May is Bike Month in the Roanoke and New River Valleys, and local organizations have teamed up to host a series of events celebrating bicycles, bicycle culture, and bicycle people!

This month, you can find an event for every riding style and skill level, from the family-friendly Mayor's Ride on Saturday, May 5th, to the weekly Blue Ridge Bicycle Tuesday Night Rides, to Roanoke Open Streets @ Festival in the Park on Sunday, May 28th. A complete list of the growing roster of events can be found at on our Events calendar. In addition, bicycle enthusiasts are encouraged to create their own events and submit them to event organizers. Selected events will be promoted through the group’s website, their Facebook page, Twitter updates, and other outlets.

The Bike Month mission is to bring attention to both the opportunities and challenges of bicycling as recreation and transportation in the Roanoke Valley by creating events that involve all interest, skill, and age level of cyclists. To support the region’s certification under the League of American Bicyclist’s Bicycle Friendly Community Designation, events are aligned with the six E’s of Bicycle Friendly Communities: Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Engineering, Evaluation, and Equity.

All the bike lanes and greenways in the world don't contribute to making a community bicycle friendly if no one is out riding them. Already, the Roanoke Valley sports miles of paved greenways and natural trails for cyclists of all skill levels, advocacy and social groups like the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Bike Walk Virginia, and RIDE Solutions, and a growing inventory of on-road accommodations.

RIDE Solutions wants people to explore what's already out there, to contribute to a healthier and more active community by encouraging citizens to explore the Valley's natural amenities and historic neighborhoods at a slower pace. It's also about having fun - for most of us, learning to ride a bike was our first taste of freedom and speed, and we hope that everyone in Roanoke will become reacquainted with the pure joy of riding a bike!

Bikeroanoke.com is maintained by RIDE Solutions to encourage bicycling as a transportation and recreation option.

To learn more about your entire range of transportation options, visit the RIDE Solutions website and explore carpooling, walking, public transit, and telecommuting. If you're a bicycle commuter, take advantage of our Guaranteed Ride Home program to make sure you never get stuck in an emergency.