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.

Recent participation reports indicate that youth ridership is on a steady incline, a positive sign for the next generation of cyclists. In even better news, that increased participation is being met with more riding opportunities across the country from members of the Youth Cycling Coalition (YCC). The YCC is a diverse group of organizations focused on the nationwide advancement of youth bicycling. 

With the start of another school year around the corner, YCC members are excited to launch a variety of activities designed to welcome new riders and engage experienced ones. From beginner clinics and bike maintenance workshops to group rides and advocacy initiatives, these programs are building skills, confidence, and a lifelong love for cycling. As a founding member and convener of the YCC, PeopleForBikes is proud to support and amplify these efforts.

Here is your back-to-school checklist for bicycling programs near you:

Bike Buses — Rolling to School, Together

Bike Bus World is helping communities reimagine school commutes through safe, joyful group rides known as bike buses. By supporting families and students with the tools, resources, and guidance to organize these rides, the organization is turning the journey to school into a healthier, happier experience — for kids and neighborhoods alike.

Free Bikes — Expanding Access to the Bicycle 

FB4K is ensuring that thousands of students have access to a reliable bike this school year. By collecting and refurbishing gently used bikes, the organization puts capable, high-quality bicycles into the hands of kids who need them most. With more than 200,000 bikes donated so far, FB4K is racing toward an ambitious goal: 1 million donated bikes by 2033. Volunteer, donate, or apply for a bike today. 

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day — October 4, 2025

Hosted by: International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)

Every fall, IMBA invites families and communities to celebrate Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, a national event that introduces youth to the fun of riding trails. Created in 2004 and recognized by Congress, this annual celebration has helped hundreds of thousands of young riders discover the joy of dirt, adventure, and two wheels with their local mountain bike club or trails organization. Whether you're hitting the trail for the first time or riding alongside future mountain bike racers, it’s a day to connect, explore, and get muddy.

Ready to Ride — Biking Education for Every Student

The League’s Ready to Ride campaign is working to bring high-quality bike education into school systems nationwide. With hands-on instruction, a gold-standard curriculum, and strong advocacy efforts, this initiative ensures that every student can learn to ride safely and confidently. Whether you are an educator, parent, or advocate, Ready to Ride offers ways to get involved and help bring bike education to your community.

Trailblazing Girls — Mentoring on Mountain Bikes

Little Bellas is a nationwide mountain bike program with a goal of helping girls of all abilities reach their fullest potential. Now in its 19th year, the program fosters confidence, healthy lifestyles, and strong female mentorship. By reducing barriers and supplying gear when needed, Little Bellas is on a mission to get more girls on bikes, and keep them riding.

Kicking off the school year with a blend of bike advocacy and community action, Major Taylor Kidz is making a big impact. Inspired by the legacy of Major Taylor, programming includes painting crosswalks, delivering helmets, and handing out hundreds of pre-filled backpacks with supplies. Empowering kids to ride safely, feel confident, and lead with pride, this movement is building bold, community-minded riders across the country.

NICA Eastern + Central Regionals — November 8–9, 2025 

Hosted by: National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA)

Celebrating 100,000 student-athletes since 2009, NICA develops mountain biking programs for middle and high school students across the U.S. This fall, they’re turning up the fun with multiple regional events, connecting the NICA community and its 32 leagues with interstate racing, adventure rides, and family-friendly activities.

These weekend-long festivals celebrate the spirit of youth cycling, combining competition with clinics, trail stewardship, GRiT (Girls Riding Together) meetups, and a vibrant community expo. Whether you're a fan, volunteer, or curious newcomer, come out and experience the energy of a NICA event near you.

Bring Cycling to Your School with an Outride Grant  — Opening October 6, 2025

Outride’s Riding for Focus is a rider education program that uses cycling to support students’ social, emotional, and cognitive well-being. Aimed at students in grades 6 through 8, the program provides schools with everything they need to get students riding, including bikes, helmets, curriculum, teacher training, and access to an annual instructor summit.

Public middle schools that serve low-income communities are eligible to apply for a grant when the application opens on October 6. It is a powerful way to bring the joy and benefits of cycling into the classroom and beyond. Reach out to ridingforfocus@outridebike.org for more info.

Building Career Skills — Biking Meets Workforce Readiness 

Project Bike Tech brings bicycle education into high school classrooms, teaching technical skills and connecting students to real-world careers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) and the bike industry. This fall, the program expands to new classrooms across the country—including Florida—and celebrates a major milestone: becoming an approved career pathway in Colorado with added school funding for certified students.

From hands-on learning to workforce readiness, Project Bike Tech is helping students build confidence, skills, and a path forward, on and off the bike.

