Bike Communter Challengers rack up the miles

For the past 25 years, the Active Transportation Alliance has encouraged new bike commuters to get out and ride through the Bike Commuter Challenge. 

The challenge promotes bike commuting as an easy, fun and environmentally-friendly activity.

Throughout the challenge’s 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 team leaders’ enthusiastic efforts, new records get racked up nearly every year. 

Check out these 2016 Bike Commuter Challenge fun facts:

• 268 teams 
• 3,635 participants 
• 1,628 new participants
• 16,906 trips were made
• 96,735 miles were biked
• 94,800 lbs of CO2 were saved
• 4,740,026 calories were burned
• Most miles biked by a single commuter: Daniel Monreal from Loyal University biked 389.82 miles in 13 trips 
• Most trips biked by a single commuter: Aaron Hammond from Lincoln Park Conservatory biked 33 trips
• Biggest team: Northwestern University, 174 registered

On Saturday, June 18, Active Trans honored this year’s team leaders and BCC participants with a Bike Week Wrap Party at 1st Ward Events at the Chop Shop in Wicker Park. 

Attendees shared their Bike Week stories and had a great time while enjoying beer from New Belgium Brewing. And participants got to strut their best biking attire on the crosswalk runway in the Bike Commuter Challenge Fashion Show (see photo).

The official list of this year’s winning teams:

<5 Employees:

Bike Related — ABUS Mobile Security

For Profit — Tie between Bright and Alta Planning + Design

5-24 Employees:

Education — Sunny Side Child Care

For Profit — Tie between Moss Design and Cyclone Energy Group

Non Profit — Shared-Use Mobility Center

Public Agency — Village of Brookfield, CEDD

25-99 Employees:

Bike Related — REI Northbrook

Education — eSpark Learning

For Profit — Studio Gang Architects

Non Profit — Center for Neighborhood Technology

Public Agency — City of Evanston Health and Human Services 

100-499 Employees:

Bike Related Business — SRAM

Education — Erikson Institute

For Profit — Upshot

Non Profit — Chicago Public Media (WBEZ/Vocalo)

Public Agency — Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

500-2,499 Employees:

Education — Museum and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

For Profit — Publicis @ 35WW

Non Profit — Field Museum

Public Agency — USEPA

2,500-4,499 Employees:

For Profit — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (HCSC)

Non Profit — Tie between Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and Swedish Covenant Hospital

> 5,000 Employees:

Education — Northwestern University

For Profit — CDW Corporation, downtown

Non-Profit/NGO — Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital

Public Agency — ComEd

Please join us in a round of applause for a job well done for everyone who participated in the challenge this year.