Free Tools to Get Bike Month Rolling!

National Bike Month is so much more than 31 days in May. It’s a celebration of bikes; a reminder to get rolling again; a gateway to riding more often; a time to evangelize the beauty of bikes; and much, much more. Since 1956, May has been recognized as National Bike Month, and the League has sponsored this celebration of bicycling for decades. 

Here are some important national dates for May this year:

• May 6: Bike to School Day 
• May 10: Cyclofemme 
• May 11-15: Bike to Work Week 
• May 15: Bike to Work Day   
• May 20: Ride of Silence 
• All May: National Bike Challenge

Tell us what you’re doing in your community and we’ll showcase your event on our interactive map!  

Here are the 10 free tools to make your Bike Month even Better:

BIKE MONTH GUIDE

To get things rolling in your community or improve longstanding events with new ideas, the League created a step-by-step guide that will help you in creating a successful Bike Month event in your organization, workplace, city, or state. While we commonly refer to Bike to Work Day events, because they’ve been the most popular historically, the tips and techniques will help you plan any Bike Month event, from a citywide ride to a small gathering within your own company or organization. Click here to download it.

BIKE MONTH POSTERS 

We want everyone to feel the excitement of  gazing over the handlebars, no matter their riding style or destination. So this year’s posters put the viewer in the saddle and emphasize that May is Bike Month, an opportunity to, not only Bike to Work, but participate in a growing variety of events that celebrate the full spectrum of people on bikes. We’ve left room for you to add information about your event — and invite you to download one of the four distinct posters (including a bike share bike!) to help promote your events. Click here to download.  

WEBSITE BANNERS AND BUTTONS

Whether you’re organizing an event, work at a Bicycle Friendly Business or have your own blog, show your love for bicycling by adding a web button or banner to your website that shares your excitement that May is Bike Month. We have both square buttons and horizontal banners depending on your web needs. Don’t forget to link to bikeleague.org/bikemonth so everyone can access our promotional resources as well! Click here to download. 

SHARE WHY YOU RIDE

This year, we want to hear from you. What’s your ‘why’? With so many reasons to ride, what’s yours? We’ll be sharing submissions on our blog throughout the month of May! Tell us why by writing a short essay, filming a video, recording a podcast or drawing a picture. Tell us here.

EDUCATION VIDEOS 

In 2013, the League debuted 19 new videos addressing key topics in bicycle safety, from shifting to stopping to what to wear. Link to these FREE professionally produced videos on your website or events page to make sure your riders feel comfortable and confident out on the roads. Click here. 

ANSWERS TO COMMUTING CONCERNS 

I’m out of shape. It takes too long. I have to dress up. The roads just aren’t safe for people on bikes! You’ve probably heard these laments from friends and family who want to commute by bike but have legitimate concerns about whether it can fit into their lifestyle. To address these common worries about whether biking to work is possible, we created an easy-to-understand list that shares insight and tips that tackle safety, weather, gear, bike parking, attire, multi-modal solutions and more. Perfect for sharing on social media! Click here to download.

USER-FRIENDLY BIKE COMMUTE DATA   

In our 2014 report, Where we Ride: An Analysis of Bicycling in American Cities, we take a look at bicycle commuting throughout the nation, looking at broad trends and more particular analyses (such as top bike commuter rates in cities of various sizes). We’ve crunched the numbers so information on your community is easy to share and easy to find. A key resource for cyclists, policy makers and the general public for media relations and outreach for Bike Month events! Click here to download.

PLAY BIKE MONTH BINGO  

A couple winters ago, we were inspired by the Chasing Mailboxes blog, which challenged bicyclists to complete at least seven different errands by bike: the Errandonnee! That great idea got us thinking about National Bike Month — and all the different ways we enjoy biking in our daily lives. So we created a Bike Month Bingo card to challenge YOU to pedal somewhere new or use your bike in a different way. Download the Bingo card and stick it on your fridge or wall — and check the boxes as you ride. Challenge your friends and family — or play in your workplace. Click here to download. 

INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WORKPLACE

Just this week, the League announced 161 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Businesses, growing the total number of BFBs to more than 950 nationwide. How can you help inspire more riders in your company or get your business interested in becoming more bicycle friendly? Playing on the drab OSHA posters you commonly see in your break room, we created a vibrant poster that highlights the key steps to and many benefits of becoming a BFB. Bike Month is the perfect time to post this vibrant poster in your break room and start the conversation! Click here to download.  

START PLANNING A WOMEN’S FORUM!  

The Women Bike movement is taking root across the country and, with CycloFemme on May 10, National Bike Month is an opportunity to start or increased your efforts to increase female ridership in your community. Increasingly, individual leaders and bicycling organizations are kickstarting that conversation with a gathering of female riders and bike-curious residents. To help make these events as successful as possible, we created How to Host a Women’s Bicycling Forum with insight and lessons learned from national and local events!  Click here to download.  Read our latest guide, Engaging More Women, to learn more about how to sustain this energy in your community!

Stay tuned for additional resources, including a social media promo kit and more, soon!