Public Participation

Bay Area Bike Challenge tops off successful Bay Area Bike to Work/Wherever Month

Bike to Work Day 2024
Credit
Flōr Haus

The 30th anniversary of Bike to Work Day exceeded expectations, organizers say.

Among the notable statistics:

  • 300+ Energizer Stations hosted throughout the region by Bay Area agencies and advocates on Bike to Work/Wherever Day
  • 6,000+ miles logged by riders as part of the Bay Area Bike Challenge on May 16th alone
  • 775 participants in the Bay Area Bike Challenge
  • 110,000 miles traversed over nine counties
  • 9,000+ trips logged 

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission partnered with the app Ride with GPS for the Bay Area Bike Challenge. The app helps log and navigate routes while biking with the goal of strengthening community bonds and promoting unity across the region. 

A 30,000-mile goal for the Bay Area Bike Challenge and cyclists around the region exceeded expectations by 367%. The final total for the Bay Area Bike Challenge was a collective 110,063.8 miles.

Organizers also created a variety of prizes so that everyone — from the first-time biker to the most experienced long-distance cyclist — had a chance to win. This year’s winners:

  • Most Miles Overall: Michael Fretz, Alameda County - 1,498 miles 
  • Most Trips: Diego Rojas, Santa Clara County - 104 trips 
  • Most Creative Route (Shape): Lisa Winter, Alameda County - Beavis
  • Most Creative Route (Interest Points): Odin, San Mateo County - Bay Trail 
  • Raffle Based On Miles #1: Steve Bahr, Solano County 
  • Raffle Based On Miles #2: Eugene Bernosky, Santa Clara County 
  • Raffle Based on Trips: G Li, Alameda County 
  • Register and Ride: Sara Koepnick, Santa Clara County 

The stories of these rides can be seen by exploring the final leaderboard in a web browser. Here are some highlights of this year’s participants:

  • Alameda County’s Michael Fretz, our top miles winner, rode an audacious 367 miles in one day. He is a “randonneur,” or a long-distance cyclist. 
  • There was less than a 10-mile difference between 1st place winner Michael Fretz with 1,498.1 miles, and the 2nd place winner Roddy Gilchrist, who rode 1,488.7 miles.
  • Sonoma County’s 2023 Bike Champion of the Year Bill Petty regularly rides across both Napa County and Sonoma County in an 80-mile round trip trek, even leading the pack on group rides on strenuous hill climbs on his fixed gear BMX bike.
  • Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition's Tim Oey recently retired from working full time for the nonprofit and spent his newly found free time taking over 100 trips all around the Bay.
  • Our winner for Most Creative Design went to Lisa Winter, who created an astoundingly accurate map in the shape of Beavis’ head, saying “As a child my mom and I would watch Beavis and Butthead.”

 

  • Odin, winner of the Most Creative Points of Interest route, bravely rode much of the Bay Trail in one ride, with dotted lines demarcating where he had to branch off from the trail either over water or on roads.

 

All of the participating riders, as well as agencies and nonprofits worked hard to make the Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days a success this year. The determination of the Bay Area’s bike community shines through the inspiring stories during this month. We look forward to continuing to promote unity and encourage cycling throughout the region not just in May but throughout the year.

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