As a father of three young kids, I’ve witnessed the joy that comes from bike rides to school. The kids pop out of bed early in anticipation of the morning ride, they're chatty as we slowly pedal through our neighborhood, and they call out to their friends with pride as they roll up to school under their own power. It’s a stark contrast to when drop off is done by car.

On May 6, kids across the country will have a similar experience as they participate in National Bike and Roll to School Day, an event led by the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Schools across the country are organizing group rides, bike buses, and skill-building events to make it easier and safer for students to ride. If your school is interested in joining, you can register your event to be added to the national map of Bike and Roll festivities.

But getting kids to ride to school on one day a year isn’t the end goal. The real opportunity is what happens next. When riding feels safe, fun, and accessible, families start to choose it more often because it adds real value to their daily lives.

So what does it take to make that possible?

As a parent, I know there are a lot of factors that go into deciding how my kids get to school, but one stands out above the rest: safety. PeopleForBikes participation research shows that 62% of Americans would ride more often if safe, connected infrastructure separated them from cars.

Everyone who has commuted by bike knows that your trip usually isn’t defined by the best part of your commute, but the worst part. If there is even one segment that feels unsafe or unrideable, it ruins the experience and will make you rethink taking that route again.

That’s why at PeopleForBikes we firmly believe that to grow youth ridership, we need to continue focusing on infrastructure that connects kids to the places they want to go — school, parks, ice cream, and more!

Our team is working diligently to improve the future of bicycling by creating the systems to accelerate the construction of safe places to ride. Key programs like City Ratings and the Great Bike Infrastructure Project help identify network gaps as well as projects coming down the pipeline that can improve those networks.

This critical infrastructure won’t fund itself, which is why PeopleForBikes continues to advocate for federal, state, and local funding. Congress is expected to release a major federal infrastructure bill in the coming weeks, and PeopleForBikes has lobbied lawmakers for months to ensure this bill includes funding for safe places for kids to ride.  At the state and local level, PeopleForBikes is supporting more than 100 bills and ballot initiatives across the country to help communities build the types of networks that families trust.

That work doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Partners like the Safe Routes Partnership are helping communities create safer pathways for kids to get to school, while organizations like IMBA are expanding access to trails and off-road riding opportunities. Together, these efforts are building the safe and connected networks that make riding possible in the first place.

Another important piece of this ride-to-school puzzle is the programming that’s taking place in communities across the country to give kids the confidence, skills, and exposure they need to ride more often. The goal isn’t just for kids to ride to school, but to use the bike as a freedom machine to get wherever they want to go.

Over the last several years, a group of youth-focused organizations has collaborated to help accelerate that work. The Youth Cycling Coalition (YCC) includes 18 national organizations working to support riders from their first ride through high school graduation. As the convener of the YCC, PeopleForBikes is dedicated to connecting these organizations, aligning their efforts, and helping more kids access the programs that build confidence on a bike.

Supporting this programming will develop the next generation of riders by connecting them to opportunities to learn how to ride, practice their skills, and gain the confidence to navigate their communities by bike. Whether it’s learning to balance for the first time, riding in a group with friends, or participating in a bike bus to school, these experiences help turn a one-time ride into a regular habit.

To better understand how these programs compliment one another, we recently developed a Youth Cycling Coalition Program Diagram that illustrates how organizations across the coalition support youth at different stages of their rider journey. From first ride to riding independently to school and beyond, the pathway is clearer and more inclusive than ever.

For families looking to get started, the Youth Cycling Coalition map serves as a national entry point to find local riding opportunities. Regardless of what type of riding your kids like to do, the map helps connect kids to the people and places that make riding possible.

I’ve personally experienced the transformative impact the bicycle can have on one person’s life. Now, I’m excited my kids' generation will have the opportunity to experience that same shift in how they see and interact with the world.

Photo courtesy of the Barkeater Trails Alliance

The Adirondacks are famous for their rugged peaks and protected wilderness, but that same protection has meant limited access for mountain biking, especially for beginners, kids, and adaptive riders. In Keene, New York, the Barkeater Trails Alliance (BETA) is working to overcome those challenges while showing what’s possible when a community invests in bike infrastructure that’s designed for everyone. With support from a PeopleForBikes grant, BETA is building a trail system in the High Peaks region that prioritizes progression, accessibility, and inclusion — while also bringing new energy to the local outdoor economy.

Building Mountain Bike Trails for All Ages and Abilities

In June 2025, more than 100 people gathered to celebrate the opening of “Duzzi,” a new enduro-style trail at the East Branch Community Trails. The trail adds a challenge for experienced riders while seamlessly connecting to a growing network designed to serve a much broader audience. That range is intentional.

