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While most of us lock the bikes away in storage once the temperatures drop below freezing and the leaves fall off the trees, there is a certain sense of achievement that comes with braving the elements and staying on two wheels year-round. You can look no further than the Santa Cycle Rampage for evidence of this.
Bublr Bikes, Milwaukee’s nonprofit bike share program, has created a competition around this sense of cold weather bicycling bravery. For the second year, Bublr will hold its Winter Bike Olympics.
The competition runs for the entire month of February, and awards prizes to winners in three categories including: Ride the most one way trips lasting longer than five minutes, check out a bike from the most stations, and take the most trips commuting between Milwaukee, Shorewood, West Allis and Wauwatosa (you must commute to and from at least three different municipalities).
In all categories the top three riders will receive: One free yearlong Bublr pass, one free Bicycle Benefits pass, a Nutcase bicycle helmet and an honorary Bublr Winter Bike Olympics medal of achievement.
“The idea behind the challenge is to encourage people to ride in the winter,” said Sally Sheperdson, executive director of Bublr Bikes. “Bike share is a great way to take that short trip or fill in that last mile, in winter and summer. Bublr Bikes operates 365 days a year—hey it's Wisconsin and we can handle riding in February.”
Participants must be active Bublr pass holders (you can sign up here), and must register for the Winter Olympics by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31 (you can register here).