1:30pm | If you aren’t in the know, just ask any local bicycle enthusiast — May is National Bicycle Month.
In observance of this monthlong celebration of the bicycle, the city of Long Beach is partnering with a number of community organizations and BikeLongBeach.org to host a variety of bike-friendly activities, festivals and fundraisers, as well as promote safe cycling on city streets and bikeways, according to information provided by City Hall.
The League of American Bicyclists has recognized Long Beach as a “Bicycle Friendly Community,” and the city ranked within Bicycle Magazine‘s top 25 bike cities. Additionally, CSULB recently awarded Gold-Level status as a Bicycle Friendly Business and Silver-Level status as a Bicycle Friendly University by the same publication.
One of the month’s key events will be the observance, along with the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, of Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 19, when commuters are encouraged to hang up their car keys and pedal their way to work. The city will offer several pit stop / energizing stations for people riding their bikes to work, including one at City Hall from 7 to 9 a.m. that will offer free hot coffee, breakfast-to-go items, bicycle maps, giveaways and free tune-ups, according to city officials.
The following day, Friday, May 20, parents and students will be encouraged to participate in Bike to School Day.
“As an avid bicyclist myself, I want to encourage residents to consider riding a bicycle to the office once a week,” Mayor Bob Foster said in a statement. “We should all take advantage that Long Beach has more than 270 miles of bicycle infrastructure, including new bike lanes, bike boulevards, sharrows and separated bikeways.”
A partial list follows of National Bicycle Month activities occurring in the city of Long Beach through the end of the month (additional events will be posted all month long here).
May 11: Free JAX Bike Safety Checks in the Cal State Long Beach Quad
Stop by for a free 12-point bike safety inspection: brake checks, tire straightening, chain tension, lubrication, smooth gear shifting and other essentials for a safe ride. The safety checks are offered every second Wednesday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
May 13-14: Long Beach Bicycle Festival
Downtown Long Beach Associates will host two days of events surrounding the Tour of Long Beach, including a Friday night Carbo Load and Fun Fest featuring an outdoor vendor festival, stunts, fixed-gear bike competitions and live music from 5 to 9 p.m. The family-friendly Finish Line Festival on Saturday, held on the lawn area at The Pike at Rainbow Harbor from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature a vendors fair, children’s activity area, bike safety and education booths, live music and food.
May 14: Tour of Long Beach
Nearly 2,000 riders are expected to participate in the second annual event benefiting Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. Bicyclists of all levels from beginner to experienced will take a leisurely 31-mile circuit through Long Beach parks and scenic neighborhoods and along beaches, inland bays and the downtown waterfront. A 4-mile family fun ride along the city’s beach bike path is also offered for riders of all ages. Both will begin at at Marina Green Park, 540 E. Shoreline Dr., with the tour kicking off at 8 a.m. and the fun ride at 9 a.m.
May 18 & 21: Bike Traffic Skills 101 Course at CSULB
Free to adults who bike in Long Beach, Traffic Skills 101 consists of one two-hour classroom training session plus one three-hour on-road training session. Register online in advance to reserve your spot.
The classroom session is Wednesday, May 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Pyramid Annex Training Room, and the on-road session is Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to noon in Parking Lot 20.
May 19: Bike to Work Day Pit Stops
To encourage the public to bike to work, two pit stops will provide refreshments, freebies and bike safety checks. One will be set up at CSULB on Palo Verde Avenue between Atherton Street and State University Drive from 6 to 9 a.m., while the other will be staged at Long Beach City Hall Civic Center Plaza from 7 to 9 a.m.
For those who are on the fence about biking to work, the following is a list provided by the city of various bicycle commuter resources.
10 Steps to Riding Your Bike to Work:
http://www.
Park Your Bike at Bikestation:
http://www.bikestation.com/
Bring Your Bike on LB Transit:
http://www.lbtransit.com/
Bring Your Bike on Metro, including bike maps:
http://www.metro.net/around/
Where to Ride on the Roadway:
http://www.