Ride of Silence Chicago
Annual silent ride honoring cyclists killed or injured on roads — gathers at Queen's Landing on DuSable Lake Shore Dr., then a solemn group ride through Chicago.
The vibe
Solemn solidarity on wheels
The Ride of Silence takes place in hundreds of communities across the country on the same evening every May. Chicago’s version gathers at Queen’s Landing on DuSable Lake Shore Drive — one of the city’s signature cycling corridors — before departing in silence to honor cyclists who were recently killed or injured on the roads. The ride is wordless by design, which gives it a weight that advocacy events with speeches and noise can’t replicate.
The gathering starts at 5:30 PM, with the ride departing at 6:00 PM. Participants ride at a slow, deliberate pace without speaking. The silence is the point — it’s a collective acknowledgment of the real danger that exists for cyclists sharing roads with vehicles, and a reminder of who has been lost.
Free to attend. Organized by the Active Transportation Alliance, which coordinates Chicago’s bike advocacy year-round. The Ride of Silence is one of those events worth showing up to even if you’re not a regular activist — the experience is different from anything else in the cycling calendar.