“Access to a wide variety of options is crucial for a diverse riding community,” says Megan Gorss, outreach coordinator at BETA. “We strive to offer enjoyable, high quality trails for all manner of riders on all manner of bikes.”

That wasn’t always the case in the Adirondacks. Early mountain bike trails in the region were often rugged, technical, and built by and for experienced riders. “As the sport and BETA’s influence have grown, we’ve expanded the kind of trails we build to include designs that appeal more to a wider range of riders,” says Gorss.

At East Branch, that shift is visible on the ground. Riders can now choose between smooth, approachable trails that build confidence and more technical features that offer progression over time. It’s a network that meets people wherever they are in their biking journey and gives them a reason to keep coming back.

Designing for adaptive riders has pushed that thinking even further. “When it comes to designing a trail system that can accommodate both adaptive and traditional bikes, our biggest challenge as folks who ride traditional bikes has been understanding the riding experience of folks on adaptive bikes,” notes Gorss. By working closely with adaptive riding experts from the Kelly Brush Foundation, BETA has been able to refine key elements like trail width and slope — small design decisions that make a big difference in who can ride.

How Local Advocacy Turned Into Real Trails

Projects like this don’t start with construction; they start with people. “Grassroots advocacy and local engagement have been absolutely key for these projects at every step,” Gorss says.

In Keene, the push began with the Keene Youth Commission, which helped shape a vision for trails that would serve families, young riders, and people returning to biking after time away or an injury. That early advocacy carried through into construction. Community members didn’t just support the project, they helped build it. “With each phase of construction, the people of Keene and surrounding areas have been the lifeblood of building and maintaining trails that provide a uniquely accessible riding experience,” says Gorss. Today, that community ownership is part of what makes East Branch work so well. The trails reflect what people actually wanted and needed.

Building bike trails in the Adirondacks isn’t simple. The region’s “forever wild” protections are essential to preserving its landscapes, but they can also make new trail development challenging. “‘Forever wild’ is sanctified within our state constitution. It is a double-edged sword, providing a powerful framework to protect the wild lands that make this park so special, but oftentimes making trail development an arduous process,” says Gorss.

That’s where partnerships and good information matter. PeopleForBikes supports projects like this not just through funding but also with data, policy guidance, and other resources that help local leaders understand where biking is allowed and where access can expand. In places like the Adirondacks, that clarity can help communities move forward with confidence.

At East Branch, success came from aligning local advocates, town leadership, county officials, and state agencies around a shared goal. According to Gorss, “It was a great puzzle– many interlocking, interdependent pieces that together created something new, something needed, something incredible.”

The East Branch Community Trails have been built in phases, each one expanding who the system serves. The first phase created a foundation of multi-use trails, while the second improved connectivity and flow. Now, with support from PeopleForBikes and other partners, the third phase is adding a skills loop, progression features, and new trail experiences that continue to broaden access. That steady progress depends on consistent investment. “With multiple sources of funds, including a grant from PeopleForBikes, we never had to wonder if we’d be able to afford the next phase of development,” says Gorss.

What Inclusive Bike Infrastructure Looks Like in Practice

The impact of East Branch is already showing up in the people who use it. The trail network has quickly become a go-to place for beginners, families, and riders returning after injury. One rider shared how meaningful that experience was after recovering from cancer: “I rode the new trail at the East Branch system for the first time this past summer. I have had to take a break from biking for a bit due to fighting cancer. I won and am back to doing some gentle riding. Getting out into the woods felt healing and my pretty out of shape body was so thankful for the switchbacks and the downhill cruise was bliss, I rode with a grin! Grateful.”

Others describe it as a place where the whole family can ride together: “My family and I love the EBCT because there is something for everyone in our growing family. This trail network is the perfect place to introduce someone to the sport of mountain biking! The cherry on top is the great gathering area for where food, drinks, and fun is enjoyed!”

And for riders adapting to physical limitations, access to smoother, more forgiving terrain can be the difference between riding and not riding at all: “I’ve ridden the East Branch trails several times with my friend who, due to a terrible accident many years ago, can only ride our hilly terrain using an e-bike. His injuries prevent him from riding rugged terrain found elsewhere in the BETA network. The East Branch trail network allows us to continue experiencing our shared love of the sport together.”

BETA’s long-term vision is a 7-mile trail system, including a bike skills park designed to welcome riders of all abilities and create a stronger sense of community around biking. But the bigger story is what this project represents. “In short: we hope to see more people on bikes,” says Gorss. “The outdoors are for everyone. Bikes are freedom machines.”

