We’re making biking better in Arkansas through funding local bike projects, supporting pro-bike policies and legislation at the local and state levels and highlighting great hometown routes on Ride Spot. In summer of 2020, we partnered with the Walton Family Foundation to help Benton County businesses become national leaders in bicycling, realize the return on investment from an active workforce that embraces bicycling, both for transportation and recreation, and position Northwest Arkansas as the national model for getting more people riding bikes through broad-scale cultural change. 

There’s nothing quite like the freedom you feel when pedaling a bike. If I could tell my younger self anything, it might go something like this:


"José! I know you’re living it up, running wild through the streets of Newark. Right now, your world is blocks and stoops, pickup games, and your father’s corner store. But one day, you’ll discover something that will change everything: the bicycle. That simple, two-wheeled machine will open up the world in ways you can’t imagine right now. Across bridges, into the woods, up mountains, down coastal paths, through cities you never dreamed you’d visit. It will give you freedom, connection, and a sense of purpose. Once you learn to ride, you’ll never look at your neighborhood, your city, or your future the same way again." 

That’s the beauty of the bike — it helps us see our world differently. Today, more people in the U.S. are riding than ever before.

According to newly released data from PeopleForBikes’ 2024 U.S. Bicycling Participation Report and Single Sport Reports from the Physical Activity Council, ridership increased 14% since 2016, far outpacing the nation’s 4% population growth in that same time. In fact, more than one in four Americans rode a bike last year, and casual riders — those who hop on a bike for fun or fitness a few dozen times a year — are leading the way.

What’s driving this boom? People are riding to find joy, spend time outside, and achieve independence.


But participation is only part of the story. Where people ride and how safe, connected, and fun those rides feel matter just as much. That’s where our 2025 City Ratings come in. New for this year, our annual City Ratings reveal how thousands of bike projects are transforming communities nationwide. From protected lanes in Brooklyn, New York, to natural surface trails in Big Sky, Montana, cities with high City Ratings scores are investing in high quality places to ride, and it’s paying off. Not just in better bike scores, but in healthier people, more vibrant local businesses, and stronger communities.

That’s why this moment matters. While the cost of just about everything is rising, the freedom of a bike ride remains priceless. With over 2,000 bike projects currently being tracked nationwide, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build better places to ride for everyone. 


The connection is clear: cities that build bike infrastructure see real, measurable improvements in bikeability. Whether it’s a bridge-to-trail connection in Anchorage, Alaska, or a neighborhood bikeway in Corvallis, Oregon, cities that prioritize better places to ride are being rewarded not just with higher scores, but with stronger communities, healthier residents, and more people choosing to ride bikes.

Cities on The Rise: High Scores and Active, Funded Projects

The following cities are leading by example, investing in high-quality bike infrastructure and seeing the benefits in real time.

Anchorage, Alaska
Score Improvement: 33 (2018) > 64 (2025)
Active Project: In 2024, Anchorage piloted protected bike lanes connecting the Coastal Trail and Chester Creek Trail through downtown, expanding access and safety for cyclists. Learn more.

Asbury Park, New Jersey
Score Improvement: 44 (2020) > 61 (2025)
Active Project: The city is undertaking traffic calming and bike/pedestrian safety upgrades on Third and Fourth Avenue to support Safe Routes to School. ​Learn more.

Ashland, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 54 (2017) > 81 (2025)
Active Project: Ashland is enhancing bike infrastructure across the city, including improvements on 11th Street West to safely connect students to reach the local elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as Northland College. ​Learn more.

Burlington, Vermont
Score Improvement: 20 (2017)  > 61 (2025)
Active Project: Burlington is developing the city’s first bike park at Leddy Park, featuring progressive jump lines and flow trails for riders of all ages and skill levels. ​Learn more.

Cambridge, Massachusetts
Score Improvement: 23 (2017) > 68 (2025)
Active Project: The Hampshire Street Safety Improvement Project installed separated bike lanes to create a more comfortable biking connection between Inman Square and the Port/Kendall Square. ​Learn more.

Cape Charles, Virginia
Score Improvement: 56 (2023) > 68 (2025)
Active Project: Construction has begun on the Eastern Shore Rail-to-Trail project, creating a shared-use path that connects Cape Charles and Cheriton. ​Learn more.

Chico, California
Score Improvement: 44 (2018) > 57 (2025)
Active Project: The Downtown Chico Complete Streets Project seeks to improve connectivity and safety by closing gaps in bike infrastructure. ​Learn more.

Corvallis, Oregon
Score Improvement: 38 (2018) > 71 (2025)
Active Project: The Tyler Avenue (East) Neighborhood Bikeway Project will include signage, pavement markings, speed humps, and other treatments to provide a safe and comfortable street for cyclists and pedestrians. ​Learn more.

Fayetteville, Arkansas
Score Improvement: 29 (2017) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The Maple Street  Improvements project will add a two-way protected bike path along a half-mile corridor, creating a critical connection between the University of Arkansas and the Razorback Regional Greenway. ​Learn more.

Galena, Illinois
Score Improvement: 25 (2020) > 55 (2025)
Active Project: Reconstruction of U.S. 20/Illinois 84 modernized Galena's main thoroughfare, better connecting cyclists and pedestrians traveling between downtown Galena and businesses to the north. ​Learn more.

Hailey, Idaho
Score Improvement: 25 (2021) > 77 (2025)
Active Project: The Blaine County Community Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan includes Safe Routes to School improvements as well as the creation of key connections to the Wood River Trail. ​Learn more.

Jackson, Mississippi
Score Improvement: 37 (2022) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The city recently completed improvements to the MLK Equality Trail, enhancing the pedestrian and cycling experience. Two other sections of the trail will be rebuilt in the next year. ​Learn more.

Jackson, Wyoming
Score Improvement: 67 (2017) > 80 (2025)
Active Project: Teton County is already home to more than 53 miles of pathways, but local advocacy group Friends of Pathways is working to connect missing links. This includes a Dutch-style solution to Snow King Avenue, a critical travel corridor. Learn more.

