I came in first pace again, with 955.1 pounds, in 15 trips from Grocery Outlet. Most of this was multi-bag packages of bags of white rice that were on pallets that Grocery Outlet set out for Cranksgiving shoppers. In many of my trips, I grabbed two 30 pound packages of 5-pound bags of white rice, and one 5-pound bag of white rice so that the cashier can scan it and enter quantity of 13 bags.
UPDATE 11/1 - 11/2 2025:
2025 event date: November 8
Start location: Usual Penn Treaty Park
Start Time: 11 AM rollout, recommended to get to the start location by
10:35 or better still 10:30, 10 AM for start place pre-registration.
This is 1 hour earlier than historic
usual!
Shopping End Location: Philabundance Warehouse, 302 W. Berks St
First afterparty and Awards Ceremony: 2-5 PM, Keystone Bikes at 3rd & Berks.
Second Afterparty: Starts 5 PM at Tattooed Mom.
Online preregistration (recommended): This is here.
Rules for the 2025 event are announced here.
Same as in 2024, there is both an alley cat race (checkpoint race) and a points "race". Both of these races will have prizes for 1st place overall, 1st place with a cargo bike, first place with a fixed gear bike, first place rider under 18, and first place rider who is not cisgender male. New category for 2025: Age over 55.
For the points race in 2025: I noticed that getting receipts from 4 stores or 8 stores might be a way to win. With (for example) 840 pounds from 1-3 stores getting same 840 points as 560 pounds from 4-7 stores, same as 480 pounds from 8 stores, which is same as 2024 rules. Going to more than 8 stores in 2025 gets more points than in 2024: To get 840 points in 2025 from 9 stores requires 420 pounds, 373.33 pounds from 10 stores, 336 pounds from 11 stores, 305.45 pounds from 11 stores, or 280 pounds from 12 stores.
UPDATE 11/1/2025:
In 2024, I went for 812 pounds with multiple trips between the Grocery Outlet
and the nearby Philabundance Warehouse with no extra points multiplier, and I
won on basis of hauling in 812 pounds and points multiplier of merely 1. 2024
was the year of record tonnage haul-in of about 3.15 tons of food for
Philadelphians who have trouble affording food.
In 2025 with only 3 instead of 4 hours of shopping time (unless an extension gets announced on Race Day), I expect to haul in only 675-700 pounds of groceries and get 675-700 points.
The Facebook page for Cranksgiving Philadelphia, most recently updated 11/8/2024 with most recent significant comment 11/10/2024 as of 11/11/2024.
My 2024-2025 strategy Is to go to the Grocery Outlet supermarket style store on the east side of American Street (between 2nd and 3rd) just south of Berks Street. This is only a block from the 302 W. Berks Street finish point, the Philabundance warehouse. And make multiple trips and haul in 675 - 700 pounds pounds of groceries.
If the Grocery Outlet gets running out of stuff, then I will start hauling lots of weight from the Acme at 2nd & Girard.
And when you spent your charity budget (or we emptied favorable stores) and you have time to go to other stores, or if you want to have some time to go to other stores for more receipts, then you get to figure out how to budget your time to go to more stores to get receipts from.
My pre-2018 strategy is removed, at least mostly. If you are curious about my pre-2018 winning strategy, then go to my pre-2018 cheat sheet.
Winning bikes, details
BIG UPDATE Competitors can get groceries weighed in at the finish point,
get weights noted on their manifests, then go back out for more groceries and
receipts. When multiple trips are done, all trips must be done by the deadline
that in 2025 is announced as historically unusually early 2 PM.
There is a store (Grocery Outlet) only 1 block from the new-for-2024 finish point (Philabundance warehouse, 302 W. Berks Street). I plan to move tonnage as quickly as I can with a fixie track bike without score multiplier, and I hoped someone would dethrone me in 2024.
UPDATE 12/18 2024: I used an Aventon Mataro track bike, without the pizza rack that I previously used. My only cargo carrying equipment was a "big boxy backpack" "Caviar Bag". I used standard butyl inner tubes in 2024, instead of latex inner tubes that I used in previous years for less rolling resistance.