That idea — simple, yet powerful — is something any community can act on. With the right mix of local leadership, community advocacy, thoughtful design, and targeted investment, it’s possible to create bike infrastructure that not only serves existing riders but also welcomes entirely new ones.

That’s what PeopleForBikes is working to support across the country — and what our supporters make possible.

Explore more bike infrastructure and trail projects across the U.S. with PeopleForBikes’ Bike Project Tracker and learn how your community can expand safe, inclusive places to ride by using our free Recreational Bicycling Access Tool.

Adaptive and Youth-Friendly Mountain Bike Trails Are Growing in the Adirondacks

At PeopleForBikes, we believe that when communities and the bike industry work together, big things happen. In Payson, Arizona, a powerful partnership between national brands, local champions, and a committed nonprofit created a thriving model for youth cycling and community recreation that can be replicated in towns across the country.

Payson’s story began as a spark from local leaders and Wheel Fun, a local nonprofit with a mission to create community, improve mental and physical health, and cultivate a love for the outdoors for underserved rural Arizona youth through free mountain biking programs. It soon evolved into a district-wide cycling ecosystem, complete with bike clubs, school-based classes, a flagship skills park, and hands-on technical career training. At every step, industry leaders from SRAM, Trek, Shimano, Giant, and Outride worked alongside educators and local visionaries to build something truly special.

The Payson Unified School District is quickly becoming a national leader in school-based cycling programs, with its rapid growth fueled by Wheel Fun, which operates more than 48 after-school bike programs across Arizona. In 2022, Wheel Fun expanded its mission by building bike skills parks directly on school properties. Their fourth project included the Longhorn Bike Skills Park at Rim Country Middle School (RCMS) in Payson, which opened in April 2024, the first of its kind in Gila County.

Sponsored by the Trek Foundation, the Longhorn Bike Skills Park was designed with progression at its core. Its 2,500 linear feet of trails weave through natural terrain, offering climbing lines, beginner and intermediate features, a skills area, and a pump track. Riders can practice berms, kickers, skinnies, and other foundational mountain bike skills in a controlled environment built for safety and growth. Built entirely with donated funds, the park also serves as a community amenity accessible to all when school is not in session — another intentional design choice to support residents, families, and riders of all ages.

Now, the Trek Trails at the bike park are only one part of Payson’s larger cycling movement. Thanks to industry support in the form of bicycles provided by Trek, Giant, and Specialized, alongside Wheel Fun’s ongoing support and curriculum, the Payson School District now offers:

Outdoor Adventure Club, sponsored by Wheel Fun, introduces students to trails, teamwork, and safe riding.

An Outride Riding for Focus program integrated directly into PE programming, giving even more students access to bicycles and structured riding.

A new Adventure Education class, where students build skills on bikes and learn outdoor fundamentals like orienteering.

Project Bike Tech, introduced at the high school level, provides hands-on bicycle repair and career training, supported by numerous industry partners.

A new Elementary School Bike Club at Julia Randall Elementary, launched by Wheel Fun, provides bikes, helmets, and gear and offers 3rd–5th grade students trail rides from campus, structured skills development, and regular rides to the Longhorn Bike Park, ensuring early, barrier-free access to cycling.

A growing NICA program with the Payson School District is expanding competitive youth mountain biking opportunities.

With these new courses and offerings, enrollment continues to grow, with more than 55 students expected to complete the course in its first year. Additionally, Wheel Fun’s student surveys show measurable improvements in fitness, focus, confidence, and overall well-being. Nearly 70% of participating students said they “strongly” want to return next year.

When the district lacked funding for an instructor for the Project Bike Tech program, Wheel Fun stepped in again — hiring local mechanic Mac Vorce and sending him to Colorado Springs for formal training. The program is already paying dividends. As students gain real-world technical experience, the school saves an estimated $1,500 per semester by repairing its bikes in-house, and graduates can earn a certificate qualifying them as official bike technicians — a significant step in a town with no bike shop, making Project Bike Tech an especially instrumental addition.

Payson’s progress shows what’s possible when the bike industry invests in community-led efforts. SRAM, Trek, Shimano, Giant, and Outride didn’t just write checks — they helped build programs, troubleshoot challenges, and stay engaged as true partners. Local leaders and educators provided the vision. Wheel Fun brought expertise and consistency. Together, they created a sustainable recreation ecosystem that benefits the entire community.

