Gear up for the National Bike Challenge

Ready your legs and lungs for the first ever National Bike Challenge, and vie with cyclists from around the country to save the most carbon.

The National Bike Challenge starts officially May 1, 2012. The event is open free of charge to any individual, business, or organization up to 10 people. The website and mobile app track miles ridden as well as carbon and money saved. If you have access to a bike, sign up!

The Bike Arlington team already leads the pack. Since the preseason “warm up” began on Feb. 1, Bike Arlington logged almost 5,000 miles and saved about 4,500 pounds of carbon dioxide. That puts them ahead of all 229 other teams in the competition so far.

Each month, top scoring individuals will win prizes from water bottles to brand new bikes. There are also awards for teams, communities, and states.

The Kimberly-Clarke Corporation started the Challenge in 2009 to promote biking as transportation and recreation. In 2011 it grew to be a state-wide event in Wisconsin. 2012 is the first national challenge.

Organizers aim to unite 50,000 people nationally to bike 10 million miles. With less than a month to go, all 50 states and DC have teams lining up at the starting blocks. The competition is 4 months long, and ends August 31, 2012.