Senior Staff Writer

May is National Bike Month and that means it’s time to roll out those bicycles hidden in your garage, strap on a helmet and leave your car keys at home. The open road is calling and now is the opportunity to get out and experience what riding a bike can do for you and your community, according to Davis Foley of the student club Team CSUB Cycling.

“People should ride a bike simply because it benefits them. It’s a lot of fun but also gets you in great shape while fattening your wallet,” Foley said.

May has been recognized as national bike month since its designation in 1956 by The League of American Bicyclists, according to bikeleague.org.

Bike month was originally created to encourage people to ride a bicycle to work, according to the site. However, through the years, bike month has become more about safe cycling awareness along with promoting the health benefits associated with riding a bike.

You can also find road sharing safety tips and ways to encourage local businesses to be more bike-conscious on the league’s site, too.

According to Foley, a commuter path is easily accessed through the city’s Kern River Parkway, which is more than 30 miles long, reaching from Enos Lane to the entrance of the Kern Canyon with many outlets through Bakersfield, including one right across from CSUB on Stockdale Highway.

Bike Bakersfield also offers maps and route service for commuters looking to find the perfect pathway for their destination by entering their information at bikebakersfield.org, according to Program Director Jason Cater.

Cater said that commuters can enter their starting addresses and their final destinations and a custom route will be made for them. They will also take into consideration any specific requests, like desired or undesired streets or routes that are most efficient or most relaxing.

If you have a bike but it’s not road ready, Bike Bakersfield runs a community supported bike shop that is open to the public where you can use their tools and fix your bike. If you don’t have a bike, you can volunteer for 15 hours and put a bike together yourself, according to Cater.

If making the commute to and from work or school is just not a possibility for you, there are several organized group rides that you can get involved with, including some hosted by Team CSUB. Rides are held almost every weekend and sometimes during the week, according to Foley.

“We have different levels of difficulty – casual, semi-casual, and fast-paced – so that we can accommodate riders of all skill and experience levels,” Foley said.

Keep up to date with Team CSUB Cycling’s rides by signing up for their newsletter at [email protected].

Bike Bakersfield also has many community bike rides and events every month, according to Cater, who said that the Full Moon Bike Ride is one of the more popular rides where everyone rides out together from Beach Park to The Marketplace and back. This month the event will feature a barbecue open to the community.

Cater said that last month’s ride had about 100 people show up and that they’re hoping for 200 this month. The event takes place at Beach Park on May 24, with the barbecue at 6 p.m. and ride beginning at 8 p.m.

Foley’s Bike Tips:

Always wear a helmet Have your tires inflated to the correct amount (listed on many tires).

Always ride with the flow of traffic, never against it.

If riding at night, it is required by law to have a light.

Don’t keep the seat too low to avoid expending extra energy.

Bring water to keep yourself hydrated and a cable lock.