Payson’s story is more than a local success — it’s a roadmap. When the industry shows up, collaborates, and invests in the places where people live, ride, and learn, we can create meaningful access to recreation for every child in every community nationwide.

The future of bicycling starts in your own backyard.

Own Your Backyard: How Industry Partnerships Transformed Youth Cycling in Payson, Arizona

PeopleForBikes is proud to support the Bicycle Instruction, Knowledge, and Education (BIKE) Act, recently introduced by Representatives Seth Magaziner (D-RI) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL), co-chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus. This bipartisan legislation aims to make bike safety education a standard part of youth learning nationwide — helping kids develop safe riding skills, build confidence on a bike, and create safer roads for everyone.

Why the BIKE Act Matters for Youth Bike Safety and Safer Roads

Teaching bike safety early gives young people the skills and habits they need to navigate our streets confidently and responsibly. This bill could not come at a more critical time — since 2010, bicyclist fatalities in the U.S. have risen by 87%, with recent data showing that 1,106 riders were killed in 2024, a record high. In order to combat these staggering figures, we need to use every tool available to improve safety and save lives. 

The BIKE Act will expand certain National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) federal grant funding to include bike safety education in two ways:

National Priority Safety Programs (Section 405)

NHTSA’s National Priority Safety Programs provide grant funding to states for specific road safety measures. Current law allows these funds to be used for occupant protection, impaired driving countermeasures, motorcyclist safety, and other purposes. The BIKE Act would explicitly add “providing on-bicycle education to elementary school and secondary school students” as an eligible use of funds.

State and Community Safety Grants Program (Section 402) 

NHTSA’s State and Community Safety Grants Program provides grant funding to states for broader, multifaceted state highway safety programs designed to reduce traffic crashes and prevent deaths. The BIKE Act directs NHTSA to update its guidance to clarify that bike safety education is an eligible use of funds and encourage states to utilize these funds for this purpose.  

Congress is at the early stages of crafting the next federal surface transportation bill to reauthorize federal funding for roads, bridges, and transit systems. Congress must pass that bill before current funding programs expire September 2026. The broader surface transportation reauthorization package is the best opportunity for the BIKE Act to become public law. 

By passing the BIKE Act, Congress can take a meaningful step toward safer streets, healthier communities, and a lifelong love of bicycling for the next generation. Together, we can make safe riding skills as fundamental as reading and math.

“The BIKE Act protects our kids and empowers them to explore their communities with confidence,” said PeopleForBikes President and CEO Jenn Dice. “By expanding access to bike safety education and resources, we’re helping the next generation build lifelong skills and fall in love with the simple joy of riding. We’re grateful to Representative Magaziner and Representative Buchanan for helping ensure that every child can discover the pure joy, freedom, and confidence that comes from riding a bike.”

“The Youth Cycling Coalition (YCC) strongly supports the BIKE Act, which directly advances our mission to ensure every child can access and experience the lifelong benefits of bicycling,” said Esther Walker, executive director of Outride and co-chair of the YCC. “By making bike education eligible for federal safety funding through NHTSA, this bill empowers communities to embed bicycling into daily life and continue growing youth participation in riding.” 

Contact your members of congress and encourage them to support the BIKE Act. If you would like assistance, please reach out to PeopleForBikes Director of Federal Policy Chris Bell at chris@peopleforbikes.org.

Bipartisan BIKE Act Introduced to Expand Youth Bike Education Nationwide

PeopleForBikes is leading the charge to better understand and grow the base of people who ride bikes in America. In support of this work, our new blog series explores what the latest research tells us about who’s riding, how often, and why it matters for the future of bicycling and the bike industry.

Why Bicycling Participation Matters and What’s Next

Engaging Casual Participants to Grow Bicycling

One of the most exciting findings to come out of the most recent PeopleForBikes Bicycling Participation Study is that the proportion of kids riding bikes increased for the first time since we’ve tracked bicycling in the U.S. While the study doesn’t exactly address why more kids are riding, there are likely several contributing factors.

Anecdotally, we are hearing a lot about kids riding bench style e-bikes. Unfortunately, we don’t have any data that can directly address this hypothesis because we can’t connect sales data to end users. Nevertheless, cities across the country are reporting this trend, and it poses an interesting question for the industry — how do we want to engage kids who start bicycling because of these bench-style e-bikes? One idea is that these kids could be especially open to using a bike as their primary mode of transportation. Imagine how our cities and towns could change if more kids kept riding bikes through their teen years and into adulthood — less traffic, safer streets, healthier people, and stronger communities.