La Crosse, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 32 (2017) > 65 (2025)
Active Project: The STH 16 (La Crosse Street) Project created dedicated bike lanes and traffic calming measures on a vital community street. ​Learn more.

Lawrence, Kansas
Score Improvement: 27 (2018) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: Lawrence was awarded a Trail Accelerator Grant from IMBA to create new mountain bike trails in Cameron’s Bluff. Learn more.

Logan, Utah
Score Improvement: 27 (2019) > 49 (2025)
Active Project: The 1.8-mile Blacksmith Fork River Trail will connect people from Ridgeline High School to the Blackhawk Soccer Complex in Cache Valley.​ Learn more.

Longmont, Colorado
Score Improvement: 43 (2017) > 56 (2025)
Active Project: Construction has begun on the Highway 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project, which will feature a nine-mile paved bikeway and intersection safety improvements. Learn more.​

Madison, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 50 (2017) > 61 (2025)
Active Project: Madison has numerous projects underway, including the Glacial Drumlin and Capital City Connector trail, which will connect the metropolitan areas of Wisconsin’s largest cities — Madison and Milwaukee. Learn more. 

Maple Grove, Minnesota
Score Improvement: 40 (2017) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: The Eagle Lake and Bryant Lake Regional Trails plan will create a 17-mile trail connecting the communities of Maple Grove, Plymouth, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie. Learn more.​

Menlo Park, California
Score Improvement: 29 (2020) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The Middle Avenue Complete Streets project (Project) will install bicycle and pedestrian improvements along the entire length of Middle Avenue between Olive Street and El Camino Real. Learn more.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 27 (2017) > 50 (2025)
Active Project: Protected bike lanes will be installed on Walnut Street in a high-crash corridor to improve safety for all road users. Learn more.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Score Improvement: 39 (2017) > 72 (2025)
Active Project: The 18th Avenue NE Trail Gap project will build a new off-street bike trail to fill a trail gap in northeast Minneapolis. Learn more.

Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Score Improvement: 12 (2020) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: Oak Bluffs constructed a bike and pedestrian walkway along Beach Road to improve safety along the seaside corridor. Learn more.

Ojai, California
Score Improvement: 58 (2022) > 69 (2025)
Active Project: The city received funding through the Active Transportation Program to add two-way bike lanes along the Maricopa Highway. Learn more.

Photo courtesy of Experience Fayetteville.

Across the Heartland — the 20 states that make up the middle of America — communities of all sizes are proving that great cities for biking aren’t just on the coasts. From the network of protected bike lanes of Minneapolis to the interconnected greenways across Northwest Arkansas, local leaders and advocates are making dedicated investments in bike infrastructure to give more people safe and easy ways to move around their communities. 

The Heartland includes Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Image courtesy of Heartland Forward.

This year’s City Ratings, PeopleForBikes’ annual program ranking the bikeability of nearly 3,000 cities across the globe, highlights the growing momentum toward more connected and mobile communities being built across the Heartland. Cities and towns of all sizes throughout the region are committing to safer streets, investing in protected infrastructure, and offering expanded mobility options for residents and visitors alike.


City Ratings scores are evaluated on a scale of 0-100, with a score of 50 seen as the tipping point to becoming a great city for biking.

Minneapolis (72) is a long-time national leader in building high quality bike infrastructure. Last year, Minneapolis ranked as the top large city for biking in the entire U.S. thanks to their  connected network of protected bike lanes, off-street trails, and low-speed neighborhood streets. Just across the river, St. Paul, Minnesota, earned a score of 61, showing that connectivity and bikeability does not stop at city borders.


Meanwhile, other Midwest metropolitan areas like Milwaukee (50) and Detroit (43) are gaining ground by reimagining how streets serve all road users, no matter how they choose to get around. Cleveland (37) rounds out the top five big cities, signaling a growing interest in improved active transportation in numerous states across the Heartland.

Heartland cities in the mid-size category are proving that big progress doesn’t only happen in big cities. La Crosse, Wisconsin (65), saw a four-point rise over last year’s ratings, highlighting an ongoing commitment to investing in safe places to ride that make it easier for residents to get from where they live to where they need to go. In college towns like Ames, Iowa (64), and Madison, Wisconsin (61), city planners are building connections between parks, schools, and downtowns to make commuting by bike an option for everyday trips.


Some of the most exciting stories in City Ratings each year come from the smallest dots on the map. The car-free Mackinac Island, Michigan, leads all U.S. cities — not just those in the Heartland — with the first perfect score of 100 in City Ratings program history. Sauk City, Wisconsin (90), a newcomer to this year’s ratings, and Washburn, Wisconsin (89), both helped the Badger State secure the top spot as the best state for biking in the Heartland, with an average population-weighted score of 48. These small cities are classic examples of communities where people are able to easily rely on bikes for trips to the grocery store, doctor's office, post office, or any everyday destination. 

Fayette, Missouri, and Murdock, Nebraska, both scoring 89, are also punching above their weight. Their success offers a blueprint for other small towns across the U.S. looking to boost livability, health, and economic opportunity through better bike access.

Riders explore the Art Trail at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, one of many off-street paths connecting residents and visitors to destinations across the city by bike. Photo courtesy of Patty Valencia.

Arkansas continues to build a strong cycling culture, with five cities represented in this year’s regional rankings. Alongside Arkansas’ top city Fayetteville (51), cities like Bentonville (46) — home to world-class mountain bike trails — and Bella Vista (44) are showing how cycling can become a core part of a city's identity. Rogers (38) and Springdale (34) round out the list, showcasing the tremendous work being done to transform the entire Northwest Arkansas region into a haven for biking — both for recreation and transportation.

