[
Pratt served two terms as the organization's first president, from 1880 to 1882. He was the athor in 1879 of the first cycling guidebook in the United States, ''The American Bicycler: a manual for the observer, the learner and the expert.'']
The League was also the governing body for amateur bicycle racing in the U.S. during the late 19th century. Membership peaked at 103,000 in 1898.
The 1880–1902 period
The League was a prominent advocacy group for the improvement of roads and highways in the United States long before the advent of the automobile. The Good Roads Movement in the late 19th century was founded and led by the League, which began publishing ''Good Roads'' magazine in 1892.
In the mid-1890s, bicycling became accessible to the population at large with the advent of the mass-produced, chain-driven safety bicycle. A huge boom in bicycle sales occurred, then collapsed as the market became saturated. Bicycle manufacturers were no longer able to support the League financially, and the interest of its members, largely well-to-do hobbyists, turned elsewhere.
In 1894, the League voted to prohibit membership by non-white people, pushed by southern members. Since the League was the governing body for bicycle racing at that time, the League's action effectively banned non-white people from most races in the United States. Local clubs had some discretion, as well as a separate racing league being set up, yet racism was still prevalent. Efforts were made the following years to repeal the "white exclusive" clause, an 1895 amendment to reverse the decision was dropped, as a "continued and energetic resistance" ensued before the original League dissolved in 1902. In 1999, a reformed League disavowed the 1894 action.
At its height in 1898, the League had over 103,000 members. Early members included three of the wealthiest men of the Gilded Age: Newport socialites John Jacob Astor, Diamond Jim Brady, and John D. Rockefeller.
Amateur bicycle racing declined with the rise of professional racing. League membership declined to 76,944 in 1900 and only 8,692 in 1902. The League dissolved that year, when there were still only a very few motorized vehicles on the roads. The American Automobile Association was founded the same year, 1902, and was, to an extent, a successor organization. It provided—and still provides—route information to members, as the League had provided. The League's Secretary, Abbott Bassett, produced a monthly publication under the League's name until 1924, but there was no League organization. Bassett's Scrap Book covered topics such as Frank W. Weston
Frank W. Weston (1843–1911) was an English-born and trained architect who practiced in Portland, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts. He also invested in the bicycle industry and promoted cycling as a sport. He was the co-founder of the Boston ...
's role in developing cycling in Boston.
The 1939–1955 revival
Bicycle club activity revived and was particularly strong in the Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
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area during the Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagion ...
of the 1930s. Attempts to revive the League were initiated by representatives of the bicycle industry in 1933 and continued through the 1930s, and consisted primarily of a number of exhibitions and races under the League's name. Chicago-area bicycle clubs formed the core of a revived League governed by recreational cyclists in 1939 and which adopted a constitution in April 1942. This incarnation of the League was primarily a social organization, holding group rides and annual conventions. World War II contributed to the success of the League through rationing of motor vehicle fuel and tires. Membership was 614 in 1945, with 200 honorary members in the armed services. However, in the late 1940s, the League went into decline. Factors included the increasing availability of motor vehicles; the "baby boom", which made for difficulties in pursuing recreational cycling; narrow highways; and conformist social attitudes, with a perception of bicycling as a children's activity. Membership was only 507 in 1950 and 238 in 1953. The League dissolved again in 1955.
1965–present
The League reorganized once again in 1965. By this time, highways had improved, the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System had drained traffic from many of them, and new interest in recreational cycling was spurred by the promotion of sports bicycles with derailleur gearing by the Schwinn Bicycle Company and others. Increasing awareness of the importance of physical fitness also contributed to the popularity of bicycling.
Through the end of the 20th century, the League existed as a national clearinghouse for cycling advocacy, but more so as a social organization, holding three or more regional rallies each year, usually in June, centered on public college campuses in various parts of the US. Each of these rallies featured mapped rides of various lengths, dormitory housing and meals, a variety of cycling-related lectures, and vendors selling products. At their peak, rallies would each attract as many as 2,000 cyclists.
With increasing popularity of bicycling, however, various other organizations adopted functions which the League dropped or did not pursue—most prominently, Bikecentennial (later renamed as the Adventure Cycling Association), which maps touring routes and provides services for touring bicyclists; the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, which promotes conversion of abandoned rail lines to trails; and the Alliance for Biking and Walking (formerly Thunderhead Alliance), a loosely organized consortium of state and local advocacy organizations which maintains communication over the Internet.
