Ultimate 2024 Ontario Road Cycling Event and Race Guide

Ontario is home to a long list of road cycling events, meaning you'll have plenty of options to choose from regardless of your skill level. Check out Ontario By Bike to find helpful local shops to enhance your experience with complete bike rentals, as well as a map of bicycle-friendly businesses, including accommodations, restaurants and pubs. 

Bicycle Ontario provides more information about cycling clubs across the province, many of which organize recurring events like weekly group rides. Meanwhile, Ontario By Bike hosts two-day, self-guided and fully supported bike tours on some of Ontario’s most spectacular routes throughout the cycling season. Dates and destinations are available now. Also, don’t forget to check Ontario’s many great riding options on websites (and mobile apps) like AllTrails and BikeMap.

Here’s a month-by-month list of road bike events and races across the province.

May

5 Clarence Rockland Classic — This 85-kilometre citizens race in Eastern Ontario includes a mix of gravel and paved roads.

24-27 Canadian Tandem Rally — If you love riding a tandem bicycle, you’ll find plenty of companionship at this multiday event in Welland, near Niagara Falls. Route lengths range from 50 to 90 kilometres.

25 Heck of the North — Normally held the same day as Hell of the North, a gnarly mountain bike race, in 2024 Heck of the North will be held independently. This 70-kilometre route near Ballantrae is perfect for dedicated roadies.

25 Jack Ride — Group rides up to 125 km in Caledon in late May to raise funds for youth mental health.

27-June 2 7 Days in May — There are plenty of riding options along the Lake Ontario shore of Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe in this weeklong fundraising event.

TBD CN Cycle for CHEO — Events at Ottawa’s Canadian War Museum in LeBreton Flats support children with cancer at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Bike routes range from 15 to 70 kilometres.

TBD Rotary Lilac Ride — Experience the renowned scenery of southeastern Ontario’s Prince Edward County on this ride from the community of Picton.

TBD Bike-A-Thon Plus — Ride around Cornwall, Ontario, to support the Children’s Treatment Centre.

TBD Tour Du Canada Century Ride — Cycle Canada’s weekend of road riding north of Toronto includes 100- and 160-kilometre options.

NOKIA Bike Days — Sundays in Ottawa from late May to early September are all about cycling, with 50 kilometres of roads in the National Capital Region closed to motor vehicles.

Friday Night Lights — Starting Friday nights in May and continuing all summer long, Windsor hosts biweekly rides to explore the city’s nightlife. Follow @WindsorEats to learn more about dates and meeting places.

June

1-2 Manitoulin Passage Ride — There’s no better way to discover some of Ontario’s finest road biking on Manitoulin Island than with this two-day supported ride. Registration includes ferry crossing, meals and entertainment.

2 Bike for Brain Health Supporting Baycrest — Sign up to ride the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway and support research, innovation, care and education in the study of aging and brain health. Some of Toronto’s busiest roadways are closed to vehicles to support 25-, 50- and 75-kilometre rides.

8 Bike The Creek — Peel Region hosts an all-levels bike ride exploring the natural and cultural heritage of Southern Ontario.

8-9 The Princess Margaret Ride to Conquer Cancer — Raise money to support research at one of Canada’s largest cancer centres and enjoy two days of cycling in the GTA.

8-9 Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour — This premier road riding event organized by the Ottawa Bicycle Club includes four different routes from Ottawa to Kingston.

9 Mental Health in Motion — This Newmarket-based event includes 25- and 60-kilometre rides as well as running and walking categories, all in support of Ontario’s first and only mobile mental health clinic for youth ages 12 to 25.

23 Hairshirt Classic Double Century — This one-day ride is free for members of the Toronto Bicycle Network...but it involves a gruelling 322-kilometre road route from Mississauga to Niagara and back.

23 Tour de Guelph — Pick from a 25-, 50-, 75- and 100-kilometre route along the roads surrounding Guelph

TBD Cycle for Sight – Raise money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness and enjoy scenic cycling routes and gourmet food, near Toronto.

TBD Manulife Heart & Stroke Ride for Heart — Experience the Gardiner and Don Valley Parkway traffic free on this road ride in the Greater Toronto Area.

TBD Moveathon Ride — Choose between 26-, 50-, 100- and 160-kilometre route options on this charity ride in York Region, near Toronto.

TBD Ride Don't Hide — Two weeks of cycling events in many Ontario communities raises funds and challenges the stigma of mental health.

TBD WHEELS — Experience the stunning Niagara Escarpment on two wheels with options from 25 to 100 km.

TBD Tour de Mississippi Mills — The road riding in Eastern Ontario is outstanding and this event near Ottawa includes 30-, 60-, 80- or 100-kilometre routes.

