Welcome, newbies! You might already bike to work regularly and now joining the challenge for the first time. You might also be a casual Divvy user and are thinking about biking to work. No matter your biking experience level, we’re excited that you’re joining the 4,000 riders who participate in the Bike to Work Challenge each year. And you can participate by logging just one commute or part of one commute on a bike.

What is this challenge, anyway?
Held conjointly with Active Transportation Alliance's Chicago Bike Week, the Bike to Work Challenge is an annual two-week-long biking celebration. Join an existing team in your office, or start one from scratch (you go-getter, you). Log your commute every day—each mile logged to equals one point—and compete for prizes. Really good prizes, not those sugar-free lollipops at the doctor’s office.

Who can do it?
Can you travel to work by bike? Are you reading this website? Then the Bike to Work Challenge is for you! We allow anyone to particiapte that can travel to work by bike (and that include taking a pedicab!) It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time commuting via bike, or your 101st. Never biked to work before, and feeling a bit nervous? Don’t be shy—everyone was a first-timer at some point! Keep reading for tips on traffic safety, sweaty clothes and stormy weather.

Why should I do it?
While bike commuting is super cool and fun, we’ve got other enticing reasons to pedal your way to the office.

• Win Prizes:​ Oh we’ve definitely got your attention now. You’re eligible for snazzy prizes just for logging your trips.
• Earn Bragging Rights: It’s not called a challenge for nothing. With standings updated daily, it’s easy to compare points earned and miles logged with your friends and co-workers.
• Improve Your Health: National health statistics show that when you're more active (like when you ride your bike), you decrease your risk for not-fun stuff like cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Plus, most bike commuters report that a little exercise and fresh air at the beginning and end of their work day makes them less grumpy at work and at home.
• Save Money: With the price of gas and the overall annual car ownership cost averaging $9,000, commuting by bike helps fill in that dent in your wallet.
• Help the Environment: About one-third of carbon emissions come from transportation, so any opportunity to cut down on motorized trips also reduces the cloud of smog you unwittingly produce every day.

Why should my company join?

• Happy, loyal employees: Bicycling reduces stress and anxiety, which creates happier, healthier and more productive employees. And according to the National Center for Health Statistics, absentee and turnover rates are lower among physically active employees. Plus, starting a Bike to Work Challenge team is an easy, cost-effective way to create camaraderie among employees.
• Less Costs: Companies spend less on healthcare when they invest in programs promoting physical activity. According to a study with Johnson & Johnson, the company has saved $250 million on healthcare costs over the past decade through wellness programs and "had a return of $2.71 for every dollar spent."