In the late 20th century, the League was criticized for its name: League of American Wheel''men''. Also, the term ''Wheelmen'' was becoming increasingly obscure. In response, the League began doing business as the League of American ''Bicyclists'' in 1994.
The League reached a peak of 24,000 paid memberships in 1997, then declined to around 20,000, where it has remained since (as of 2009), though it is able to cite larger numbers by using a multiplier for family memberships and counting the approximately 300,000 members of affiliated bicycle clubs and advocacy organizations.
The League's rallies became less successful as bicyclists became able to find similar events closer to home. Beginning in 2003, the League would no longer organize its own rallies, but rather, would designate an existing event in one part of the country or another as its National Rally.
A major change in the direction of the League occurred in 1997 when it moved its offices from Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
, Maryland, to Washington, D.C., and focused increasingly on advocacy at the federal level. The League has shed most of the services it once provided to individual members, other than its magazine, and now is primarily an advocacy organization. Its major annual event is now the National Bicycle Summit (which see, under Advocacy, below).
The League has continued to play a leading role in cycling issues into the 21st century. One example is the certification of cycling instructors, since the 1970s. The League's education program concentrates on practical bicycle handling and traffic skills, and has more than 1,000 active instructors as of 2009. The League's Bicycle Friendly America program distributes awards to communities which have adopted measures to accommodate and encourage bicycle use. The League manages liability insurance programs for its instructors and for bicycle clubs, an invaluable service to them.
Advocacy
LAB is the voice for cyclists at the national level, and organizes an annual National Bike Summit to bring professionals and advocates in Washington, D.C., together with government representatives. A major supporter of the event is the PeopleForBikes Coalition (renamed from Bikes Belong Coalition in 2013), a § 501(c)(6) trade association for the bicycle industry which lobbies Congress for funds to build bicycle usage in the U.S. The Summit has attracted around 500 attendees in recent years (as of 2009).
In addition to PeopleForBikes, LAB works in partnership with other organizations such as America Bikes ("leveraging federal transportation dollars for bicycling", primarily with PeopleForBikes money), the Alliance for Bicycling and Walking
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or sovereign state, states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alli ...
(lobbies for government money to encourage bicycle usage while receiving substantial industry funding), Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program ...
, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), NCUTCD
The ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways'' (usually referred to as the ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'', abbreviated MUTCD) is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the Unit ...
and NCUTLO in order to "create a more bicycle-friendly America".
Education
The League offers cycling education for adults and children in many locations across the U.S. Originally the education consisted of a single Effective Cycling
Effective Cycling is a trademarked cycling educational program designed by John Forester, which was the national education program of the League of American Wheelmen for a number of years until Forester withdrew permission for them to use the name ...
(EC) course developed by John Forester and given to the League in 1976. Later, citing poor attendance and blaming the 30-hour length of the EC course, the League developed a curriculum
In education, a curriculum (; plural, : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to ...
consisting of multiple shorter courses. Forester did not agree with some of the changes to the program and withdrew permission for the League to use the EC name. The name of the League's program was then changed to "Bike Ed". In 2008, the program was renamed "Smart Cycling".
In addition to sponsoring the biennial "Bicycle Education Leaders Conference", the League is active in "Safe Routes to School" programs at a national level.
Bicycle Friendly Communities
, the League has formally recognized 450 communities across all 50 states as bicycle-friendly communities for "providing safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists and encouraging residents to bike for transportation and recreation." These are the communities:
Diamond-level
*No Diamond-level communities.
Platinum-level - 5 Communities
*
Boulder, Colorado
*
Davis, California
Davis is the most populous city in Yolo County, California. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 66,850 in 2020, not including the on-campus population of the University of California, Da ...
*
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Larimer County, Colorado
Larimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 359 ...
*
Madison, Wisconsin
*
Portland, Oregon
Gold-level - 33 Communities
*
Ashland, Oregon
*
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
*
Bellingham, Washington
*
Bloomington, Indiana
*
Breckenridge, Colorado
*
Cambridge, Massachusetts
*
Carbondale, Colorado
*
Chico, California
*
Corvallis, Oregon
*
Crested Butte, Colorado
*
Durango, Colorado
Durango is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 19,071 at the 2020 United States Census. Durango is the home of Fort Lewis Coll ...
