PeopleForBikes concluded its SHIFT'26 working summit Friday, wrapping up three days of high-level policy alignment, infrastructure exploration, and committee strategy. Moving out of the conference room and onto two wheels, attendees spent the morning on an immersive study tour exploring connected infrastructure across Bentonville, Arkansas, before gathering for a practical workshop focused on turning real-world riding insights into scalable action plans to increase participation nationwide.
"We used our final day at SHIFT to show what happens to participation when infrastructure actually meets riders' needs — something we see across Northwest Arkansas," said Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes. "Driving participation is our industry's highest leverage opportunity, and PeopleForBikes is committed to building the connected bike networks that turn casual riders into lifelong cyclists in communities across the country."
Day Three Highlights:
● Bentonville by Bike Study Tour: Attendees took to two wheels for a guided tour through the region and its surrounding off-road networks, experiencing firsthand how intentional public-private investment creates a seamless, connected transportation and recreation ecosystem.
● Lessons in Motion Workshop: Industry, advocacy, and local government leaders convened for a hands-on working session to deconstruct the policy, funding, and community partnerships behind Northwest Arkansas's infrastructure success, establishing scalable frameworks to accelerate participation nationwide.
"The momentum built over these three days will drive our work through 2027 and beyond," said Ash Lovell, vice president of government relations at PeopleForBikes. "Whether passing model e-moto legislation, launching the Data Suite, or expanding trail access, SHIFT proved that when the bicycle industry works together with a unified voice, we deliver real wins for bike businesses and riders alike."
SHIFT'26 set the operational playbook for trade, policy, and participation heading into 2027. PeopleForBikes will drive these deliverables forward through year-end, paving the way for the industry's next strategic gathering in the spring.
SAVE THE DATE: 2027 Bicycle Leadership Conference
The Bicycle Leadership Conference (BLC) returns to Dana Point, California, March 16–18, 2027. Don't miss out on joining our industry's top leaders to assess progress, share updates, and continue collaborating on shared challenges and opportunities. Learn more.
About PeopleForBikes
PeopleForBikes is the U.S. bicycle industry's trade association and a national bicycle advocacy nonprofit, representing more than 340 bicycle industry brands and 1.4 million individual supporters. Through our three areas of influence — infrastructure, policy, and participation — we accelerate the construction of safe and connected places to ride, advance pro-bike and pro-bike-business legislation, and reduce barriers to welcome more people to bicycling. Our goal: help make the U.S. the best place in the world to ride a bike. Support our work and learn more at peopleforbikes.org.