TBD Greg’s Cycle for Kids — Come to Halton Hills in early June to participate in 50-, 100- or 140-kilometre road rides to support youth cycling initiatives.

June is Bike Month, and there are plenty of special events organized in Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe as well as the Eastern Ontario community of Mississippi Mills.

July

19 Healthy Parks Healthy People — Day entry is free at all Ontario Parks across the province, many of which have great cycling options.

27-28 MS Bike Grand Bend to London — For over 30 years, this 150-kilometre, two-day ride through the scenic countryside of Southwestern Ontario has been one of the most popular cycling fundraisers for multiple sclerosis research in Canada.

TBD Le Tour de Norfolk — Scenic backroads with minimal traffic are the big draw for this ride in Norfolk County, near Lake Erie. Routes range from 40 to 160 kilometres.

August 

4 Bluewater International Granfondo — Experience Southwestern Ontario’s Lambton County on this unique Granfondo in Sarnia, with route options ranging from 30 to 150 kilometres.

4-9 Friends For Life Bike Rally — Over 400 cyclists gather to ride the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail from Toronto to Montreal, raising funds for people living with HIV/AIDS.

10 Northern Pass — Cycle Muskoka and raise funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

13-20 Great Waterfront Trail Adventure — Explore the southeastern portion of the epic GWTA on this fully supported tour of paved, cyclist-friendly routes from the Bay of Quinte to the Quebec border.

17-18 Dunnville Grand Tour — The Lake Huron shores of Haldimand County host something for all levels of road riders on this weekend event, with routes ranging from 25 to 100 kilometres.

24 Kawartha Lakes Classic — You’ll find plenty of road cycling options at this late-August Peterborough-based tour.

TBD Tour de Bonnechere — The quiet Ottawa Valley town of Eganville hosts this family-friendly road cycling event in mid-August. Tours range from 20 to 100 kilometres, with spectacular views.

TBD Andy's Ride — This Port Carling-based road ride features three routes ranging from 35 to 135 km, in support of Hospice Muskoka.

TBD Cycle Camelot — Support the Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre on this friendly charity group ride out of Penetanguishene, on Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay.

TBD Gran Fondo Lake Huron — Experience the Lake Huron scenery of Bruce County on this group Gran Fondo, starting in Southampton, Ontario and supporting the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation.

TBD 3 Port Tour — This fully supported ride links waterfront communities in Elgin County, taking in the splendours of Lake Erie’s north shore. Three rides are available: 50 km, 100 km and 160 km.

September

7 Prince Edward County Gran Fondo — The pastoral landscape of Prince Edward County in Southeastern Ontario hosts 50-, 100- and 150-kilometre Gran Fondo rides.

9 Limestone Century Bicycle Tour — You’ve got three choices in this popular annual road riding tour starting in Kingston: 50 and 100 kilometres as well as a 100-mile route, all in support of the advocacy work of Kingston Cycle.

TBD The Growling Beaver Brevet — Sign up for a social ride in scenic Grey County, exploring communities in the Beaver Valley and along Georgian Bay with distances of 40 to 200 kilometres. Proceeds support Parkinson Canada.

TBD Thousand Island Gran Fondo — Choose from three distances on this ride along the Thousand Islands Parkway between Gananoque and Brockville.

TBD Tour di Via Italia —This long-standing event is the oldest street race in Ontario, held in Southwestern Ontario.

TBD Tour Paramedic Ride – Join this 550-kilometre, fully supported road ride from Toronto to Ottawa. The event is all about supporting the essential role of paramedics, and it’s open to everyone.

TBD Tour de Headwaters — The Caledon Hills are the site of a fundraising ride suitable for all levels, in support of the Headwaters Health Care Foundation.

TBD Pedal for Portage — Centre Wellington plays host to road rides in the Grand River Valley, with proceeds supporting the Portage Centre for youth battling substance addiction.

TBD Tour the Hills — A friendly, one-day ride in Halton Hills explores the scenic countryside of Ontario’s Green Belt.

TBD The Campfire Ride — This ride at Hockley Valley Resort supports Camp Oochigeas’ efforts to provide summer camp experiences for kids with cancer. Choose between 70- or 100-kilometre rides.

TBD Discover L&A Ride — This 58-kilometre ride through Eastern Ontario starts and finishes in the quaint, rural community of Bath.

TBD GTA GranFondo Epic Tour — While the longer distances (up to 165 kilometres) are epic, this Gran Fondo-inspired event in Milton, Halton Hills and Burlington is designed for all ages and abilities.

TBD The Healing Cycle Ride — This group ride in Mississauga supports hospice care throughout Ontario. A virtual ride is also available.

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