Biking to School Toolkit — Ride to School Every Day

Want to get more kids biking to school, but not sure where to start? Safe Routes Partnership has you covered with their Bike + Roll to School Day resources, including ready-to-go social media posts, customizable poster templates, and a step-by-step toolkit to help rally parents, students, and school leaders. You don't have to wait until May for Bike to School Day! Their step-by-step guide helps you make it happen any day, all year long. Use these tools anytime to create fun, community-centered bike-to-school events. And don’t miss their crowdsourced playlists to keep the good vibes rolling! Explore the toolkit.

Learning Math + Science — Via the Bicycle 

As students head back to the classroom this fall, the USA BMX Foundation is excited to offer dynamic, hands-on learning experiences that get kids moving, thinking, and creating. Blending BMX racing with STEAM learning, the USA BMX Foundation offers two innovative programs to inspire the next generation of thinkers, riders, and problem-solvers. These initiatives help 4th through 8th graders explore science, engineering, and math through the thrill of BMX. 

Collegiate Cycling — Rolling into Fall Racing Season

As campuses come back to life, collegiate cycling programs across the country are kicking off a new season of racing and community. From velodromes to mountain trails, fall is the heart of the collegiate cycling calendar.

USA Cycling supports clubs that build leadership, friendship, and high-level racing. New teams receive free club registration, making it easier than ever to get rolling. Whether you're forming a team or cheering one on, collegiate cycling is building community and competition nationwide.

Learn more about collegiate cycling programs and how to get involved here.

Corporate Giving — Rolling Out Opportunities

Wish for Wheels partners with corporate sponsors to provide brand new bikes and helmets to underserved 2nd grade classrooms across the country. Through its Team Build and Give program, businesses come together to build and donate bikes, giving students the chance to explore their communities on two wheels.

Whether you're part of a company looking to give back or a school hoping to bring bikes to your students, Wish for Wheels is rolling into the school year with purpose.

The Youth Cycling Coalition (YCC) is a powerful network dedicated to ensuring millions of kids across the U.S. enjoy the physical, mental, and social benefits of bicycling and keep riding for life. By fostering collaboration, sharing resources, and supporting professional growth among youth cycling leaders nationwide, the YCC is accelerating progress toward a more inclusive and active future for the next generation.

As a leading voice for better bicycling in the U.S., PeopleForBikes is committed to ensuring every child has access to a bike, a safe place to ride, and the support they need to keep pedaling.

If your favorite youth program is not yet a part of this movement, reach out to ryan@peopleforbikes.org today to get involved. Together, we can expand opportunities, inspire young riders, and build stronger communities one pedal stroke at a time.

Back to School: Youth Bicycle Programs Shift Into High Gear 

Are you looking for a fun way to get kids to school while reducing traffic congestion? Starting a bike bus might be the perfect solution. With funding from PeopleForBikes, Bike Pittsburgh created a valuable Bike Bus Guide that empowers communities in Pittsburgh and beyond to implement bike buses and promote biking with students.

A bike bus is a coordinated group ride where children bike to school together under adult supervision. These rides help reduce traffic, build community, and give kids a healthy, active start to their day.

Although already popular throughout the world, the bike bus movement really gained momentum in the U.S. after the Alameda Bike Bus in Portland, Oregon, was featured on NBC Nightly News in 2022. The popularity of the bike bus even inspired a state bill to provide school districts across Oregon with funding flexibility to support bike buses and walking school buses. Sam Balto, who started the Alameda Bike Bus, has since launched Bike Bus World to help other communities launch their own bike buses. 

“After leading my first bike bus in Portland and seeing the joy it sparked — not just in kids, but in parents, neighbors, and school staff — I knew this wasn’t just a local idea,” says Balto. “As videos of our bike buses spread online, I started getting messages from people all over the country asking how they could start one too. That’s when it clicked: this movement wasn’t just about bikes — it was about reimagining how communities connect and how kids get to school. Bike Bus World was born out of that realization: people needed inspiration, tools, and support to make it happen where they live.”

Bike Pittsburgh’s guide walks families and schools through every step of launching a successful bike bus:

1. Define Your Goals
Specify your reasons for starting a bike bus. Whether your goal is to reduce traffic congestion at school drop-offs and pick-ups, encourage physical activity, or bring families in your community together, a clear purpose will help you shape your messaging, stay on track, and get more people on board.

2. Build a Team of Volunteers
Parents and other adults are essential for organizing, guiding, and keeping the bike bus running safely and smoothly.

3. Plan a Safe and Simple Route
Choose a safe, comfortable route with designated stops for riders to join in along the way.

4. Create a Consistent Schedule
Decide how often the bike bus will run — daily, weekly, or seasonally — and stick to it. Regular rides keep kids engaged and excited.

5. Put Safety First
Assign roles for ride leaders, rear “cabooses,” and intersection helpers who can help manage the group and keep all riders safe.

