by Odochi Akwani, Writer and Content Manager (originally posted via Better Bike Share Partnership)

We spoke with Neil Walker, a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) and educator based in Pittsburgh, on the benefits of bike share.

Neil Walker’s passion for biking came when it changed the course of his life in his young adulthood. As a college basketball player, Walker experienced a serious knee injury that took him off the court. “I was watching the atrophy set in,” he says.

Thanks to a specialist who was a trainer for the New York Mets, Walker was introduced to the benefits of biking after not wanting to undergo another surgery. The trainer told him to ride his 10-speed bike for three months and come see him afterward.

“I rode the bike, and literally, it healed my knee,” says Walker. “I felt alive again. I was able to exercise again, and it reenergized me. It really gave me hope. I never went back to see that specialist, I never had the surgery, and I’ve been riding a bike ever since.”

Now, Walker is a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) and educator based in Pittsburgh who helps youth and adults discover the joys and benefits of cycling through his organization Cycles and Change. Walker was born and raised in Homewood, which is the neighborhood where POGOH is carrying out its Living Lab work. 

BBSP had the honor of meeting Neil last July during our Living Labs cohort retreat hosted by POGOH in Pittsburgh. We were moved by his story and his lifelong commitment to connecting others to the many benefits of bicycling. And as we heard from him, it’s not just about physical benefits. Neil knows from his years of experience that bicycling expands people’s worldview, particularly the worldview of young people. We agree.

Walker works with POGOH to lead “Learn to Ride” classes throughout Homewood, allowing him to go back to the neighborhood in which he grew up and share his love for biking.

“I’m able to identify and connect with people who look like me and maybe have never considered a bicycle as a means of transportation,” says Walker. “If you’re biking, then you can go to the store, you can go to the library, you can go places that previously you only figured you needed a car to get to.”

Want to read more stories about cycling educators? Check out the League’s series of LCI spotlights here »

The lack of infrastructure to support shared micromobility is something that Walker notes as a challenge. There aren’t many trails or bike lanes, but the streets are wide and one-way, which can help with feeling safer while riding. Additionally, bike share may be the only option for many residents.

“The bus service in Homewood is very limited. So again, the bicycle becomes a means of transportation, not an Uber, which can be costly,” says Walker. “It becomes an alternative form of transportation, versus the bus or motor vehicle.”

Walker hopes to see a comprehensive plan to increase the number of bike lanes in the Homewood community, seeing it as the next iteration of how to improve and increase ridership in Homewood. Partnerships like those with The Promise Center of Homewood and Homewood’s YMCA have helped bring learn to ride classes to residents, but more visibility is necessary to change mindsets around what cycling can offer.

“With this upcoming season, I think the awareness of creating a bicycle culture through bicycling events is important,” says Walker. “The more that people see it, the more it becomes one of those things where people are curious and want to try it out. What POGOH is doing, in collaboration with Bike Pittsburgh, has really created a culture in Homewood that did not exist prior.”

Outside of Homewood, Walker leads seminars for the League of American Bicyclists, teaching other people to become instructors like himself, holding private lessons, or leading groups on multi-day, long-distance bike rides across the country. The programming is for all ages, too. He’s seen 10-year-olds to seniors who’ve been prescribed biking as a low-impact means for exercise and rehabilitation.  

“Cycles and Change allows me to step into a space and use my expertise to make sure that you’re understanding the right way to ride, the safe way to ride, and understand the language of bicycling. Things that are going to make it safe for you on a bicycle now that you are part of the transportation system,” says Walker. “Cycles and Change does exactly all of those things, whether it’s a private lesson or you take a class.”

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This blog was originally posted through the Better Bike Share Partnership. The Better Bike Share Partnership is funded by Freedom Together Foundation as a collaboration between the City of Philadelphia, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), and the PeopleForBikes Foundation to build equitable and replicable bike share systems. Follow them on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or sign up for their weekly newsletter.

The post Neil Walker Shares The Power of The Bicycle appeared first on League of American Bicyclists.

“Building better places to bike is a shared effort,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. “The communities recognized here are part of a growing national movement, taking practical steps to support bicycling as a safe, accessible, and valuable part of everyday life.”

These new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Community℠ (BFC) awardees join a network of 444 currently-awarded communities nationwide, reflecting the resolve of local leaders, advocates, planners, educators, public agencies, and residents to make their communities safer and more supportive for people who bike. While cultural shifts take time, the BFC program emphasizes institutionalizing progress through policies, plans, and systems that raise standards and sustain momentum, with investments in staff capacity and long-term partnerships often helping communities advance through the award levels over time.