*
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.
As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...
*
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville () is the second-largest city in Arkansas, the county seat of Washington County, and the biggest city in Northwest Arkansas. The city is on the outskirts of the Boston Mountains, deep within the Ozarks. Known as Washington unt ...
*
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
*
Jackson and
Teton County, Wyoming
*
Menlo Park, California
*
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
*
Missoula, Montana
*
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto.
The city was ...
*
Park City, Utah
*
San Francisco, California
*
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfwa ...
*
Santa Cruz, California
*
Scottsdale, Arizona
*
Seattle, Washington
*
Somerville, Massachusetts
*
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The City of Steamboat Springs is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Routt County, Colorado, United States. Steamboat Springs is the principal city of the Steamboat Springs, CO Micropolitan Sta ...
*
Tempe, Arizona
*
Tucson, Arizona
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive ...
*
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Urbana had a population of 38,336. As of the 2010 United States Census, Urbana is the 38th-most populous municipality in Illinois. It ...
*
The Villages, Florida
*
Washington, DC
*
Wood River Valley, Idaho
Silver-level - 90 Communities
*
Ada County, Idaho
*
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C.
In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...
*
Anchorage, Alaska
*
Ann Arbor, Michigan
*
Appleton, Wisconsin
*
Arcata, California
*
Arlington, Virginia
*
Arvada, Colorado
*
Aspen, Colorado
*
Battle Creek, Michigan
*
Beaverton, Oregon
*
Bend, Oregon
*
Boise, Idaho
*
Bozeman, Montana
*
Burlington, Vermont
*
Calistoga, California
*
Carrboro, North Carolina
*
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metrop ...
*
Charlottesville, Virginia
*
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, it also extends into Marion County, Tennessee, Marion County on its west ...
*
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
*
Claremont, California
*
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
*
Colorado Springs, Colorado
*
Columbia, Missouri
*
Coronado, California
*
Cottonwood, Arizona
*
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...
*Ellensburg, Washington
*Emeryville, California
*Evanston, Illinois
*Fitchburg, Wisconsin
*Flagstaff, Arizona
*Folsom, California
*Gainesville, Florida
*Glenwood Springs, Colorado
*Golden, Colorado
*Grand Marais, Minnesota
*Gresham, Oregon
*Gunnison, Colorado
*Henderson, Nevada
*Hennepin County, Minnesota
*Houghton, Michigan
*Iowa City, Iowa
*Irvine, California
*LaCrosse, Wisconsin
*Las Vegas, Nevada
*Logan, Utah
*Long Beach, California
*Longmont, Colorado
*Louisville, Kentucky
*Marquette, Michigan
*Mesa, Arizona
*Miami Beach, Florida
*Moab, Utah, Moab City & Grand County, Utah
*Mountain View, California
*Nantucket, Massachusetts
*New Orleans, Louisiana
*New York City
*Oakland, California
*Oceanside, California
*Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*Port Townsend, Washington
*Provincetown, Massachusetts
*Provo, Utah
*Redmond, Washington
*Sacramento, California
*Salida, Colorado
*Salt Lake City, Utah
*Sanibel, Florida
*Santa Barbara, California
*Santa Fe, New Mexico
*Santa Monica, California
*Sedona, Arizona
*Shorewood, Wisconsin
*Simsbury, Connecticut
*Sitka, Alaska
*Solana Beach, California
*South Bend, Indiana
*South Lake Tahoe, California
*St. Louis, Missouri
*St. Paul, Minnesota
*St. Petersburg, Florida
*Summit County, Colorado, Summit County Government, Colorado
*Tallahassee, Florida
*Vail, Colorado
*Venice, Florida
*West Sacramento, California
*Winter Park, Florida
*York, Pennsylvania
Bronze-level - 324 Communities
*Akron, Ohio
*Alameda, California
*Albany, Oregon
*Albuquerque, New Mexico
*Ames, Iowa
*Anacortes, Washington
*Arlington, Massachusetts
*Arroyo Grande, California
*Asheville, North Carolina
*Athens, Georgia
*Athens, Ohio
*Atlanta, Georgia
*Auburn, Alabama
*Aurora, Illinois
