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Few towns have better cycling on their doorstep than Palo Alto. Page Mill Road, Old La Honda and the climb up to Skyline start within a few miles of downtown. Portola Valley and Woodside are a weekend morning loop. It follows that the region's biggest organized rides tend to be hard ones built around those hills. Local clubs have been running them for decades.
This guide lists recurring cycling events that organizers confirmed for 2026, from free commuter celebrations to full centuries and one giant cycling festival. For each we give the latest date, the start, the cost and how to get there. We also note what we could not confirm, including the Tour de Palo Alto. When we checked on November 2, 2026, only Tierra Bella had posted a 2027 date.
The cycling calendar
| Event | Latest confirmed date | Start | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tierra Bella Bicycle Tour | April 12, 2026 (next: April 25, 2027) | Gilroy | Charity tour, 30 to 102 miles |
| Sea Otter Classic | April 16 to 19, 2026 | Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey | Festival, races and rides |
| Primavera Century | April 19, 2026 | Ohlone College, Fremont | Century and shorter routes |
| Bike to Work Day | May 14 to 16, 2026 | Energizer stations around Palo Alto | Free celebration |
| The Sequoia | June 7, 2026 | Foothill College, Los Altos Hills | Charity century, 43 to 100 miles |
| Palo Alto TMA Community Bike Rides | Tuesdays, July 21 to August 25, 2026 | California Avenue at El Camino Real | Free 9-mile group ride |
The Sequoia: the local classic
If you ride one organized event near Palo Alto, make it The Sequoia. Western Wheelers, a Peninsula bike club with a Portola Valley mailing address, has run it for half a century. The 50th running was Sunday, June 7, 2026. Riders checked in at Foothill College, Lot 1, 12345 El Monte Road in Los Altos Hills, with early check-in the day before at The Bicycle Outfitter in Los Altos.
The 2026 routes give a sense of the event:
- Century: 100 miles with about 10,000 feet of climbing, $145.
- 80 miles with gravel: new in 2026, 12 miles on dirt, capped at 49 riders, no e-bikes, $135.
- Challenge: 75 miles with about 7,900 feet of climbing, $130.
- Metric Century: 62 miles with about 6,600 feet, $115.
- Fun Ride: 43 miles with about 2,800 feet, $100.
Fees include rest stops, a finish-line meal and a short trial club membership. Part of each fee goes to the charities the ride supports, with an optional $25 donation that goes entirely to them. Starts run from 6 a.m. for the long routes. Foothill College is about 5 miles from downtown Palo Alto, an easy warm-up ride via Arastradero Road. The 2027 date had not been posted in early November. Watch the Western Wheelers Sequoia page. See our Foothill College guide for the campus.
Bike to Work Day in May
The region's Bike to Work Day falls on a Thursday in May. In 2026 it was Thursday, May 14, with Bike to Wherever Days running through Saturday, May 16. Palo Alto had six energizer stations, mostly open from 6:30 to 10 a.m., where volunteers handed out snacks, drinks and small gifts. It is free and needs no registration. Riders who pledged online could get a tote bag. The 2027 date had not been announced. Our Bike to Work Day guide lists the station hosts and tips for a first commute.
Free summer group rides
In summer 2026 the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association ran free Community Bike Rides on Tuesday evenings. Six rides were listed on the city's events site, from July 21 to August 25, gathering at 5:15 p.m. on car-free California Avenue at El Camino Real. The 9-mile round trip followed El Camino Real's protected bike lanes south to Eagle Park in Mountain View and back. Rides were for ages 18 and up, helmets were required and light food and drinks were provided. It is a good way to try the newer bike lanes in company. Look for 2027 dates on the city's event listing in early summer. Our bike boulevards guide covers the routes in between.
Spring century rides around the Bay
Tierra Bella Bicycle Tour, Gilroy
The Almaden Cycle Touring Club runs Tierra Bella through the orchards and back roads of south Santa Clara County. The 2026 tour was Sunday, April 12. The club already lists Sunday, April 25, 2027. Routes run about 30, 47, 65 and 102 miles, from 702 feet to about 6,700 feet of climbing, with the start and finish in Gilroy and more than 200 club volunteers on the course. Gilroy is about 45 miles south of Palo Alto on Highway 101.
Primavera Century, Fremont
The Fremont Freewheelers Bicycle Club's spring century started and finished at Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Boulevard in Fremont, on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Riders choose a 100-mile century, a 62-mile metric century or shorter routes through the East Bay hills. Fremont is about 17 miles from Palo Alto over the Dumbarton Bridge, where the toll is charged westbound on the way home.
Sea Otter Classic, Monterey
The Sea Otter Classic is less a ride than a four-day festival of cycling. It returned to Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey from April 16 to 19, 2026. The organizers describe more than 1,000 brands and 70,000 attendees, with professional and amateur racing on road, gravel and mountain bike courses, untimed recreational rides and a big expo. New in 2026 was a trail run. Laguna Seca is about 75 miles south, so most Palo Alto riders make a weekend of it. Our Monterey and Carmel guide has ideas for the off-bike hours.
Good to know
- Register early. Capped routes and early-bird prices go first.
- California law requires riders under 18 to wear a helmet. Organized rides set their own rules for adults. Read each event's rider rules before you register.
- Bring a spare tube, a pump and a phone. Rest stops have mechanics at the bigger events, but not on every stretch of road.
- Spring centuries often start cold and finish hot. Pack arm warmers and a vest you can stuff in a pocket.
- No bike with you? You can compare road bike rentals or see our bike rental guide for local shops.
What about the Tour de Palo Alto?
We looked for a current Tour de Palo Alto and could not find one. No organizer page or recent press listed an edition for 2025 or 2026. The city's Bike Palo Alto family ride, which started at Fairmeadow Elementary with route maps, tune-ups and helmet fittings, was last listed for October 6, 2024. If either returns, we will add it. Our biking guide covers the everyday routes around town. In the meantime, the clubs in our cycling clubs guide run weekly group rides at every pace.
Frequently asked questions
When is The Sequoia century ride?
Western Wheelers runs The Sequoia on a Sunday in early June. The 50th running was Sunday, June 7, 2026, starting from Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, with routes from a 43-mile Fun Ride to a 100-mile Century with about 10,000 feet of climbing. Fees ran from $100 to $145. The 2027 date had not been posted as of November 2, 2026.
Does the Tour de Palo Alto still run?
We could not find a current Tour de Palo Alto. No organizer page or recent press listed one for 2025 or 2026. The city's own Bike Palo Alto community ride was last listed for October 6, 2024. For a local organized ride, try Bike to Work Day in May or the free Palo Alto TMA rides in summer.
When is Tierra Bella 2027?
The Tierra Bella Bicycle Tour's website lists Sunday, April 25, 2027. The 2026 tour was Sunday, April 12. It starts and ends in Gilroy, with routes of about 30, 47, 65 and 102 miles through south Santa Clara County.
Are there free group rides in Palo Alto?
Yes. In summer 2026 the Palo Alto TMA ran free Tuesday evening Community Bike Rides from California Avenue at El Camino Real, a 9-mile round trip on protected bike lanes to Eagle Park in Mountain View. Rides were for ages 18 and up and helmets were required. Bike to Work Day in May is also free.
When is the Sea Otter Classic?
The Sea Otter Classic is held in mid-April at Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey. The 2026 festival ran April 16 to 19 and the organizers describe more than 1,000 brands and 70,000 attendees. It includes pro races, amateur races, recreational rides and, new in 2026, a trail run.