Notable Movement in Bicycle Friendly Community Award Rankings

• Platinum: Fort Collins, CO and Davis, CA both renewed their hard-won Platinum status, maintaining the BFC program’s highest award level. Only five communities have ever received this status. 
• Gold: Provo, UT and Alameda, CA both achieved the Gold milestone after decades of consistent progress at lower award levels. Three communities (Aspen, CO; Durango, CO; and Minneapolis, MN) renewed their existing Gold awards.
• Silver: Eight communities moved up to Silver, with judges noting particularly strong applications from Cleveland, OH; Cedar Rapids, IA; and Springfield, OR. Twelve communities renewed their Silver award, including Anchorage, AK and Flagstaff, AZ.
• Bronze: 52 total communities are receiving Bronze awards this round, including five that are receiving Bronze on their very first application to the BFC program, a rare achievement. Bowling Green, KY is one of seven communities moving up to Bronze after receiving Honorable Mention or No Award in a previous round. Bowling Green’s progress was boosted from a League-led Bicycle Friendly Community workshop in 2023 that helped the city prioritize key investments and actions, demonstrating how guided support and local dedication can move a community forward. 
• Honorable Mention: Thirteen communities are receiving Honorable Mention, which indicates progress being made toward a BFC award in the years to come. These communities are encouraged to use their Report Card feedback from the League before reapplying for a BFC designation in the future.  

Across award levels, communities are building momentum in ways that fit their local context. The examples below offer a snapshot of how sustained investment, regional collaboration, and local effort are helping communities of all sizes make bicycling better.

Springfield, Oregon (Silver, Moving Up — pop. 61,851)

In western Oregon, the city of Springfield works closely with regional partners (including neighboring Gold-level Eugene, OR) to align planning, funding, and on-the-ground improvements to create a safer, more connected bicycling network across jurisdictions. The community also invests heavily in cycling education, encouragement programs, and placemaking initiatives, creating a positive culture around biking that supports local riders and attracts new residents. “The improvements to the bicycle network that have been constructed have increased access to jobs, and the bike share program has provided more opportunities to access recreation and education. More people who are moving to Springfield are mentioning the bike paths and amenities as things that they found attractive when they were looking for a new place to live.” — Springfield, OR

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Silver, Moving Up — pop. 137,710)

Among a variety of pro-bike initiatives, Cedar Rapids has intentionally expanded staff capacity and coordination across departments to create stronger systems for planning, development, and community engagement around bicycling: “The City has made an intentional effort to have more staff involved in bicycling efforts in Cedar Rapids. For example, Community Development and our Planners are working more closely with Public Works on all aspects of trail and bikeway planning and development, and are also providing staff support for education- and encouragement-focused efforts.”

Morehead–Rowan County, Kentucky (Honorable Mention — pop. 24,409)
Tucked away in the foothills of eastern Kentucky, Morehead–Rowan County has seen tourism revenue reach a record $53.4 million in 2022 after investing in bike- and pedestrian-focused initiatives like its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and the East Main Corridor: “This surge shows that investing in cycling isn’t just good for health and recreation—it directly boosts local businesses, supports job creation, and enhances community vitality.”

Miami-Dade County, Florida (Silver, Moving Up — pop. 2,701,767)

In Southeast Florida, three transportation agencies (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach) are united through the Southeast Florida Transportation Council, a formal partnership to coordinate regional transportation planning across county lines. Through shared planning, a regional greenways and trails network, and co-hosted initiatives like the Safe Streets Summit, the region is working toward a more connected and consistent approach to bicycling and complete streets. “Success will mean every resident can safely and conveniently bike to work, school, parks, and transit…Regardless of income, neighborhood, biking will be a joyful, viable, and safe option for all.” — Miami-Dade County, FL

These communities show that building a Bicycle Friendly America is a shared journey that combines local vision, regional collaboration, and sustained effort over time. We applaud each new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Community for not only their efforts to make biking better today, but laying the groundwork for stronger, healthier, and more vibrant communities tomorrow.

To explore all the communities recognized in this round, see the 2025 Awards and Honorable Mentions here, and see the full list of current and past Bicycle Friendly Communities here. Any community that would like to join, return to, or stay on the BFC list, can start their new or renewal application and submit by June 17, 2026 to be reviewed in the next round. 

About the Bicycle Friendly Community℠ Program

Bicycle Friendly Community awards reflect local leaders’ ongoing work to build better places to bike and evaluate those efforts as part of a national movement. Each of the five levels of the Bicycle Friendly University award – diamond, platinum, gold, silver, and bronze, plus an honorable mention category – provide a clear path for cities and towns to continuously improve. Visit bikeleague.org/community to learn more about the BFC program.

About the League of American Bicyclists

Since 1880, the League of American Bicyclists has been people-powered, with a goal to make bicycling safer and easier as a means of transportation and recreation. Today, the League continues to improve lives and strengthen communities through bicycling. We are more than 200,000 members and supporters strong with more than 1,000 state and local advocacy groups and bike clubs as well as thousands of businesses, universities, and communities together leading the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

The post 79 New and Renewing Bicycle Friendly Communities Recognized Nationwide appeared first on League of American Bicyclists.

