May is Bike Month! During Bike Month we celebrate all the ways people bike across the United States. Houstonians are challenged to rethink how we commute to work and get to the places we live and play during the month of May.
We're encouraging Houstonians to get out and ride our network of bike lanes and trails regardless if you live or work downtown. Check out our online Bike Network Map to see our over 400 miles of bikeways and plan a route special to you. Tag us on social media using the hashtags #BikeMonth and #BTWD2024; we'd love to repost your trip!
Twitter: @HoustonBikePlan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HoustonBikeways
Love to Ride: Love to Ride-Bike the Gulf is a platform where individuals, groups, and employers alike can track their rides, count mileage, and win prizes. Sign up and register for the 2024 Bike Month challenge!
Key Dates:
5/8: National Walk and Bike to School Day
5/13-17: National Bike to Work Week
5/17: National Bike to Work Day
Bike Month Events:
Below are just a few of the many Houston events happening during Bike Month. Do you have an event to share? Email us the information at [email protected].
5/2: Texas Pedestrian Safety Forum
5/3: Texas Vision Zero Summit
5/4: District F Tour de West
5/4-5: 3rd Annual Sugar Land Classic
5/11: Houston Art Bike Parade & Festival
5/11: 3rd Ward on Tap Festival
5/16: NASA Bike to Work Day
5/16: TEI Planning + Design Bike to Work Ride
5/17: I Cycle Bike Shop Bike to Work Ride, 7:30am at I Cycle Bike Shop
5/17: BikeHouston Bike to Work Ride-Downtown, 7:45am at Villa Arcos (3009 Navigation Blvd)
5/18: Bike-A-Palooza
5/18: Bands, Badges, and Bikes
5/30: TexITE Houston & YPT Bike Ride Social & Networking Event
Riding Resources:
- Bikes on METRO Buses and METRORail: Bikes are allowed on all buses (even Park & Ride buses!) and METRORail.
- League of American Bicyclists Smart Cycling Tips
- Bike safety classes and tips from Houston-Galveston Area Council
Safety Tips
- Make sure your bike is in good working condition before riding. Check your tires for proper inflation and brakes and chain for proper operation. VIDEO
- Wear a helmet – and make sure it is secured correctly. VIDEO
- Ride on the right side of the road and with traffic.
- Obey all traffic rules, signs and signals.
- Look before changing lanes, and use hand signals for turns. VIDEO
- Watch for potholes, debris, cars, trucks, pedestrians and other bicyclists.
- Stay outside the “door zone” by riding at least 4 feet away from parked cars– you never know when somebody might step out of the car unexpectedly!
- Cross railroad tracks at right angles. VIDEO
- Be visible and predictable at all times.
- Travel in a straight line.
- Wear bright clothing.
- Use both a front and back light at night.
Did You Know…
Did you know the City of Houston has a total of 432 miles of bike lanes and trails built?
Did you know the "MKT" in the MKT Trail stands for Missouri-Kansas-Texas, after the railroad that was once there?
Did you know you can fit 15 bicycles in the space it takes to park one car?
Did you know it's 20x cheaper to maintain a bicycle than a car?
Did you know the world manufactures about 100 million bicycles each year?
Did you know that if the number of cyclists was tripled, the rate of motorist-bicyclist crashes would be cut in half?