Illinois

Stories from Illinois

Read stories and get inspired! Share a cycling story and inspire others to get out and ride!

Image for story RAGBRAI 2022

RAGBRAI 2022

So this is not an Illinois story per se, but I am from IL and just completed RAGBRAI at the end of July. I had tried RAGBRAI once before in 2018, but my appendix got mad and wanted out on the seco... read more

Topic: Other

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Stories from around the world

Is something broke?

Where have all my rides gone that were down the left hand side of the screen? Can't see anyone else's either...

Topic: Other

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Image for story The zen of the ride

The zen of the ride

Most days, my spouse will ask where I want to ride. I suggest a route, he suggests something else, and I say okay. I’m not really a pushover. The feel of riding, the movement, the act of being in t... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Looking Back

Looking Back

It's a certainty; if you ride long enough, you will crash. I sometimes let myself entertain the idea that cars and other things, coming up from behind, are uncontrol able random threats. In try... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Cycling and working

Cycling and working

I am 75 and have been cycling since I was 7yrs. I am now employed as a community caregiver, cycling to all my clients. It is a great ice-breaker as all those of my generation and older had to cycle... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Loving the Chocolate Path

Loving the Chocolate Path

The Chocolate Path follows the river Avon for a good part of my commute to Bower Ashton and is a beautiful part of the ride. It was closed for 6 years after part of it collapsed into the river, for... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Railway Track from Cloughton   to Staintondale

Railway Track from Cloughton to Staintondale

This morning we cycling to Staintondale from Scarborough and back to seafront. Old railway track is very popular track with cyclists/walkers from Scarborough to Whitby. Railway track from Bur... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Don't Ignore the Symptoms...

Don't Ignore the Symptoms...

Yesterday I hopped on my sport-about for a quick errand and soon noticed a recurring bump in the rear wheel. After moving from concrete to asphalt, it was still there so I pulled over and sure eno... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Frank Brinkerhoff Century ride

Frank Brinkerhoff Century ride

I was with siouxland cyclists on Sunday 7/7/24 we started at craves parking lot at Sioux City Iowa at 6:30 in the morning. We traveled 3 states on bicycle by the time I got home I rode 110.45 miles.

Topic: Other

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Image for story Tour De Coffee Culture done and dusted for '24

Tour De Coffee Culture done and dusted for '24

Better late than never, but was good to do. 129km in a day.

Topic: Other

Overcoming weather

I used to live in Cambodia and rode a simple acoustic bike everywhere. The weather there had two seasons, wet and dry. Wet season was very wet. Monsoons. I commuted by bike through monsoons and roa... read more

Topic: Other

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Riding down to Toad Hall and around the bike trail to Old wharf road.

Great ride down through thorps bush and then old wharf road to high street to Toad Hall. Russell and I had brunch there today. There was a breeze but not too windy. After that we went via the r... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Leith to Leigh on Sea April 2024

Leith to Leigh on Sea April 2024

I just completed on 21st April 2024, 480 Mile 7 day bike ride from Leith to Leigh on Sea in memory of my son Archie aged 5, who sadly passed away from DIPG in January 2023. Raising money for severa... read more

Topic: Other

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This was crazy...

At a cycle park, well, me and my brother managed to race against each other, but then we heard screaming. We realised it was our sister rushing behind us... Thankfully, with our bikes, we managed t... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Race Day!

Race Day!

Completed my first duathlon on Sunday to celebrate St Patricks Day! 2.5km run, 12.3km bike ride and then another 2.5km run. Nasty weather on the cycle down there but cleared up nicely for the rac... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story The bridge to nowhere

The bridge to nowhere

Visited the famous bridge to nowhere in Bristol on a sunny Sunday after just having snowed the day before :)

Topic: Other

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Image for story Kotahi Rau Kiromita

Kotahi Rau Kiromita

Kia ora! Kua takoto te mānuka o te Aotearoa Bike Challenge, nō reira i whakatau au ki te eke kotahi rau kiromita i kotahi te rā, e mau ana tōku tīhate "Toitū Te Tiriti", kia kitea ai ia e te mare... read more

Topic: Other

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Falling in love with cycling during the winter

I started cycling about 18 months ago as a means of getting to work. At first I was afraid, I was petrified .... but the more I started cycling, the more confidence I grew, the more you start to re... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story The Up-Cycles Charitable Trust Story - so far...

The Up-Cycles Charitable Trust Story - so far...

πŸš΄πŸ»β€β™€οΈ A place for fixing, refurbishing, adapting & donating bikes, and a learning space for those in need. ’It’s a hand-up, not a hand-out’. 🚴🏼 My name is Chris Foggin and I am the foun... read more

Topic: Other

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IM HYBRID

FASTER FASTER I GO WITH FAST DOWN ROAD NOW A MEAN MAN SAYS GET A HYBRID WELL FLY AROUND ON THAT THEN FASTER FASTER.

Topic: Other

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Image for story Christmas ride

Christmas ride

Headed over to the Forest of Dean today for a ride with a friend on my retro Marin Shoreline Mountain Bike. We made the route up as we went along and was surprised to see the strava route map whic... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story My Biketober Holiday Prize!

My Biketober Holiday Prize!

