2025 Slow Roll
Free... Family Friendly... FUN!
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Free... Family Friendly... FUN! 〰️
Join in on the fun!
Slow Roll along Milwaukee’s scenic lakefront on Sunday September 21st, 2025 for the 10th Annual Slow Roll Bike Ride & Celebration!
FREE, Family-friendly ~10 mile bike ride and celebration!
The Route:
Starting at the War Memorial parking lot in downtown Milwaukee, we’ll ride north on Lincoln Memorial Drive up to Shorewood, then snake back on Milwaukee’s Oak Leaf Trail where we’ll end up just where we started! Gathering for a party at the Beer Garden at the War Memorial, provided by Kegel’s Inn! See map below.
Schedule of Events:
9:00am Meet, Gather, Pickup T-Shirts
10:00am Welcome Speech, Official Group Photo!
10:05am Ride Departs!
10:05am-11:30am Slow Roll 10 Mile Bike Ride
11:30am-2:00pm Party Celebrating the 9th Year of the Chris Kegel Foundation. Riders get 1 free brat & beer/beverage for riding!
12:00pm Official Presentation
12:30pm Blindfolded Tire Changing Competition
3:00pm Slow Roll Party Ends
How to get there:
If coming by bike, navigate to the War Memorial Parking lot (free bike parking provided).
If coming by car, we suggest parking at one of the following locations.
Become a VIP!
Returning to Milwaukee’s Scenic Lakefront!
This year the Slow Roll is kicking off at the War Memorial parking lot in downtown Milwaukee!
History of Chris’ Slow Roll
When word got out that Chris Kegel was terminally sick, his inner circle got together immediately. How could we quickly rally the forces to honor this amazing human and show him how much of a positive impact his life’s work had made on the community? The only thing that made sense, was to bring everyone together for Chris’ favorite thing- a bike ride.
The slogan the first year was, “The More the Merrier”. Within a week of planning and getting the word out- a thousand people got together for the first annual Chris’ Slow Roll in 2016. Although he wasn’t able to ride, the party at Kegel’s Inn was an opportunity for Chris to see how many people he had touched. Every year since then, we have come together at the end of August to celebrate and commemorate how bikes can be the common thread in our lives.
From it’s inception, the Slow Roll was designed to be easily accessible, free, and a family friendly ride for all kinds of riders. All people are welcome.
2016- Year One:
See the Route: 2016 Chris’ Slow Roll Route
Accomplishments: First Slow Roll went off without a hitch with over 1,000 riders.
2017- Year Two:
See the Route: 2017 Chris’ Slow Roll Route
Accomplishments: The Chris Kegel Foundation (CKF) is established! CKF approaches Milwaukee County Parks, Wisconsin Bike Fed, Milwaukee County Trails Council to formulate with idea to improve on of Chris’s favorite trail systems- the Oak Leaf Trail.
2018- Year Three:
See the Route: 2018 Chris’ Slow Roll Route
Accomplishments: Oak Leaf Trail Way-finding Signage prototype revealed at the end party of the Slow Roll! CKF sponsors 3 South Eastern Wisconsin leaders to attend the People for Bikes “Places for Bikes” conference in Indianapolis.
2019- Year Four:
See the Route: 2019 Chris’ Slow Roll Route (same as 2018)
Accomplishments: Over 30 Oak Leaf Trail Way-finding installed at high visibility and important navigation locations! 3 CKF work stands installed in Evanston, IL; Oak Park, IL; Oshkosh, WI.
2020- Year Five:
See the Route: The 2020 Slow Roll went virtual for the whole month of August.
Thank you for a successful 2020 event!
We were able to raise over $28,000.00 and connect with over 750 riders during our 2020 Slow Roll Your Own Event!
Accomplishments: Over 30 Oak Leaf Trail Way-finding installed at high visibility and important navigation locations! 3 CKF work stands installed in Evanston, IL; Oak Park, IL; Oshkosh, WI.
2021- Year Six:
See the Route: We brought the Slow Roll to a new location on Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront! We gathered at the War Memorial and set out north to Shorewood along Lincoln Memorial and Lake Drive to Shorewood, and back on the Oak Leaf Trail!
2022- Year Seven:
See the Route: We kept the Slow Roll on Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront! We gathered at the War Memorial and set out north to Shorewood along Lincoln Memorial and Lake Drive to Shorewood, and back on the Oak Leaf Trail!
Accomplishments: We were able to install 5 new fix-it stands and 3 new bike racks through the state of Wisconsin.
2023 - Year Eight:
See the Route: We kept the Slow Roll on Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront! We gathered at the War Memorial and set out north to Shorewood along Lincoln Memorial and Lake Drive to Shorewood, and back on the Oak Leaf Trail!
Accomplishments: We brought together almost 200 Minority and BIPOC Mountain Bike Riders from across the country for a four day weekend of riding, racing and dialogue about the sport we love and the importance of getting more of us out there on bikes.
2024 - Year Nine:
See the Route: We kept the Slow Roll on Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront! We gathered at the War Memorial and set out north to Shorewood along Lincoln Memorial and Lake Drive to Shorewood, and back on the Oak Leaf Trail!
Accomplishments: We brought together almost 200 Minority and BIPOC Mountain Bike Riders from across the country for a four day weekend of riding, racing and dialogue about the sport we love and the importance of getting more of us out there on bikes.