In recent years, we’ve also had a side meeting that complements the Summit. Two years ago, we debuted our League Cycling Advocate training. Last year, we hosted the Active Transportation Leadership Institute. And, this year, we’re having a whole day focused on advocacy organizations.

What Is Advocacy Organization Day?

Advocacy Organization Day is a one-day event for professionals in active transportation advocacy organizations. It will be a mix of specific skill- and topic-focused sessions with participant-led “unconference” discussions, with plenty of space for conversation and networking. You can see the full agenda here.

Advocacy Organization Day is a day built for participation. Breakout sessions will be discussion-oriented and slide-free, with unconference sessions that let participants dig into the ideas they’re most excited about and choose the conversations they want to have. It’s also a day where we’ll host conversations important for the bicycle movement about e-bikes, e-motos, and how we can work together to welcome new e-device users into the movement for safe streets while responding to concerns caused by these new devices and users. And we’ll also have sessions focused on organizational issues, like branding and fundraising, that are essential to thriving organizations and the strength of the bicycle movement.

Join us for Advocacy Organization Day to share your success stories, engage with peers in other organizations, grow as professional advocates, and help shape the League’s work in support of safer streets and better biking.

Register Today

You can register for the day as an add-on to your National Bike Summit registration or treat it as a standalone event. Either way, this is an entire day focused on staff at state and local advocacy organizations and board members of all-volunteer organizations that are member organizations of the League of American Bicyclists. 

One-day registration for Advocacy Organization Day, as an add-on to your National Bike Summit registration or as a standalone event, is $120.00 and includes lunch. Advocacy Organization Day is an in-person only event.

You can find more information and a schedule-at-a-glance here: https://site.pheedloop.com/event/BikeSummit26/aoday 

We hope to see you at Advocacy Organization Day and look forward to an incredible day with advocates from throughout the country who are moving the bicycle movement forward!

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What is All Kids Bike

All Kids Bike (AKB) was launched in 2018 under the Strider Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with a mission to “give every kindergarten student in America the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike in physical education class (PE).” Since then, the kindergarten program has been implemented in over 1,700 elementary schools across the nation, including the entire state of North Dakota.

The League applauds the efforts of All Kids Bike as well as the many other in-school on-bike programs run through organizations like Safe Routes to School and local bike advocacy groups.

These groups are providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to ride safely for a lifetime. The League works to encourage cycling education for all ages (we have a new K-5 curriculum coming out in 2026 as part of our Ready to Ride Campaign), so it is with great excitement that we spotlight All Kids Bike. 

How It Works

All Kids Bike is a comprehensive, ready-to-teach, school-based, on-bike learn-to-ride program for kindergarten students. AKB was designed to be taught by the physical education (PE) teacher during regular class periods and is integrated directly into the school’s PE curriculum. 

Participating schools receive everything they need to start an on-bike program for their kindergarten students. Teachers are provided with balance bike method education training and certification, along with All Kids Bike’s 8-lesson SHAPE standards-aligned curriculum, which provides them with a progressive map on how to get kids rolling in no time. 

In addition to receiving the necessary teacher development and learning materials, schools receive all the essential learn-to-ride equipment. AKB provides schools with a fleet of 24  “Strider balance-to-pedal bikes, pedal conversion kits, fully adjustable student helmets, and one adult instructor bike with pedal conversion kit and helmet.” Schools are also provided with storage racks to keep everything organized and easily accessible. Last but not least, every AKB participating school has access to program support provided by the AKB team. 

All Kids Bike In Action

Since December 2021, All Kids Bike has programs operating in all 50 states. Around 1,750 AKB programs provide on-bike instruction to nearly 170,000 kindergartners.  

One shining example of All Kids Bike in action is North Dakota’s statewide implementation of AKB, making it possible for every kindergartner in the state to have the opportunity to learn to ride. In 2023, using COVID relief funding from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER), North Dakota decided to ensure every kindergartner in the state has the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike in school. In 2024, over 22,000 kindergartners learned to ride in over 223 schools. This investment helps ensure generations of future North Dakotans not only learn to ride, but also receive all the benefits of cycling, hopefully for a lifetime. 

Another state partnering with All Kids Bike to provide on-bike education in schools is Arkansas. In 2023, a collaboration between the Arkansas Department of Education, BNSF Railway Foundation, the Walton Family, and Trailblazers provided All Kids Bike programming to 12 elementary schools in the state. The Natural State now has more than 100 AKB learn-to-ride programs, teaching more than 10,000 kindergartners how to ride safely each year. 

What Makes AKB Unique?