Another factor that may be increasing youth participation are programs aimed directly at getting kids riding as part of their educational experience. The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) engages middle school and high school students to participate on mountain bike teams. Though these are competitive leagues, unlike other competitive sports, all kids are welcome on NICA teams and get to actively participate. According to their 2024 annual report, NICA reaches more than 25,000 kids each year and research shows that participating in NICA has impacts well beyond the kids themselves, as their friends and family members often start riding or engage more deeply in bicycling as a result of their relationship with NICA kids.

Outride is another example of a program that is actively engaging kids. Outride partners with middle schools nationwide, offering grants and a curriculum that incorporates riding into the school day. According to the 2024 Outride Impact report, there are programs in nearly 400 schools in the U.S. and Canada that serve more than 50,000 kids annually.

Little Bellas engages girls in mountain biking starting in elementary school and extending through young adulthood through mentorship opportunities. Based on Little Bellas’ most recent numbers, they have reached more than 8,500 girls across the country.

Another great example is All Kids Bike, a national nonprofit that brings bike education to kindergarten PE classes through a ready-to-teach program. Each school receives teacher training, an eight-lesson curriculum, 24 balance-to-pedal bikes, helmets, storage racks, and ongoing support. Active in over 1,700 schools across all 50 states, the program teaches 170,000 kids to ride each year and aims to reach over 1 million students throughout the 10-year lifespan of the programs already in place.

These are just a few examples of national-level programs that are working to get and keep kids on bikes. As a founding member of the Youth Cycling Coalition, PeopleForBikes supports numerous youth-focused organizations working in communities across the country to get more kids on bikes. 

One thing is clear, engaging kids across ages and into adulthood creates not only lifetime riders but, as research from NICA shows, an entire network of riders. Investing in kids is a golden ticket to growing the participant base. 

In the next post of this series, we’ll explore how building great places to ride, especially close to home, fuels rider retention, local bike economies, and bottom-line growth for the industry.

Supporting Youth Participation to Grow Bicycling

At PeopleForBikes, we understand that participation drives the bicycle market across every rider type, price point, and geographic location. When people ride more, they buy more. And bicycling benefits more than just the bike business. When people ride more, they are also happier, healthier, and their communities become more connected and prosperous.

PeopleForBikes is leading the charge to better understand and grow the base of people who ride bikes in America. In support of this work, our new blog series explores what the latest research tells us about who’s riding, how often, and why it matters for the future of bicycling and the bike industry. We’ll share insights from our 2024 U.S. Bicycling Participation Study, annual reports from the Physical Activity Council, and stories from local communities nationwide to gain a deeper understanding of how we can help transform casual riders into lifelong enthusiasts.

First, let’s talk about riding trends in the U.S., starting with the good news.

Since 2016, participation in bicycling in the U.S. has grown by 14%, outpacing population growth by more than threefold. That means more people are discovering the joy of riding a bike than ever before.

Participation reflects the number of Americans ages 6 and older who report riding a bicycle at least one day in the past 12 months.

That growth is being driven by casual riders — people who ride twice a month or less. In 2016, these casual riders accounted for 53% of the participant base. In 2024, that grew to 60%. Though the pie is getting bigger, the enthusiasts who ride often and invest in mid- to high-end bikes, apparel, and gear aren’t necessarily growing with it.

This shift toward casual participation is happening across the outdoor economy. According to the Outdoor Industry Association’s 2025 Consumer Behavior Report:

 92% of outdoor participants are casual or active, not “core.”

Specialty retailers are seeing more traffic from casual participants than elite athletes.

Emotional drivers like fun, life balance, and confidence now matter as much as performance.

The Opportunity: Every enthusiast starts somewhere. Our job is to make sure they keep riding.

While this shift toward casual riding might seem like a warning sign, we see it as an opportunity. More than two-thirds of casual riders want to ride more often, suggesting that they are as close as one great experience away from becoming core enthusiasts.

In the next edition of this series, we’ll dive deeper into casual riders — who they are and how we can engage them to not only support the bike industry but also create a happier and healthier world.

Topics

Youth Bicycling

PeopleForBikes at Work on Youth Bicycling

News

Rebuilding the Ride to School

Adaptive and Youth-Friendly Mountain Bike Trails Are Growing in the Adirondacks

Own Your Backyard: How Industry Partnerships Transformed Youth Cycling in Payson, Arizona

Bipartisan BIKE Act Introduced to Expand Youth Bike Education Nationwide

Supporting Youth Participation to Grow Bicycling

Why Bicycling Participation Matters and What’s Next