May is National Bike Month, and there are a bunch of ways to get out and celebrate these 2 wheel machines we all enjoy! There are a number of events happening during the month of May to promote bicycling as a great way to get around, have fun, and enjoy some exercise.
Here are some of the highlights during National Bike Month:
- National Bike Day is May 1, 2022
- National Bike & Roll to School Day is May 4, 2022
- Bike to Work Week is May 16-22, 2022
- Bike to Work Day is May 20, 2022
National Bike Month started in 1956 and is promoted by the League of American Bicyclists as a way to show off the many benefits of biking and encourage more people to get out for a ride.
Many communities around the USA take this structure and add more biking activities to the month of May. For instance, Cascade Bicycle Club in Washington State has a number of events like a bike rodeo for kids to learn biking skills, a bike bash to try new bikes while enjoying food and music, a bike movie, and more.
While the City of Orlando has put together this inspiring video of what a Bike to Work Day looks like there:
Check with your local bike club for more information on bike month events happening in your area.
There is also the National Bike Month Challenge where individuals and teams can track their rides and enter to win prizes. The prizes are awarded in a drawing and those with many rides logged and encouraging others to ride get more entries in the drawing.
There is a bit of competition with leaderboards on the website but the main point is to get as many people riding and encouraging their friends and family to ride. On the site you can share your riding stories and pictures to encourage others to ride.
People for Bikes also has a ride challenge through the Ride Spot app (can be linked with Strava) for the month of May.
From People for Bikes “Join our May Bike Month Challenge on Ride Spot! Ride 100 miles or 25 times during the month of May and earn a commemorative Bike Month patch. Riders who complete the Challenge will be entered to win a grand prize of one of two LeMond bikes. LeMond will also be donating $10 for each of the first 600 riders to complete the Challenge to support PeopleForBikes’ work making biking better for everyone.”
National Bike Day is Sunday, May 1 2022
National Bike Day on Sunday May 1, 2022 is a call to all to get out for a ride! No matter how long of a ride, as long as you are getting out for a fun ride. And if you are on social media use the hashtag #BikeDay to share your ride.
National Bike & Roll to School Day is Wednesday, May 4 2022
National Bike & Roll to School Day on May 4, 2022 promotes kids walking, biking, or skating to school as a way to promote healthy exercise and highlight the need for safe routes for kids going to school.
Also, a recent trend in kids biking to school is the “Bike Bus” movement that is a group of parents and kids gathering for a group ride to school to create a safer and more visible riding experience. And it looks like a lot of fun too!
During the pandemic, families turned to "bike buses" to make their commute to school safer — and more visible.
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) February 11, 2022
On the streets of San Francisco, bike buses are hard to miss. @MaxwellAdler reports https://t.co/n9FDdDX9GF pic.twitter.com/Hw63oxFhrL
The San Francisco Bike Bus has really taken off. Maybe a “Bike Bus” could be a great way to celebrate National Bike & Roll to School in your area.
National Bike to Work Week is May 16-22, 2022
National Bike to Work Week is May 16-22, 2022 and it is a fun time to ride to work. Many cities and towns have organized events throughout the week that can include local competitions for individuals and teams (work groups), breakfast options along popular commute routes, live music, bike swaps, parades, films, and more. These can be a lot of fun to share in the riding experience with other riders in your community.
National Bike to Work Day is May 20, 2022
National Bike to Work Day is May 20, 2022 and it is the day when there is a big push to get as many people riding to work as possible. This is usually the day with the most events happening and prizes are awarded.
Check with your local bike club or group for more information on Bike to Work events in your area, and ask your employer about supporting programs they may offer like bike parking, free breakfast, or other perks.
Tips for Making Your Ride Easier & More Fun
To gear up for National Bike Month here are some tips for making your ride easy going and fun!
You may already know some of these, but please remember to share these with others who may be new-ish to regular riding.
Choosing a safe and easy going route to work or another destination is a great way to get ready to really enjoy the rides. This article will give you some really helpful mapping tools and resources to pick a good route around your town or city.
A big advantage of electric bikes is the electric assist makes it easy to carry cargo and passengers, even up hills! There are a bunch of accessories available to make carrying cargo and passengers very easy and an intuitive part of eBiking.
Here is an article that will give you an idea of the racks, bags, baskets, boxes, backpacks, and trailers that are available to carry cargo and passengers.
If you have a long commute to work you may want to take your charger with you or keep an extra charger at work. That is a good way to top off your battery for the ride home.
Make sure your electric bike is ready to rack up the miles in May with a tune up. If you have some DIY skills then there are a few tune up items that are pretty simple to take care of and they can make a big difference in the way your eBike performs.
Here is a list of the basics of maintenance for eBikes that anyone can do:
Check your tire pressure and inflate to within the range shown on your tires. If you don’t have a pump, that is a good investment for regular bike riding.
If your chain is looking dry then a fresh coat of chain lubricant and a wipe down of any excess will keep your chain running smooth, quiet, and efficient through your electric bike drivetrain.
Before every ride give your brake levers a squeeze to make sure the brakes are engaging properly.
Those are the basics that will keep your electric bike running well. If you have any issues with your brakes, shifting, suspension, etc. then it may be best to schedule a tune up with your local bike shop.
For the DIY crowd there are some YouTube videos and tutorials on the more advanced eBike maintenance.
See and be seen with lights
Seeing the road and being seen on the road is super important and there are a bunch of light options available to choose from. There is the typical bright headlight and rear flashing light set up that works well for most dark riding conditions.
For being seen during the day there are some bright front and rear flashing light options that can make you very visible to car drivers, other bikers, and pedestrians.
And if you want to add some fun bling to your eBike, there are some cool looking lights that attach to the frame, wheels, or valve stem. Some of them create wild looking patterns as the wheels turn and make you very visible!
There are also a number of helmets that have lights built in for attention grabbing visibility. And recently pedals with flashing lights have hit the market.
Adding to the visibility, it is a good idea to wear some reflective materials on your clothes or packs.
Lock up your bike
Keeping your electric bike safe is another important part of eBike ownership and there are a bunch of locks available. There are the typical U-locks and cable/chain locks that can provide a solid amount of protection from theft.
Some of the new lock options are the foldable locks, adjustable band locks, zip locks, wheel locks, seat locks, and handlebar locks. A lot of the lighter and smaller locks are intended as short term theft deterrent locks for a quick errand stop.
Some electric bikes come with a GPS tracking device built in while others can have a tracker added to an existing eBike. There are a wide variety of locking options depending on how much security you need.
Rack Up Those Miles!
National Bike Month is a great reason to get out and ride your electric bike more!
Not only that but it's a great time to tell your friends, family, and co-workers about how much fun eBiking is and encourage them to get out for some rides during the month of May.
Check out the local events in your area and join the National Bike Month Challenge to track those miles.
Enjoy your rides!
-Pete