Update 2 days after 2024 "race day": I hauled in 812 pounds. I did 13 trips, all from the same store, so I had points multiplier of 1. I plan to do the same in 2025, with no equipment change other than regearing this same bike to a lower gear ratio (from 43/17 to 42/20).
My freight hauling ability has history going back to 2015 with my 2016, 2017 and 2022 winning bikes being souped-up (slick tires, latex inner tubes, no front derailleur) cheap heavy 26 inch bikes, and in 2019 and 2021 I won by using a track bike with an added pizza rack, a big backpack, and latex inner tubes.
I learned in 2022 that I can carry 80 cans of beans with weight between 80 and 90 pounds in this big boxy backpack, although my 2022 bike was slower than the bikes I used in my previous 4 championships.
For 2022, I used a cheap mountain bike, with 26x2.0 tires (my usual slick / semi slick) with Vittoria pink latex inner tubes, and a pizza rack that I used for carrying a large backpack (a "Caviar bag"), strapped onto the pizza rack with a used inner tube. I loaded my "Caviar bag" with 80-89 pounds of mostly or entirely canned goods on four trips. On my first trip, I took on most of my weight at the Trader Joes at 1324 Arch after making small purchases at 4 other stores, then rode less than 1.5 miles to the finish point. In my following three trips, I took on weight at mainly or exclusively at one of the two Acmes closest to the finish point.
UPDATE 11/25/2022: I forgot to bring my pizza bag to the starting point in 2022. After I arrived at the 5th (and last) store of my first of four trips (Trader Joes 1324 Arch), I realized how many 15-16 ounce cans can fit in a common size "Caviar bag" which is a box-like backpack. 80 cans fit in, with a pattern of 4 layers of cans, and each layer has 5 staggered rows of 4 cans.
This is my 2022 winning bike, but for Cranksgiving Philadelphia 2022 I removed
the motor and battery of my e-bike conversion kit that I previously added to a
Walmart-sold cheap mountain bike that a friend trashpicked for me. Its front
derailleur was removed, and had one 42T front chainring for Cranksgiving
(48T when I have it motorized). The rear derailleur cable was frazzled, so this
bike was single speed at 42/20 for Cranksgiving Philly 2022. Also shown here
(main reason for this photo) is one of my "Caviar bags", which can carry 80
15-16 ounce cans (86-90 pounds) of canned goods. I rubber-banded my Caviar bag
with an inner tube to a front pizza rack (poorly shown here) on this bike.
I do well with 26" wheels with slick or semi-slick tires of mountain bike size.
This means less rolling resistance, especially with latex inner tubes. Latex
tubes are only easily available in a few sizes, including only one mountain bike
size, 26" by 1.7-2.1. These are Vittoria pink latex with presta valve, which
works OK (in my experience) with rims drilled for Schraeder valves. UPDATE
11/12/2024: Latex 26" mountain size inner tubes have been discontinued by
Vittoria, and may be getting scarce. Ultralight tubes, like latex tubes, have
less rolling resistance than standard tubes, but many bike shops don't have them.
Another part of my strategy, a minor one: Use the widest rims I can get for
wheels that can be used with 26x2.0 tires. This reduces rolling resistance and
increases weight-carrying capacity.
In 2021, I used my track bike with a pizza rack added and a pizza bag and inner tubes used as giant rubber bands, along with a big backpack, to carry much more weight on my trips from the Acme on 5th Street to Tattooed Mom. My second last trip had a little less than 100 pounds, and my last trip had about 130 pounds, hauled about 4-1/2 blocks.
This is my 2017 winning bike.
My 2017 bike was a hardtail mountain bike configured as a fixie, with good wheels, 30mm wide front rim, 33mm wide rear rim, and 26x2.0 Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires with Vittoria pink latex inner tubes. It weighed a few pounds less than my 2016 winning bike. I think slick or semi-slick tires 26 x 1.7 to 2.1 with latex inner tubes helped me a lot.
