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SUNY Potsdam Announces 'Bike with the Bears' Community Ride

SUNY Potsdam to Host First Bike with the Bears Community Ride on July 12

Potsdam, NY (06/15/2026) — SUNY Potsdam invites alumni, families and local community members to enjoy Bike with the Bears, a new event with recreational riding opportunities for all ages, on Sunday, July 12.

All are welcome to enjoy a scenic 13.1-mile recreational bike ride beginning at Maxcy Hall Ramp at Saranac Lake Drive and ending at Marshall Park on the SUNY Potsdam campus. The guest check-in will begin at 9 a.m., with welcoming remarks at 9:45 a.m.

Kicking off at 10 a.m., the Bike with the Bears ride will take participants along rolling country roads to a refreshing water stop at Chip's Place in Hannawa Falls, proudly alumni-owned by Ed Betz '07, before heading back toward campus past local landmarks including Bayside Cemetery, Trinity Episcopal Church and Ives Park.

The marked route will include wayfinding signage, volunteer support, and a GPS map developed by Bike Adirondacks.

Adults can register for the free road ride here.

Families with younger riders are invited to participate in the free Bear Cub Family Ride, a fun campus route featuring a scavenger hunt to find Max C. Bear, and his friends, Gnome and Squirrel. The family ride offers an engaging way for children and families to enjoy recreation together, while building excitement around biking and outdoor adventure.

Both rides will finish on campus at Marshall Park, for a Picnic with the Bears, to be held from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Celebrate a beautiful morning ride with complimentary treats and live music from Nick Rycroft, plus a food truck (for an additional cost). Non-rider friends, family and community members are welcome to join the fun.

Following the event, all are welcome to drop by to check out SUNY Potsdam's new Bike Shop, located in Maxcy Hall, and learn more about plans for this exciting new campus-community space. The shop is funded by a Lougheed Center for Applied Learning grant, and run by Dorf Endowed Director of Applied Learning Sarah Lister and Director of Intramurals and Recreation Bill Beauchamp, along with student assistance.

The shop will offer bike repair workshops and lend repaired bikes from University Police to students needing active transportation to get more easily to off-campus jobs and internships. It will also provide unique hands-on opportunities for students to earn their own bikes by learning to repair them firsthand.

To register for Bike with the Bears, visit www.givecampus.com/schools/SUNYPotsdam/events/bike-with-the-bears-community-ride-2026.

About SUNY Potsdam:

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges -- and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.

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Media Attachments

A cartoon shows Max C. Bear, a gnome and a squirrel wearing SUNY Potsdam gear and riding bikes.

SUNY Potsdam will host a new Bike with the Bears recreational ride on Sunday, July 12, along with a Bear Cub Family Ride and a Picnic with the Bears event on campus.

Cyclists chat after a ride, resting their bikes near the Marshall Park bandshell.

SUNY Potsdam’s new Bike with the Bears event will conclude with a picnic at Marshall Park on campus. Pictured following a test ride are (from left): Professor Emeritus Dr. Phil T. Neisser ’79, Dorf Endowed Director of Applied Learning Sarah Lister and Professor and Assistant Provost Dr. Gordon Plague.

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