Bike the Drive
2022 ride
Status	Active
Genre	Recreational, non-competitive bicycle ride
Frequency	Annually on Labor Day weekend
Venue	Lake Shore Drive
Locations	Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates	41°55′55″N 87°37′55″W / 41.931920°N 87.632081°W / 41.931920; -87.632081
Country	United States of America
Inaugurated	June 9, 2002; 23 years ago (2002-06-09)
Attendance	approximately 20,000
Organised by	Active Transportation Alliance City of Chicago
Website	bikethedrive.org

Bike the Drive is a recreational, non-competitive bicycle ride held annually the Sunday before Labor Day in Chicago. DuSable Lake Shore Drive is cleared of motor vehicle traffic and opened exclusively to bicyclists for several hours beginning at dawn. The main festival and starting location is at Butler Field in Grant Park. The event benefits bicycling advocacy work in the region by the Active Transportation Alliance, formerly known as the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. The event has been sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, MB Financial Bank (2010-2018) and Bank of America (before 2010).

Route

The route extends nearly the entire length of the famous roadway, from 57th Street on the South Side to Bryn Mawr Avenue on the North Side. The maximum route length is 30 miles (48 km), with riders beginning at Grant Park, going to the south and north extremes, and then returning to the starting point. Rest areas with refreshments and repair services are located at the north and south ends of the route, as well as the starting point. In addition, volunteers riding with the participants and stationed along the route offer assistance to riders. A festival in Grant Park follows the event, and includes music, food, cycling-related activities, and vendors and exhibitors.

History

Bike the Drive was launched by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation in 2002 to raise funds for programs to expand the Chicago area's bicycle transportation network, promote bicycling as a mode of transportation, improve bicycling conditions and traffic safety, and provide bicyclists with a variety of resources and support.

The event is organized in coordination with the City of Chicago, its agencies and departments.^[1]

In 2020 the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[2] In 2021, the ride was moved from the Sunday before Memorial Day to the Sunday before Labor Day,^[3] and has since made the move permanent.^[4]

Past event dates

See also

• Cycling in Chicago
• Boulevard Lakefront Tour

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bike the Drive.

External links

• Official Site
• Active Transportation Alliance
• Video of riding in Bike the Drive

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