All Kids Bike is a “one-stop shop” in-school on-bike education program available to any elementary school in all 50 states. The All Kids Bike program, with a $9,000 cost, is a turnkey, plug-and-play solution that provides schools with a complete on-bike education experience. For many schools, donor investments remove financial barriers, allowing schools with a dedicated physical education instructor to seamlessly implement lifesaving on-bike education for their students.

Conclusion

While there is no one-size-fits-all method to providing all students with school-based on-bike education, All Kids Bike provides a great option for any elementary school to get rolling. The more schools teaching kids how to ride, the safer, healthier, and better connected we all will be. School-based cycling programs not only improve students’ well-being and academic achievement, but they help young people develop a sense of autonomy, providing a vehicle to connect and explore their community, building lifelong healthy habits along the way. When all kids are Ready to Ride, we all win. 

The post Partner Spotlight: All Kids Bike appeared first on League of American Bicyclists.

Generously funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in support of their Active People, Healthy Nation℠ Initiative, the Active Mobility Leadership Lab is designed to support local government agency staff in emerging and aspiring Bicycle Friendly Communities to build capacity around strategies to promote active mobility and physical activity. 

During this 16-week training program, the League will work closely with dedicated communities through a new learning curriculum informed and inspired by the Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) program. Participants will focus on developing an Active Mobility Action Plan based on their community’s goals and needs, and will be given the tools to implement their action plans. 

Are you ready to take your community to the next BFC level? Local, county, or regional government employees or individuals associated with such agencies may apply. Candidates based in communities that are early in the process of becoming a Bicycle Friendly Community will be prioritized in the selection process. This could include candidates who have either never applied to the BFC program, or have applied but received No Award, Honorable Mention, or Bronze. Applications are due Friday, February 6, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. E.T. 

• Learn more about the Active Mobility Leadership Lab here.
• Find our training program FAQs here.

This training is made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-PW-24-0080). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. These efforts are part of the CDC’s Active People, Healthy Nation℠ Initiative that is working to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.

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One year remains for this $5 billion program as Congress looks forward to a new transportation bill as SS4A, and all federal transportation programs, are authorized through 2026. The timing and specifics of the 2026 round has not yet been announced. Interested communities should subscribe for email updates.

The 2025 round of SS4A was the first round administered by the Trump administration. While there have been worrying signs about whether bicycle safety is truly a priority, from the purge of websites to reviews and modifications of previous grants, many of the largest grants awarded in the 2025 SS4A round were to Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFCs) and included bicycle infrastructure. This is especially notable as there were so many applications that rejection letters stated that 75% of applications were not selected for funding.

Out of 25 grants receiving $10 million or more in federal funds, ten were awarded to BFCs or counties that include BFCs, including the following awards:

• Phoenix, Arizona (a Bronze BFC) will receive $24.2 million in federal funds for safety upgrades at high-injury intersections and corridors, including piloting protected bike lanes in Phoenix Connected Active Neighborhood villages.
• Wichita, Kansas (a Bronze BFC) received $20 million in federal funds for multimodal safety improvements along a 7-mile stretch of Broadway Avenue, including buffered bike lanes.
• Leon County, Florida which contains Tallahassee (a Silver BFC) will receive $16.8 million in federal funds for corridor-wide safety improvements along a 7-mile stretch of North Monroe Street, including filling in bike lane gaps. The project description noted that 8 out the 10 fatalities that occurred between 2018 and 2022 on this corridor were people biking or walking.
• Ridgeland, Mississippi (a Bronze BFC) will receive $15.7 million in federal funds for a reconfiguration of West Jackson Street that will include upgraded pedestrian and bicyclist facilities, including adding dedicated bike lanes and studying a speed limit reduction.
• Gallatin County, Montana which contains Bozeman (a Silver BFC) will receive $13.9 million in federal funds to construct a roundabout and build a 1.75 mile shared-use path along Huffine Lane. The project description noted that a pedestrian and bicyclist were killed on Huffine Lane, a 55 mph road, in 2022.
• Omaha, Nebraska (a Bronze BFC) will receive $10 million in federal funds to construct three roundabouts and conduct demonstration activities for quick-build infrastructure using delineators, median islands, and mini-roundabouts. While bicycle infrastructure was not described in the project description, many of the quick-build infrastructure features can contribute to safer neighborhood routes that are useful as bicycle routes.

We’ll be taking a closer look at SS4A awards and look forward to working with communities and advocates interested in this funding as the year continues, but it is great to see that Bicycle Friendly Communities benefited from many of the largest SS4A awards in 2025.

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But have you ever wondered who trains those instructors? That job falls to a small but mighty group of experts who lead our LCI certification seminars and help keep bike education high-quality and consistent wherever you take a class. These leaders are our League Cycling Coaches.

Becoming a Coach isn’t easy, and that’s by design. It takes years of experience teaching as an LCI, proven bike maintenance skills, active community involvement, and recommendations from experienced Coaches and League staff. That’s why we’re especially excited to welcome two new Coaches to the team: Wisconsin Bike Fed‘s education power duo, Jake Newborn and Michael Anderson.

