Anybody who rides a bike in Utah knows that our state is one of the world’s most awesome destinations for cyclists, as well as the outdoor companies that serve the industry. From Moab, to Hurricane, to Park City, Utah is a freaking mecca of biking, both on-road and mountain bike. So it’s no wonder that Utah has its own organization called Bike Utah, that hosts things like summits. Ergo: the Fourth Annual Utah Bike Summit is happening on May 4th at Union Station in Ogden.
Bike Utah is a non-profit organization made up of people from all walks of cycling life who are working to improve bicycling conditions throughout the State of Utah. The summit, called, “Bike Elevated” (a play on the words of Utah’s motto “Life Elevated,”) will be a discussion of ways to further their mission of promoting and preserving, “the safety, opportunities, and responsibilities of cyclists through legislation, education, and facilities development.” This day-long summit will feature speakers from leading cycling companies, advocacy groups and local organizations who will be giving presentations and updates about the state of cycling from communities around Utah.
According to Brad Woods, President of Bike Utah, the Utah Bike Summit is, “a chance to coalesce what’s happening on the roads and trails around the state and organize our efforts and get inspired for our efforts over the next year.” In a press statement he added, “Utah has always been a mecca for all kinds of recreational cyclists, but increasingly the state is home to cycling brands that provide jobs and money for our economy and policy that sets an example for the rest of the country.”
This year’s keynote speaker is SRAM Cycling Fund Director and President of America Bikes, Randy Neufeld. He’ll be joined by Utah Transit Authority General Manager Michael Allegra, Quality Bicycle Parts Advocacy Director Gary Sjoquist, Utah National Interscholastic Cycling Association Director Lori Harward, Utah Representative Jeremy Peterson, International Mountain Bicycling Association Director of Field Programs Ryan Schutz, Bike Utah President Brad Woods and others.
“Utah has risen from just being a destination for riders around the country to a leader in public policy efforts and demonstrating the import economic impact of cycling,” said Neufeld. “Whether it’s the Tour of Utah, publicly funded bike parks or economic incentives to bring companies like Specialized, QBP and ENVE to Utah, the state is making its presence known in the national cycling landscape.”
Prior to the Bike Summit, Bike Utah is hosting a “Light Up the Night” social event on May 3 at Uinta Brewing Co. in Salt Lake City. Neufeld and Sjoquist will speak at the gathering and beer and snacks will be served. Tickets for the evening event and the Utah Bike Summit are available online at www.BikeUtah.org or at the door. Transportation on UTA between Salt Lake and Ogden is included in Summit registration.
So if you ride a bike in Utah, and want to be a part of this event, it is open to the public and attendees can register online.
For more information, visit www.bikeutah.org.