May Is Bike Month!
May is National Bike Month, a time to celebrate all the great things about riding bicycles. NBM was established in 1956, and now cities across the U.S. participate in bicycle-themed events. The calendar below from the Health and Wellness Coalition of Wichita shows a number of events happening in this area.
Guinness World Record Attempt:
Longest Single Line of Bicycles
Sat., May 31, 1 pm
Location: WaterWalk Pavilion
Pedal down to the WaterWalk Pavilion and be one of the 1,200 bike riders needed to break the current Guinness World Record (1,148.) This parade of bikes will travel north along the bike path to the Keeper of the Plains and then pedal past Kennedy Plaza before returning to WaterWalk. Help us break this record!
Meet the Bicyclists
Wichita is full of bicycle enthusiasts, and they all ride for different reasons. Click the links below to meet some of Wichita's cyclists, and to hear their stories.
Hoyt Hillman, green spaces advocate
Travis Rakestraw, Wichita Police Sgt.
Ruth Holliday, co-owner of Bicycle Pedaler
Aaron North, Bicycle Pedaler Service Manager
Rhandalee Hinman, biking newbie
Larry Bennett, recumbent bicycling enthusiast
Christina Calhoun, car-free bike commuter
Amy Delamaide, short- and long-distance rider
Kathryn Parsons Buck, the Zen Rider
We'll keep adding more profiles throughout May, so check back often for more stories.
General Biking Benefits
More and residents are riding bicycles here in Wichita and across the nation. Bicycling has numerous benefits, including:
- Saving money on transportation costs
- Creating economic development (via bike shops, construction projects, higher pedestrian count near shops)
- Increasing general physical health for bike riders
- Reducing pollution
- Improving air quality
- Reducing stress
General Biking Tips:
· When biking the most important consideration is safety. Learn the traffic rules for biking and follow them.
· If you are a motorist, make sure you are aware of cyclists and always follow the traffic rules.
· Keep your bike in good repair. Adjust your bike to fit you and keep it working properly. Check brakes and tires regularly. Routine maintenance is simple and you can learn to do it yourself.
· When biking, always wear a helmet and reflective gear so that motorists can see you.
· Biking is a great form of recreation, but also transportation. Consider riding a bike for errands, such as the post office, pharmacy, or other destinations.
· The Health and Wellness Coalition, Bike Walk Wichitaand the City of Wichita are collaborating to make it easier, safer, and more convenient to get around the city on a bicycle.
· There are more than 60 miles of bicycle paths and lanes in Wichita. You can download these maps from the City of Wichitaor find printed copies at City Hall, neighborhood city halls, libraries, bicycle shops, and many other locations (including KMUW.)
· Multiple citizen surveys have shown a desire for improvements related to bicycling in Wichita.
Wichita's Bicycle Master Plan
Wichita's Bicycle Master Planis a guide for bicycle infrastructure, policies, and programs by the City of Wichita , to make it easier, safer, and more convenient to get around on a bicycle.