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Greetings
Whether you ride your bike one time a year or everyday, now is an important time to support nonprofit bike advocacy. Several important bills have been introduced in the Illinois legislature. And decisions made in Washington D.C. could adversely impact safety and funding for infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians. If you're not already a member, you're invited to join Ride Illinois today and get involved!
Contributions from generous individuals fund our important advocacy, education and awareness efforts. Click the button below to support nonprofit bike advocacy in Illinois 🚲 ❤️
✅ Already a member? Click HERE to log into your account to check membership status, update contact info, view giving history and more!
Legislation & Policy
An Update from Springfield
Ride Illinois is working diligently with our lobbyist and key partners to advocate for bike-friendly legislation in Springfield. Investing in a lobbyist to elevate our legislative priorities is already paying off. Several bills that align with Ride Illinois' legislative priorities have been introduced. Keep an eye out for Action Alerts with requests to contact your state senator and state representative. Priority bills include the following:
HB2454: Provides that a person operating a bicycle is deemed to be an intended user of every roadway and portion of roadway on which bicyclists are permitted to ride.
HB2934: Provides that the default speed limit is 20 (instead of 30) miles per hour within an urban district, and 10 (instead of 15) miles per hour in an alley within an urban district.
SB2285: Redefines "bicycle" as every human-powered or low-speed electric vehicle with 2 or more wheels not less than 12 inches in diameter, designed for the transportation of one or more persons.
Registration for the 2025 Illinois Bike & Walk Summit (ILBWS25) is now open! The theme for ILBWS25 is Creating Connected, Livable, Thriving Communities. Those interested in making it easier and safer to move about their community on foot and on bike are strongly encouraged to register to join us in Springfield in May for this collaborative conference.
We're excited to announce that Tom Flood from Rovélo Creative will be one of the keynote speakers on May 7. Check out Tom's Instagram account for some inspiration. The title of Tom's session is 'Reframing Road Safety.' Click below to register. We hope to see you in May!
League Cycling Instructors (LCIs) are ambassadors for better biking through their education efforts. With assistance from our Organizational Coach, Elizabeth Adamczyk, Ride Illinois intends to offer two LCI seminars in Illinois this year – one in Chicagoland and one downstate. Interested in teaching Smart Cycling to adults and children? Contact us at info@rideillinois.org to add your name to the list and receive updates.
Environment & Awareness
Apply to Serve on Board of Directors
Ride Illinois is accepting applications to fill open seats on the nonprofit organization’s Board of Directors. The Board is seeking to add directors with key skills, such as finance, advocacy, development, and governance.
To learn about the Duties & Expectations of a Ride Illinois board member and to review our Conflict-of-Interest policy, visit rideillinois.org/policies-bylaws. Be sure to review both documents before applying.
Click HERE to apply no later than March 2. We typically receive quite a few applications and may not interview every applicant. Contact dave@rideillinois.org with questions.
New Record for Shared Bike and Scooter Trips
Chicago saw more than 11 million shared micromobility trips in 2024, a new record. Out of that total, 6.7 million trips were on Divvy, the city-owned, Lyft-operated bikeshare system, with the remainder on Lime and Spin, the scooter-sharing companies that operate in the city, according to a Chicago Department of Transportation spokesperson.
Total shared micromobility trips in Chicago jumped 26% from 2023 to 2024, from 8.7 million to 11 million. The number of Divvy trips increased from 6.6 million in 2023 to 6.7 million in 2024.Click HERE to learn more.
Infrastructure
Re-energizing the Grand Illinois Trail
The Grand Illinois Trail (GIT) emerged in the 1990's as a partnership between the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and several partner organizations, including Ride Illinois. Trails that existed at the time have served as the foundation of the 500-mile loop. Some miles and new trails have been added or completed in the past 30 years, though little progress has been made recently. In 2025, efforts are underway to inject new life into (and add new miles to) this visionary project. Several organizations, including Ride Illinois, are meeting to identify low-hanging fruit and establish priorities. We'll share updates on progress and/or roadblocks as this new initiative gains momentum.
Community
Book Suggestion: Bicycling with Butterflies
Sara Dykman made history when she became the first person to bicycle alongside monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration—a round-trip adventure that included three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts. In Bicycling with Butterflies—praised as “poetic” (Publishers Weekly) and called “a collective cry for climate action” (Booklist)—Dykman recounts her incredible journey. We’re beside her as she navigates unmapped roads in foreign countries, checks roadside milkweed for monarch eggs, and shares her passion with eager schoolchildren, skeptical bar patrons, and unimpressed border officials.
What bike-related books do you recommend? From epic adventures to practical advice, to the benefits of biking, there are lots of books about bikes out there! Send your suggestions to info@rideIllinois.org.
Generosity
Affiliated Clubs & Community Organizations
Ride Illinois is grateful to the bicycle clubs and community organizations that support our work. Their efforts at the local level are a critical component to progress at the state level. Click HERE to learn about these generous clubs at organizations at
Corporate Members
Ride Illinois appreciates the support of businesses, companies, and organizations for their generosity.Click HERE to learn more about our generous Corporate Members from a variety of industries.
Out Our Front Door’s mission is to immerse, educate, and preserve the history, culture, trails, and native habitats of the Lower Lake Michigan Basin Area through exploratory adventures. Established in 2015 with the North Loop Ride, they now have many different resources, events, and programs they offer the public.
Jen's Art, Gifts & Books is a family-owned brick and mortar shop in Roselle, Illinois. They strive to provide a fun environment for you to shop for those special art, gift and book items.
Smith LaCien understands how overwhelming the law can seem. They have helped clients throughout Illinois when they were faced with these difficult situations. They are here to help.
Grants & Other Opportunities
AARP Community Challenge Grants
In 2025, the AARP Community Challenge is accepting applications across three different grant opportunities. Three unique funding opportunities are available. Application deadline is March 5, 2025.
T-Mobile Hometown Grants
T-Mobile is investing $25M in 500 rural towns over 5 years to jumpstart projects and build stronger communities. Together, we can help upgrade tech at your local library, build new hiking trails, revitalize historic buildings, and so much more. Application deadline is March 31, 2025.
Events Calendar
Ride Illinois helps to promote the organized rides of affiliated bike clubs and supporting organizations. Below are some events we think you'll appreciate:
Ride Illinois recently spoke at the a meeting of the Wheeling Wheelmen (L) in Prospect Heights and chatted with LOTS of people about our events and legislative priorities at the 2025 Chicago Winter Bike Swap in St. Charles (R).
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