Half Acre Cycling

This Saturday. Memorial ride for Alex Pretti.
Wherever you are.
#cycling
#chicagocycling
#restinresistance
#ripalexpretti

#bikechi Y'all we all have like a million of these kinds of bottles hanging out. If you've got some you can donate, there's a need in Minneapolis and we're shipping.

Alex Pretti, and ICU nurse with the VA, was murdered by ICE today. This photo is of him and his mountain bike

Alex Pretti was one of us. Rest in power.

January kicks off 2026 with crisp air, fresh pours, and plenty of ways to hang at Half Acre.

1/1: Closed
1/2: Adjusted Hours / 3–9pm
1/3: Adjusted Hours / 12–8pm
1/4: Adjusted Hours / 12–6pm
1/7: MTG EDH Night / 5–9pm
1/8: General Trivia / 6:30–9pm

Happy new year! Wishing everyone protected bike lanes and efficient public transit in the new year.

Who all up registering for Wausau24?

Sorry we missed this!

Tomorrow we gather for LagerTown at the brewery. Alongside limited steins and stickers, this year’s commemorative tee awaits – cream print on cypress, classic fit with structured shoulders and a ribbed neck. Soft yet durable, made to last through Oktoberfest for many years to come.

Cyclocross skills and drills practice.
#chicagocycling
#cycling

We keep working with the listed teams and our trans friends to figure out how to get bike races we and others in the region host to include trans racers.

That's not a full plan because we don't have one yet.

We are deeply disappointed in the recent USA Cycling policy change banning trans women and creating barriers for trans men in racing.We stand firm in opposition to this decision. Our teams believe cycling should be inclusive, affirming, and accessible to all athletes.

We will continue to do the work to support, uplift, and race alongside our trans teammates and community members -- always. Signed Half Acre Cycling BikesNRoses Unofficial Race Team 606 Racing Friends of Big Marsh Indigo Cycling Chicago Cowbell xXx Racing Track Cats Bonkers Cycling Okay Cycling Club Chicago United Evolution Cycling West Town Bikes Working Bikes Blackstone Bicycle Works U of C Velo club The Dropettes The Chicago Cutting Crew

Chicagoland bike teams stand united. We are deeply disappointed in the recent USA Cycling policy change banning trans women and creating barriers for trans men in racing. We will continue to do the work to support, uplift, and race alongside our trans teammates and community members -- always.

A poster with the foreground a color image of a woman running next to her bike through sand, the background sepia toned, and text in bold "Cross is Coming"

On 9/21 we're hosting another Gender Equity CX clinic!

We want to cover novice women, nonbinary and trans (🤞🏼) racers entries into the first chicrosscup races of the year. We also want to cover BIPOC novice entry fees for these two races. Send us an email if you're interested and we'll set you up.

Last year the cook county forest preserves made clear they would not permit a local group to host a transphobic mountain bike series, so that group changed their rules.

Half Acre Cycling is deeply disappointed in the rule change made to ban trans women, and make more difficult for trans men to race. In the past day, we've heard through various whisper networks that USA Cycling did not want to make these changes, but were forced to. This may be the case, but in doing so, you're now forcing amateur racers across the country to scramble to figure out how to include our trans friends and community members in our events.

It's also a slap in the face of local racers, race organizers, and race officials to do this with less than 2 weeks notice. Cyclocross season is upon us, and event planning has already begun assuming the previous rules would be in place. Half Acre Cycling doesn't agree with this rule change. We've been working to make cycling more inclusive across multiple spectrums. It's hard, and slow work.

We will do everything we can to continue to do that work and race with our trans teammates and community members. But if USA cycling is making that work harder, the most obvious way for us to continue is to stop hosting and attending USAC sanctioned discriminatory events.

A sign that says "Trans Rights are Human Rights" over a background of beautiful flowers by @transpainter from IG.

We're contacting USA Cycling to tell them their last minute rule change banning trans women sucks, and that we're going to choose our trans community over USAC.

North Branch Trail closure starts tomorrow! Forest Glen to Central in the Edgebrook/Jefferson Park area

A flyer with a purple and pink background. Large white and pink text at the top reads: “CALLING ALL CHICAGO BIKERS! HELP US SUPPORT A FEMMES N THEMS CORE ORGANIZER.” Smaller white text on the left says: “Our beloved Femmes & Thems member Haley broke both of their arms on one of their favorite group rides. We ask the community to come together to support them in their recovery. Direct funds sent to Haley’s venmo are the most helpful. You can find it here:” Below, in large white and pink text: “@HSTORM78934” At the bottom left, smaller text: “@FEMNTHEMBIKECHI” On the right side of the flyer, there is a photo of a person smiling while holding a decorated bicycle with bright purple lights. They are wearing a knit hat, glasses, a white t-shirt, patterned pants, and a backpack, standing in front of a black iron fence.

Calling on all Chicago bikers! A beloved member of the Chicago bike community (and a Femmes + Thems core organizer) took a spill at Critical Mass on Friday and was badly injured. Because both of their arms are broken, they are not able to do most self care tasks, let alone work.

@halfacrecycling.bsky.social
Dust at Dusk night gravel ride.

One of these butts is mine

This was fun! We're doing it again on Saturday October 11!

Can't make that one? Check out Chicagogrouprides.com (and confirm with the organizers) to find a group ride that works for you.

@halfacrecycling.bsky.social crew will be riding at Oregon,Illinois for Dust at Dusk night gravel this coming Sunday. Join us!

#chicagocycling
#cycling

A dozen people on bikes with "Race with Heart" on their bike jerseys on a gravel road at dusk riding towards the sunset.

Dust at Dusk is very pretty. Come ride!

Night gravel event next weekend.
No a race but a fun gravel group ride.
#chicagocycling
#chicagogravelride
https://allevents.in/oregon/dust-at-dusk-2025/200028381202724

FYI #BikeChi:

@halfacrecycling.bsky.social

A man standing and smiling gently with a silver bike in front of a brick building, and a white dog on his back. His bike is a silver Miyata frame, with a thicker rear aero bike wheel, drop handles, and overall pretty streamlined look.

A closer shot of the same man smiling into camera, with the dog gently blurred on his back, with his white paws up on his shoulders.

“This is one of my bikes. This bike I got from Working Bikes, where we're at right now. I got it before the pandemic, just as a way to get back into cycling. I’d been out of it for many years after being a messenger and getting into a lot of crashes, and other life stuff got in the way. . .” 🧵

Big Marsh bike park Chicago.
Short track mtb race series.
Last race of the series.
August 20 Wednesday 6pm.
All levels are welcome.
Adaptive cycling, juniors, sports, comp and expert categories.
Donation to Big Marsh are encouraged.
#chicagocycling
#cycling

Last Short Track + Night Laps August 20th Registration @5pm Races Start @6pm Bring your lights, glow sticks, and anything else that shines in the dark, and take a fun lap or two with us around the course after the races! $20 recommended donation

Last Short Track mountain bike race of the summer on 8/20 at Big Marsh. Races starting at 6p.