Chicago Bike Week Rally to kick off Bike Week

Media release

June 13, 2017

Media Contact: 

Clare McDermott
Active Transportation Alliance
Marketing and Events Director 
312.216.0466 (o)
773.391.7709 (c)
clare@activetrans.org

Ted Villaire
Active Transportation Alliance
Communications Director 
312.216.0484 (o)
312.563.1118 (c)
ted@activetrans.org

Celebrate the #1 bicycling city at Chicago Bike Week Rally plus take part in dozens of other Bike Week events! 
Highlights of the week include the Bike Week Rally on June 16, a popular bike commuting competition and opportunities to get involved in creating a better city for biking

Chicago, Ill: June 13, 2017 — Looking for a great excuse to get your butt on a bicycle? The 26th annual Chicago Bike Week produced by Active Transportation Alliance and presented by Freeman Kevenides Law Firm from June 16-23 provides the perfect opportunity. With Chicago recently being named the #1 cycling city by Bicycling magazine, it’s a perfect time to celebrate a great biking city by attending a series of free events and the Chicago Bike Week Rally presented Freeman Kevenides Law Firm on Friday, June 16, 7 a.m.-9 a.m. at Daley Plaza in the Loop. 

In addition to the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council Awards Ceremony being presented at the rally, the Experimental Station's Blackstone Bicycle Works on Chicago’s South Side is debuting its musical collaboration piece with Chicago-based rapper, Rhymefest, and Donda's House, called “Stay in Your Lane. The piece promotes bicycling and bike safety and highlights the creativity and positive energy that Chicago's youth bring to our city.

The most anticipated part of Bike Week is the weeklong Bike Commuter Challenge — when rivalries take hold among workplaces throughout Chicagoland as they vie for the top position in their category. Workplaces compete by earning points and getting the most employees riding to work during the week (a bike commute can mean a full or partial bike trip). 

In recent years, tens of thousands of individuals and thousands of workplaces have participated in the Bike Commuter Challenge, and every year, many of the participants are trying out a two-wheeled commute for the first time. 

While the throngs of new cyclists taking to the streets during Bike Week is always a thrill for us, we know that better bike infrastructure would attract so many more people who are interested in hopping on a bike. Building infrastructure that makes biking safe, convenient and easy encourages more people to use bikes as everyday transportation, contributing to the development of healthier, more prosperous and environmentally sustainable communities. 

For Chicago Bike Week, we are hosting a variety of events focusing on two-wheeled transportation: 

Friday, June 16: Chicago Bike Week Rally presented by Freeman Kevenides Law Firm, 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. at Daley Plaza. 

Friday, June 16 – June 30: Bike Commuter Challenge presented by Freeman Kevenides Law Firm; two weeks long this year! 

• Monday, June 19 – Thursday, June 22: Commuter Challenge Morning Pit Stops (various locations).
• Tuesday, June 20: Bike Commuter Challenge Happy Hour Pit Stop at Timbuk2, 1623 N. Damen, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, June 21: Bike Commuter Challenge Happy Hour Pit Stop at Revolution Tap Room, 3340 N. Kedzie, 5:30 p.m – 8:30 p.m. 

Monday, June 19: Slow Roll Chicago’s Juneteenth Ride, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Thursday, June 22: The Chainlink's Ferris Bueller Scavenger Hunt Benefitting World Bicycle Relief, 5:30 p.m., downtown Chicago. 

Saturday, June 24: Bicycle Commuting Basics, REI Lincoln Park, 1466 N. Halsted, 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Thursday, June 29: An evening of conversation and mobilization around improving the Milwaukee Avenue corridor in Wicker Park and Bucktown at Arc’teryx, 1620 N. Damen, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Looking for photos of bike commuters in the city or the suburbs? We can help. 

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The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that advocates for walking, bicycling, and public transit to create healthy, sustainable and equitable communities.  The organization works to build a movement around active transportation, encourage physical activity, increase safety and build a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance is supported by more than 7,000 members and 1,000 volunteers. For more information about the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.