Bike the Drive Chicago: Date, Route, Cost and Rules

One morning a year, the busiest road on the lakefront belongs to bicycles. Active Transportation Alliance runs the ride as a fundraiser for its walking, biking and transit advocacy¹. It is part of the events calendar worth planning a season around.

When the next ride is

The ride falls on the Sunday before Labor Day. The 2026 ride ran Sunday, September 6, and the next is Sunday, September 5, 2027^2,1. Organizers launched it in 2002 as a Chicagoland Bicycle Federation fundraiser⁶. In 2021 it moved from the Sunday before Memorial Day to the Sunday before Labor Day⁶.

Route and start times

The full loop is 30 miles, and any rider may turn back at a rest stop or checkpoint². The ride runs along DuSable Lake Shore Drive from 57th Street on the South Side to Bryn Mawr Avenue on the North Side⁶.

Enter at one of five points: the main festival in Grant Park, Bryn Mawr Avenue, Fullerton Avenue, Oakwood Boulevard, or the Museum of Science & Industry². Starting anywhere else is strongly discouraged¹.

The 2026 schedule²:

Time	What happens
6:30 a.m.	Official start2
By 8 a.m.	Recommended latest start2
10:30 a.m.	Entry closes at Jackson; closures begin2
11:30 a.m. to noon	Full closure ends; car traffic resumes2

Start early. The Drive reopens to cars within hours, and riders still out are guided onto the Lakefront Trail to return to the festival².

What it costs

Registration is required, and the 2026 Family Four Pack was $174: two adults at $69 each and two youth at $18 each³. Groups of 10 or more adult riders get the lowest per-rider price³. Add-ons in 2026 were a $20 medal for the full 30 miles, a $20 medal for 15 miles, and a $15 youth medal³.

The pedaling rule is simple. Youth on their own bikes or tag-alongs must register. Children in trailers or child seats do not¹. Registration for 2026 is closed³.

Rules on the Drive

• Helmets are required².
• Slower riders keep right, faster riders keep left².
• Only bicycles and Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed, at a 20 mph limit¹.
• Print your rider number and attach it to your bike and helmet. Packets are no longer mailed¹.
• The event runs rain or shine, with no refunds¹.

Free mechanics handle flats and minor repairs along the route². Three rest stops offer restrooms, water and snacks: Bryn Mawr Avenue, the Museum of Science & Industry, and the festival at Butler Field².

What to bring

Bring layers, since mornings run cool and the day warms up. Pack sunscreen, water and bike lights for the ride to the start. Sunrise is roughly 6:20 a.m.¹. Keep right on the Lakefront Trail afterward, call out before you pass, and move off the trail when you stop².

Getting there

Ride in if you can. Cross DuSable Lake Shore Drive at Randolph Street or the Museum Campus, since Monroe Street, Jackson Drive and Balbo Drive are closed to crossings⁴. On transit, the CTA relaxed its two-bikes-per-train-car limit from 3 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the 2026 event⁴.

In 2026 the Drive closed to cars at 6 a.m.⁴. Parking options that year:

• Millennium Lakeside Garage, 5 South Columbus Drive, across from Butler Field. A voucher bought in advance was required⁴.
• Museum of Science & Industry: $22 for entry from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., then $48⁴.
• Soldier Field North Garage: $27 before 10 a.m., $32 after⁴.

No bike?

Overnight rentals are available from Bobby’s Bike Hike, Bike and Roll Chicago and On the Route Bicycles⁵. Bike and Roll includes a helmet, lock and map⁵. Compare options on our Lakefront Trail rental guide, then see the full Lakefront Trail before you ride it home.