*Baltimore, Maryland
*Batavia, Illinois
*Bath, Maine
*Baton Rouge, Louisiana
*Bellevue, Washington
*Bemidji, Minnesota
*Bentonville, Arkansas
*Bethesda, Maryland
*Bettendorf, Iowa
*Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
*Billings, Montana
*Bismarck, North Dakota, Bismarck-Mandan, North Dakota
*Boca Raton, Florida
*Boone, North Carolina
*Brentwood, California
*Brookings, South Dakota
*Brookline, Massachusetts
*Broward County, Florida
*Brownsville, Texas
*Brunswick, Maine
*Buffalo, New York
*Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
*Cape Coral, Florida
*Carbondale, Illinois
*Carmel, Indiana
*Carrollton, Georgia
*Carson City, Nevada
*Cary, North Carolina
*Castle Rock, Colorado
*Cedar Falls, Iowa
*Cedar Rapids, Iowa
*Chandler, Arizona
*Chapel Hill, North Carolina
*Charlotte, North Carolina
*Chula Vista, California
*Cincinnati, Ohio
*Clackamas County, Oregon
*Clark County, Nevada
*Clayton, Missouri
*Clermont, Florida
*Cleveland, Ohio
*Cleveland Heights, Ohio
*Columbia, Maryland
*Columbia, South Carolina
*Columbus, Georgia
*Columbus, Indiana
*Columbus, Ohio
*Concord, New Hampshire
*Conway, Arkansas
*Coralville, Iowa
*Crosby, Minnesota
*Cupertino, California
*Dane County, Wisconsin
*Davidson, North Carolina
*Dayton, Ohio
*Decatur, Georgia
*DeKalb, Illinois
*Des Moines, Iowa
*Doral, Florida
*Dover, Delaware
*Dublin, Ohio
*Duluth, Minnesota
*Durham, North Carolina
*East Lansing, Michigan
*Placer County, California, Eastern Placer County, California
*Eau Claire, Wisconsin
*Edina, Minnesota
*El Paso, Texas
*Elmhurst, Illinois
*Essex Junction, Vermont
*Eureka, California
*Fairfax County, Virginia
*Falmouth, Massachusetts
*Fargo, North Dakota-Moorhead, Minnesota
*Farmington, Connecticut
*Fergus Falls, Minnesota
*Ferguson, Missouri
*Fernandina Beach, Florida
*Flint, Michigan
*Fort Wayne, Indiana
*Fort Worth, Texas
*Franklin, Pennsylvania
*Frazee, Minnesota
Bronze-level, continued
*Frederick, Maryland
*Fresno, California
*Frisco, Texas
*Gilbert, Arizona
*Glastonbury, Connecticut
*Glenview, Illinois
*Goshen, Indiana
*Grand Junction, Colorado
*Grand Rapids, Michigan
*Grand Rapids, Minnesota
*Greater Grand Forks, South Dakota-Minnesota
*Mankato, Minnesota, Greater Mankato, Minnesota
*Wenatchee, Washington, Greater Wenatchee MPO, Washington
*Greeley, Colorado
*Greensboro, North Carolina
*Greenville, South Carolina
*Gulf Shores, Alabama
*Hagerstown, Maryland
*Hanover, New Hampshire
*Harrisonburg, Virginia
*Hartford, Connecticut
*Hattiesburg, Mississippi
*Healdsburg, California
*Helena, Montana
*Highland Park, Illinois
*Hoboken, New Jersey
*Honolulu, Hawaii
*Houston, Texas
*Hudson, Ohio
*Huntington Beach, California
*Hutchinson, Minnesota
*Indianapolis, Indiana
*Indian River County, Florida
*Inverness, Florida
*Ithaca, New York
*Jackson, Minnesota
*Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe of Washington
*Jekyll Island, Georgia
*Juneau, Alaska
*Kalamazoo, Michigan
*Kansas City, Missouri
*Keene, New Hampshire
*Kenmore, Washington
*Key Biscayne, Florida
*Kirkland, Washington
*Knoxville, Tennessee
*Lakeland, Florida
*Lakewood, Colorado
*Lakewood, Ohio
*Lambertville, New Jersey
*Lansing, Michigan
*Laramie, Wyoming
*Las Cruces, New Mexico
*Lawrence, Kansas
*Lebanon, New Hampshire
*Lee's Summit, Missouri
*Lewes, Delaware
*Lexington, Kentucky, Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky
*Lexington, Massachusetts
*Liberty Lake, Washington
*Lima, Ohio
*Lincoln, Nebraska
*Little Rock, Arkansas
*Los Alamos, New Mexico
*Los Altos, California
*Los Angeles, California
*Manhattan, Kansas
*Mansfield, Connecticut
*Memphis, Tennessee
*Menomonie, Wisconsin
*Mesquite, Nevada
*Miami, Florida
*Miami-Dade County, Florida
*Miami Shores, Florida
*Middleton, Wisconsin
*Midland, Michigan
*Milledgeville, Georgia
*Milton, Massachusetts
*Milwaukee, Wisconsin
*Monona, Wisconsin
*Montclair, New Jersey
*Montpelier, Vermont
*Morgantown, West Virginia
*Morro Bay, California
*Moscow, Idaho
*Muncie, Indiana
*Napa, California
*Naperville, Illinois
*Naples, Florida
*Nashville, Tennessee
*New Britain, Connecticut
*New Brunswick, New Jersey
*New Haven, Connecticut
*New Ulm, Minnesota
*Newark, Delaware
*
Newport, Rhode Island
*Newton, Massachusetts
*Norfolk, Virginia
