The Fleet

Bike to the Beach (B2B) is in large part organized around a single annual 100-mile trip which involves transporting and supporting large groups of bike riders as they pedal from Washington D.C. to Annapolis, cross the Chesapeake Bay and continue through the farmlands of Maryland and Delaware toward D.C.’s nearest shore. To support the riders, B2B has slowly amassed a small and humble yet custom and specialized fleet of vehicles and contraptions which are referred to as the B2B Fleet.

B2B I: The Bus:

2008; Springing from 25 to over 75 riders, B2B realized that they could not rely on volunteer vehicles alone to transport all of the required bike and safety equipment, food, water, and baggage needed by the B2B riders. To accomplish this task cost effectively, B2B took on the mission of stripping and ultimately recreating a 1973 VW Bus which today is called B2B I.

Custom design was created and implemented by B2B volunteers.

B2B I keeping riders safe and hydrated.

B2B I; A B2B Symbol!

B2B II: The BBQ Smoker:

2009 marked the 1st ever B2B entry into the D.C. BBQ Battle. The idea arose from B2B founder, Tommy Schmitz’ rib recipe which he had fiddled with for years at family and friend gatherings. Looking to spread the word about B2B and recruit new riders to the cause, presenting a B2B BBQ entry in front of 250,000 Washingtonians was an opportunity not to be missed.

But you cannot enter a BBQ Battle without a team, a recipe and, of course, a wood burning smoker. While a team of B2B chefs worked hard throughout the late winter and early spring of 2009 to perfect BBQ dry rubs and sauces, volunteers again came up big and built a custom smoker for the B2B BBQ team from scrap metal and old bicycle parts.

Bike parts for the project donated to B2B by Phoenix Bikes.

B2B II produced 12th place ribs in the ’09 BBQ Battle out of over 50 contestants. It was B2B’s first competition entry.

Click here to read the Washington Post Article about B2B in the DC BBQ Battle.

B2B III & IV:

B2B volunteers have recently begun work on two new fleet members which will be sure to knock your socks off. Until they are customized to match the character of our other fleet members, you will have to hold your breath ?

Stay tuned!