What unites these Heartland communities isn’t just geography. It’s the shared commitment to creating places where people can move freely, safely, and joyfully. Whether it's a big-city investment in protected bike lanes or a small-town push for a network of slow streets, the efforts all add up to something bigger: a future where everyone can access the countless benefits of biking.

To learn more about PeopleForBikes’ City Ratings and see how your city scored in this year’s ratings, head to cityratings.peopleforbikes.org.


Want to make your community a great place to ride a bike? Improve your city’s score with PeopleForBikes’ resources. Together, we can make biking better for everyone!

Highlights From the Heartland: Communities Building a Better Future for Biking

As part of our ongoing work to convene the bike industry around its most complex and high-impact challenges, PeopleForBikes hosted the 2025 Electric Mountain Bike (eMTB) Summit in Bentonville, Arkansas. The summit exemplifies our commitment to uniting business leaders, public agencies, and advocates to advance smart policy, foster collaboration, and strengthen the future of bicycling. By focusing on a rapidly evolving and often misunderstood sector of our industry, the summit brought national attention to the importance of inclusive trail access, responsible innovation, and public-private partnership, all pillars of our work to build a stronger bike ecosystem in Northwest Arkansas and beyond.

The eMTB Summit brought together leaders from across the bike industry, federal and state agencies, advocacy groups, and trail stewardship organizations. The summit emphasized a clear message: eMTBs are not a passing trend — they're a transformational tool reshaping how and where people of all ages and abilities can ride. 

As one of the only events focused solely on eMTBs, the summit highlighted their potential to shape the future of trail access and community planning. We collected our top highlights from the event, which featured engaging speakers and experts alongside cutting-edge research and innovations.

The event opened with a compelling welcome from Gary Vernon of Runway Group, who spotlighted Arkansas’ leadership in trail innovation. From integrating eMTBs into state park systems to pioneering sustainable trail design and managing the rise of e-motos on trails, Arkansas is setting a national standard for trail development that expands access and balances community needs.

A highlight of the summit was a presentation from Jonah Chiarenza of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center, who shared the latest federal research comparing riding behaviors between eMTB and traditional mountain bike users on trails in Moab, Utah. Chiarenza and his team’s findings are critical for land managers navigating trail use policy, offering science-backed insights into the similarities and differences in impacts to trails between riders and helping shape equitable and informed access rules across public lands.

One of the summit’s most inspiring stories came from Mena, Arkansas. A new downhill mountain bike park — fully open to e-bikes — was brought to life through a rare collaboration between the U.S. Forest Service, Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation, Arkansas State Parks, the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation, and the City of Mena. The session underscored the power of public-private partnerships to unlock new recreational opportunities in rural areas.

Greg Williams of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship offered a visionary take on eMTBs as tools for wildfire resilience planning and how trails can be designed not only for recreation, but also to help mitigate fire risk for fire-prone communities. By designing trail networks that serve both recreational and disaster resilience purposes, communities can create infrastructure that supports public safety while expanding access to outdoor recreation.

In a policy session moderated by PeopleForBikes’ Rachel Fussell, Charles Cooper of the Brumidi Group provided a behind-the-scenes look at the evolving landscape of federal e-bike regulations. From staffing cuts at federal agencies to landmark wins like the EXPLORE Act, the conversation highlighted both opportunities and challenges ahead. 

Cooper emphasized that reduced federal capacity could delay trail projects and permitting, while the sale of public lands and increased prioritization of extractive industries threaten long-term recreation access. He urged unity among stakeholders, greater engagement with land managers and policymakers, and a push for recreation to be recognized as essential infrastructure. With major funding opportunities like the America the Beautiful Act on the horizon and ongoing questions around eMTB classification, Cooper underscored that the time to act is now — and that the riding community must speak up to shape the future of trail access.

As electric mobility rapidly diversifies, one of the summit’s most critical conversations addressed the growing presence of e-motos and out-of-class electric vehicles on trails. Featuring policy leaders including Matt Moore of PeopleForBikes and Scott Schloegel of the Motorcycle Industry Council, the session stressed the need for clear classification systems, user education, and enforcement strategies to ensure safe and fair trail use.

eMTBs are reshaping access, increasing inclusivity, and broadening participation across age and ability levels.

Clear policy and rider education are essential to safely manage eMTB and e-moto growth.

Public-private partnerships — like those seen in Mena — can unlock new opportunities in underserved areas.

Trail systems can do double duty, providing recreation and supporting emergency preparedness and fire resilience.

Federal advocacy matters now more than ever to shape consistent, forward-thinking eMTB access nationwide.

With more riders, new technologies, and a changing policy environment, the momentum behind eMTBs is undeniable. From workforce development in the bike industry to fire-hardened trail prescriptions and federal engagement, PeopleForBikes is proud to support the future of eMTBs. The 2025 eMTB Summit was a catalyst for action, collaboration, and change.

As one U.S. Forest Service attendee summed it up:

“I learned more [during the eMTB Summit] than I have in the last two years about eMTBs. I wish all my staff could attend.” — Dan Olsen, Forest Supervisor, Ozark-St. Francis National Forests

____________________________________________________________________________________

PeopleForBikes thanks all the partners, speakers, and attendees who made this groundbreaking event possible. Together, we’re building a future where more people can ride more places, more often.

2025 eMTB Summit Shapes the Future of Trail Access and Outdoor Recreation

At the intersection of trailblazing technology and cycling culture sits the Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator (AGCA), a first-of-its-kind initiative fueling the next wave of innovation in the bike industry. Powered by vision, collaboration, and bold ideas, the AGCA is helping entrepreneurs around the world turn breakthrough concepts into real-world solutions. Bentonville, Arkansas, is the launchpad.

PeopleForBikes is a proud supporter of the AGCA. This program reflects everything we value: entrepreneurship, infrastructure, global connectivity, and a deep belief in the power of bikes to change the world. As we work to strengthen the bike industry in Northwest Arkansas and beyond, AGCA’s momentum is a clear signal, the future of cycling is being built locally.

