The New Belgium Brewery sponsored Urban Assault bike ride returned to Tucson on Sunday for the second year in a row and according to organizers, 600 people participated.

“Considering everything else going on today, we thought it was pretty cool we got a good turnout,” said Josh Kravitz, who is the event director.

Riders rode to specific locations around the city and had to complete tasks like a newspaper toss and catch, human bowling and big-wheel tricycle rides.

Kravitz said the idea behind the ride is to get people who might not use bikes as transportation to see that they can get around Tucson by bicycle.

“Most of the folks here are locals and they don’t often ride their bikes though the city,” Kravitz said. “They will drive to a trail or something like that. This is a great a way to teach people how to find routes that Tucson already has and start biking more for transportation.”

Urban Assault rider Krista Niles has ridden in both of Tucson’s Urban Assault rides and had a good time, but said she prefers El Grupo’s Alley Cat race for various reasons.

“Supporting a local organization that is as awesome as El Grupo is a lot more fun for me. As much as I love New Belgium and their beer, it is much more fun knowing my money is supporting something I am attached to because I work with youth as well.”

Niles said she still had a lot of fun on the Urban Assault ride and would continue to do both.

The organizers of the Urban Assault donate a portion of the proceeds to local organizations. The Sonoran Desert Mountain Bike Association has been the beneficiary both years.

SDMB president Zach MacDonald said in an email that this year they received $2,000 from the organizers. They provided 30 volunteers in exchange.

“This is a big event for us and one of our major fundraisers throughout the year,” MacDonald said. “We use those funds to send a representative to DC for The National Bike Summit and to Atlanta this year for the IMBA Mountain Bike Summit, and for various charities including the Arizona Trail Association and other projects we’re working on to improve and maintain Mountain Bike Trail access throughout Southern Arizona.”

Greco Serrano had a lot of fun during the ride,

“It was a great time all the way around,” Serrano said.

See all the photos from the Urban Assault ride.

Check out the results from the event.

Editor’s note: My entry to event was comped by Urban Assault organizers.

7 thoughts on “600 riders turn out for 2nd Urban Assault”
  1. UAR supports local riders! They give a chunk of change to a bike club who in turn makes sure the venue has enough volunteers to make it work. Both years were “staffed” by friends and family of the Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists. Word on the street is the Arizona Trail Association received a percentage of beer sales.

  2. UAR supports local riders! They give a chunk of change to a bike club who in turn makes sure the venue has enough volunteers to make it work. Both years were “staffed” by friends and family of the Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists. Word on the street is the Arizona Trail Association received a percentage of beer sales.

  3. Good point mlemen. I just emailed the president of the SDMB to ask about it. Thanks for the reminder. I’ll add an update when I hear back.

  4. Good point mlemen. I just emailed the president of the SDMB to ask about it. Thanks for the reminder. I’ll add an update when I hear back.

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