I have taken part on the Biketober Challenge for several years now in the Wollongong City Council Team. It's a great way to ditch the car, save some money on petrol, tone up the leg muscles, get... read more

Topic: Other

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Food Delivery Riders

I find them tedious, and don't class their e-bike/small moped riders as cyclists. They ride on the pavements, firing through red lights and generally just giving all cyclists a bad name and therefo... read more

Topic: Other

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60 by 60

I do not consider myself to be particularly fit, I have arthritis in one knee and allergic asthma (tough to cycle when the pollen is blowing on my face ) So if you see wobbly cyclist, wheezing a... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Riding for a better life

Riding for a better life

As a type 1 diabetic it always has its challenges riding helps me clear my mind and keep me active One of my best memory riding was my own son not letting me win a race

Topic: Other

Image for story Cycle September

Cycle September

That's a wrap on Cycle September!! I've been tracking my cycling for a month now with Love to Ride and I am pretty flabbergasted at the results... I managed to smash my goal of 230 miles this mo... read more

Topic: Other

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Bikes for sale

Hey anyone know any recommendations for long distance for bikes? Or have one for sale

Topic: Other

Bike Around the Bay

Bike around the bay 2024

Topic: Other

Image for story Night ride at long last

Night ride at long last

My first night ride since before my long lay up after surgery. I didn't realise how much I missed it, 15 miles of bliss.

Topic: Other

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A gratitude post!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed cycle September and was heading out in an extra ride yesterday when I realised I had a flat tire. Turned round, pushed the bike home and pumped it up, within seconds it was ... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Riding with Lael Wilcox

Riding with Lael Wilcox

Lael Wilcox is an elite ultra long distance cyclist who has just completed a world record ride around the world, finishing in 108 days, 12 minutes and 12 seconds! I rode with Lael from Riddles C... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Thorn in my side you know that's all you ever were. (Eurythmics).

Thorn in my side you know that's all you ever were. (Eurythmics).

First time off road since my Hip revision surgery and it was tested by them god damm thorns. 2 to be procise in my front tyre. It was still a very nice day and a very nice ride out. There was eve... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Enjoyed a nice riding to Beverley

Enjoyed a nice riding to Beverley

Finally had some nice weather so I take a nice bike riding to Beverley it was about 18-22km round trip. Can’t wait for my next adventure

Topic: Other

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Image for story Cycling holiday with public transport

Cycling holiday with public transport

We decided to cycle The Hebridean Way this year and use public transport to get to and from the start. We had pre-booked the train from Dyce to Oban and 18 tickets to proof it (for 2 of us)! So w... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Activism

Activism

I live in Philly, where most bicyclists commute by bike, and many of the drivers park in or drive down bike lanes. I was tired of seeing cars drive down the bidirectional lanes on Market Street, so... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story River Trail Today

River Trail Today

I just love the comfort of the River Trail and on a day like today, it is so beautiful. So grateful for good paths that highlight the natural beauty of our community!

Topic: Other

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My company bought me an ebike

My company bought me an e-bike. They wanted to reduce mileage claims, be more environmentally aware, and give me an incentive to be healthier - and around longer. Not that I was ill, but I was on a... read more

Topic: Other

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Riding for weight loss.

I have ridden bike for a very long time. Over the years since I turned 25 I gained weight. At the age of 49 I weighed 430 pounds. My mobility was affected by my obesity and it hurt to do most thing... read more

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Image for story The rainbow at the end of the storm

The rainbow at the end of the storm

The last 2 years I have been riding for the young man pictured in the attachment below. He has fought the fight with everything he had to offer. Through his courage and a community committed to hi... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story 20,000 miles

20,000 miles

This is Robert. Robert cycles several times a week with us at simplycycling. Since he started his journey he has recorded every mile in a hand written journal. We had a little presentation to celeb... read more

Topic: Other

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Out and about

The Aotearoa Bike Challenge has got not just me but my husband out and about biking on the weekends. It is amazing how many individuals, couples and families are out enjoying a bit of free air and ... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Putting the Mountain in MTB

Putting the Mountain in MTB

Effort-rewarding views from Mt Moerangi in the Whakarewarewa Forest this morning

Topic: Other

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Image for story My new handle bars,  following my hip revision surgery

My new handle bars, following my hip revision surgery

Well guys that's me out of the game for a while, hopefully I will be back at it for the summer as my recovery starts at minus 6 weeks before I can load bare at all then the recovery really starts. ... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Winter Wheeler winner Β£100!

Winter Wheeler winner Β£100!

I was delighted to hear that I was picked as one of the winners for the winter wheelers! Thank you so much, @lovetoride. This came at a time when I needed a pick-me-up due to a back injury. With th... read more

Topic: Other

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Best wishes for 2024

Best wishes and happy cycling for 2024 everyone.

Topic: Other

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Brrrrr

That was a chilly little commute this morning! Took a slightly different route to stay within the the houses rather than out on the exposed coast and found out it's all uphill!! Glad I've ordered... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story 1000 miles before end of year completed.

1000 miles before end of year completed.

So happy to complete my goal before December. I'm not stopping though gotta keep them legs working right through winter hopefully. New year and a new goal to come.

Topic: Other

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A car crash led me to all-weather cycling!

During the deepest days of COVID lockdowns, my car was dramatically written off by another car, during the 3km drive to Karkarook Park. Second-hand car prices were very high, so I waited - using my... read more

Topic: Other

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Need a Bike

We used to have 3 Bike for our family, but during hurricane Harvey, we lost everything due to flooding. I am still looking for a used one. If someone like to sell a used bike with affordable price,... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Twende Butiama Social Ride

Twende Butiama Social Ride

I am challenging myself to do something really hard. I am cycling for about 1,500 KM with a group of other cyclists in Tanzania and neighbouring countries; today we rode 190 km. Yesterday, 187 km... read more

Topic: Other

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