Spearheading this initiative is Zoe Maddox, Ph.D, director of business incubation at the University of Arkansas, whose leadership has been instrumental in transforming Bentonville into a global proving ground for bike industry innovation.

“This program is about more than accelerating products — it’s about accelerating the future of cycling itself,” said Dr. Maddox. “We’re proud to provide these startups with not just mentorship and tools, but a community that believes in their success.”

In its inaugural year, the AGCA received 64 applications from 15 countries. Ten standout startups from seven nations were selected to join the first cohort, each bringing a game-changing idea to life.


Blubrake (Italy) — ABS braking systems for e-bikes.

BrakeAce (New Zealand) — Braking performance analytics for cyclists.

Hightag (USA) — Automated action footage of your best ride moments.

Kino Bikes (France) — Next-gen cargo bike frames.

Link My Ride (UK) — Social ride planning and group ride tools.

Lockstop (USA) — Anti-theft mobility systems with integrated insights.

NOCA (Germany) — Data ecosystems for cycling supply chains.

Posedla (Czech Republic) — Custom 3D-printed bike saddles.

Skarper (UK) — One-click e-bike conversion devices.

TrailPilot (USA) — Audio GPS navigation for mountain biking adventures.

“The AGCA was a great opportunity,” said Matt Miller, founder of BrakeAce. “Building a business in the cycling industry from New Zealand can feel quite isolating, so it was great to connect with other founders in the same industry who can empathize with the unique challenges we face together.”

Workshops from cycling’s top minds supercharged the AGCA experience, covering everything from product design and storytelling to risk management and market expansion.

“Helping founders understand the pathways to investment and sustainable growth is critical,” said René Wiertz of Fundracer Capital. “The AGCA is building the bridge between bold ideas and business-ready solutions.”

“This accelerator is unique because it pairs big ideas with big opportunities. Bentonville is quickly becoming the epicenter of cycling innovation,” added Doug Baker of SHIFT Active Media.

“The cycling industry needs to invest in its startups and innovations to stay competitive,” said Anna Buchmann, CEO and co-founder of NOCA. “With its industry focus, AGCA has managed to build a support programme that actually provides value, from networking opportunities to visibility and a community of entrepreneurs. We need to see more of these initiatives.”

AGCA cohort companies established residency in Bentonville in May during a series of major industry events, including E-Mobility Day, the NBDA Summit, and Bentonville Bike Fest. This gave founders firsthand access to leading brands, retailers, media partners, and policymakers.

Walmart Workplace Mobility Team — Distribution insights and corporate partnerships.

Allied Cycle Works — Tour and product development deep dive.

Runway Group — Community business development.

Visit Bentonville — Local tourism and event alignment.

Bentonville Moves Coalition — Urban planning and mobility.

Gnargo Bike Company + SPEC PR — Branding and PR for early-stage startups.

PeopleForBikes — Advocacy integration and industry connections.

“Through the AGCA, we not only deepened our connection to PeopleForBikes but also joined a mission-aligned community that’s helping shape the future of active transportation,” said Clayton Woodruff, COO and co-founder of Lockstop. “It was both grounding and inspiring to be surrounded by others solving real-world problems in smart, collaborative ways.”

“Participating in AGCA has been a game-changer for Posedla,” said Jiri Duzar, co-founder of Posedla. “It gave us a deeper foothold in the U.S. cycling ecosystem and connected us with industry leaders who share our vision for innovation and rider comfort.”


The program’s capstone was a demo night at Ledger, the world’s first bikeable office building. Each cohort company showcased its innovations through live product demos, investor pitches, and storytelling sessions.

“The AGCA proves that when we invest in innovation and community, we can unlock extraordinary new ideas for cycling,” said Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes. “It’s not just the future of bike products that’s being shaped, it’s the future of the bike industry. We’re thrilled to support this next generation of industry leaders as they help us create a more connected, sustainable, and rider-focused future.”

“The demo night was electric,” said Mark Marsiglio, founder of TrailPilot. “It wasn’t just about pitching, it was about becoming part of a global network that’s pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in cycling.”


“The program has been instrumental in shaping our thinking about the U.S. market,” said Uri Meirovich, COO and co-founder of Skarper. “It gave us the knowhow and key contacts to pursue U.S. expansion and connected us with some of the most influential people in the cycling industry all in one week.”

The Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator is launching a movement. One where bold ideas, powerful networks, and passionate people come together to build a better bike industry.


At PeopleForBikes, we’re honored to be part of that journey. As we continue our work in Northwest Arkansas and across the country, programs like AGCA demonstrate what’s possible when innovation meets purpose and when bikes serve as the vehicle.

PeopleForBikes’ sponsorship of the Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator was made possible through a generous grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation, an organization that invests in big ideas that reimagine solutions to some of today's most significant challenges. Their support is helping empower global innovators and strengthen the bike industry from the ground up.


Want to connect with AGCA participants or support the next cohort?
Reach out to PeopleForBikes or visit: cyclingaccelerator.com.

Bentonville’s Big Bet on Bike Innovation: Inside the Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator

Every year, PeopleForBikes advocates on behalf of the bike industry and bike riders across the country to support the construction of fun, safe, and connected places to ride that welcome more people to the joys of bicycling. 


From championing e-mobility lithium-ion battery safety, to mandating Complete Streets for improved road safety, to advancing the construction of bike infrastructure through climate legislation, PeopleForBikes successfully advocated for a multitude of policies at the state and local levels during the 2024 legislative session that will support bike businesses and riders of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds nationwide.

The safety of e-mobility lithium-ion batteries was a top priority for many states and communities across the U.S. this legislative session.

Following the guidance of PeopleForBikes and other industry experts, New York passed legislation to ensure the quality and safety of e-mobility products while maintaining accessibility to equitable transportation options. The legislation requires that e-bike and other e-mobility lithium-ion batteries be tested to standards that ensure the safety of the products the batteries power. It also enables the enforcement of products that do not meet these standards and contribute to unsafe conditions, including battery fires. 


