tweed run

Missoula, MT, 2023

Do you know what a Tweed Run is? Wikipedia has an entry on them and Pinterest is loaded with great photos.

In short, a Tweed Run is a group bike ride in which the participants wear retro clothing styles, including lots of tweed. You’ll see everything from “tweed lite” to steampunk to costumes. Bikes are sometimes vintage, but it’s not required, and many will have some sort of decorations, like wicker handlebar baskets and flowers.

I have always wanted to see a Tweed Run and, even better, participate in one. Occasionally, I’ll even think about what I might wear as a participant.

When my husband and I were in Montana last fall, we more or less stumbled into one and it was delightful. We were walking along the Clark Fork River and noticed a large group of people on the other side riding on the bike path. Further down the river, we could see them crossing a bridge, and then they started coming in our direction.

At first, we thought maybe it was just a regular ol’ bike ride but it quickly became apparent that this was something special. It suddenly occurred to me that I was witnessing my long-awaited Tweed Run and I quickly explained it to my husband.

All of the riders looked like they were having the time of their lives. I mean, what’s not to enjoy: A group bike ride on a terrific bike trail along a river on a beautiful autumn day. Add lots of different bikes and wheeled conveyances: old bikes, new bikes, children’s bikes, a couple of tandem bikes, a penny-farthing, a unicycle, a recumbent bike, an adult trike, a Dutch cargo bike, and even a few cobbled-together creations surprised me by their ability to roll smoothly. And of course, the riders in their sartorial splendor. A couple hundred cyclists, all of them smiling widely. My goodness, it was a fantastic show.

Normally I would pull out my phone and start snapping photos but I was so enchanted that I could only stand there watching with a huge grin on my face. Luckily, my husband took a few, including the one at the top of this post.

So now I want more than ever to participate in a Tweed Run, so much so that for a hot second I considered organizing one here in my hometown before coming to my senses.

Tell me: Have you ever seen a Tweed Run? Better yet, have you participated in one? Either way, I need all the details.