With the weather warming, the flowers blooming, and the birds chirping, it’s no wonder that May is dedicated to a more nature-immersive form of transportation. It is National Bike Month! That means it is finally time to dust off that old two-wheeler, top off the tires, and get to riding. This holiday was established in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists, and it is celebrated all over the country. It aims to encourage more people to try out cycling. Whether your reasons are environmental or health related, biking can bring a host of new and exciting improvements into your daily routine.  

How to Celebrate National Bike Month

Since this holiday is rather broad, and aims only to get more people to ride bikes, you can choose to celebrate in a variety of ways. However, the League of American Bicyclists has a few suggestions to get you started.

Bike to Work Week: This is a week dedicated to forgoing your motor vehicle for the daily commute and trading in those keys for a helmet. Depending on your commute’s distance and terrain, you might even find this to be more enjoyable than stop-and-go morning traffic. You can join in with the rest of the country from May 17-23, 2021. 

Bike to Work Day: Busy schedule? No problem! Consider celebrating Bike to Work Day instead of an entire week. This day falls on the Friday during Bike to Work Week, May 21. 

#BikeThere: For those of us with impossibly long or highway-centric commutes to work, following the League of American Bicyclists’ tips for biking could be just what you need to get some much-needed fresh air off-the-clock. Follow their hashtag, #BikeThere, for tips to help you swap your vehicle for a two-wheeler throughout this month. Finding different ways to #BikeThere is what this month is all about, after all. Maybe your routine includes a morning trip to the coffee shop or an evening stroll around the block. Maybe you live close to your supermarket and have a few (emphasis on that word!) items to grab after work. These are just a few examples of chances to hop on a bike. Engage with your community throughout the month via social media by posting your #BikeThere journeys! And remember to follow the hashtag for tips throughout May.

Whether you’re biking to honor the holiday, improve your physical and mental health, help the planet, connect with your community, make streets safer, or simply to bring a new joyful element into your daily routine, National Bike Month has a little something for everyone. Just don’t forget your helmet!