This is my 2016 winning bike, a cheap beach cruiser with minor modifications.
My significant changes were adding front and rear baskets, upgrading the tires and inner tubes, and removing the kickstand. The front basket is a Wald 157. The rear one is the formerly common 6-gallon milk crate attached to a homebrew rear rack made of aluminum angle. The tires are Nashbar 26x1.25" slicks, which I consider narrower than optimum. Note the large carrying bags in each basket.
Gear ratio: My 2016 winning bike had about 59 gear inches. My 2017 & 2018
bike had ~ 65 gear inches, but I felt that I would have done better with around
61-62 gear inches. My 2022 winning bike was a cheap mountain bike ridden in only
one gear, 42/20 with 26" tires, which is 55 inches. I could have gone faster
with about 60-61 inches (42/18 with 26" tires), but I had gotten out of shape
from using an e-bike during the summer to avoid overheating. My 2024 winning
track bike was geared 43/17 (66 gear inches), and I intended to regear it to
43/20 (56 inches) for hauling lots of freight only one block with my short
fast-spinning legs. I expect around 68-73 gear inches (42/ 15 or 16, 44/16,
48/ 17 or 18) to be a high enough gear ratio for big tall men with long heavy
legs to do well. Even to pass me on the way from Penn Treaty Park to Grocery
Outlet will probably only require speed of 20 MPH, and at 90 RPM this only
requires 75 gear inces.
For a short hauling situation, I estimate 73 inches (42/15 for most track bikes
and most 26" bikes), *at most*, for big tall men with long heavily-muscled
legs.
I have sometimes felt that some track bikes have a strange ergonomic dynamic
that disfavors gearing lower than 42/16 (68.5 - 69 inches), and I noticed such
bikes feel good with 42/15 (73 inches). But please consider: One loses
more time per block when being slowed while the going is slow, than being slowed
while the going is fast. I advise those who use single speed bikes to have them
geared with high consideration of hauling freight, and spin fast while not
carrying freight.
Tire pressure: 110 PSI front, 120 PSI rear, divided by the tire width in inches. This is 2750 PSI front, 3000 PSI rear, divided by the tire width in mm. Or 110% of the tires' maximum rated pressure. (Exceed maximum rated pressure only at your own risk, even though I do this for heavy weight hauling.) Whichever is lower. Go for a little more (at your own risk if exceeding manufacturer ratings) if you are heavy or your load will be especially heavy. I used less in 2022, 45 front low 50s rear with 26x2.0 tires, but I could have used 55 PSI in both tires and gone slightly faster.
In 2022 It hauled in 273.5 pounds in one trip. If only it was used for a second trip to one of the Acme stores closest to the finish point (Tattooed Mom's back then), it could have easily hauled in over 400 pounds and beaten my 2022-winning 336.7 pounds.
If it got used to haul in more than 449 pounds with receipts from as few as 4 stores, it would have been the 2022 winner and I would have come in 2nd.
In 2024, the human powered tractor trailer came in second place again. Its rider went out inro the neighborhoods to get multiple receipts and had a trailer breakage before hauling in lots of weight from Grocery Outlet. Had he hauled in more than 464 poinds, mostly from Grocery Outlet by going to Grocery Outlet first, then gotten receipts from at least 7 other stores, he would have beaten me.
Click Here to Skip to Other Prizes.
I advise avoiding the Mariposa co-op on Baltimore Avenue near 49th to save time.
In 2022, the Acme at 5th & Pine had only mini carts and lack of availability of full size carts. I hope that in November 2024 this Acme will have some full size carts, to benefit my rival who has a human-powered tractor-trailer, and so that they can sell hundreds more pounds of groceries (that get donated to Philabundance).
* Cooking oil (New for 2024, cheapest is veg/soybean but I see canola as healthier by having significant amount of ALA)
* Can of meat or tuna (or chili according to my past experience)
* Can of veggies or fruit, such as beans or string beans
* Can of stew or soup. In the past, I had chili counted as stew.
* Cereal, oatmeal or breakfast bars. I recommend store brand corn flakes and store brand oatmeal, in bigger sizes.
