Most registrants ever, further evidence of pandemic bicycle boom.
Thousands of Georgians celebrated Biketober in October, logging more than 390,000 miles as part of a regional initiative encouraging people to try biking as a transportation option and experience its many healthful benefits, including reducing congestion and improving air quality. The 8th annual event, presented by Georgia Commute Options (GCO), attracted nearly 3,000 participants across the metro Atlanta area.
For Kennesaw Team Captain Matt Klinger, Biketober was an opportunity to bike for a fun cause. “I love programs that encourage a healthy activity,” he says. “It’s also been a great opportunity for people to rally other people and get them involved in a team effort. My goal was to commute to work more often—it was exhausting, but fun.”
“Many people dusted off their old bikes or purchased bikes to explore Atlanta on two wheels,” says Carl Holt, a participant in this year’s Biketober event. ”They saw how our intown neighborhoods are connected by more than just cars and how having safe routes to use are a benefit.”
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 350 companies participated by registering teams. Cyclists rode in teams and individually, resulting in nearly 3,000 people logging over 390,000 miles and saving more than 21,600 pounds of CO2. Workplaces are categorized by number of employees and compete against others of a similar size. The top three workplace finishers overall were Emory University, Georgia Tech and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The top workplace finishers in the 500-1999, 200-499 and 50-199 employer sizes were MailChimp, Cooper Carry Architects and REI-Alpharetta, respectively.
Participants competed to win dozens of fun prizes, including bike gear and restaurant gift cards. Glenn Kurtz, an employee at Legacy Parking, won the Early Registration Prize drawing for a $1,000 REI gift card. Emory University professor Peter Wakefield won the Grand Prize drawing for an Edison electric bicycle valued at $2,200.
“We are extremely grateful for the support from the metro Atlanta region and corporations to host another successful Biketober,” says Roz Tucker, GCO’s Managing Director. “Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, people understood that biking offered an opportunity to get outside and exercise and have some fun while maintaining social distancing.”
For riders who want to keep rolling or those who weren’t able to participate in Biketober, there are still ways to get outdoors this season. The Love to Ride “Winter Wheelers,” a friendly bike challenge that encourages bicycle riding for fun and transportation, is underway. The event features daily prize drawings and the chance to win a new bike. To register, visit ATLBikeChallenge.com.
For media questions/bookings contact Jill Goldberg, JGoldberg@AtlantaRegional.org 404.796.2971 or Tenisha Taylor, Tenisha.Taylor@OdonnellCo.com 470-552-1414.
