Three ways to make the most of National Bike Month

National Bike Month is officially here! With longer, milder days, May is a perfect time to recognize bicycling for the multitude of benefits it provides – improving our health, economy, and environment. Here are three ways to make the most of this year's National Bike Month:

1. Go for a type of bike ride that you normally wouldn't: If you're a road rider, try a mountain bike ride. If you've never ridden your bike to work, give bike commuting a shot. And if the ride to work isn't something you can tackle this year, ride your bike to run an errand you would normally do by car, even if it's just a trip to the coffee shop or ice cream parlor. Remember—forty percent of trips Americans take are two miles or less, an easy bicycling distance.
2. Introduce one other person to bicycling. Whether it's your partner, a coworker, a family member, or just a friend, help someone find a bike and go for a fun ride. Bicycling is a pretty amazing thing, right? Why not encourage someone else to discover the activity that brings you so much happiness.
3. Participate in one or more National Bike Month events. A list of community rides can be found at the League of American Bicyclists, and here are some key national events:

• National Bike to School Day (May 9)
• CycloFemme, the International Day of Women's Bicycling (May 13)
• National Bike to Work Week (May 14-18)
• National Bike to Work Day (May 18)
• National Bike Challenge (May 1-August 31)

This May and this summer should be an amazing time for bicycling in America. An increasing percentage of our national leaders recognize bicycling as a simple solution for transportation challenges, jobs and economic development, and health and obesity issues. Communities are investing in bike lanes and paths more than ever, helping bicycling to become safer and stress-free. We encourage you to take advantage of these new places to ride by participating in National Bike Month!

Happy riding,

The PeopleForBikes.org crew