Read more about this important legislation.

In June, the Chicago City Council committed to working with the bicycle industry and other stakeholders to amend a proposed battery safety ordinance to align with similar safety legislation in New York so individuals, retailers, and manufacturers can rely on consistent e-bike battery testing requirements across the country.

PeopleForBikes looks forward to continuing our work with states and municipalities across the country to promote uniform and effective battery testing regulations that ensure that e-bike batteries sold and used in the U.S. meet the highest safety standards.


PeopleForBikes recognizes the three-class system as the framework to categorize and regulate low-speed electric bicycles (e-bikes). Currently, 43 states officially recognize our model legislation. In 2024, Oregon and Rhode Island signed the three-class system into law. This system promotes a uniform definition of e-bikes across the country to mitigate confusion for riders, retailers, manufacturers, and regulators. 

PeopleForBikes will continue supporting the classification of electric bicycles as bicycles (not motorized vehicles) and will work with legislators to showcase the need for clear definitions and strong enforcement so that bicycles, and bicycling infrastructure, are protected. 


Out-of-Class Electric Vehicle Legislation 

Due to the constantly evolving range of electrically powered devices entering the marketplace and the growth of their use nationwide, PeopleForBikes led efforts to define products that exceed the speed and power limitations of the three-class system and federal law as out-of-class electric vehicles (OCEVs). 


Utah and Minnesota passed landmark OCEV legislation to promote safety and protect hard-won access for bicycles on state trails and paths. You can read more both here and here about why this legislation is so critical. 


PeopleForBikes will continue helping states and municipalities better define and enforce the difference between electric bicycles and overpowered, higher-speed, out-of-class electric vehicles (including electric dirt bikes) to protect the rights of bike riders across the country.

Cities and states nationwide continue to prioritize sustainable, equitable, and accessible forms of transportation through e-bike purchase incentives and rebate programs. This year, the Atlanta City Council approved a $1 million incentive for the purchase of e-bikes and the Bentonville City Council in Arkansas approved $2.25 million in grant funding for an e-bike rebate program.


With $20 million in funding approved in 2023, Portland City Council approved an implementation plan for the city’s e-bike incentive program set to launch in 2025. Michigan legislators also approved $2.95 million in funding for an e-bike purchase incentive program in their state budget to implement a statewide e-bike transportation incentive program. 

The 2024 legislative session included many recreation policy wins that PeopleForBikes helped secure to continue building momentum for eMTB access on natural surface trails. 

In Oregon and Colorado, PeopleForBikes supported the passage of recreational immunity bills that protect landowners from liability resulting from the use of their lands by other individuals for recreational purposes, including mountain biking.

The Tahoe National Forest prepared a Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) and final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Pines to Mines Trail Project. The project, totaling 72 miles of new, natural surface trails, will provide expanded recreation opportunities on National Forest System lands. It also authorizes the use of Class 1 electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) on all new and existing trails where traditional mountain bikes are already allowed within the project area.

A National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment is also underway in the Tahoe National Forest, utilizing a forest-wide approach. This first-of-its-kind approach could yield historic results that allow entire forest districts to allow Class 1 eMTBs on natural surface trails, as opposed to laws differing by individual trail systems. 


Look out for more recreation and eMTB policy wins as we continue engagement with state and local land managers to open access for Class 1 eMTBs on multi-use singletrack trails in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, and Utah. Additionally, PeopleForBikes is working on recreational trail access for mountain biking within the implementation of the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule. 


A lack of safe places to ride is one of the most significant barriers preventing Americans from biking. Dedicated funding streams for the construction of bike infrastructure creates more safe and connected places to bike, which in turn increases bicycling participation. The construction of bike infrastructure also contributes to other co-benefits, including positive public health outcomes, economic vitality, reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and transportation equity.  


As of July, PeopleForBikes has helped secure nearly $1.5 billion for the construction of bike infrastructure that increases safe places to ride bikes through our 2024 VoteForBikes campaign. With a potential $2 billion more on the November general election ballot, 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for bike infrastructure funding. Stay tuned for our post-election VoteForBikes recap to see how much funding PeopleForBikes helped secure for local communities across the country! 


In addition to our work advocating for bikes at the ballot box, PeopleForBikes supported additional legislation to fund bike infrastructure, including Minnesota’s Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund that invests more than $11 million in the expansion and enhancement of recreational trails, active transportation infrastructure, and mountain bike access across the state. 


Passing dedicated funding streams for bikes and bike infrastructure at the state and local levels is the most important policy priority for PeopleForBikes. We will continue paving the way for the construction of infrastructure that allows more people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds across the country to safely and efficiently travel around their communities and access more opportunities to ride a bike.


PeopleForBikes continues to advocate for legislation that reduces serious injuries, saves lives, and allows people to travel safely throughout their community with confidence. Reducing speed limits and actual vehicle speeds is one of the most effective ways to improve road safety and save lives.

After four years of hard work, PeopleForBikes was honored to support local advocates in New York as Governor Kathy Hochul signed Sammy’s Law into law in May. The new law allows New York City to implement a 20 mile per hour speed limit with additional 10 and 15 mile per hour zones. This legislation will dramatically increase safety for people walking and biking on roads with a high volume of motor vehicles. 


Michigan and Virginia also passed legislation that makes it easier for local municipalities to lower speed limits that are appropriate for the context and needs of those communities. 

We know that in addition to lower speed limits, safer road designs reduce motor vehicle speeds, one of the most significant causes of serious injuries and deaths on roads. As a result, Complete Streets mandates — which require the construction of bike infrastructure when roads are reconstructed or repaved — are one of the most effective policies communities can implement for improved road safety. Complete Streets also close gaps in transportation networks and enable all road users, regardless of their mode of transportation, to easily access places that they need to go. PeopleForBikes will continue to fight for legislation that mandates Complete Streets to promote safe and thriving communities. 

