Quiz yourself to test your cycling knowledge

This milestone column, No. 50, calls for something a little different. Four years retired from teaching math, I still value quizzes. Let's see who's been paying attention! (Answers at column end.)

1.) What's the original name of the Active Transportation Alliance, Chicago area's biking, walking and transit advocacy organization?

a.) Biking and Walking Advocates

b.) Chicagoland Bicycle Federation

c.) Pedestrian and Bicycling Commission

d.) League of Illinois Bicyclists

2.) By statute, Illinois cyclists are required to ride as close to the right as practicable. How many feet of clearance are motorized vehicles required to provide bikers?

a.) 6

b.) 5

c.) 4

d.) 3

3.) Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) has $125 million in grants available for walking, biking and trail projects for the next two-year cycle. How much was awarded in 2021?

a.) $95 million

b.) $100 million

c.) $105 million

d.) $110 million

4.) Through funds originating from Illinois Department of Transportation's Injury Prevention grant, Ride Illinois awarded over $90,000 in 2020-21 ($2 per student) to schools whose students completed which program?

a.) Bike Safety Quiz

b.) Traffic Rodeo

c.) Bicycle Friendly Course

d.) Bike the Drive

5.) How many classes of electric-assist bicycles exist?

a.) one

b.) two

c.) three

d.) four

6.) Shared biking/parking lanes display the bike logo with arrow inside the lane.

a.) True

b.) False

7.) Many organized bike rides offer both century and metric century routes. About how many more miles is the longer distance?

a.) 38

b.) 33

c.) 28

d.) 25

8.) The League of American Bicyclists ranks Illinois the 15th bike-friendliest state in the U.S. Which Chicago area suburbs does LAB consider Bicycle Friendly Communities?

a.) Aurora, Evanston, Wilmette

b.) Batavia, Glenview, Highland Park

c.) Oak Park, Schaumburg, Warrenville

d.) All of the above

9.) The “Dutch reach” is a technique for ...

a.) A cyclist squeezing both hand brakes

b.) A cyclist safely grabbing a water bottle

c.) A motorist avoiding “dooring” a cyclist

d.) A motorist turning right across a bike lane

10.) The Ride of Silence originated in Dallas honoring a cyclist struck and killed by a bus mirror. In 2022, cyclists in 226 locations across 45 states and 12 countries honored those killed or injured while biking. How many years has this ride been observed?

a.) 15

b.) 20

c.) 25

d.) 30

6,400 Bikes Shipped

Chicago's nonprofit Working Bikes celebrates 23 years collecting and refurbishing bikes, training local youth mechanics, selling affordable used bikes and shipping bikes to international partners, who put bikes to use in global communities.

Not your ordinary bike shop, Working Bikes has distributed more than 6,400 bikes to partners in five African countries and El Salvador since 2021.

Board Vice President Phil Kaplan notes their Oct. 1 fundraiser “will definitely be fun and, more importantly, help enable Working Bikes to sustain our ability to provide bike transportation locally and internationally. I couldn't be prouder of what we have achieved this past year.”

The Oct. 1 anniversary celebration is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. at the shop, 2434 S. Western Ave., Chicago, with warehouse tours, silent auction, bike decorating, games, music and more.

Local vendors, including Flor Azteca, a cooperative from Telpochcalli Community Education Project, CHAOS Brew Club, and Revolution Brewing, will dish up bites and beverages.

Fired Up to Ride

Want to torch your ride with a little history? Wheaton Bicyclist & Pedestrian Commission hosts “Great Fires of Wheaton” Saturday, Sept. 17, starting at 2 p.m. from the Wheaton Public Library.

Chicago Tribune reporter and Wheaton resident Bob Goldsborough will lead the casual six-mile tour, providing historical commentary at each fire site. This annual history ride is free to helmeted cyclists of all levels and ages, with adults accompanying riders younger than 18. Pre-ride, all participants must sign a digital waiver: forms.gle/x5WEuSC22k4WofNZ7.

Commission member Bob Van Valzah plans a ride video/map site “as good or better than the 2020 Virtual History Ride - Underground Railroad video. It's important to have a way for those who couldn't ride to still appreciate the history via the web.”

Last September, more than 70 cyclists toured midcentury modern architecture with a Wheaton Historic Commission docent commenting on Wheaton's iconic homes and architects. Among other events, the commission sponsors eight- to 20-mile rides May to October, a youth safety rodeo, and bike valet at the Taste of Wheaton.

Wheaton's history rid, is one of the free “Let's Ride, Illinois” community rides scheduled in September around the state. Chicago area rides include the Elgin Community Bike's Sept. 18 ride.

Other Chicago area community rides:

Sept. 17: Bike Palatine Club's OktoberFest ride

Sept. 18: Friends of Cycling Elk Grove's Community Bike Ride and Libertyville Community Bike Ride

Ride Illinois, the statewide, nonprofit bike advocacy organization, launched this program last September encouraging all ages/abilities to enjoy free community rides. Its site map summarizes date, time, length and other specific ride details.

Cycling Shorts

American Diabetes Association's fundraising ride is back in person Sept. 25, rolling from Aurora's RiverEdge Park with different start times for the four route choices: 12, 30, 63 and 100 miles. In-person riders are required to raise $250. Register at Tour de Cure: Chicagoland.

Answers to the quiz: 1-B, 2-D, 3-C, 4-A, 5-C, 6-B, 7-A, 8-D, 9-C, 10-B

Join the ride. Contact Ralph Banasiak at alongfortheridemail@gmail.com.