Bike to Work Day is an annual event that promotes the

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

as an option for

commuting Commuting is periodically recurring travel between one's place of residence and place of work or study, where the traveler, referred to as a commuter, leaves the boundary of their home community. By extension, it can sometimes be any regul ...

to work (

bicycle commuting Bicycle commuting is the use of a bicycle to travel from home to a place of work or study — in contrast to the use of a bicycle for sport, recreation or touring. Commuting especially lends itself to areas with relatively flat terrain and ar ...

). It is held in the Spring in a variety of locations including the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, Europe and Asia. Bike Week is the week that includes the Bike-to-Work Day, in May, and the

World Bicycle Day In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as International World Bicycle Day. The resolution for World Bicycle Day recognizes "the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two cen ...

, on June 3.

Origins

Bike to Work Day was originated by the

League of American Bicyclists The League of American Bicyclists (LAB), officially the League of American Wheelmen, is a membership organization that promotes cycling for fun, fitness and transportation through advocacy and education. A Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ...

in 1956 and is a part of Bike-to-Work Week, which is in turn part of National Bike Month.

Activities

Providence mayor Jorge Elorza with bicycle

Leading up to Bike to Work Day, national, regional, and local

bicycle advocacy Cycling advocacy consists of activities that call for, promote or enable increased adoption and support for cycling and improved safety and convenience for cyclists, usually within urbanized areas or semi-urban regions. Issues of concern typically ...

groups encourage people to try

as a healthy and safe alternative to driving by providing route information and tips for new bicycle commuters. Further, the American Medical Association has endorsed Bike to Work Day as part of its push to encourage

active transportation Active mobility, soft mobility, active travel, active transport or active transportation is the transport of people or goods, through non-motorized means, based around human physical activity. The best-known forms of active mobility are walking a ...

. The event is supported by many organizations, from local bike shops and restaurants to municipalities and transit authorities. The southern California commuter rail network Metrolink offers free rides to cyclists on Bike to Work day. On Bike to Work Day, a wide variety of bicycle-related events are organized. The day is a major event in the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...

, where thousands of residents participate annually, supported by corporate sponsors. Organized "Commuter Convoys," and "Energizer Stations" set up in various locations around the Bay Area providing free

food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...

and

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...

to bike commuters by organizations such as the

San Francisco Bicycle Coalition The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) is a California 501(c)(4) nonprofit public-benefit corporation established to "transform San Francisco's streets and neighborhoods into more livable and safe places by promoting the bicycle for everyday ...

, East Bay Bicycle Coalition, and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. Members of the

San Francisco Board of Supervisors The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is the legislative body within the government of the City and County of San Francisco. Government and politics The City and County of San Francisco is a consolidated city-county, being simultaneously a c ...

and the

Mayor of San Francisco The mayor of the City and County of San Francisco is the head of the executive branch of the San Francisco city and county government. The officeholder has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by t ...

regularly participate, commuting by bicycle to

City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

. Bike to Work Day also enjoys broad participation throughout the country. Eleven businesses in

Boulder, Colorado Boulder is a home rule city that is the county seat and most populous municipality of Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, making it the 12th most populous city in Color ...

gave free breakfast to 1,200 participants in 2012 and 1,600 participants in 2013.

Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...

used the event to unveil new bike racks (increasing from 200 to 300) and had speeches on transportation. In

Kitchener, Ontario ) , image_flag = Flag of Kitchener, Ontario.svg , image_seal = Seal of Kitchener, Canada.svg , image_shield=Coat of arms of Kitchener, Canada.svg , image_blank_emblem = Logo of Kitchener, Ontario.svg , blank_emblem_type = ...

, a local bike club, Ziggy's, donated twelve commuter bikes to people who participated and blogged about the event in 2012.

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

gave free tune-ups and balaclavas to participants.

References

External links

UK Cycle to Work Day
Bike to Work Czech campaign

b2w-indonesia.or.id
Indonesian bike to work community
Bike to Work Day (Rome)Bike to Work Day (Washington DC)League of American Bicyclists: Bike MonthPSA Bike to Work Video
{{Cycling , state=expanded May observances Utility cycling Cycling events in the United States Cycling events in Canada

Origins

Activities

See also

References

External links