And the 2015 Bike Commuter Challenge winners are…

For the past 24 years, the Active Transportation Alliance has created loads of new bike commuters each year through the Bike Commuter Challenge. The challenge promotes bike commuting as an activity that is easy, fun and environmentally-friendly.

Throughout the challenge’s long history, it’s been the job of our Team Leaders – our bike commuting evangelists – to create and recruit teams at their places of employment. Thanks to their enthusiastic efforts, new records occur nearly every year.

Last week Active Trans honored this year’s team leaders and winning teams at a special event (see photo) on the rooftop of the new building that houses SRAM and Google at 1000 W. Fulton in Chicago’s West Loop. 

With the beautiful skyline as a backdrop, attendees shared their stories while enjoying Vienna Beef bratwurst and cold beer from Lagunitas.

2015 Bike Commuter Challenge fun facts:

• Total teams: 380
• Total participants: 4,000
• Total female participants: 1,510
• Total new participants: 692 new riders
• Total number of bike commutes: 14,790 trips
• Total miles biked: 84,062 miles
• Total pounds of C02 saved: 82,381 lbs.
• Total calories burned: 4,119,079 calories
• Most miles biked by a single commuter: 399 miles
• Biggest team: Northwestern University
• Most team commutes: 1,237 trips by Northwest University
• Most team miles: 6,785 miles by Northwest University

Everyone who participated in the Challenge deserves a round of applause for a job well done. This is especially true for new riders – we’re always impressed with the throngs of newly minted riders created by this event. 

So here's the official list of this year’s winning teams 

Bike Related Business, < 5 employees: Warren Cycling

Bike Related Business, 5-24 employees: Village Cycle Sports (Arlington Heights)

Bike Related Business, 25-99 employees: REI Northbrook

Bike Related Business, 100-499 employees: SRAM LLC

Education, 5-24 employees: Sunny Side Child Care

Education, 25-99 employees: eSpark Learning

Education, 100-499 employees: CPS High School

Education, 500-1,000 employees: Loyola University

Education, > 1,000 employees: Museum and School of the Art Institute of Chicago

For Profit, < 5 employees: Alta Planning & Design

For Profit, 5-24 employees: Cyclone Energy

For Profit, 25-99 employees: Studio Gang Architects 

For Profit, 100-499 employees: Upshot

For Profit, 500-1,000 employees: Orbitz Worldwide

For Profit, > 1,000 employees: Groupon

Non-Profit/NGO, 5-24 employees: Shared-Use Mobility Center

Non-Profit/NGO, 25-99 employees: Center of Neighborhood Technology

Non-Profit/NGO, 100-499 employees: Elevate Energy

Non-Profit/NGO, 500-1,000 employees: Field Museum

Non-Profit/NGO, > 1,000 employees: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Public Agency, 5-24 employees: City of Des Plaines, Community and Economic Development

Public Agency, 25-99 employees: Berwyn Public Library

Public Agency, 100-499 employees: Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning 

Public Agency, 500-1,000 employees: US EPA

Public Agency, > 1,000 employees: Chicago Department of Transportation