Can you share a bit about your roles at Wisconsin Bike Fed and what led you to pursue becoming a League Cycling Coach?

Jake: Currently, I am Assistant Director but I have been at Bike Fed since 2007. In those early days, I was a part-time mechanic working with a teen to repair bikes at Valid Bike Shop located in North Division High School. Over the years, I have been involved in just about every aspect of the organization. With my position and long-time commitment to our mission of making Wisconsin the most bike-friendly state, the logical next step led me to pursue becoming a League Cycling Coach. We have a grant through WisDOT to provide bike education resources and training to residents. By becoming a Coach, it allows us as an organization to be able to grow the movement and expand the network of LCIs and educators across the state. 

Michael: I serve as our Youth Program Manager in Milwaukee. My story with the Bike Fed began in 2015, volunteering and later working for a neighborhood active transportation program serving Milwaukee’s Riverwest and Harambee community.  These neighborhoods have a robust and grassroots bicycle culture. In this contex, I grew to serve in other roles with the organization from pedestrian advocacy, complete streets implementation, and ultimately leading Safe Routes to School efforts in Milwaukee Public Schools since 2019. My pursuit of becoming a League Cycling Coach has been centered around growing a network of cycling leaders who are ready to support Safe Routes to School Initiatives both internally at the Bike Fed but also with partners to magnify our community capacity. 

What was the most valuable thing you took away from the Coach training process?

Jake: As part of the process, I had to observe two other coaches before co-leading our own with Michael under the watchful eye of longtime Coach John Rider. Just having the opportunity to watch and learn from Jamie and Neal teach their seminars and work closely with the students gave me a great opportunity to refresh my skills and learn from others. 

Michael: The relationships and people were a great part of the Coach training process! I was fortunate to have two phenomenal coaches in Río Oxas and Jamie Gaskill to train with, as well as incredible site facilitators. They all really set an incredible example and standard to meet while cultivating a supportive learning environment.  I was also grateful to all of the quality LCI candidates in both seminars who were already doing great work in their communities from Las Cruces to Oakland. Observing how other Coaches valued the assets that people were bringing to the classroom gave me great insight into how to assess and mentor Milwaukee’s bike leaders and LCI candidates. 

What difference do you hope having two League Cycling Coaches on staff will make for Wisconsin Bike Fed?

Jake and Michael: Having two of us will allow us to lean on each other’s strengths.  We’ve supported each other through training this past year and for plan on teaching future LCI seminars together. It’s always good to have some depth on the team! We often team and co-teach in our programs, so it makes sense to have a team in this context as trainers, especially as it is something we expect of LCI Candidates. 

What do you hope this growing network of LCIs will mean for communities across Wisconsin?

Jake: As a statewide organization, we have honestly struggled over the years to find ways to engage our entire state in the education goals. Cost, travel, funding, etc., are challenges to reaching all corners from our home base in Milwaukee. The ability to train local cycling education champions to provide that reach, leaning on local knowledge and resources, is a great and efficient way for Bike Fed to support our partners, residents, and more all across the state without having staff on the ground in every city. 

Michael: I agree with Jake’s sentiments. Ultimately, our goal is to empower and invite people into the work of making Wisconsin safer and more accessible for people biking. We can’t grow ridership alone, and a growing network of LCIs means more people ready to lead and launch new mobility initiatives.  

Do you have a favorite local bike route or hidden gem in the state?

Jake: A local Milwaukee route I love is a new raised and protected bike lane along Howard Ave. It was a project that started when my daughter was at that school, but has taken years to advocate, plan, and finally complete, but now young kids have a safe and separated route directly to the school in the neighborhood! Statewide, the US Bike Route 30 was a big project the Bike Fed worked on with many partners that takes you from the Port of Milwaukee all the way to the Mississippi River, mostly on trail!

Michael: Three Bridges Park and the Menomonee River segments of the Hank Aaron State Trail are magical segments of trail, which happen to be on my commute and also along US Bike Route 30!  They provide both meaningful transportation, linking neighborhoods separated by the river valley, but also provide a connection to nature with beavers, turkey, and deer directly in the center of Milwaukee. Once a vast wild rice marsh, through the valley this trail connects Milwaukee’s indigenous roots with the active presence of the Potawatomi tribe who have been big supporters of our efforts over the years.  Additionally, it speaks to how Milwaukee is confronting its industrial legacy by being a national leader in restoration and freshwater advocacy. At the end of Three Bridges is the Mitchell Park Domes Conservatory; I often stop to relax in the tropical and desert domes on a chilly fall or spring day. I’m a big booster for getting a membership to your local Botanical Garden; they usually provide reciprocal entry to other gardens across the country and are often along great biking routes! When I was in the Bay Area training to be a coach, I used my membership to bike through the Golden Gate Park and check out their botanical garden. 