*Normal, Illinois
*Norman, Oklahoma
*North Little Rock, Arkansas
*Northampton, Massachusetts
*Northwest Arkansas-Benton County, Arkansas, Benton and Washington County, Arkansas, Washington Counties
*Oak Park, Illinois
*Oberlin, Ohio
*Ocean City, New Jersey
*Ogden, Utah
*Omaha, Nebraska
*Onalaska, Wisconsin
*Orange County, California
*Orem, Utah
*Orlando, Florida
*Oxford, Mississippi
*Paso Robles, California
*Peachtree City, Georgia
*Phoenix, Arizona
*Piqua, Ohio
*Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*Plano, Texas
*Pleasanton, California
*Port Angeles, Washington, Port Angeles-Clallam County, Washington
*Portage, Michigan
*Portsmouth, New Hampshire
*Portsmouth, Virginia
*Prescott, Arizona
*Princeton, New Jersey
*Pueblo, Colorado
*Raleigh, North Carolina
*Rancho Cordova, California
*Rancho Cucamonga, California
*Reading, Pennsylvania
*Redding, California
*Redondo Beach, California
*Redwood City, California
*Reno, Nevada, Reno-Sparks, Nevada, Sparks, Washoe County, Nevada
*Reston, Virginia
*Richardson, Texas
*Richfield, Minnesota
*Richmond, Virginia
*Ridgeland, Mississippi
*River Falls, Wisconsin
*Riverdale, Utah
*Riverside, California
*Roanoke, Virginia
*Rochester, Minnesota
*Rochester, New York
*Rock Hill, South Carolina
*Rockville, Maryland
*Rogers, Arkansas
*Roseburg, Oregon
*Roseville, California
*Roswell, Georgia,
*Salem, Oregon
*Salisbury, Maryland
*San Antonio, Texas
*San Carlos, California
*San Diego, California
*San Jose, California
*San Mateo, California
*San Mateo County, California
*San Buenaventura, California
*Santa Clara, California
*Santa Clarita, California
*Santa Rosa, California
*Savannah, Georgia
*Schaumburg, Illinois
*Sequim, Washington
*Shaker Heights, Ohio
*Shawnee, Kansas
*Sheboygan, Wisconsin
*Sierra Vista, Arizona
*Silverthorne, Colorado
*Sioux Falls, South Dakota
*Snohomish, Washington
*Sonoma, California
*Lake County, Florida, South Lake County, Florida
*South Miami, Florida
*South San Francisco, California
*South Sioux City, Nebraska
*South Windsor, Connecticut
*Spartanburg, South Carolina
*Spokane, Washington
*Springboro, Ohio
*Springfield, Illinois
*Springfield, Missouri
*Springfield, Oregon
*State College, Pennsylvania, State College - Centre Region, Pennsylvania
*Stevens Point, Wisconsin
*Stillwater, Oklahoma
*Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
*St. Cloud, Minnesota
*St. George, Utah
*St. Louis Park, Minnesota
*Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
*Sunnyvale, California
*Tacoma, Washington
*Tampa, Florida
*Temecula, California
*The Woodlands, Texas
*Thousand Oaks, California
*Topeka, Kansas
*Troy, Ohio
*Tulsa, Oklahoma
*Tybee Island, Georgia
*University Heights, Iowa
*Vancouver, Washington
*Vienna, Virginia
*Virginia Beach, Virginia
*Wake Forest, North Carolina
*Walla Walla, Washington
*Warrenville, Illinois
*Warsaw, Indiana, Warsaw & Winona Lake, Indiana
*Washington, Illinois
*Watsonville, California
*Wausau, Wisconsin
*West Hartford, Connecticut
*West Windsor, New Jersey
*Westerville, Ohio
*Weston, Florida
*Wichita, Kansas
*Williamsburg, Virginia
*Willmar, Minnesota
*Wilmette, Illinois
*Wilmington, North Carolina
*Windsor, California
*Winona, Minnesota
*Winston-Salem, North Carolina
*Woodland, California
*Yellow Springs, Ohio
*Ypsilanti, Michigan
*Yuma, Arizona
*Zionsville, Indiana
Bicycle Friendly Universities
, the League has formally recognized 208 universities across 47 states and Washington, DC as bicycle-friendly institutions of higher education for "promoting and providing a more bikeable campus for students, staff and visitors." These are the universities:
Platinum-level - 8 Schools
*Colorado State University -
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Larimer County, Colorado
Larimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 359 ...
*Portland State University -
Portland, Oregon
*Stanford University - Stanford, California
*University of California, Davis -
Davis, California
Davis is the most populous city in Yolo County, California. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 66,850 in 2020, not including the on-campus population of the University of California, Da ...
*University of California, Irvine - Irvine, California
