The Slow Roll—Making Detroit Exciting One Ride at a Time!

Detroit is quickly becoming an exciting city for both residents and visitors. The spirit of rebirth, of rejuvenation, has been spreading like wildfire across the city’s borders and the city’s cultural changes have been making headlines left and right throughout the US.

The city has become a bustling hub of unique activities and social enjoyments, making it a desirable place for Millennials to live, work, and play.

One such activity is a little something called The Slow Roll.

While the name may sound ominous, it isn’t at all what you would think. The Slow Roll is a mass biking excursion that sees up to 4,000 people take part on a regular basis.

No, it’s not a motorcycle run—it’s a bicycle tour of downtown Detroit.

Not quite what you would think, eh?

The event was co-founded over seven years ago by Jason Hall and Mike MacKool. The pair formed a small group of cyclists who began riding slowly through the streets of Detroit. The miniscule assembly originally avoided police, as well as infuriated motorists and a series of potholes, but as the city began to flourish, so too did the bicycling group.

Today, the impressively sized group is shepherded through the city by a gamut of police escorts. It takes place once a week and focuses on emphasizing the city’s historic neighborhoods. Perhaps most notable feature of The Slow Roll, however, is the range of individuals participating in the weekly rides. As the riders cruise by, it doesn’t take long to realize they come from all walks of life.

In true Detroit fashion, you will see people of all ages, colors, and backgrounds. Some ride beat-up, hand-me-down bikes, while others ride fully decked out bicycles featuring skulls, chrome, and low suspensions. People don everything from hats and hoodies to wigs and tiaras while others jam out to music oozing from boomboxes strapped to their handlebars.

The city is alive—and The Slow Roll is a good representation of that.
News & Image Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/travel/detroit-michigan-downtown.html