UPDATES
General Updates

Event Specific Updates

• Click Here for updates specific to Bicycle Illinois.
• Click Here for updates specific to GRABAAWR.
• Click Here for updates specific to the Bike Northwoods Tour.
• Click Here for updates specific to SAGBRAW.
• Click Here for updates specific to Will to Ben.
• Click Here for updates specific to the Tri-State Tour Chicago Century.
• Click Here for updates specific to Ride Across Illinois (RAIL) North and South.
• Click Here for updates specific to our RAGBRAI^® Transportation service.
• Click Here for updates specific to the Illini Weekend Getaway.

General Updates for the 2025 Season

12/23/24

• Bicycle Illinois and Bike Wisconsin Cycling Socks added to paper registration forms.

12/18/24

• Registration is now open for all events!
• Web site updated with 2025 dates for all tours and events!

Major Previous General Updates

• Participants who register on a volunteer basis will follow the same price schedule as non-riders. All registrations on a volunteer basis require prior approval.
• In order to assist capacity planning, we now charge a $30.00 late fee for all transportation services.
• We now directly accept credit card payments but will charge a 3.6% surcharge to cover credit card processing fees. If you do not want to pay this surcharge you may submit your payment to us through Zelle or check or money order instead.
• Valve extenders, dry lube, 3' micro USB power cables, 3' USB C power cables, USB wall chargers have been added to the parts and accessories we will have available for sale on the road.
• If you register using a paper registration form:
  • You can now submit your payment through Zelle.
  • We no longer have incoming fax service so you can't send us a copy of your completed form this way any more.
• Due to skyrocketing prices for fuel, food, coach busses, and many other tour services the regular registration price of all events has increased, and the prices of transportation services has increased significantly.
• The late registration fee has increased by $25.00 from $125.00 to $150.00 for full tour riders and by $5.00 from $25.00 to $30.00 per day for all single day and weekend evenst and partial day tour riders. The late fees for non-riders has not changed.
• We have added "e-bike" as an additional option for the type of bike you will be transporting and there will be an additional $30.00 fee to transport e-bikes. This is because e-bikes generally require special handling and care since they are are typically heavier and/or take up more room in our vehicles than standard upright bicycles and therefore cannot be transported on any outside roof racks and must be transported inside a support vehicle.
• If you already have a car in a stopping town, such as at the start and/or end of an event, we will not provide separate hotel baggage service. Instead, you will need to transport your baggage yourself between the supported hotel and main baggage drop off location such as the main lodging site or long term parking location.
• If you sign up for the Mechanical Support Plan, you will need to specifically request the pre-ride inspection yourself as we will not be able to search out each participant individually to provide it.
• On some events we will also have officially designated water stop locations to supplement our other rest stop locations along longer ride segments and/or during events where the weather can be very hot. Click Here for more information.
• Registration procedures for postponed 2020 participants posted. Unfortunately, we can only allow postponed 2020 participants to register for an event at the original 2020 pricing schedule one time. Click Here for more information.
• The number of days you register for the optional Towel Service, Tent Rental, Chair Rental, and Mechanical Support Plan must be the same as the number of days you will attend the event. For example you cannot register to ride for six days but only register for two days of the Mechanical Support Plan.
• The late fee for full registration for riders of all week-long events has increased from $125.00 to $150.00. The late fee for all other riders and participants of all other partial day and non-week long events and services has increased from $25.00 to $30.00 per day. The late fees for non-riders of all week-long events and all other extra services and merchandise has not changed.
• No refunds will be issued in the event we are unable to run an event due to circumstances beyond our control. These circumstances include but are not limited to disasters (natural and/or manmade), pandemics, war, acts of terrorism, government regulations, strikes, civil disorder, curtailment of transportation facilities, or acts of God. (Force Majure)
• There will be an additional $30.00 fee to transport bicycles that require special handing and care (recumbents, e-bikes, tandems, etc.) for all transportation services. However a tandem bicycle will not incur an additional fee if both people riding it register for the same transportation service.
• Only online registration will be available four weeks before the start of an event in order to assure that we receive all of your information and payment in a timely manner due to laspes in mail service. In general, this deadline will also correspond the regular registration deadline for week long tours. Click Here for more information.
• Room blocks at a supported hotel will only be available when we do not have a separate main lodging site in that stopping town. Click Here for more information.
• WE NO LONGER ISSUE ANY REFUNDS AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON. If you do not participate and would like a refund you MUST purchase an individual travel insurance plan, which will reimburse you according to the plan coverage. Click Here for more information about our refund policy.
• We now allow trikes (any bicycle with three or more wheels) to participate in our events. However, all participants riding trikes must provide their own on road support for them at all times because we cannot guarantee that we will be able to easily or quickly transport them off the road in any support vehicle in case of mechanical breakdown. In addition, we still cannot accomodate any trikes on any of our transportation services. Click Here for more information.
• We now have 27.5"/650b long stem Presta, 29" Schrader, 80mm 700c tubes available for $12.00 each and 16" and 20" presta tubes available for $10.00 each. Click Here for more information.
• After your baggage has been unloaded off our vehicles, we cannot watch it at all times and we will not be responsible if any baggage is lost or stolen. Due to the nature of baggage handling, your baggage may be scuffed up or damaged in transit due to normal wear and tear and we will not be responsible for any damage to any personal items in your baggage.
• We now have 26" folding tires available for $60.00 each. Click Here for more information.
• 16g threaded and non-threaded CO2 cartridges and bungee cords (set of 2) have been added to the list of parts and accessories that we will regularly stock on the road. CO2 cartridges will cost $5.00 each and a set of bungee cord will cost $5.00 each.
• Administrative fee increased to $75.
• General volunteer opportunities and volunteer interest form posted.
• Muffins added to Breakfast Item Selection
• Based on participant feedback we will no longer offer the same box lunches we had previously offered for any of our events and currently will not serve any type of lunch on the road. We are working on finding a suitable alternative.
• If you stay at a supported hotel, please leave your baggage on a rolling baggage cart if one is available and not just on the floor. This will greatly help our staff quickly load your bags onto our vehicles and help ensure that we deliver them to the next stopping town before you arrive as well as saving wear and tear on our staff.
• Important event communications information added regarding Receiving Pertinent Tour Information on the Road via Group Text Messages and our Daily Ride Information & Updates Line. Click Here for more information.
• When the route goes onto a bike path from the road, "BP" will be used as a designator on the ground marking to signify a "Bike Path".
• Google custom web site search capability added.
• If you purchase any Bicycle Illinois merchandise items after you initially register, you will be charged an additional shipping fee at the time of purchase. If you pick up your item directly during the event itself we will refund your shipping fees after the completion of the event.