August is here, and you can feel it in the calendar: long warm evenings, group rides nearly every night of the week, and the biggest car-free party of the summer coming up on Sunday. Before we get to the fun stuff, though, we’ve got a volunteer ask, a somber community meeting, and a construction heads-up.
Help us make smoothies at Ride the Drive!
Ride the Drive is this Sunday, August 9, from 10 AM to 2 PM – the free annual event where motor vehicles are banished from several downtown streets, opening them up to people on bikes and on foot, with activities from all kinds of orgs and vendors along the way. Madison Bikes will have a tent on the Capitol Square, and yes, we will once again be making bike-powered smoothies. Pedal, blend, sip. It’s a good gig.
And that’s where you come in: we need volunteers! We have shifts from 8:30–10 AM for setup, 10 AM-12 PM and 12-2 PM for smoothie-making and chatting with folks about who we are and what we do, and 2-3 PM for cleanup. Every volunteer gets a coveted Ride the Drive tee, plus sunscreen, bug spray, water, and snacks. If you’re interested, please fill out this form or email Dan directly at dan@madisonbikes.org. Thank you!
McFarland traffic safety listening session
On a much more serious note: the Village of McFarland is hosting a Community Listening Session on the future of traffic safety in the village on Thursday, August 6 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The session comes in the wake of the death of Braeyla Valenza, an 8-year-old bicyclist. You can attend in person at the McFarland Municipal Center, 5915 Milwaukee St, or join via Zoom. If you live, ride, or have family in McFarland, please consider showing up — these sessions are where the direction of local streets actually gets shaped.
Capital City Trail Re-Re-Detour
Construction note: as of 5 AM Monday, North Shore Drive is closed at the railroad crossing on the curve where it becomes Proudfit Street, so that Wisconsin & Southern Railroad can replace the crossing. The bike path and sidewalks at the crossing are closed too — bicyclists and pedestrians are detoured via West Main Street and the Southwest Path. The city scheduled this while the existing North Shore/John Nolen closure is already in place (small mercies), and the whole thing should wrap up and reopen by 6 AM on Friday, August 7. Plan your rides accordingly. My suggestion: If you’re traversing the isthmus, just avoid the whole thing and enjoy the nice Wilson St cycleway instead.
This Week
On Tuesday at 6 PM, join the Madison Women’s Cycling Club Ride. Check their Instagram for this week’s route and meetup location.
On Wednesday from 10 AM to 1 PM, join the Ride for Joe, starting at the Fitchburg Senior Center, 5510 Lacy Rd. Bike Fitchburg, the Fitchburg Senior Center, and the City of Fitchburg Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission host this monthly slow ride in memory of Joe Imilkowski, Bike Fitchburg’s late, long-time director. A lovely way to honor a person clearly important in Fitchburg cycling history.
Also on Wednesday at 5:30 PM, the Capital Brewery E-Bike Club Group Ride rolls out from Capital Brewery in Middleton. In the organizers’ words:
Join us for a high-energy, inclusive, and flat-out fun E-bike group ride! Every Wednesday during the summer at 5:30 pm starting and ending at Capital Brewery in Middleton.
Also on Wednesday at 6 PM, the Motorless Motion Taco Ride meets at the shop at 640 W Washington Ave, rolling out around 6:15. A casual-paced ride, about 6-8 miles, that ends – as the name promises – with tacos.
Later on Wednesday at 6:30 PM, the Greater Madison MPO Policy Board meets at the Water Utility-Engineering building, 119 E Olin Ave. Regional transportation planning may not come with tacos, but it’s where a lot of long-term decisions get made. A few tidbits about future path connections between south side neighborhoods and Fitchburg but otherwise nothing big on the agenda for cycling.
On Friday at 11 AM, join the Lunch Bunch E-Bike Group Ride, a casual ride to a different restaurant or cafe each week. Meet at Machinery Row Bicycles.
On Sunday at 9 AM, pop in to a watch party for the finale stage of the Tour de France Femmes (avec Zwift, bien sur!) at Friends Applaud on the south side. Plenty of time to do this and…
Finally, again, on Sunday from 10 AM to 2 PM, it’s the 2026 edition of Ride the Drive! With John Nolen Drive under reconstruction, 2026 gets a redesigned route: start on the Capitol Square, roll down King Street, hang a left onto E Wilson St, and follow Willy St out to McPike Park. Which means you get to navigate the hairball faster and safer than ever before – no cars, no light cycle. See above for our volunteer ask – otherwise, just come find our tent on the Square and enjoy a smoothie you pedaled yourself.
As always, you can find an overview of all bike events on our Community Bike Calendar. Email us at info@madisonbikes.org to add your events. And if you value our newsletter and other work, consider donating to Madison Bikes. For construction updates, check out the city’s Bike Madison page.
Thanks to our sponsors who make our events possible!
