Three years. Two wheels. One state. Endless memories. Tour de Connecticut wrapped… for now! 🎬 #tourdect @explorewithpatlore

The Tour de Connecticut unites our team members, ecosystem partners and cycling enthusiasts to celebrate the state’s scenic beauty and vibrant communities. This year, we asked participants to share the moments and places that left the biggest impression on their journeys over the past three rides. Their stories highlight the diverse landscapes and historic charm that make Connecticut such a special place to explore.

Matt Storeygard 🏖️

Favorite Local Spot: Compo Beach in Westport.
Why It Stands Out: Matt was struck by the peaceful waterfront and sweeping views of Long Island Sound. “Compo Beach captures the best of Connecticut’s coastline. We stopped for a photo to take in the calm, scenic view and catch our breath before continuing on north.”

Emma Twohill 🌅

Favorite Local Spot: Bradley Point Park Trail along the West Haven Beach coastline.
Why It Stands Out: Though Emma has lived just 10 minutes from the area her entire life, this path was a recent discovery. “I often run by the main road along the beach but never knew about this beautiful park and coastline trail,” she explains. “Finding something new so close to home made it extra special.”

Doug Roth 🍑

Favorite Local Spot: A quiet stretch of road in Southington leading to Rogers Orchards.
Why It Stands Out: Doug recalls spectacular weather as the group rode along the Shuttle Meadow Reservoir and paused at Rogers Orchards—“the quintessential Connecticut farm store, with fresh produce bursting with flavor,” as he describes it. With the reservoir on one side and lush forest on the other, the peaceful road allowed the riders to pedal side-by-side and chat. “We even stopped at Long Bottom and Mine Hollow roads for a group photo with a stunning view,” Doug says.

Michael Cantor 🚢

Favorite Local Spot: The historic river ferry from Rocky Hill to South Glastonbury, followed by a countryside ride to the Connecticut coast.
Why It Stands Out: “Crossing the Connecticut River on that ferry feels like a walk back through time,” Michael says. “The ride afterward is filled with gorgeous views and a sense of pure New England charm.”

Matt McCooe 🌳

Favorite Local Spot: The serene Air Line Trail, a path built along a railroad line dating back to 1863 that once connected New York and Boston.
Why It Stands Out: “You ride through deep, beautiful woods with trees on both sides of this less-traveled path,” Matt says. The trail winds into the town of Lebanon, home to the endless green of the Historical Society building maintained by the Daughters of the American Revolution. History buffs will appreciate the nearby homes of General Trumbull and Declaration of Independence signer William Williams. “We even ran into two young Amish men building a 500-foot-tall farm,” Matt adds with a laugh. “It’s that kind of town—you can sign your William Williams to that.”

Lauren Carmody 🌞

Favorite Local Spot: Bluff Point State Park in Groton.
Why It Stands Out: “I loved the ocean breezes and rugged shorelines,” Lauren says. “And I have to admit, part of the fun was watching Doug struggle with his road bike on the park’s challenging paths.” The mix of coastal scenery and quiet trails makes Bluff Point a must-visit for any cyclist seeking a refreshing ride.

Alison Malloy ⚓

Favorite Local Spot: The Mystic River Bascule Bridge and downtown Mystic.
Why It Stands Out: Alison loved the mix of river views and lively coastal charm. “The combination of river views, salt air, and fresh goodies from Mystic’s famous Sift Bakery felt like pure Connecticut magic,” she says. “It was the perfect blend of small-town charm and waterfront beauty, exactly the kind of moment that makes the Tour so memorable.”

From historic ferries and ocean breezes to hidden trails and quiet forest roads, these stories capture the magic of exploring Connecticut on two wheels. Whether you’re seeking a challenging climb, a leisurely coastal ride or a surprise encounter with history, the Tour de Connecticut proves there’s always another discovery waiting just around the bend.

 

At CI, we invest in bold ideas, visionary founders and transformative industries— right here in Connecticut. We believe in the power of innovation to shape the future, and there’s no better place to do it than our home state. 💡 #tourdect

Whether you’re looking for a quick repair or some new gear, these bike shops across Connecticut have you covered. From Stamford to Mystic, there are more than enough options to help you along your journey.

Fairfield County

Pacific Cycling & Tri-Athalon (Stamford)
Southwest Connecticut’s number-one shop for all cycling, running and swimming needs. Offers repair services and repair clinics to ensure your ride is in great hands.

Danny’s Cycles (Darien & North Stamford)
Shop with confidence at Danny’s Cycles with a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, with the option to return after 30 days of purchase. Committed to giving you the best value—if you find the same item at a local retailer for less, they will match the price. Keep your dollars local! Fun fact, some of our guest riders on the Tour de Connecticut rented their e-bikes from Danny’s.

Cycle Dynamics (Westport)
Offers a wide variety of bikes from a child’s first bike to carbon race bikes. Whatever your riding level, Cycle Dynamics has the bike for you!

REI (Milford)
A full-service bike shop, offers a wide range of bike brands, components and accessories to keep you prepped for your ride. Staffed with experts, REI is here to help and fulfill your bike service needs.

New Haven County

College Street Cycles (New Haven)
Visit this full-service premier shop right near Yale University for great tune-ups and custom fittings.

The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop (New Haven)
Bike shop that aims to represent our community, specializes in micro-transportation and provides a wide range of services and repairs for traditional bikes and e-bikes.

True Cyclery (New Haven)
A “listen first” business dedicated to cycling enthusiasts, this shop evaluates your needs, provides sincere advice, then determines the next best steps to get you there, whether you need a new bike, component upgrades, repairs or a bike fitting.

Pedal Power (North Haven, East Berlin, Middletown)
A full-service bike shop staffed by riders who understand cyclists’ needs for bicycle gear and service, has a unique selection of all types of bikes, and aims to help “Make Riding Fun!” for anyone who enjoys bicycles.

Hartford County

Central Wheel (Farmington)
Whichever need for speed you possess, they have you covered with the best from the best companies! They have extreme depth in their service department with more than 90 years of combined bicycle mechanics experience.

BiCi Co. (Hartford)
With an initiative to repurpose used bikes and put them back into our community through diverse programs and used bike sales, BiCi Co. serves Hartford community riders with repairs and rentals.

Bicycles East (Glastonbury)
Top-notch mechanics who are continuously keeping up on the latest technology while “doing fitting differently” to make sure you are the most comfortable and efficient you can be on your ride!

Cutting Edge (Berlin)
The Cutting Edge has been around since 1987 and has been at this game for over 25 years, serving up the coolest gear and top-notch service on the east coast. They offer bikes, e-bikes and so much more. Did you know three of the e-bikes on our Tour de Connecticut were from Cutting Edge? This shop is a CI favorite.

Tolland County

Loom City Cycle (Vernon Commons)
A family-owned bike shop staffed by cyclists who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and experience. Offers free quotes on bikes that need service with several levels of service packages to fit your personal needs.

Storrs Cycle Center (Storrs)
In the heart of Mansfield, Storrs Cycle Center offers friendly service, professional repairs and bikes for everyone. From kids to pros, they have bikes for every type of riding and rider.

New London County

AirLine Cycles (Colchester)
A classic small-town American bike shop with cutting-edge technology. Whether you’re looking for new clutch derailers for improved chain retention or want to restore your vintage mountain bike, AirLine Cycles is here to help.

Mystic Cycle Center (Mystic)
With a tagline of “Betterment By Bicycle,” this shop is dedicated to creating lifelong customers and continuing to uplift the Connecticut and Southern New England communities through cycling.

Another 200+ miles in the books… the third annual Tour de Connecticut has officially wrapped.👏🏼

We ended the week on a high:

🐄 Said hi to cows, alpacas, horses, and more as we rode 30 miles through beautiful hills and scenery from Storrs to Norwich
🌊 Stopped by Uncas Leap at Yantic Falls to get a quick history lesson and take in some waterfall views
🧘🏼‍♀️ Unwound with team yoga and meditation before tackling another 20 miles to Mystic
🚵‍♂️ Biked alongside our incredible #Day4 guest riders: Amy Bennett and Melissa Santoro from @tidalriver.ct, Scot Melland of Turtle Rock Ventures, and Harrison Macris of Macris Industries 
🌱 Stopped by CI portfolio company @enkoag to meet newly appointed CEO Anthony Klemm, tour the 90,000-square-foot facility, and check out their state-of-the-art labs and greenhouses
🏁 Crossed the finish line and capped things off with a networking celebration alongside the CI team, our guest riders, @hillsideventures, ecosystem partners, and more

Thank you to everyone who followed along on this year’s journey and supported CI as we showcased why Connecticut is such a great place to live, work, and play. 🚲

#tourdect @zmimiphotography

Day 3️⃣ of our Tour de Connecticut was packed with some of the state’s top attractions — from Dunkin’ Park, America’s Best Double-A Ballpark and home of @hartfordyardgoats Baseball ⚾️, to historic landmarks like the State Capitol, and iconic local eats at @reins_deli 🥪 We even made our way up to Storrs, uncovering hidden gems across campus with @uconn President Radenka Maric and getting a firsthand look at the innovation driving the university forward. ⏭️

Day three was all about energy, connection, and community pride. Now, let’s take on the final 50 miles! 🚲 #tourdect

Looking back on a DAY 2️⃣ RECAP! Tuesday started off bright and early with back-to-back meetings with CI portfolio companies @veradermics_study and @inboxhealth, followed by our quarterly board meeting. 💡 Our crew of 10+ riders included partners from Purpose Built, @climatehaven.tech and @quinnipiacu, traveling with us from New Haven to Naugatuck to stop by CI portfolio company @p2science 🧪 We refueled at @frankiesct in Waterbury, a classic, family-owned Connecticut restaurant, before heading on to West Hartford. 🏙️ 110 miles done in the first two days! ✅ #tourdect

After 100+ miles of biking 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️🚴these answers are the most creative our team could get!😅

#tourdect #connecticut #innovation #connecticutinnovations #startups #officelife #officefail

On day 2️⃣ of the Tour de Connecticut, we stopped by CI portfolio company @p2science to see clean innovation in action. From unique processes to the wide variety of products powered by their sustainable technology, it’s inspiring to see how Connecticut companies are shaping a greener future. 🌱⚙️#tourdect #connecticut #connecticutinnovations #innovation #bike #biketour

We fueled up for the Tour de Connecticut in style! Day 1 was powered by @athleticbrewing + @havenhotchicken at our Sip Stop! 🚴‍♀️🍗🍻

#tourdect #bike #venturecapital #connecticut #startups #smallbusiness