*University of California, Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara, California
*University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minnesota
*University of Wisconsin–Madison -
Madison, Wisconsin
Gold-level - 24 Schools
*Arizona State University -
Tempe, Arizona
*Boise State University -
Boise, Idaho
*Dartmouth College - Hanover, New Hampshire
*Dickinson College - Carlisle, Pennsylvania
*Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, Georgia
*Harvard University -
Cambridge, Massachusetts
*Northern Arizona University - Flagstaff, Arizona
*Oregon Health & Science University -
Portland, Oregon
*Oregon State University -
Corvallis, Oregon
*Purdue University - West Lafayette, Indiana
*University of Arkansas -
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville () is the second-largest city in Arkansas, the county seat of Washington County, and the biggest city in Northwest Arkansas. The city is on the outskirts of the Boston Mountains, deep within the Ozarks. Known as Washington unt ...
*University of Arizona -
Tucson, Arizona
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive ...
*University of California, Berkeley - Berkeley, California
*University of California, Los Angeles - Los Angeles, California
*University of Colorado Boulder -
Boulder, Colorado
*University of Kentucky - Lexington, Kentucky
*University of Maryland - College Park, Maryland
*University of Montana -
Missoula, Montana
*University of Oregon -
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.
As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...
*University of Utah - Salt Lake City, Utah
*University of Vermont -
Burlington, Vermont
*University of Washington -
Seattle, Washington
*University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
*Yale University - New Haven, Connecticut
Silver-level - 62 Schools
*Arkansas State University - Jonesboro, Arkansas
*Auburn University - Auburn, Alabama
*Brigham Young University - Provo, Utah
*California State University, Long Beach - Long Beach, California
*California State University, Sacramento - Sacramento, California
*Carnegie Mellon University - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*Champlain College -
Burlington, Vermont
*Clemson University - Clemson, South Carolina
*Coastal Carolina University - Conway, South Carolina
*College of William & Mary - Williamsburg, Virginia
*Columbia University - New York City
*Duke University - Durham, North Carolina
*East Carolina University - Greenville, North Carolina
*Emory University - Atlanta, Georgia
*Florida State University - Tallahassee, Florida
*George Mason University - Fairfax, Virginia
*Grand Valley State University - Allendale, Michigan
*Illinois Wesleyan University - Bloomington, Illinois
*Indiana University -
Bloomington, Indiana
*Keene State College - Keene, New Hampshire
*Lees-McRae College - Banner Elk, North Carolina
*Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
*Loyola University Chicago -
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
*Macalester College - St. Paul, Minnesota
*Massachusetts Institute of Technology -
Cambridge, Massachusetts
*Michigan State University - East Lansing, Michigan
*Morehead State University - Morehead, Kentucky
*North Carolina State University - Raleigh, North Carolina
*Northwestern University - Evanston, Illinois
*Pennsylvania State University - University Park, Pennsylvania
*Santa Monica College - Santa Monica, California
*School of the Art Institute of Chicago -
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
*Southern Oregon University -
Ashland, Oregon
*Temple University - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*Texas A&M University - College Station, Texas
*Texas Tech University - Lubbock, Texas
*University of Alaska Fairbanks - Fairbanks, Alaska
*University of California, Santa Cruz -
Santa Cruz, California
*University of Colorado Colorado Springs -
Colorado Springs, Colorado
*University of Florida - Gainesville, Florida
*University of Illinois at Chicago -
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
*University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Urbana, Illinois, Urbana-
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metrop ...