In March, voters in Los Angeles, California, one of the nation’s most car-centric cities, approved Measure HLA. This requires the implementation of the city’s Mobility Plan, including bike and pedestrian infrastructure when road construction or repaving occurs. PeopleForBikes endorsed this measure to increase transportation opportunities and accessibility, improve road safety, promote health, and reduce transportation-related GHG emissions. 


As part of historic legislation, Minnesota also strengthened the state’s Complete Streets policy by adding PeopleForBikes-supported amendments that require the integration of Complete Streets design principles and offer implementation guidance.

Advancing Bike Infrastructure Through Climate Legislation 

There is significant momentum across the country to fund active transportation infrastructure through climate legislation in order to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and GHG emissions. Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing annual GHG and VMT reduction targets for his state’s transportation sector, requiring the Maryland Department of Transportation to implement a process for evaluating and reducing GHG emissions attributable to transportation projects, and investing in projects that reduce VMT and enhance transportation choices. 

Looking ahead to the 2025 legislative session, PeopleForBikes is actively involved in several local coalitions supporting climate legislation to curb transportation-related GHG emissions. Stay tuned for more bike infrastructure and climate legislation wins next year! 

There is already huge momentum for bikes and 2024 is not finished yet! At all levels of government and at the ballot box, PeopleForBikes is championing policies that create safer and more connected places to ride alongside supporting legislation that maintains safe, reliable, and quality products to get more people on bikes more often. 


You can help us achieve even more! By making a donation to PeopleForBikes, we can make an even greater impact in communities like yours all across the country. You can also sign up to receive our advocacy alerts to learn how you can support similar policy wins where you live.

PeopleForBikes’ 2024 Policy Wins Advance Bicycling Safety and Access Nationwide

In 1984, when Will Chavez was 17, he signed on to participate in a month-long, multi-state, 950-mile bike ride. A member of the Cherokee Nation, Chavez grew up in Eastern Oklahoma where he’d spend summer days riding a one-speed motocross bike with his cousins, exploring nearby Marble City and the local creek, where they’d go swimming. By the time he was finishing high school, Chavez was invited to participate in the inaugural Remember the Removal Bike Ride.

Founded by Mike Morris and Mose Killer, the Remember the Removal ride was envisioned as a way to better involve youth in their Cherokee culture. The school in Marble City only goes through eighth grade and about a third of kids often drop out when it comes time to transition to high school. Morris and Killer saw a need to cultivate leadership qualities in Cherokee youth, as well as help them build self-esteem and confidence to face life’s challenges. The pair settled on a bike ride that would not only test the youth mentally and physically but also allow them to honor their shared history.

The Remember the Removal Bike Ride retraces the Trail of Tears, a forced displacement campaign from the U.S. government that doubled as a form of ethnic cleansing. Between 1830 and 1850, some 60,000 people from the Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations were forcibly removed from their homes in the southeastern United States and relocated west of the Mississippi River. The relocation to less fertile land took months, and more than 4,000 people died from exposure, disease, and starvation.

The Trail of Tears is actually a network of different routes  — Remember the Removal riders stick to the northern route.

By recreating the original route as a bike ride, Cherokee leadership hoped to expose youth to the hardships their ancestors faced when they made the same trek on foot decades before. That first year, Chavez joined 19 other students and ride coordinators on bikes, while support vans and a school bus followed with tents, food, and other necessary supplies. The group visited historical sites as they followed in their ancestor’s footsteps, averaging 60 miles a day. For Chaves, the trip was life-changing. 

“Before the ride, my self-esteem was not good and I didn’t have much confidence — that all changed after the ride,” says Chavez. “I credit the ride for giving me the confidence to take on numerous challenges like joining the army, finishing college, and having a career in journalism. The ride changed me because it forced me to go past my limits – physically and mentally. So, afterward, I had the fortitude to not give up when things got tough or when it seemed like a task was impossible.”

For the last 27 years, Chavez has been an assistant editor for the Cherokee Phoenix, which was first published in Cherokee and English in 1828 in New Echota (present-day Georgia), then the capital of the Cherokee Nation (the paper’s offices are now headquartered in the new capital, Tahlequah, Oklahoma). In addition to his full-time position, Chavez has worked as the coordinator and trainer for the Remember the Removal Bike Ride for the last four years. 

In addition to the inaugural ride in 1984, Chavez also participated as a mentor in the second iteration of the ride, 25 years later.

“In 2009, the chief at the time decided to bring the ride back and he consulted some of the original riders, asking how we did things,” says Chavez. “Except for 2020, it’s been going consistently since then.”

Today, the ride remains a youth leadership program for tribal members aged 16-24, with applications opening each year in September (there are also two mentor riders each year, for those 35 and older). The program interviews are comparable to a formal job interview — applicants are scored and selected by a panel at the end of October, before attending orientation in November. 

"When I was chosen to be on the ride, I felt a sense of pride grow within me," says Whitney Roach, who completed the ride in 2021. "I not only get to represent myself and my family, but I get to represent my ancestors who were forced on the Removal…I [had] the opportunity to retrace their steps in remembrance of their strength and resilience."

Selected participants sign a contract, committing to six months of rigorous physical training, clocking miles but also learning how to clip in and use a bike with drop handlebars and lots of gears. There’s also a cultural training component that includes Cherokee lessons.

“Most of our youth don’t speak Cherokee these days so that’s part of the training,” says Chavez, adding that the cohort’s formal introductions to the tribal council are always in Cherokee. “They learn the language, the culture, and the history of the Trail of Tears. They end up with a really good background of what happened so that they’re prepared when they go out on the road and people start asking them questions.”

Along the ride, which starts in Georgia, riders visit significant sites, including New Echota, the former Cherokee capital; Kituwah Mound, the original Cherokee homeland; Blythe Ferry, where Cherokees gathered during their forced removal; Mantle Rock in Kentucky, where the former Trail of Tears route is a hiking trail; and many, many unmarked grave sites. 

