2026 Let’s Ride, Illinois!
That’s a Wrap!
What a month it’s been.
Over the month of September, bike riders in communities across Illinois showed up for Let’s Ride, Illinois. They rolled out of parks, libraries, churches, trailheads, and city halls, and they were people of all ages, ability levels, and reasons for riding. When it was all over, the numbers told a great story:
18 rides across the state
170+ riders
Countless smiles
Lots of community-building miles
But the numbers only tell part of it. The rest is in the stories below, and in the gallery at the bottom of this post.
A Month of Rides, From Peoria to Chicago to Southern Illinois
Let’s Ride, Illinois kicked off on September 4 with Bike Peoria’s First Friday Night Ride, an easy evening loop through the West Bluff and West Peoria neighborhoods. The next morning, Streamwood Biking welcomed riders to a casual, non-drop social ride from Park Place, with a start and finish that left plenty of time for hellos.
Then came the second weekend, when rides popped up all over the state:
In Westchester, riders toured the village’s schools, parks, and the Wolf Road Prairie, and paused to mark 9/11 with a remembrance.
In Riverside, the September Slow Roll doubled as a back-to-school celebration and a thank-you to local trustees and village staff, and it ended at The Treehouse for food and drinks.
In Princeville, the library hosted a breakfast ride along the Rock Island Trail to Dunlap, where riders met up with Bike Peoria for a meal together.
In Chicago, Out Our Front Door paired a ride with service at the Bill Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Riders joined the Lake View Citizens Council to pick up litter, mulch trails, and pull invasive plants.
In Sterling and Rock Falls, Beers & Gears celebrated its 9th year with a just-for-fun bicycle pub crawl and barbecue back at the start.
In Rockford, Cycle on 2nd opened the streets to people on bikes, so families could roll along as many laps as they liked.
In Palos Heights, the Bicycle Pilgrimage brought together the Multi Ethnic Church of Mount Greenwood, St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church, and Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church for a ride and a prayer for peace and healing along the Cal-Sag Trail.
The weekends that followed were just as full:
Glen Ellyn: Friends of the East Branch DuPage River Trail led a gentle Prairie Path Slow Roll to Villa Park for refreshments and back again.
Tilden: Tour de Tilden celebrated its 15th year with 5-, 10-, 20-, and 40-mile routes through southern Illinois countryside, all supporting the Tilden Scholarship Fund.
Wheaton: The Wheaton History Ride was led by longtime resident Bob Goldsborough. He took riders back 125 years, one local landmark at a time.
Elmhurst: The Elmhurst Bicycle Club hosted a slow-roll community ride around the center of town.
Elk Grove Village: Friends of Cycling in Elk Grove hosted a family ride with a Dairy Queen stop, and Dilly Bars were on the club for every rider.
Urbana: Champaign-Urbana Cyclists rode from the new Kickapoo Trailhead to Good Judy’s Bagels, with kids, pets, and friends all invited.
Stewardson: Pedal the Prairie toured the village, with refreshments afterward and donations going to the Stewardson Lions Club Eyeglass Fund and Ride Illinois.
Chicago: On September 27, Tires & Tunes closed out the month with a neighborhood ride from North Center to Horner Park. It ended with free live music at Old Time Night.
Why We Ride
Looking back over this list, what stands out is how different the rides were. Some ended with bagels, ice cream, or barbecue. Some honored history, the environment, a love of music, and some raised money for scholarships. We’re grateful to everyone who organized a ride and to everyone who showed up. Let’s Ride, Illinois is our small way of celebrating all the joy a bicycle can bring to an individual, a group, and a community. A bike ride may be a modest thing, but it gives neighbors a reason to be outside together.
Thank You
None of this happens without the people behind it. To our riders, thank you for showing up, pedaling along, and bringing your friends and families. To our ride leaders, thank you for dreaming up the routes, planning the details, and welcoming everyone who rolled in. And to our volunteers, thank you for giving your time, energy, and support. You made every ride possible.
We’re already dreaming about next year. Until then, keep riding, keep exploring, and keep connecting!
Support Nonprofit Bicycle Advocacy in Illinois
Each new bill, every education resource, every pedal stroke toward more bike-friendly communities across Illinois are made possible by people like you. Generous contributions fuel our advocacy, education, awareness efforts, plus our work to ensure people of all ages and abilities get around their communities (and beyond) by bicycle.
We humbly invite you to make a donation, renew your membership, or join Ride Illinois for the first time. Generous contributions fund our work. Thank you for believing in a safer, healthier, and more connected Illinois!