*University of Iowa - Iowa City, Iowa
*University of La Verne - La Verne, California
*University of Louisville - Louisville, Kentucky
*University of Massachusetts Lowell - Lowell, Massachusetts
*University of Michigan -
Ann Arbor, Michigan
*University of Michigan-Flint - Flint, Michigan
*University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Nebraska
*University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
*University of North Carolina, Wilmington - Wilmington, North Carolina
*University of Oklahoma - Norman, Oklahoma
*University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*University of Rochester - Rochester, New York
*University of South Carolina - Columbia, South Carolina
*University of South Florida - Tampa, Florida
*University of Virginia -
Charlottesville, Virginia
*Utah State University - Logan, Utah
*Virginia Commonwealth University - Richmond, Virginia
*Washington University in St. Louis - St. Louis, Missouri
Bronze-level - 114 Schools
*Alfred University - Alfred, New York
*American University -
Washington, DC
*Appalachian State University - Boone, North Carolina
*Aquinas College (Michigan), Aquinas College - Grand Rapids, Michigan
*Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix campus, Arizona State University, Downtown Campus - Phoenix, Arizona
*Arizona State University Polytechnic campus, Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus - Mesa, Arizona
*Arizona State University West campus - Glendale, Arizona
*Bemidji State University - Bemidji, Minnesota
*Bentley University - Waltham, Massachusetts
*Black Hills State University - Spearfish, South Dakota
*Boston University - Charles River campus - Boston, Massachusetts
*Boston University Medical Campus - Boston, Massachusetts
*Brown University - Providence, Rhode Island
*California Polytechnic State University -
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfwa ...
*California State University, Bakersfield - Bakersfield, California
*California State University, Monterey Bay - Seaside, California
Bronze-level, continued
*California State University, Northridge - Northridge, California
*Catholic University of America -
Washington, DC
*Chatham University - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*College of Charleston - Charleston, South Carolina
*Colorado College -
Colorado Springs, Colorado
*Columbus State University - Columbus, Georgia
*Concordia University - Moorhead, Minnesota
*Emporia State University - Emporia, Kansas
*Florida Institute of Technology - Melbourne, Florida
*Franklin & Marshall College - Lancaster, Pennsylvania
*George Mason University Arlington campus -
Arlington, Virginia
*Georgetown University -
Washington, DC
*Georgia College & State University - Milledgeville, Georgia
*Hendrix College - Conway, Arkansas
*Illinois Institute of Technology -
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
*James Madison University - Harrisonburg, Virginia
*Kansas State University - Manhattan, Kansas
*Kennesaw State University - Kennesaw campus - Kennesaw, Georgia
*Kennesaw State University - Marietta campus - Marietta, Georgia
*Kent State University - Kent, Ohio
*Knox College (Illinois), Knox College - Galesburg, Illinois
*Lawrence Technological University - Southfield, Michigan
*Loyola Marymount University - Los Angeles, California
*Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls - Fergus Falls, Minnesota
*Miami University - Oxford, Ohio
*Michigan Technological University - Houghton, Michigan
*Minnesota State University, Mankato - Mankato, Minnesota
*Monroe Community College - Rochester, New York
*Montana State University -
Bozeman, Montana
*Montgomery County Community College - Pottstown, Pennsylvania
*Naropa University -
Boulder, Colorado
*Nazareth College (New York), Nazareth College - Rochester, New York
*New Mexico State University - Las Cruces, New Mexico
*Norfolk State University - Norfolk, Virginia
*North Carolina Central University - Durham, North Carolina
*Northern Michigan University - Marquette, Michigan
*Ohio University - Athens, Ohio
*Oklahoma State University - Stillwater, Oklahoma
*Old Dominion University - Norfolk, Virginia
*Pennsylvania College of Technology - Williamsport, Pennsylvania
*Pomona College -
Claremont, California
*Princeton University - Princeton, New Jersey
*Rice University - Houston, Texas
*Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, New York
*Salisbury University - Salisbury, Maryland
*San Francisco State University -
San Francisco, California
