Ride Illinois encourages Illinois residents of all ages to make lots of everyday trips by bike, instead of driving, by participating in the 2023 Drive Less, Bike More Challenge!
League of American Bicyclists and Ride Illinois kicked off a challenge to all Americans to experience the utility and possibilities of going places by bike. And we know that Illinois residents love a little competition! All are invited to join this campaign to “Drive Less, Bike More”!
The “Drive Less, Bike More” challenge started with a goal to turn 1 million miles of would-be car trips, often small trips of 3 miles or less, into 1 million miles of bike trips. We sought to see just how far we can go by bike and just how big of an impact small trips can make. Our bike friends joined us by the thousands and together we rode past our goal, traveling nearly 2 million miles in 2022.
Now, we are once again asking participants to track their rides using the Love to Ride platform and rack up 2 million more miles in bike trips that would have been car trips by the end of 2023 as part of this year’s “Drive Less, Bike More” challenge. Together, we want to show more Americans just how possible it is to go places by bike. Along the way, we hope this inspires more people to recognize why communities should be working to make it even more possible go by bike for everyone by redesigning roads, building safe bike infrastructure, and connecting networks of bikeways.
As an added incentive, Ride Illinois set a goal for Illinois residents to log 10,000 transportation miles in the Love to Ride app by the end of September! If this goal is met, Ride Illinois will receive a $2,000 donation from a generous donor. Please help us reach this goal!
Short Trips, Big Change: In the United States, nearly 50 percent of trips taken by car are less than three miles long and 35 percent are less than two miles long. These are short trips that when taken by bike instead of by car save you the hassle of driving and save you money, plus also help you save the planet.
Bikes can be used for any type of transportation — from commuting to work or school, running errands around town, and even getting groceries. You’re taking a climate saving action just by choosing to go by bike.
Just converting one or two short car trips per week to bike trips benefits your health, your community’s wellbeing, the environment, and even puts money back into your pocket.
By making small adaptations, like adding a rack to your bike or combining a bike trip with public transit, doing your next short trip by bike isn’t impossible, it’s bike possible.
Sustainable transportation is a fun and easy way that allows everyone to do their part in caring for the environment and their health!
Having trouble signing up with Love to Ride? Click here for a step-by-step guide from Love to Ride, including screen shots.
On the Love to Ride platform, you can earn badges for bike trips, connect with others, and see how you’re contributing to the 2 million mile goal. As you log rides, either manually or by connecting an app like Strava, be sure to mark your transportation trips in Love to Ride to earn credit (and potentially win prizes!) Happy riding!
Got questions? Contact community@rideillinois.org. Thanks!