Anything you’d like other advocacy organizations to know about the value of having their own in-house Organizational Coaches?

Jake and Michael: The goal is to be able to build a network of trained educators across the state to grow the cycling movement and keep folks as safe as we can.  Having in-house Coaches helps us make the LCI seminar more accessible to people in Wisconsin by reducing traveling costs and other barriers to candidates. In our first seminar in Milwaukee, it already has helped in onboarding new employees.

The post Meet Wisconsin Bike Fed’s New League Cycling Coaches appeared first on League of American Bicyclists.

Grantee Highlights

Redemptive Cycles — Kid’s Bike Rodeo Program (Birmingham, AL)

“The goal of this project is to get quality refurbished bikes into the hands of kids who have no bike. We specifically work within the Housing Authority of Birmingham District to target low income families that may be in need of bikes. The goal is to get these kids riding early, commuting safely, and hopefully sparking a lifelong love of cycling.” — Brian Gosdin, Redemptive Cycles

“This program is amazing! Biking is such a wonderful life skill! First, participants are provided access to free bikes and helmets that are fitted just for them! After a safety session to discuss the importance of wearing helmets and following the rules of the road, kids participate in a bike rodeo. Each station is led by experienced bikers to teach and practice a variety of riding skills. It is amazing to see the joy and growing confidence of each child as they go through the course.” — Julie Cole Farmer, MPH, BSN, RN, CPSTI — State Chapter Director, Think First Alabama

The LOVE Building — Youth Earn A Bike (Detroit, MI)
“The Youth Earn A Bike Program brought together three Detroit-based community organizations to serve over 60 youth this summer. Participants left with a solid foundation in basic bike safety and riding skills, along with hands-on knowledge of bike repair. Each youth received a refurbished bike, new helmet, free lunch, and a take-home workbook to continue learning in a fun and engaging way, ensuring the impact of the program extends well beyond the day.” — Mackenzie Rector, The LOVE Building

“What struck me most was seeing how the program embodied our shared vision of empowering Detroit’s youth through cycling. The confidence I witnessed in these young riders as they learned new skills and prepared for their summer adventures on two wheels is exactly why we do this work….Programs like Youth Earn A Bike don’t just teach kids new skills, they weave community fabric.” — Mark Speeks, Founder and Executive Director of Major Taylor Michigan

Fort Peck Tribal Elves — Bike Day (Fort Peck Indian Reservation)

“We did a Bike Day for Children in Poplar on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.  We had council members there to hear about what safety is needed, so kids can bike safely in town. All participants were enrolled members of the Fort Peck Tribes. There were many children who attended along with their families. We gave away bikes and had stickers and other little gifts for all the children. One child, who is in foster care, won a Frozen bike and was so excited! One girl who donated her [old] bike won a new bike. It was a good time for the community to enjoy time with their children, grandchildren, and family. It helped 87 kids get a new helmet and we have a few left over in case someone needs one.” — Sunee Erickson, Fort Peck Tribal Elves

Thrive MV — Pedal Forward (Mahoning Valley, OH)

“The goal of our project is to increase access to independent transportation for adults in the Mahoning Valley. Our program was designed to fill gaps in our local transportation infrastructure so that more individuals could have direct access to sustainable means of transportation for work, school, doctor appointments, etc. Through our transportation equity program, we allocated 31 bikes (approx. 44% of bikes allocated YTD in 2025) to adults facing transportation challenges across Mahoning and Trumbull counties between March and July. Each bike recipient received a bike appropriate for their height/needs, a helmet, a lock, and important safety and maintenance information/resources. With direct access to independent transportation, recipients have more freedom in the way they get around the community to conduct their personal, educational, and professional business.” 

“Having a bike is like having a game-changing support. It saves me a lot of time moving around campus for classes. Besides, it excites me to enjoy the breeze while riding. Thanks to the bike I was provided with, I can go home earlier and I can forget those exhausting days of walking or running if I am late for school.” — Bao Khanh Lee, Pedal Forward bike recipient

Equiticity — Community Bike Rides (Chicago, IL)
“The goal of our project was to expose more people of Chicago to the joy-filled, health improving, community building, and quality of life improving experiences community bike rides bring people. We planned on executing this by expanding Equiticity’s work of our Community Mobility Rituals pillar through hosting community bike rides on the South side of Chicago, specifically the Bronzeville community. We wanted to show people the beauty and enjoyment of their neighborhoods through bikes while showing them how to do it safely. This activity also encouraged participants to prioritize the improvement of their physical and mental health through biking.”