* 1-pound box of whole grain pasta (I think any pasta is good)
* 100% juice
* Rice (which has low cost per pound in big bags)
* Milk in boxes and that does not require refrigeration
Recent past years had clarifications against anything in glass containers, and perishables such as bags of potatoes that were on the list before 2019.
NOTE 2: I had difficulty finding canned stew, but I had chili counted as stew.
NOTE 3: These charts do not always lead to the smallest, lightest, or least expensive version of the listed items. These charts were made mostly for getting through supermarkets quickly. No guarantee that all listed item locations will be valid on Race Day.
Note 4: Avoid perishables including bags of potatoes that were in favor before 2019. And avoid glass containers, which means peanut butter is only acceptable in plastic containers.
Grocery Outlet, American & Berks new for 2024The Chart for Grocery Outlet, American & Berks (Chart added 11/12/2024)
Item Location -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PB & J: Rear "end cap" between Aisles 1 & 2. 4 pound Skippy is $4.99. Juice: Aisle 2, right side towards front Cereal, bkfast bars: Aisle 1, left side towards front Pasta: Aisle 3, left side towards front Can beans: Middle of Aisle 3, both sides but more on left side Soup: Aisle 3, middle of right side Can fish/meat: Aisle 3, right rear Can veggies: Aisle 3, middle of left side. Some cost 59 or 69 cents per can. Oil: Aisle 4, left side, rear-middle. Rice: Aisle 4, right towards front. Includes 70 cents per pound.The Chart for Acme, 2nd & Girard
Pasta: Aisle 10, right, front & middle Can veggies: Aisle 9, left, towards front Canned fish: Aisle 9 right rear Canned chili: Aisle 9 right rear Cereal, Bkfast bars: Aisle 8 left. Cheap corn flakes: 3rd highest shelf about 1/3 of the way back. Peanut Butter: Aisle 7 left, bread and PB & J aisle, rear-middle Oil: Aisle 7 rear, and look around both sides Rice: Aisle 10 left & middle, includes $4.99 5-pound and $14.99 20-poundThe Chart for Freshgrocer, east side of Broad between Jefferson and Oxford
Canned beans: Aisle 6 right towards front
Can veggies: Aisle 6 tight towards front, includes huge cans $ 7.69-7.99
Canned fish: Aisle 6 left towards rear
Cereal: Aisle 3 right. Cheap corn flakes: Lowest shelf about 35% of the way back,
Bowl and Basket brand, white boxes with green.
Peanut Butter: Aisle 14 left towards front
Oil: Aisle 5 left rear, includes Bowl & Basket gallons (~8 pounds) for $10.49.
Rice: Aisle 7 right, includes $9.29 10-pound and $16.99 20-pound
Bags of beans: Aisle 6 right front
The Chart for Aldi, Ridge just east of
Broad
(Chart added 11/12/2024)Item Location -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peanut butter: Left center of store, between 2nd and 3rd most-left aisles Juice: Left side of rear half of a left-center aisle Can goodies: Right-center aisle, left side, rear half Soup: Right-center aisle, right side, rear Rice: Center of store, but supply may be lowThe chart for Acme, 10th & South
Item Location -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pasta and Can goodies: Lots of goodies including cheap cans veggies Aisle 3, confirmed 2024 Oil: Aisle 5, left towards front Box Cereal Aisle 4, left, most of the aisle Brkfast Bars Aisle 4, right, rear of aisle 8-pack juice Aisle 11, left, middle of aisle, 2nd highest shelf, first boxed juices Lg. jar P.B. Aisle 12, left, frontish middle, bottom shelf, confirmed 2024The Chart for Aldi, 31st & Girard (Chart added 11/14/2019, not updated since)
Item Location
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peanut butter: 2nd-rightmost aisle, left side of rear-middle of aisle, bottom shelf
Juice 8-pack: 2nd-rightmost aisle, upper shelves front of left side of aisle,
past cranberry juice drinks
Cereal 3rd-rightmost aisle, right side, just past the mid-store aisle break
Breakfast bars 3rd-rightmost aisle, right side, rear of aisle past syrups, upper shelves
whol-grn Pasta 4th-rightmost aisle, front of aisle on the left
Can beans: 5th-rightmost aisle, left side, just past the mid-store aisle breaks
Chunky Soup 6th-rightmost aisle (left aisle), right side of rear of aisle
(I hope accepted in place of stew)
Can tuna/meat In the rear side of the mid-store aisle braks between the
5th and 6th rightmost aisles (the two leftmost aisles)
New additions for 2022, for 89 and 99 cent cheap beans (2022 prices) at two Trader Joe's stores:
At the Trader Joe's at 1324 Arch: After entering the store, go left to enter the aisle to the left of straight ahead. Look left before going much rearward along that aisle to find cheap cans of beans.
