N.I.T.E. Ride
Registration- Saturday, July 25th, 2026
- 9:30 pm
- 6 & 20 Miles
- Eli Lilly: 650 S. Delaware St., Indianapolis, IN 46225
See the City of Indianapolis from a bike at night with over a thousand new friends! This slow roll social ride starts at sunset and tours the city on two (sometimes three) wheels.
The NITE Ride is a leisurely ride to enjoy Indianapolis at night and takes you on a tour of downtown Indianapolis and nearby sites. Bike lights (front and rear) are required of course, but riders are encouraged to go over board adding holiday lights, light-up speakers, disco balls, you name it to turn up the brightness and show off.
This will be the 33rd year of running the NITE Ride. Did you know that NITE = Navigate Indy This Evening? Now you do!
New route = fresh ride experience! The full ride is 20 miles and has a rest and refreshment stop at 10 miles. The group will wait at the rest stop to give the tail of the group time to rejoin and then we’ll re-launch to finish the 2nd part of the ride together.
The route includes a loop for beginner, teen, and family riding groups that might not be ready to ride the full distance. The shorter ride distance is approximately 6 miles.
Please be aware that there is a 10:30 pm cut off time at the 6 mile split. If you are not able to complete the first 6 miles by 10:30 you will not be able to continue on and will be directed back to Ride Central at the 6 mile split.
Disclaimer – This route may change up until the day of the ride based on unexpected construction detours and refinements to facilitate traffic control. The route we share at this point is the plan, but it may get tweaked between now and July 25th. The final route for the NITE Ride will be shared by email with registrants and during registration check-in.
No bike? No problem! We’ve got you covered. We have Pacers Bikeshare E-bikes available to rent. These are electric pedal assist bikes. We only have 15 E-bikes available so first, come first serve.
- Reserved bikes will be available at the starting location for pickup & return.
- Bike Rentals are only for those 14 years or older.
New this year, T-shirts are not included in your registration. If you would like a T-shirt or cycling jersey, make sure to select this option during registration. Order deadline is June 28th.
When: Ride starts at 9:30 pm.
Where: Start and finish at Eli Lilly Parking area at 650 S. Delaware St. (Ride Central).
Ride Central: 650 S. Delaware St.
- Registration check-in & merchandise pickup
- Bike rental pickup/return
- Pre & Post Ride Party: Music, food & drinks
- Vendor Village
- Bathrooms
Registration: Opens at 6 pm at Ride Central.
Parking: Free parking is available and there are other options for parking include metered parking around the venue as well as private surface lots and garages. We encourage participants to carpool or ride their bikes to the event.
Decorate your bike for a chance to win a $100 Bicycle Garage Indy Gift Card!
What’s more fun then riding your bike at night? Riding it with glowing bling! Add holiday lights, light-up speakers, disco balls, you name it to turn up the brightness and show off. Get creative! Light up your bike and enter our LITE Up Your Bike Contest!
Contest will be held at 9 pm at the ride start area.
NOTE: We just ask that all decorations are safe and reliably mounted on your bike. No one wants to be taken out by a displaced light bulb on the ride!
Come early to enjoy our Vendor Village from 6 – 9 pm
We will have local community, cycling and trail organizations providing information in our Vendor Village. Bicycle Garage Indy will be there selling all the tools you need to keep your bike running smoothly and you riding safely. They will also be able to provide small bike service fixes during the evening.
Village Vendors:
Music: Our Red Bull DJ will be mixing the beats while you check-in, prep for the ride and grab some hydration and food.
National Anthem: We are honored to have the Close Enough A Capella Barbershop Quartet singing the National Anthem before our ride!
Pre-Ride Dinner: Grab some delicious grub from Pronto Taco! They will be selling freshly grilled tacos in our Vendor Village from 6 to 9 pm.
Vendor Village: Peruse the many cycling and community organization booths at Ride Central from 6 – 9 pm.
Post-Ride Food & Drinks: Pizza and beverages will be available for all registrants, both 6 and 20 mile cyclists at Ride Central when you finish your ride!
- Bicycle, E-bike or Trike: In good working order! Please make sure to do the ABC Quick Check to ensure your bike is ride ready.
- Bicycle Helmet Required: Eye protection (clear riding glasses) also recommended.
- Headlight and Taillight Required: Bicycle Garage Indy will have these for sale at the event.
- Other Items: Bring a piece of ID, tools for minor repairs, and dress for the weather.
- No Alcohol Permitted on the Ride: Drinking and bicycling don’t mix
The N.I.T.E. Ride would not be possible without the help of our volunteers. N.I.T.E. Ride Volunteers who work a four-hour shift will receive a N.I.T.E. Ride T-shirt and the opportunity to participate in all N.I.T.E. Ride activities that occur outside of the volunteer assignment.
Current Volunteer shifts needed:
- Second Shift Registration
- Route Guides
- SAG Drivers:
- Do you have a van/large vehicle with a bike rack? We are looking for two individuals who can be SAG Drivers.
How to register for volunteering:
- Go to: Event Registration
- Select: A ride option in registration (the cost will be zeroed out once you add a volunteer shift)
- Select: Do you want to Volunteer?
- Select: A volunteer shift and click Add to save your choice. This will also zero out registration cost if you are choosing to also ride. You can also choose more than one shift, just click Add after each choice.
- Continue: Fill out participant information and and check waiver boxes
- Click: Submit
If you have any questions about volunteering please e-mail the NITE Ride Volunteer Coordinator, Tess Woods at: tess@centralincylcing.org
Thanks for your interest in helping us create a great event in 2026!
The NITE Ride has officers that ride ahead of the group and control intersections so that the group can pass through together while they hold and stop crossing traffic. For your safety, please follow the instructions of the officers and route volunteers at intersections. This ride is safest when we keep the group together as one continuous group. Don't ride too close to those in front of you, but 'close the gap' if you find the group separating.
Both the 6 and full 20-mile rides will have a 10 mph minimum speed. This is the speed that riders will need to be able to maintain in order to stay with the main group. If you are unable to maintain an average speed of 10 mph, this ride is not a great fit. Because we are riding at night on some busy roads, it is important that you are able to stay with the group where we have intersection traffic controlled.
The maximum average speed on this ride is 15 mph, and there will be periodic stops to allow the tail of the ride to catch up. This is important for keeping the group together and the ride safe for all skills and abilities. If you pass the lead police vehicles, you are no longer participating in the NITE Ride and you will not have intersection controls at intersections. Follow the instructions of the officers at the front of the ride and at intersections - and please - do not urge them to go faster. There is a strategy to keeping this group of varying speeds and abilities together and safe.
If you leave the ride, or you fall behind the tail of the ride, you will need to follow the rules of the road at traffic lights and stop signs. Those that have a mechanical issue or fall behind the tail of the ride will be asked if they need the sag vehicle to return them to the start.
Please be aware that there is a 10:30 pm time cut off at the 6 mile split. If you are not able to complete the first 6 miles by 10:30 pm you will not be able to continue on and will be directed back to Ride Central at the 6 mile split.
It is important that you use a quality front light on this ride. You need to be able to see the road and other riders in front of you. Your headlight should be at least 200 lumens and have a battery that lasts at least 2 hours at that brightness. Make sure to charge your lights that day, and it isn't a bad idea to bring a backup headlight.
Because this is a ride on city streets at night, the minimum rider age is 12 years old. Youth riders need to be able to ride safely and predictably in a group, follow instructions from officers and volunteers, and complete the ride distance - either 6 miles or 20 miles - while maintaining a minimum speed of at least 10 mph.
Can I bring my younger child in a child trailer, cargo bike seat, or on a trail-a-bike? - Yes. If you can maintain the minimum speed of 10 mph for the ride distance - 6 or 20 miles - and maintain control of your bike. You will want to practice this ahead of time, as it is more difficult to ride with the extra weight (and chaos) of a kiddo behind you. This ride will have a good bit of stopping and starting, so you should be able to do that safely and predictably while riding in a group.
If you have a mechanical issue or otherwise fall behind the group, there will be a sag vehicle. If they aren't right there, you'll have a phone number to call that will be provided to you in ride communications that week and when you check in on the day of the ride. You can catch a ride on the sag vehicle with your bike on the trailer as it reaches capacity and periodically returns to the start.
If you don't want to wait for the sag vehicle, you can ride home or back to the start on your own - or call a friend or rideshare service. Once you have left the group, you will be following the rules of the road and there will no longer be officer controlled intersections. Your best route back to the start may not be along the route of the NITE Ride. Because of the large group and intersection control by police officers, the NITE Ride uses busier roads than most folks would want to ride on their own.
There are volunteer tail end riders that will check in with you to make sure you have a plan - either to ride back yourself, take the NITE Ride sag, or call for a ride.
Please be aware that there is a 10:30 pm time cut off at the 6 mile split. If you are not able to complete the first 6 miles by 10:30 pm you will not be able to continue on and will be directed back to Ride Central at the 6 mile split.
The NITE Ride Registration is closed.
Keep an eye on the Central Indiana Cycling Website and sign up for the email newsletter for the NITE Ride 2027 Save the Date. Want to keep riding? check out the Hilly Hundred: