Spin The District is an annual series of bike races and family-friendly festivals kept in spring. The “District” is a series of small, lively towns in between downtown Atlanta and the ATL airport filled with history, delicious foods, and more hotels than you can shake a stick at. It’s a scrumptious reason to check out Atlanta, get on your bike, and let the good times roll.
Why Go to Spin the District?
Image Credit: Ed Coleman. The races are a global location with riders from over 34 states, 17 nations, and 5 continents. If you’re a strong leisure rider who can hold your own in group rides, you’re probably ready to race. Even if you aren’t racing, the parties and other riding and recreational opportunities will fill your dance card.
Spin The District offers three unique places in three historical downtowns for three legendary days of racing. In the past years, these events filled one impressive weekend. This year, they are spread out over April and early Might. The very first event is in Hapeville, including a Friday night street party. Next comes Union City’s disco party. College Park hosts the conclusion Spin the District and the Speed Week Finals where the best riders in the country race for the crown.
What is a Crit?
Photo Credit: George Hopper. Spin the District is a series of crit races, brief for criterium, which Merriam-Webster specifies as “a bike race of a defined number of laps on a closed course over public roads near to routine traffic.” For riders, it is a busy, intense trip with great deals of corners. For viewers, it’s an opportunity to see all the action up close and personal.
The professional riders at the Hapeville crit ended up 50 laps in simply over an hour. You can watch each lap’s bold methods and extreme exertion from your preferred viewpoint with a live video stream on the big screen from each corner.
Riding the Airport Loop
Picture Credit: Ed Coleman. I’m constantly on the lookout for group trips when I take a trip, and I had the chance for a 16-mile group trip around the airport. This wasn’t Atlanta Peloton’s notorious Airport Trip. It was much shorter and at a recreational pace. This trip was part of the best celebration for the Why We Spin documentary, but Atlanta has an active biking community with numerous group rides. Make sure to check the small print to find one that fits your physical fitness and objectives.
Why We Spin World Premiere
Picture Credit: Ed Coleman. Before the crit, we attended the Why We Spin world premiere at Chattabrewchee The Hangar. There was lots of good beer and good people, and the movie was incredibly entertaining. I enjoyed the animated short that highlighted why crits are so enjoyable to enjoy. It revealed a couple heading out to see a traditional road trip. They established a picnic at their favorite turn. The riders gone by for a minute, then the couple left and went home. Meanwhile, at the crit, they cheer them on at the start, surface, and every lap in between.
My Experience Racing the Hapeville Crit
Picture Credit: George Hopper. Hapeville was my very first crit– ever. I chose my riding pal, George, who rode races in Hattiesburg and Ridgeland with me last year. We trained like insane for the century, but I was a bit lazy for the crit. I rode a number of group rides, however I kept getting dropped if the group reviewed 17 mph. By comparison, I finished my first century ride in 2015 with an 18.3 miles per hour average, including getting dropped at the end.
I was lined up at the beginning for the feline 4/5 riders at 4:00 in the afternoon with adrenaline pumping through my veins like a firehose. I was jockeying in the back with young riders from the regional cycle club. Mercifully, they waved me off the course when the totally free laps were completed so I wasn’t in the method of the riders in contention. I like to say I was the first to complete, although I didn’t win … LOL! Obviously, purists will point out I didn’t technically complete. Still, it was great enjoyable and the emphasize of my weekend journey to the ATL Airport District.
Hapeville Block Party
Image Credit: George Hopper. The Hapeville Crit is understood for its block party, and George and I were thrilled to participate in. They had lots of yummy food trucks and fresh local craft beer. We played a little corn hole and drank some bourbon as the sun set over The District. As soon as the pro-riders lined up, our attention returned to the race.
Professional Bike Racing in Hapeville
Picture Credit: George Hopper. The professional females raced first, starting just after 7:00. The$5,000 cash prize attracted some of the very best riders in the country. The speed was quick and furious, and I swore to myself that I would never take it personally once again if someone stated I rode like a lady.
The males began a little after 8:00 for fifty fast laps under the light. They were likewise competing for a $5,000 prize– equal spend for equal work. We strolled to various viewpoint around the track and saw them swoop by like a flock of birds. We might feel the peloton winds rush over us and hear the riders clicking through their equipments as they accelerated through the turns into the next straight away. It was equivalent parts exciting and motivating.
Riding the Atlanta Beltline
Picture Credit: Ed Coleman. We chose to spend an additional day around Atlanta to explore the city. Our first stop was the Atlanta Beltline, an enthusiastic project that will sooner or later fully circle Atlanta and link its many distinct neighborhoods. Today, nevertheless, it’s a series of disconnected tracks, so we selected to ride among the most popular sections from Piedmont Park to the Krog Street Market.
We parked about a mile north of Piedmont Park at a trail terminus and rode south, which was a terrific decision because the park was hosting the Dogwood Festival, and some lots were charging as much as $45. Along the way, we passed by the Spring Wine Celebration at another park and the Ponce City Market before we reached Krog Street. Everyone and their dog were on the trail, so we cruised gradually and delighted in the metropolitan energy. There were numerous charming stores with delicious-sounding food and places to rent bikes that we could have easily made a day of it.
Georgia Fish Tank Discount Tickets
Picture Credit: Ed Coleman. We likewise wanted to check out the Georgia Fish tank and were thrilled to find the ATL Airport District offers discount tickets. We couldn’t pass that up. The connections were fantastic, too, with either riding a number of stops down the metro line or taking a short, direct journey on surface streets without ever needing to get on the freeway.
The aquarium featured a number of themed areas, but our favorite was the sharks. Did you know that over 100 million sharks are killed every year, mostly for shark fin soup? We found out that from one of their lots of information displays and seen firsthand as school kids find out that sharks are pals, not food.
Where to Consume in Hapeville
Picture Credit: Ed Coleman. Downtown Hapeville is a lovely, main-street neighborhood where local organizations develop a special metropolitan scene. It’s developed along the railroad with thriving shops on both sides of the track.
We had the opportunity to attempt four distinct regional dining establishments that left us wanting to stay longer so that we could eat more. For breakfast, I enjoyed their cheddar cheese grits topped with bourbon braised brief ribs from Folk Art one early morning. The next morning, we went to JPresso for truly excellent coffee and breakfast deals with in an eclectic man-cave-esque environment.
For lunch, we stopped into Brake Pad, a classic filling station that now dishes out all your preferred bar food. The next day, we popped into Pit Boss to commemorate the meats of the Deep South with a few of the meatiest ribs I’ve ever seen.
Where to Remain in Hapeville
Image Credit: Ed Coleman. The ATL Airport District has over 7,000 hotel spaces that provide a 30% typical cost savings over downtown Atlanta hotels! We stayed at a great modern-day Embassy Suites and acquired some Marriott points. The area was also exceptional since we were on the edge of a residential district with quiet and bikeable back roadways into downtown Hapeville and the crit occasions.
Last Thoughts on Spin The District
Picture Credit: Ed Coleman. Spin The District isn’t a singular occasion. It’s a series of 3 crits in April and early Might: Hapeville, Union City, and College Park. That means there’s still time to prepare a journey to the ATL Airport District this spring (2025 )!
We’re really tempted to come back for a track accreditation class at the Penis Lane Velodrome, one of the steepest concrete velodromes in the world, (perhaps not) coincidently located 3.5 miles from downtown Hapeville. I didn’t know much about Hapeville before I visited; now I’m counting the factors to return. That states a lot about both the town’s appeal and hospitality!
Disclosure: A huge thank you to ATL Airport District for hosting us and establishing a wonderful itinerary! For more Atlanta area travel inspiration, check out their Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube accounts.
As always, the views and opinions revealed are totally our own, and we only suggest brands and destinations that we 100% support.
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Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman aka Coleman Concierge. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of incredible adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel.