Manayunk’s Bustling Bike Community

Nestled along the flowing Schuylkill River, Manayunk has become a hub for trail bikers and commuting cyclists alike.

By Jake Kunz

Photography by: James Graves

Anyone that has visited Manayunk will have surely seen the wide variety of bikers making their way to and from Manayunk. It isn’t hard to see why the small town feel, friendly community, proximity to Center City, and multitude of trails allow the cycling community to thrive and continue to grow. Manayunk is the perfect hub for bikers to grab a bite to eat, shop, and get a tune-up during their rides.

Trek Bicycle and Cadence Cycling are two businesses ingrained in Manayunk’s cycling culture. Trek representative Humberto Sanchez, and Cadence owner Brady Gibny, each spoke about their businesses. Here’s what they have to say about the role they play in the community and what makes cycling in Manayunk so special:

Trek Bikes is “trying to be Philly’s favorite bike shop” Humberto said. Located at 4159 Main Street Manayunk, Trek is invested in taking care of not only the bikes, but the cyclists themselves.“That’s why we do all of the events and try to have the best customer service we can offer. Our motto is ‘Ride bikes, have fun, feel good’ so that is what we try to shoot for.” Trek is a bike store and repair shop that hosts a weekly ride group every Sunday.

Cadence Cycling is another full-service bike shop located at 3740 Main Street Manayunk. Brady said Cadence Cycling offers coaching, bike-fitting, indoor classes, service, and highend sales. “We try to be kind of a one stop shop,” Brady said.“If you are pretty serious about biking we like to think that we can help you finish your first race or make your first century, whatever that entails.” Cadence Cycling also has a second location downtown.

What Is Your Manayunk Story?

The more people you meet and talk to here, it becomes clear that every person and every business has a unique story behind them that brought them to Manayunk.

“The location,” Humberto told me. “Most of the trails connect here. It’s a nice area and the community has been very welcoming. Even with the cars driving they are very friendly to bikers.”

“Myself and two other partners, Mark and Dave, bought the business in 2013,” Brady said. “We moved it close to the bus station in 2015, then we moved here in 2019. Moving to this location with the parking, that has always been our intention, to try to be a hub for all types of riders whether it’s a mountain bike, road bike, gravel bike, or leisure. There’s a compelling reason to come here and meet here.”

What is unique about biking in Manayunk?

Humberto said that it is Manayunk’s diverse terrain options that keep riders interested. “It’s got a little bit of everything. If you want something easy there are the roads or the trails here that are flat. If you want hills, there are the hills heading up towards Ridge Avenue. If you want to do some mountain biking, it’s close to Wissahickon. If you want food, there’s Main Street, you can stop by anywhere, and if you want to go down to the city it’s 30 minutes on a bike ride.”

“From the founders, Manayunk has for a long time been kind of the gateway for cycling from the city out to the hills and the open roads and the woods” Brady explained. “I think it’s a combination of good mountain biking, safe and car-free paths on both ends of Manayunk, and all the hills that leave from Main Street that makes it compelling for anybody who rides.”

How should someone who is interested in getting into cycling get started?

“Do your research,” Humberto said. “Look at several options, look at the style you’re looking to ride, and just talk to anyone in the bike shop, any bike shop.” He pointed out that finding the right bike for you is the most important part. “Go and ask questions, look at some bikes, take them out for a spin, and see what you like and what will work for you.” Brady from Cadence also emphasized the importance of the local shop and trying the bikes out for yourself. “Coming in and having a conversation is the best first step,” Brady said. “We didn’t get to do that for 3 years, so it’s exciting and reinvigorating to be able to have those conversations again and also be able to offer them the product.”

What is next for cycling in Manayunk and your business?

Humberto mentioned the ways that Trek is looking to engage the community. “We have more events and we have our Gravel Ride on Sundays,” he said. “We are planning to do a more casual ride once Parks on Tap is open and set up in Center City.” Humberto also said they are looking to do a bigger event in Manayunk with more riders. If you want to learn more about Trek Bikes and what they have going on in Manayunk, visit trekbikes.com

Brady said Cadence Cycling is looking into the benefits of a more robust bike rental program that will allow bikers to test bikes on the correct terrain and find the bike that is exactly right for their interests. He added, “Rentals that people can try and then our bike fitting services so we can determine exactly what size bike they need. The combination of the two, I hope, can get people exactly the bike they want.” Those interested in learning more about Cadence Cycling and their locations should visit cadencecycling.com

Manayunk’s Trails and Recreation

Just behind Main Street sits the historic Manayunk Canal and Towpath. From Manayunk, you can ride north into Schuylkill County on the Schuylkill River Trail or you can travel south to Center City on Kelly Drive. Manayunk presents the perfect opportunity to enhance your cycling journey!

Here are just a few of the most popular cycling trails connected to Manayunk: entrance on the Manayunk side sits on Dupont Street and includes a free public parking lot for all trail access.

The Manayunk Canal Towpath is one section of the larger Schuylkill River Trail. It begins at Lock Street, runs behind Main Street through Manayunk, and ends in the Shawmont neighborhood. It’s approximately 2 miles of a mixed trail of boardwalk and compacted gravel that is best suited for off-road biking and nature exploration. Head to Main Street from the other end of the Towpath and you can continue to the intersection of Kelly Drive, where you’ll follow the Schuylkill River Trail that leads all the way down to Boathouse Row and the Philadelphia Art Museum. While riding the Towpath, bikers will find historical signage about the industrial heritage of Manayunk and the canal’s history. Among the sights to see are rail lines, old canal locks, the ruins of the locktender’s house, a sluice house, and old textile mills.

The Circuit is a network of over 250 miles of walking and biking trails in the Greater Philadelphia Region which includes the Manayunk section of the Schuylkill River Trail. Set out on the trail in Manayunk and view The Circuit map online at circuittrails.org to see where the trail can lead you.

The Wissahickon Valley Park includes 1,800 acres of Philadelphia’s park system which is one of the largest urban park systems in the country. Although the park isn’t necessarily in Manayunk, one of the many entrances to the park trail rests just at the east end of Main Street at the intersection of Kelly Drive and Ridge Avenue, making it a common attraction for Manayunk residents and visitors alike.

Indego Bike Share

, Philadelphia’s bike-share program, is coming to Manayunk this Spring! Indego offers 24-hour, 30-day, and yearly pass options to ride their bright blue bicycles and white, electric-assist bicycles.

Manayunk residents will soon benefit from their own Indego bike stations. This means that anyone can reap the benefits of cycling. Whether for exercise, commuting, or for recreation, you can ride without the commitment of buying a bike!

Indego station locations are selected based on proximity to community resources, employment centers, bike and transit infrastructure, community groups, and public feedback. Many stations have a touchscreen kiosk with a map of the service area. To check out a bike use the mobile app or an Indego Key at a dock. When you are finished with your ride, you can simply return your bike to any Indego station!

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