6. Work with School Leadership
Connect with your school’s administration to discuss logistics and liability. 

7. Spread the Word
Promote your bike bus through school newsletters, social media, flyers, and PTA meetings. The more visibility you get, the more kids will want to join in on the fun.

“We’ve seen a great desire from parents to bike to school with their kids — whether to replace cars and buses or simply for the joy of it,” says Edward King-Smith, education manager at BikePGH. “But many parents have felt overwhelmed by the logistical and administrative challenges involved. Our goal was to simplify the process and provide support, encouragement, and supplies to help parents take the first steps to mobilize their community for a greener, funner commute to school.”

If a parent or teacher is hesitant about starting a bike bus, Balto’s advice is simple: start small. “You don’t need a parade of bikes or a perfect plan — just a few kids and one adult can make a huge difference,” he says. While it might feel a little messy or awkward at first, that’s all part of the process. “Leading a bike bus isn’t about being perfect, it’s about showing up and modeling joy, independence, and community for our kids. Once people see it in action, they want to be part of it.”

If you’re ready to launch a bike bus in your community, start by exploring Bike Pittsburgh’s Bike Bus Guide and check out Bike Bus World for more resources. With the proper planning and support, you can help kids get to school in a fun, safe, and healthy way.

How to Start a Bike Bus: A Step-by-Step Guide for Families and Schools

PeopleForBikes released our 2024 U.S. Bicycling Participation Study, offering new insights into bicycling trends across the country. This biennial report reveals that 112 million Americans — 35% of those ages 3 and older — rode a bike at least once in 2024. This marks the highest participation rate since the study began in 2014, underscoring an increasing interest in bicycling propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In even better news, youth participation (ages 3 to 17) in bicycling increased from 49% to 56% since the last study, reversing a steady decline in youth ridership since 2018. As the bike industry continues to navigate sales turbulence and economic headwinds, this data provides key information to guide industry investments, advocacy efforts, and infrastructure development. 

“The significant increase in youth participation signals a potential new generation of lifelong riders, but with 53% of riders worried about being hit by a car, we must take action to ensure people today and tomorrow feel safe and comfortable riding a bike,” said Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes. “This underscores the urgent need for continued investment in safe places to ride and highlights the critical importance of connecting bicycle networks both on and off-road to ensure safer, more accessible riding experiences for all.”


50% of riders said they are familiar with the bike lanes, paths, and trails in their area.

Ridership increased by 9% for youth ages 3 to 9 and 15% for youth ages 10 to 17. 

Traveling to/from social or recreation activities became the number one reason for transportation riding, bumping errands/shopping.

In addition to these insights, the report provides detailed breakdowns of how frequently Americans are riding, regional participation trends, and indoor-versus-outdoor riding, among other findings. It also examines consumer motivations and behaviors behind why they ride, how they feel when they ride, and even examines how likely non-riders are to get on a bicycle in the future.

As with past reports, the 2024 data was generated through survey results from 16,000 adults nationwide. The study used the same methodology as previous participation studies, allowing us to tap into 10 years of historical data to track how bicycling participation and perceptions have evolved over time.

The full report can be accessed for free by PeopleForBikes Coalition members in the PeopleForBikes Member Center. The study is available for purchase by non-members in the PeopleForBikes Resource Marketplace. 

More Americans Rode a Bike Than Ever Before in 2024

Biking is more than just fun — it’s freedom. Riding a bike helps kids develop independence, confidence, and a connection to their community. But without safe places to ride, too many children miss out on these important benefits. PeopleForBikes is helping change that through programs like the Great Bike Infrastructure Project, which invests in safe bike networks so kids can ride safely to school and around their community, bike parks and trails that make riding fun and accessible, and local advocacy efforts to ensure every kid has the chance to ride.

“We hope to create a cultural consensus that every child should have the opportunity to play sports,” says Tom Farrey, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society Program, which developed the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports, a nationwide initiative that champions access to youth sports and outdoor recreation. “By encouraging adults to identify the minimum conditions under which children should be engaged, more local, state, and national policies can be developed to deliver the benefits of sport.”

The Children's Bill of Rights in Sports, developed by the Aspen Institute's Project Play initiative, outlines eight fundamental rights ensuring all children have access to safe, inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and enjoyable sports experiences led by qualified adults in supportive environments.

By creating great places to ride close to home and improving road safety, PeopleForBikes is helping more kids safely ride to sports practice, school, and playtime with friends, expanding affordable, welcoming, and high-quality youth sports opportunities in communities nationwide.

PeopleForBikes believes every child deserves the right to ride — and we need your support. Join us in endorsing the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sport at as.pn/ChildrensRights. Together, we can give every kid the chance to ride and play!

PeopleForBikes Supports Children’s Bill of Rights in Sport Because Every Kid Deserves Safe Places to Ride

Topics

Youth Bicycling