For Steve Nettler, riding his bike for multiple sclerosis awareness is personal.

"My wife was diagnosed a little over ten years ago, and I've been riding ever since," Nettler said.

The same goes for Ray Thompson.

"My sister was diagnosed with MS in 2015 so I'm riding for her, my aunt and a coworker as well," Thompson added.

These two cyclists joined more than 3,000 others for the 34th Annual Bike MS New York City - an inspirational, traffic-free bike ride around Manhattan to raise money for and awareness about Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis or MS is a disabling disease of the central nervous system, disrupting the flow of information to the brain, causing symptoms ranging from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis.

There are more than 2.3 million people with MS worldwide. On Saturday, actress Selma Blair announced she was recently diagnosed with it.

"It's a very unpredictable disease, everybody's symptoms manifest differently, and it can be devastating, Nettler said."

Bike MS cyclists are raising money for the National Multiple Sclerosis society. Organizers have said it's the biggest fundraising event for the disease in New York.

"So the money goes towards funding life changing breakthroughs for people living with MS, the money goes towards critical research initiatives to hopefully one day find a cure for MS," Robin Einbinder, President of the society said.

For the 50 and 100 mile ride, cyclists bike down the West Side Highway, through the Holland Tunnel, and back to Manhattan over the George Washington Bridge. The 30 milers get to ride up the FDR, all without cars.

Finishers are greeted with cheers, music and their families - and a feeling of comradery as they pedal toward a future without MS.

Organizers say so far this year's ride has raised around $2 million dollars, but the donation period isn’t over yet, so they hope to hit their goal of $2.5 million.