city. / Photograph by R. Rabena for Visit Philly
Philly is a huge biking city, but navigating those pot holes, janky sidewalks, and SEPTA buses can make cycling a bit stressful.
That’s why we turned to Carl Drexler, leader of Philly Full Moon Ride (aka this year’s Best Cycling Club). Part low-stakes, low-commitment ride, part vibey hangout with your coolest friends, the Best of Philly winner hosts casual 10-plus-mile rides through the city, in the light of the full moon. Drexler, who has been biking in Philly for more than a decade, has a leave-no-cyclists-behind ethos and creates a new route every time, hitting city parks or local landmarks like Graffiti Pier along the way.
Here, he shares some tips for making your commute through the city a total breeze. (Want more? Find additional recommendations from other cycling pros here.)
1. Ride farther.
Increase your mileage by no more than 10 percent each week to avoid injury. Drexler tries to saddle up for at least 30 minutes per day to maintain endurance.
2. Assume the worst.
“Never expect anyone to see you at all,” he says. So be aware: Don’t pull up on the right side of SEPTA buses, where riders enter and exit. Know your hand signals. (Stick your left arm straight out for a left turn, make an L shape with your arm to turn right, and make an upside-down L for a stop.) And always, always wear a helmet.
3. Be a good group rider.
Drexler advises being mindful of your distance from other cyclists — stay at least two bike lengths away — and calling out obstacles along the way to prep fellow riders.
4. Beat the butt pain.
Get your bike properly fitted at a bike shop, and stretch (lunges and figure-fours) before every ride, says Drexler. If you feel a cramp coming on during a ride, he adds, “stand up on the pedals and coast” until it abates.
Illustrations by James Yates
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Published as “How to Cycle in the City” in the August 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
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