“There are so many points in history when the Cherokee people could have disappeared like some other tribes,” says Chavez, noting that in addition to surviving the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee survived a smallpox epidemic that decimated the tribe in the 1700s, the American Civil War in the 1800s, and the seizure of lands and destruction of tribal government the pushed the tribe into poverty in the 1900s. “Yet, we are still here today. From the standpoint of being a Cherokee person, the ride made me even more proud of who I am and even more proud of my ancestors for what they endured and survived,”

A body of research, published from 2020 to 2022, highlights the benefits of the Remember the Removal Bike Ride for participants’ physical, emotional, social, and cultural well-being. Past riders that were surveyed showed improvements in their diet and exercise habits, as well as their mental health, with reductions in things like stress, anxiety, depression, and anger. Perhaps most importantly, those surveyed also demonstrated improved social and cultural connection to one another, their Cherokee identity, and fundamental Cherokee values.

Participants from the 2019 Remember the Removal Bike Ride walk down a preserved section of trail used by Cherokees in Tennessee during their forced removal some 180 years ago.

Over the course of three weeks, the youth ride anywhere from 40 to 70 miles a day, some much more difficult than others (particularly those in Missouri, nicknamed “Misery” due to its constant heat, hills, and rough roads).

In 2021, the riders switched from using road bikes to gravel bikes, which makes traversing the mountains and backroads much easier. The Cherokee Education Department pays for rider’s helmets, shoes, sunglasses, a bike computer, custom cycling kits, and bikes, which are Fuji this year but have covered the gamut of quality brands over the last decade. To receive the kit, riders are required to pass a grueling 60-mile road test — friends and family are then invited to watch them receive their kits, an event with a strong ceremonial element. When participants complete the ride itself, they get to keep their bikes.

In an average year, Chavez takes 8-10 riders, although this year it’ll be a group of six, having lost two to injury. Interestingly, since 2018, the Remember the Removal riders have been trending female, and since 2021, the cohort has been completely female. 

This years Remember the Removal cohort, which will begin their ride on June 5.

“Elders and council members have been asking, where are all the boys?” says Chavez, noting that male youth just aren’t applying. “Obviously, the girls aren’t afraid to do it — it’s tough and these girls want to take on the challenge.”

At the end of May, Chavez accompanied the riders to North Carolina, where they met up with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who also has a team of six riders. While the two tribes share a lineage, there are still a few differences in language, which can become apparent in the call signs used, all of which are in Cherokee. After a training ride together to get on the same page, the group will travel to Georgia, where they’ll begin the Remember the Removal Bike Ride on June 5, traveling nearly 1,000 miles through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Upon completion, the riders will join more than 200 alumni, many of whom are still as committed to the ride as Chavez is, showing up to help with training, mentorship, or on-route support. It makes sense — after all, Remember the Removal is first and foremost a spiritual journey. Not only does it test the endurance and emotions of those who participate, but it directly connects them to their ancestors. In riding, they remember where they came from and find the strength to go on.

If you’re interested in following the riders’ journey along the northern Trail of Tears route, tune in to the official Remember the Removal Bike Ride Facebook page. 

This Annual Bike Ride Connects Cherokee Youth to Their History

Twenty years ago, the small, Northwest Arkansas city was relatively unknown. Today, it’s the mountain biking capital of the world.

Bentonville, Arkansas, tucked in the heart of the Ozarks in the northwest corner of the state, is probably most well known as the birthplace of Walmart. Over the last 15 years, however, thanks in large part to investments made by the Walmart-founding Walton family, the city has dubbed itself the “Mountain Biking Capital of the World.”

Some die-hard mountain bike enthusiasts may throw up their arms at that statement and say, “What about Moab, Whistler or (insert said enthusiast’s favorite local trails here)?!,” but those who have visited Bentonville can attest that the city has truly done an incredible job of growing a strong community of dedicated cyclists, all within recent memory.

For 2022, Bentonville ranked #1 in Community Score in PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings. The program, which evaluates, identifies and compares great places for biking, determines a city’s score by combining its Network Score, measuring the quality of a city’s bike network, and its Community Score, measuring how people feel about biking in their city. While the Network Score may be worth 80% of a city’s overall rating, the Community Score offers an important look into understanding local resident’s perceptions of bicycling where they live, work and play.

With a Bicycle Network Analysis score of 43 and an overall score of 48, Bentonville sits right on the cusp of being considered a great place to bike by City Ratings standards, with an overall score of 50 being that gateway to greatness. However, touting a Community Score of 70, the Northwest Arkansas hub offers many potent lessons on fostering a community of bike-minded residents. 

Bentonville’s journey began relatively recently, with the city’s first five miles of singletrack opening in 2007 on the north end of town. By 2010, those five miles grew to 17 miles, and the Slaughter Pen network of trails stretched further south, connecting to the heart of downtown Bentonville. Over the next 10 years, the region’s network of trails continued to expand, with 100 more miles of trails opening in Bella Vista, Bentonville’s northerly neighbor. Today, Northwest Arkansas is home to more than 500 miles of trails, stretching from Bella Vista to Eureka Springs.

But Bentonville’s success lies in more than just building miles and miles of trails — according to Gary Vernon, senior program officer for the Walton Family Foundation, the organization responsible for funding a majority of the trails across Northwest Arkansas, the key is building trails for all types of riders. 

“When the first few miles of trail were built, it wasn’t just a check written by a family foundation. Tom and Steuart [Walton] were out riding the trails in the community and building the trails that most benefited those who lived in the community,” said Vernon. “We wanted to build trails that connected communities, both physically and socially, and that are able to be enjoyed by riders of all skill levels. We wanted to get families out riding together that normally wouldn’t. Instead of packing up the car and driving a few hours to ride, you can roll out of your driveway in Bentonville and be at a trail in minutes. We like to say that the best trailhead in Bentonville is your garage.”