“It was just such a great time, I met so many different kinds of people. It was a nice way to get in some cardio and spread community love. It was a lot of greeting people on the sidewalk while we were passing, connecting [with] the community, and also marking temporary and spatially different things that happened in the community. [Seeing] different murals, different artworks, and important historical events that happened to real people in this community… is a way to feel more connected with the past and the present… I just really enjoyed that ride and I can’t wait to get back out here when it gets warmer!” — Soyinka Brown, Equiticity Community Bike Ride participant

All Bodies on Bikes — Industry Training for Size Inclusion
“The goal of this project is to equip bike industry employees with the knowledge and tools needed to better serve cyclists in larger bodies. By providing in-person size-inclusion trainings, the project aims to reduce systemic barriers, improve customer experiences, and create more welcoming bike shops and industry spaces. Ultimately, the goal is to make cycling more accessible and inclusive for people of all sizes. Through this project, All Bodies on Bikes successfully delivered size-inclusion training that increased awareness, shifted attitudes, and gave industry professionals concrete strategies to better support larger-bodied cyclists. Participants reported feeling more confident and prepared to create inclusive environments in their shops and organizations. These trainings contributed to a broader cultural shift within the cycling community, helping foster more equitable and welcoming spaces nationwide.”

One participant, a local mountain bike guide and ride leader, said, “This presentation was incredibly well done, and presented a sensitive topic in an approachable way. I’m excited to implement the things I’ve learned, especially how to talk to customers about weight limits and suspension setup, and hopefully be able to better serve all of my customers.” 

2026 Spark Grants Are Open

Feeling inspired yet? Good news: the 2026 Community Spark Grant application is now open! Nonprofits and public agencies nationwide can apply for $2,000 awards to support pilot projects that improve access, safety, and inclusion in bicycling. Five of the ten grants are reserved for organizations in GM communities, and we strongly encourage eligible groups to apply.

Learn more and apply here by January 27, 2026 at 5 pm ET »

Thank You for a Year of Sparking Change 

Every year, Community Spark Grant projects remind us of the dedication, compassion, and creativity of local groups. Every project sparked change differently, but they all made a difference in their own way: igniting bike joy, fostering community, spreading awareness, improving safety, and breaking down barriers to mobility challenges. Here’s to another round of projects transforming communities across the country in 2026!

The post Small Grants, Big Impacts: 2025 Community Spark Grant Highlights appeared first on League of American Bicyclists.

Cities are embracing a new era of sustainable transportation across the U.S. Lime is proud to release the second annual mobility report with the League of American Bicyclists, analyzing more than 5 million trips across Baltimore, Nashville and Phoenix. This expanded report offers a deeper look at how people move through cities and how shared micromobility data can help create safer, more connected streets. The findings further support what we’ve seen globally: when communities build dedicated bike lanes and thoughtful, safe infrastructure, people choose micromobility.

Our three big takeaways

1. Riders prefer dedicated bike lanes

• In Baltimore, newly installed bike lanes were associated with a 207% increase in Lime trips on those streets compared to streets without dedicated bike infrastructure.
• In Nashville, streets with new bike lanes saw trips grow 39% faster than comparable streets without bike infrastructure.
• In Phoenix, ridership on protected lanes rose by 35% compared with baseline streets without dedicated infrastructure.

2. Infrastructure drives safety

Across all three cities, streets with dedicated bike infrastructure consistently had lower incident rates than those without. That underscores what many urban planners and riders already know: safer riding environments lead to safer riding.

3. Micromobility expands access to transit and connectivity

Lime effectively doubles the transit walkshed from 0.5 miles by walking alone to 1.1–1.3 miles using Lime. This significantly expands access to high-quality transit and provides connections for riders’ daily commutes.

“Like last year’s findings, the insights in this report help to demonstrate exactly why communities must continue to make these investments: we can see very clearly that building better infrastructure, and establishing policies to support that infrastructure, has real-world results in helping more people to safely make trips on two wheels.” – Bill Nesper, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists

What this means for cities

For cities across the U.S. looking to reduce congestion, improve safety and expand equitable transportation options, the data from Baltimore, Nashville and Phoenix offer a compelling story:

1. Invest in dedicated bike lanes: Ridership gains are substantial, and riders respond fast.
2. Prioritize safety: Dedicated space for bikes and micromobility reduces incident rates and builds confidence.
3. Boost transit access: Micromobility fills crucial “first mile/last mile” gaps, helping people move more freely.
4. Use data to guide investment: Lime’s global experience and analytics help cities pinpoint where new lanes and parking solutions deliver the greatest impact.

Transportation analytics leaders have also pointed out that micromobility and bike infrastructure can dramatically cut traffic volumes and reduce the time and economic value lost to congestion.

