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May is Chicago Bike Month

Throughout the month of May, Chicago Bike Month provides an opportunity to showcase the many benefits of bicycling — and encourage more folks to give biking a try.

The month-long event, which is presented by FK Law and Keating Law Offices, gives Chicagoland residents the opportunity to support the movement for better biking in their community.

SIGN UP FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE’S BICYCLE COMMUTER CHALLENGE

Starting May 13, the Bike Commuter Challenge (sponsored by Keating Law Offices) is a month-long biking competition in which Chicagoland organizations compete to see who can earn the most points by riding their bike.

It’s free to participate! Just sign up, ride your bike, and watch the points roll in.

BIKE COMMUTER CHALLENGE CELEBRATION STATIONS

During Bike Month, join us at one or more of these pop-up hang outs at four different locations. Score some swag and snacks on your afternoon commute and chat with other bike commuters, Active Transportation Alliance staff and volunteers.

MONDAY, MAY 20 | 4:30–6:30 PM | Illinois Medical District, corner of Damen & Odgen
WEDNESDAY, MAY 29 | 4:30–6:30 PM | 606 Trail, entrance ramp on Damen at Churchill Park
TUESDAY, JUNE 4 |4:30 PM – 6:30 PM |Metra Bike Car Demo, location TBD
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5 | 4:30–6:30 PM | Field Museum, Lakefront Path

STREETS CALLING BIKE FEST: JUNE 22

Join Streets Calling on Saturday, June 22, for Bike Fest, sponsored by FK Law and Active Transportation Alliance! Come ride at this classic no-drop Streets Calling ride.

After the ride at noon, enjoy a bike-themed daytime party, featuring a bike fashion show, a DJ, prizes, and free swag from our partners. Come dressed to impress with your bike. Whatever your style is, we want you to rock it. Awards for best dressed, best effort, and best bike!

BIKE MONTH WRAP-UP PARTY

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, Mike Keating Law Offices, 825 N. Milwaukee Ave.

RIDE OF SILENCE 2024 ON MAY 15

This annual bicycle ride honors those who were injured or killed while biking or walking in the past year. Rides will be held in Chicago, Downers Grove, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Evanston/Skokie, and Villa Park. Look at the full list of Illinois rides.

The Ride of Silence Chicago will depart from the Dickens Greenway Plaza at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15. If you’re near downtown, join the remote start from Queen’s Landing at 5:30 p.m. No matter where you start, registration is required.

Active Transportation Alliance is one of the organizers for the Chicago Ride of Silence.

NATIONAL BIKE & ROLL TO SCHOOL DAY

On Wednesday, May 8, dozens of schools in Illinois will be participating in National Bike & Roll to School Day. Use this website to learn which schools in your county or city are participating.

BIKE MONTH HAPPENINGS IN SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES

ALSIP
MAY 4 & JUNE 25 | 5:30–7:30 PM | walking tour
JUNE 22 | 10 AM – noon | biking tour

BROOKFIELD
MAY 3 | 6:30 PM | First Friday Slow Roll Social Ride with Cycle Brookfield
MAY 11 | 11 AM | Annual bike safety and check up event with Cycle Brookfield

BENSENVILLE
MAY 13 | 6 PM | Bike safety workshop

ELGIN
Rides hosted by Elgin Community Bikes:
MAY 11| 7 AM | More Ambitious Ride
MAY 15 | 6:30 PM | Ride of Silence
MAY 19 | 11 AM | Slow Roll Ride
MAY 24 | 9 PM | Full Moon Ride
MAY 26 | 2 PM | Kidical Mass Ride
MAY 30 |6:30 PM | Bike Fabulous

GLEN ELLYN
MAY 18 | 1 PM | Glen Ellyn Bike Rodeo

HIGHLAND PARK
Bike Month Proclamation planned by City Council
MAY 18 & JUNE 1 | noon | Highland Park Historic Bike Tour with the Historic Preservation Commission. See historic and architecturally significant homes along the ride!

HOFFMAN ESTATES
JUNE 12 | Bicycle ride at Crank Revolution

PALATINE
Events hosted by Bike Palatine Club:
Twice weekly casual rides + monthly Saturday long rides
Bike Month library display
MAY 19| 9 AM – 2:30 PM | Smart Cycling Course with Bike Palatine Club
JUNE 5 | 4 PM – 6 PM | ABC Quick Check workshop

RIVERSIDE
MAY 10 | 6 PM | Ride Riverside is hosting monthly slow roll rides on the 2nd Fridays of every month

SCHAUMBURG
JUNE 2 | NOON | Fahrrad Tour von Schamburg
Schaumburg is celebrating Bike Month in June with various community activities

SKOKIE
MAY 15 | Ride of Silence
JUNE | Skokie Bike Network’s Ride to Chicago Fire Games and a Skokie Historic Ride
JULY 14 | Tales from the Trails storytelling event

STREAMWOOD
MAY 11 | 9 AM : Family ride and ABC’s of Biking, a free event to introduce families to biking safely.

WILMETTE
MAY 11 | 9 AM – 11 AM | Bike Walk Wilmette used bike collection to support Working Bikes

WOODSTOCK
MAY 15 | 7 PM | Ride of Silence

LEARN MORE

During Bike Month and beyond, consider supporting our non-profit community bikes shops. These shops not only provide affordable repairs and sell used bikes, but they also play an essential role in promoting how cycling helps create prosperous, healthy, and equitable communities.

Also, Chicago Family Biking offers an extensive list of family-oriented bike rides taking place throughout Chicagoland in coming months.

Looking for some tips that will make your Chicagoland biking trips safer and easier? Here’s a good place to start.

Ride Illinois offers an interactive bike safety quiz that teaches adults, children, motorists, and truck drivers how to share the road safely.

Here are a couple of good articles for people new to biking from our long-time sponsor, REI:

And be sure to check out Active Trans’ massive list of links and resources to help you learn more about walking, biking, and using transit in the Chicago region.

CREATE YOUR OWN BIKE MONTH EVENT

If you’re part of a group that is thinking of organizing a bike-related event next year during Chicago Bike Month, you might be inspired by reading through this extensive list of event ideas.

If you’re putting on a Bike Month activity, share it with us and we’ll post the event here or link to it.

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We need Active Transportation Alliance for the long term. For the next 30 years as we fight climate change, as we transition out of being a car-first society, someone needs to be the prophetic voice.

— Daniel La Spata, 1st Ward Alderman, Chicago

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