For Vernon, accessibility, connectivity and progression are the key pillars to introducing new riders and welcoming more people to the fun of mountain biking. “Just start with that first 10 miles of trail and build them in a way that there’s trails that are fun for all skill levels,” he said. “Build trails that parallel greenways so parents can ride on pavement alongside their kids riding dirt for the first time. You don’t need 150+ miles to be successful; if you have 10-15 miles of fun, connected trails, you can be successful.”

While Bentonville trails may lack the one-way distances of other mountain biking meccas out West or in the Northeast, Vernon also points to the “lapability” of local trails as another benefit to Bentonville’s success in growing riders’ confidence and love of biking. 

“Growing up, we would build one jump and hit it 1,000 times. That’s how we got better,” said Vernon, noting how Bentonville’s dedicated climbing tracks sprinkled throughout its trail networks make it easy to hit the same lines again and again and again. “You don’t get better by hitting a different jump every time you ride. Beginners can benefit so much from repetition, and when you can hit the same line five times in a row, you’re going to be a lot more confident on the bike because of it.”

Don’t just take Vernon’s word for it either — Bentonville’s investment in biking has proven to be instrumental in growing the number of residents who love to ride. Based on a 2021 survey conducted by PeopleForBikes, 26% of Benton County residents reported riding more than 35 days a year, placing them in the “enthusiastic rider” category. The study also found that a resounding 79% of residents either agree or strongly agree that bicycling is good for the community and 70% think that bicycling in their area has gotten better in the past three years. For any cities on the fence about community response to an investment in biking — hard work pays off. 

While Bentonville is still breaking ground on new off-road trails every year, the city’s biggest push now is turning all of that community support for recreational riding into support for more safety for on-road riding and biking for transportation.  

“We want to be the safest place in the Heartland to ride a bike,” said Hunter Garrison, Bentonville’s bike and pedestrian planner. “We want people to be able to access the entire city — trails, restaurants, bars, you name it — without ever having to get in their car.”

Bentonville’s first on-street protected bike lane is slated for completion later in 2022, and Garrison says changing the image of non-recreation biking is essential to continuing similar projects in the future. 

“In Bentonville, schools don’t provide access to a bus if you live within a mile of a school system. That means we have hundreds of kids biking to school,” said Garrison. “When all people see are adults in lycra, they don’t really care as much about those on-road facilities. When they see kids biking, they feel the need to support the creation of facilities that get them to school safely.”

Garrison also says that even if people don’t care about bikes, everyone cares about economic boosters, and it’s hard to look past what bikes have done for economic growth in Northwest Arkansas. In 2017, a study showed that bicycling brought $137 million in economic benefits to the region. Bicycling put Bentonville on the map, and with how cheap bike investments are compared to similar infrastructure projects, Garrison says you can’t prove a better civic investment when it comes to ROI than bikes. 

Building on the city’s efforts to improve biking for transportation, PeopleForBikes founded its Northwest Arkansas Bike Business Innovation program in 2020 to coordinate workplace programming, incentives and infrastructure changes to grow the number of employees riding bikes for commuting and transportation in Benton County. 

“This is an opportunity to build on the public sector and philanthropic investments in biking in the region as well as put a new lens on our work,” said John Paul Shaffer, PeopleForBikes’ Northwest Arkansas business innovation director. “We’re looking at the private sector with major employers in the area and how they can meet their own goals around sustainability and employee health while also supporting PeopleForBikes’ own mission of getting more people on bikes more often.”

PeopleForBikes is assisting Walmart, the largest employer in the region, in their goal of getting 10% of Home Office associates to commute to work by bike by 2023, and Shaffer thinks that’s just the beginning. “If we can expand that mission and get 10% of all Benton County residents to commute by bike, we can start rivaling the Portlands and other U.S. leaders in that space. That community of dedicated recreation riders already exists, now it’s working to build the infrastructure and culture to incentivize them to ride for transportation.”

There are many reasons why Bentonville is a great place to bike, but they all have one thing in common: community. By prioritizing investments that build and center a sense of community and lower barriers to entry, any city can welcome new riders and grow public support for bicycling.

Join PeopleForBikes in Bentonville October 18-20, 2022, for SHIFT'22 — a dynamic, peer-to-peer gathering surrounded by a can’t-miss week of bicycling events. By bringing current and future leaders together, we're moving the bicycle industry forward. Register and book your hotel today.

The Secret Behind Bentonville’s Success

From world-class mountain biking to wine tasting tours on two wheels, don’t forget to bring your helmet the next time you pack your bags.

For most Americans, the pandemic forced leisure travel to the back burner throughout 2020. Instead, people began to explore the outdoors closer to home: A survey of American adults conducted by PeopleForBikes found that, in 2020, 10% of American adults engaged in bicycling in a new way and that 87% of those new riders plan to keep riding in a post-pandemic world.

For those looking to combine their newfound (or longtime favorite) hobby with their next getaway, here are five vacation cities to experience by bike. 

In a region known for great mountain biking, Fayetteville stands out, although that hasn’t always been the case. “Trying to ride a bike across town as a kid and even into my teenage years, we didn’t have any bike lanes and there wasn’t even a sharrow until the early 2000s,” said Fayetteville Mobility Coordinator Dane Eifling. “Then, our mayor got support to fund a trails program. No one knew quite what it was at the time, but it led to the creation of the backbone of our trail system today.”

Since the installation of its first trails, Fayetteville’s bike network has grown exponentially. Eifling nods to smart planning by the city being a major factor behind the network’s success. “We built trails that would get the most use — not ones that would be the cheapest or most convenient to build,” said Eifling. “Focusing on trails that would get the most activity first helped us get funding and support to build more.”

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PeopleForBikes’ 2024 Policy Wins Advance Bicycling Safety and Access Nationwide

This Annual Bike Ride Connects Cherokee Youth to Their History

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Bicycling provides $137 million in economic benefits to northwest Arkansas

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