At the Trader Joes on the rear side of 2121 Maeket Street, with driveway access from 21st Street and 22nd Street, I prefer 21st for Cranksgiving: After entering the store, quickly go left, and look for the 3rd-last aisle before the wall with bottled water. Turn right into this 3rd-last aisle, go about halfway along this aisle and look left for cheap cans of beans. Next, follow through this aisle to the end and turn left and at the wall turn left again, to enter the checkout line. The checkout line at this Trader Joe's on a mid-November Saturday afternoon might be so long that you may have to find your way to its rear end. Thankfully, it moves quickly.
There is a prize for the most points earned by someone who is female, transgender, a femme or non-binary. The person who won this prize in 2022 hauled in either about 67 or about 76 pounds, without the convenience of a Grocery Outlet only one block from the finish point. I think there are women who can haul in well over 100 pounds from Grocery Outlet (even if in more than one trip) and get receipts from 4 or more, even 8 or more stores. 135 pounds from Grocery Outlet and 15 pounds from 8 other stores results in 300 points. 200 pounds from Grocery Outlet and 10 pounds from 3 other stores results in 315 points.
In the likely event you see me wearing a dress like I did in 2024, I am competing as a cisgender male and trying only for First Overall and Most Charitable in the points race. I like showing that men can wear dresses without looking like drag queens.
There is a Best Out Of Town prize, for the person who lives outside Philadelphia that earns the most points. This prize may be reserved for someone who does not win another prize or who lives farther from Philadelphia than Upper Darby is.
There has been the Overachiever prize, for the person who brings in groceries and receipts from the most stores. In 2019, the winner of this prize went to 11 stores. For 2024, I'm not sure this prize still excists, but I want it to be a winnable prize. I heard two people claiming they went to 17 stores in 2024.
There are prizes for 1st place in the points race and first place in the alley cat race for riders of age under 18, and age over 55. I am over 55, so one needs to beat me in the points race (likely 675-700 points in 2025) for 1st place over 55 in the points race.
Groceries generally cost less at Aldi than at other stores. The one that is
least out of the way from the starting point to the finish point is at
the Ridge Avenue side of 1300 Fairmount.
Large cans of string beans at Acmes cost little per pound.
ADDED HERE: Rules changes restored usefulness of getting boxes of cereal; I
recommend store brand corn flakes (and also for 2024 oatmeal) when getting
boxes of cereal from major name supermarkets such as Acme.
Also, please consider that hauling freight by bike produces more body heat than standing around at the start location and waiting to get going. When you get going, you will probably soon want to dump some of your clothes into somewhere on your bike or in a backpack.
In 2016, the weather was quite on the warm side for November. I started with a jacket, that I stashed into one of the cargo places on my bike when I had gone about a mile and started making body heat. Also, I was wearing a breezy skirt so as to not overheat while burning lots of calories while the temperature was getting into the 60s. I got ahead of the ones who were dressed in long pants for a typical November morning; they overheated.
I will be updating in November 2025 when weather forecasts are becoming available. But, please take personal responsibility to get weather forecasts on your own, and be prepared!
The weather forecast for 11/8/2025 by the National Weather Service is available here. As of early AM 11/2, this forecast is fair / mostly sunny with a dawntime low of 49 and a high of 65.