This article was reposted with permission fromThe League of American Bicyclists.
In 2012, more than 30,000 Americans joined the National Bike Challenge and rode more than 12 million miles between May 1 and August 31. During that time, the Challenge’s online community blossomed into a vibrant help-desk for all sorts of questions on bicycling, with discussion and ideas from expert roadies to people just learning how to ride in the rain.
Well, the Challenge is back in just a few weeks — and this year we’re raising the bar.
Our goal: 50,000 riders logging 20 million miles!
The Challenge is a great opportunity for people who have been cycling for years to increase their riding and also a great place to start for folks just dusting off their bike seats for the first time in years. Not only does the Challenge encourage participants to make every mile count through individual riding. But by forming teams, awesome sportsmanship and friendly rivalries add a few degrees of excitement to your summer!
One of the standout groups from the 2012 Challenge was from Topeka, Kansas. The Kaw Valley Bike Club was just as surprised as anyone that a group of people from a state that doesn’t immediately come to mind as a bike paradise was a top contender, but if you read this interview, you’ll see why they did such a good job. The members of the KVBC team encouraged each other to ride to up their teams’ numbers across their friendly competition.
Photo by Fotolia/Christian Schwier