“Lime’s data provides cities with a powerful tool to strengthen transportation planning and Vision Zero efforts beyond what is possible using traditional bicycle trip counts. Our partnership with the League of American Bicyclists shows that when cities build dedicated bike lanes, ridership grows, safety improves, and riders from across the city benefit. We’re happy to collaborate with the cities we serve, sharing detailed, standardized data and planning support to help build safer, more connected streets for everyone.” — Brandon Haydu, Senior Program Manager, Transportation Policy & Analytics at Lime

How cities can lead the way

We’re sharing this report with transportation leaders, urban planners, policymakers and local advocates—anyone working to make cities safer, greener and more accessible. For those shaping city plans, preparing grant applications or exploring new infrastructure investments, the full report offers data that can help guide decisions.

We hope that the insights from Baltimore, Nashville and Phoenix inspire more cities to build on this momentum. When streets feel safe and welcoming, people choose to ride.

The post 2025 Mobility Insights Report: What 5 million Lime trips reveal about building better, safer streets appeared first on League of American Bicyclists.

#1: Donate your old bikes and spare parts to give your gear a second life. 

Local bike co-ops are the unsung heroes of bicycle access. Nonprofit bike shops across the country are constantly rolling miracles out the door, thanks to donated frames, spare parts, and all the old kids’ bikes that have been gathering dust until they’re wheeled into a community shop like the Charlotte Recyclery, Boise Bicycle Project, or WABA’s Gearin’ Up, to name a few (find more examples on our map!). 

From my own time at a bike collective, I swear: if you walk in with a box of assorted bike components to donate, someone (probably an overworked mechanic who’s been pawing through all the parts bins for that one specific piece) is going to light up like you just walked in with a puppy. Co-ops stretch every resource incredibly far, but they still need resources to stretch in the first place. Pro tip: before rolling up with a truckload of old bikes, don’t forget to give the shop a call to make sure they’ve got time, space, and capacity to accept your donation!

Check out our map to find bike co-ops near you!

#2: Give your business by shopping local 

Plenty of local bike shops do way more than fix flats and sell bikes. Many of the shops in our network are small businesses staffed by community members who advocate for bikes 24/7, whether they’re helping someone find the right bike or rallying a pack of cyclists to ride to a city council meeting.

One of the easiest ways to support these shops is to simply spend your money there. Instead of shopping online for your next gear splurge, take the time to head down to your favorite local bike shop and check out their inventory. Sure, the price tags might be a little bit higher, but it’s worth it to know that your dollars are going back into your community, supporting a group of local bike enthusiasts doing meaningful work to make biking better and more accessible. Plus, a bike shop visit gives you a chance to connect with shop employees (AKA your new best bike friends) who often have tons of insights on great places to ride nearby and tips on finding local groups to ride with. 

Check out our map to find bike shops, member organizations, and advocacy groups near you!

#3: Donate your time as a volunteer

For volunteer-run organizations that don’t really have a budget, volunteer time is just as valuable as dollars. If there’s no paid staff, your local bike organization absolutely depends on volunteers to keep programs running, plan events, write grants, show up at meetings—all of it. And even when there are paid staff, volunteers are still vital.

Thinking back again to my days at QC Bike Collective, I still reminisce about the volunteers who made my life easier by showing up to help us recycle tubes, take in donated bikes, and keep an eye on all the bike repair stations around town. Even if you only have an hour or two to spare, that’s a donation worth cherishing. You can find advocacy organizations near you on (you guessed it!) our Local Resources map. 

#4: Make a year-end gift to your favorite nonprofits 

Year-end contributions are the lifeblood of most non-profit organizations, including the League. With 2026 portending the biggest threat to bike funding in over a decade, please consider supporting the League by December 31st to help us start the new year in a strong position. Individual donations make it possible for us to uplift local voices, strengthen state and regional coalitions, and go to bat for people like you in our work here on Capitol Hill. The League is honored to accept your gift of virtually any type: contributions via credit card or check, Google or Apple Pay, appreciated stock, donor-advised fund, family foundation, and more. No matter how you give, know how much we appreciate your support at this critical time in the bicycling movement.

Donate now »

#5: Get into planned giving

“Planned giving” is a way to describe how people support the causes they value through structured contributions, like a will, charitable trust or via retirement accounts. Whether creating a will is one of those hazy “I should get around to that sometime” items on your to-do list or something very much top-of-mind, everyone should have a plan for retirement and beyond. If your year-end checklist includes working on your will or estate plan or checking in on your retirement accounts, check out our new Planned Giving explainer.  The League is here today because of the generations of bicyclists that came before us. Please consider bolstering the legacy of the League of American Bicyclists through planned giving. (And if you’re more on the “nonprofit staff” side of this work, feel free to use our language to support your own planned giving initiatives.) 

At the end of the day, giving back for bikes is really about strengthening the whole web of people and organizations working to make biking better for everyone, in whatever way you can. Whether you’re donating gear, shopping local, volunteering your time, planning a future gift, or giving what you can right now, we’re grateful for each and every one of you who keeps the bike movement rolling forward! 

The post Giving Back for Bikes: Five Ways to Support Bike Advocacy appeared first on League of American Bicyclists.