National Bike Summit

It’s the biggest bicycle advocacy event of the year — and you’re invited! The League requests your presence at the 2014 National Bike Summit, March 3-5, 2014 in Washington, D.C. Early-bird rates have been extended to January 24 — so share this invitation with your friends and networks!

The National Women’s Bicycling Forum is the only event of its kind, where women leaders will step into the spotlight and campaigns targeted at increasing ridership will be come center stage. While just one day, the Forum is a surge of inspiration and information that will ripple across the country — and we need you to be there to share your energy and insight.

Think nothing’s happening in Congress? Think again. Just this week, Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), chair of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, said he wants to “take action” on a new transportation bill in late spring or early summer. That’s why we need you at the National Bike Summit. We must unite our voices to preserve what we fought so hard for these past few years — and push to make up lost ground.

From billion-dollar ballot measures to state legislative change, advocates are winning big dollars for bicycling. Attend the National Bike Summit and, in just one session, you’ll walk away with a wealth of potential ideas to fund biking and walking in your community.

The National Bike Summit unites the voices of bicyclists on Capitol Hill — and it wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors. Quality Bicycle Products is a sponsor this year and, in line with our United Spokes theme, we checked in with QBP’s Director of Organization Development, Lori Richman on what speaks to her about bicycling and why she attends the Summit.

At the 2013 National Bike Summit we told Congress that bikes mean business. And had a lot of fun, too. As we finalize plans for the 2014 Summit and Women’s Bicycling Forum, we’re taking a look back at #NBS13 via Instagram. Don’t miss the many photo-worthy moments at the 2014 Summit!

Like the movement itself, the National Bike Summit keeps getting bigger and better. This year’s agenda share winning strategies, reveals new data and confronts vital challenges we all face in making biking better in our communities. Check out our latest infographic, highlighting some of the main topics at this year’s event.

While hundreds will arrive by planes, trains and automobiles, a select, inspirational few will travel hundreds of miles to get to the National Bike Summit on two wheels. This year, 10 women will ride from New York City to Washington, D.C. — highlighting the importance of diverse voices at the biggest bicycle advocacy event of the year.

So you’ve got yourself a bike lane. Great. But guess what you might also have? A bikelash! From cranky columnists complaining about scofflaw cyclists to parking-obsessed NIMBYs who never waste an opportunity to remind you that “this isn’t Amsterdam,” the addition of a bike lane to your community can open up a Pandora’s box of bike hate. But fear not!

Phillip Darnton is making the trip across the Atlantic Ocean to speak at the 2014 National Bike Summit. Darnton, executive director of the Bicycle Association of Great Britain, is ideally qualified to inspire, inform and entertain participants at the National Bike Summit in 2014. His background of corporate marketing, including 3 years as the CEO of Raleigh UK, and leadership of the UK’s National Cycling Strategy Board and Cycling England over the past decade matches the unique blend of industry and advocacy leadership at the Summit.