Area transportation groups have been working to make Roanoke’s Bike Month celebration a special one. The group, led by the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club’s J.D. Ritchie and consisting of RIDE Solutions, BikeWalk Virginia’s Roanoke Chapter, Sharebike, the Virginia Bicycle Federation, and the Roanoke City Health Department, have scheduled a series of events to engage cyclists of all skill levels and interests.

Bike Month began early with a proclamation by the City of Roanoke at its April 21st Council meeting. The Proclamation established May as Bike Month in Roanoke. Some area businesses are also joining in the celebration: Fork in the Alley is offering a 10% discount to anyone who rides a bike to their Crystal Spring restaurant throughout the month.

Some highlights of the events include:

• A series of four Family Fun Rides led by Sharebike and utilizing the valley’s Greenways. Two rides are scheduled for May 17, one starting at Lincoln Terrace elementary school and the other at the Southeast Roanoke Police Substation on Jamison; two more are scheduled for May 31, one starting from Piedmont Park and the other from Grandin Gardens.
• Bike rodeos at local elementary schools and neighborhood groups, with bike helmet fittings, safety lessons, and helmet giveaways.
• Clean Commute Day on May 16, including a hospitality tent at the Virginia Museum of Transportation with refreshments for bicycle commuters and a chance for a new bike from Cardinal Bicycle.
• Recreational rides throughout the month organized by the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club.

A complete calendar of events can be found online at www.ridesolutions.org/bikemonth.