The month of May is really a time for cyclists in Memphis

The month of May is really a time for cyclists in Memphis
By:  Michael Lander

National Bike Month is a time to celebrate all that is great
about cycling and Memphis area cyclists have plenty to
be jubilant over since the city has made such tremendous
strides over the last decade on their behalf.

For Memphians, the month of May always conjures up thoughts of barbecue, music, and Memphis in May festivities.

For the cycling community, in Memphis and around the country, the month of May is also National Bike Month and it’s a time to highlight anything and everything that is great about cycling.

National Bike Month began in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists and, through the years, it has helped to raise a greater awareness of the many benefits of bicycling while showing how it can provide an alternative mode of transportation that is much more economical and sustainable and more environmentally-friendly.

Click here to see images of cyclists in Memphis during National Bike Month in 2017.

Throughout National Bike Month, there are also events like Bike to Work Day (on May 19), Bike to Work Week (May 15 – 19), and Bike to School Day (during the second week of May), which all help to get people, and even children, to see biking as not only a fun thing to do, but a practical way to get around.

The Hernando Bicycle Club and the Memphis Hightailers are also both hosting Rides of Silence on Wednesday, May 17, to raise awareness and to honor all cyclists who have been injured and killed.

Click here for an article on a previous Ride of Silence in Hernando, which will tell you more about this event.

National Bike Month only comes once a year, but bicycling
can be done all year long and its impact can change your
life for the better as well as that of our community and
even our world, if we only let it.

Click here to learn more about Bike to Work in Memphis.

In addition to these events, National Bike Month is also good time for people to support other events related to cycling, like the Rally for Safe Streets, hosted by Bike Walk Memphis at Memphis City Hall (125 N. Main St.) on Thursday, May 18 at 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

This year (May 18 - 19), Memphis will also be hosting the 2017 Tennessee Bike Summit.  This is the sixth year of this statewide event and it brings cyclists, advocates, and transportation professionals together to share ideas, resources, and best practices in bicycle infrastructure, funding, education, outreach, and policy.

To learn more about cycling in Memphis, check out Memphis’ bike clubs, our local area bike shops, and the Bikeway & Pedestrian Program Manager’s (Bike/Ped Memphis) website.