*Savannah College of Art and Design - Savannah, Georgia
*Shippensburg University - Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
*Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, Illinois
*St. Lawrence University - Canton, New York
*University at Buffalo, The State University of New York - Buffalo, New York
*State University of New York at Cortland - Cortland, New York
*SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry - Syracuse, New York
*State University of New York at Stony Brook - Stony Brook, New York
*Texas State University - San Marcos, Texas
*The College at Brockport, State University of New York - Brockport, New York
*Towson University - Towson, Maryland
*Transylvania University - Lexington, Kentucky
*Truman State University - Kirksville, Missouri
*Tufts University - Medford, Massachusetts, Medford and
Somerville, Massachusetts
*University of Alabama at Birmingham - Birmingham, Alabama
*University of California, San Diego - San Diego, California
*University of Central Arkansas - Conway, Arkansas
*University of Central Florida - Orlando, Florida
*University of Central Oklahoma - Edmond, Oklahoma
*University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, Ohio
*University of Dayton - Dayton, Ohio
*University of Denver -
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...
*University of Georgia - Athens, Georgia
*University of Illinois Springfield - Springfield, Illinois
*University of Kansas - Lawrence, Kansas
*University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Lafayette, Louisiana
*University of Memphis - Memphis, Tennessee
*University of Miami - Coral Gables, Florida
*University of Mississippi - Oxford, Mississippi
*University of Missouri-Kansas City - Kansas City, Missouri
*University of Nevada, Reno - Reno, Nevada
*University of New England (United States), University of New England - Biddeford, Maine
*University of New Mexico - Albuquerque, New Mexico
*University of North Carolina, Charlotte - Charlotte, North Carolina
*University of North Carolina, Greensboro - Greensboro, North Carolina
*University of North Texas - Denton, Texas
*University of Northern Colorado - Greeley, Colorado
*University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*University of San Diego - San Diego, California
*University of South Florida St. Petersburg - St. Petersburg, Florida
*University of Texas at Austin -
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
*University of Toledo - Toledo, Ohio
*University of Tulsa - Tulsa, Oklahoma
*University of West Georgia - Carrollton, Georgia
*University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire - Eau Claire, Wisconsin
*University of Wisconsin–La Crosse - La Crosse, Wisconsin
*University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point - Stevens Point, Wisconsin
*University of Wisconsin-Stout - Menomonie, Wisconsin
*University of Wyoming - Laramie, Wyoming
*Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center - Nashville, Tennessee
*Washtenaw Community College -
Ann Arbor, Michigan
*West Virginia University - Morgantown, West Virginia
Formerly designated
*Bowdoin College - Brunswick, Maine
*Lincoln Memorial University - Harrogate, Tennessee
*California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, California
*Carroll University - Waukesha, Wisconsin
*Cornell University - Ithaca, New York
*Eastern Mennonite University - Harrisonburg, Virginia
*Green Mountain College - Poultney, Vermont
*Gustavus Adolphus College - St. Peter, Minnesota
*Oberlin College - Oberlin, Ohio
*Ohio State University - Columbus, Ohio
*Virginia Tech - Blacksburg, Virginia
*Western Kentucky University - Bowling Green, Kentucky
See also
* Phyllis Harmon
* Albert Augustus Pope
*San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
*Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates
References
External links
LAB website
Bicycle Friendly Communities
another LAB website
wbgu.org
WBGU-PBS local documentary "Bicycling Through The Past"
League of American Bicyclists records, 1880-2012, bulk 1965-1996
University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston
LAB Reform
historical comments on the LAB.
{{DEFAULTSORT:League Of American Bicyclists
Political advocacy groups in the United States
Cycling organizations in the United States
501(c)(3) organizations
History of cycling in the United States
1880 establishments in Rhode Island
Sports organizations established in 1880
Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.