Have you ever considered a change to your daily routine as you chase down your car keys to fire up your four-wheel machine? Why not consider trading four-wheels for a fun and exciting two-wheel adventure? As the weather warms up, now is the time to break out the bicycle for a short trip or errand you would normally do in the car. The bicycle, whether used for transportation or recreation, is an efficient, nonpolluting mode of travel that provides amazing health benefits and truly is just fun to ride.
From April 29 through May 15, the Charlotte Department of Transportation Bicycle Program and Start 2 Finish are teaming to promote seventeen days of exciting two-wheel events to encourage exploration of the Queen City without a windshield. BIKE! Charlotte will inspire families, friends, and colleagues to get on a bicycle and make it a part of their daily routine.
Incorporating a bike in your life can be as easy as a short trip to the diner, the neighborhood grocery or even to visit a friend. Our goal with BIKE! Charlotte is to empower, educate and encourage the masses to integrate the bicycle in your daily life. It can be a very simple process that is quite rewarding, plus you are “Riding for a Better Community”.
The first weekend of the 16th annual event is spearheaded by three major events, the annual Mayor’s Ride/Bike to Breakfast, The Charlotte Criterium presented by Novant Health and the inaugural Open Streets 704 festival. The following two weeks of BIKE! Charlotte are packed full of exciting guided family rides, bicycle tours, demos and promotions available to kids and adults of all abilities.
During the weekdays, many local bicycle shops offer bicycle maintenance seminars that feature tasks such as changing a flat tire and road side repair clinics. Education and safety is a big part of BIKE! Charlotte which includes multiple Kids Bicycle Safety Rodeos that teach local youth the rules of the road and provide free helmets to those who participate.
The final weekend of BIKE! Charlotte includes a Teach a Kid How to Ride class on Saturday, May 14 and will close the two week celebration with the staple event from year to year called the Plaza-Midwood BikeFest.
Whether you’re new to riding a bicycle, an avid rider, or simply an enthusiast that has a bike hanging in the garage, it’s time to break out your bike and “air up” your tires because there’s an event for you during BIKE! Charlotte.
A detailed list of BIKE! Charlotte events is located at www.bikecharlotte.org
