The city of Provo will be hosting free bike events in May to celebrate National Bike Month.
The League of American Bicyclists started the National Bike Month in 1956 to “encourage more folks to giving biking a try,” according to their website.
Whitney Booth, the Provo public relations officer, said national bike month celebrations for Provo began three years ago with a bike-to-work day. Since then, Provo has celebrated a bike week and is celebrating the whole month this year.
“It’s one of our priorities to make Provo a bicycle-friendly community,” Booth said.
She said she hopes the events will encourage people who don’t ride their bikes often to “get their bike out.”
Fun Fun Underground Forrest Race and BBQ
Participants of the Fun Fun Underground Forrest Race will compete, four people at a time on a race “through trees and streams in Paul Ream Wilderness Park,” according to the Facebook event page.
Austin Taylor, the director of Provo Bicycle Collective, participated in the event last year. He said it’s an informal race for everybody.
“It’s definitely fun,” Taylor said. “It’s not competitive.”
Provo Bicycle Collective provides beach cruisers for the race. The winners of each group will race to become the FFUFR champion.
Along with the race, hot dogs will be provided.
Orem resident Salvador Medrano plans to attend the race this year.
“This is my first year going,” Medrano said. “I heard last year was fun, and I was going to go but had to work.”
The event will take place Saturday, May 27 at 7 p.m. at Paul Ream Wilderness Park (1600 500 N). More information can be found on the Facebook event page.
Tune-up Clinic
The Provo Library will be hosting a class about how to repair a bike. A bicycle mechanic will teach the free course at the Provo Library at Academy Square (550 N University Ave) on Tuesday, May 9, at 7 p.m.
Provo Bike Challenge
Provo will be participating in the national bike challenge for the third year. Participants will download the Strava app to keep track of how many miles they bike, which will qualify them for prizes at the end of the month.
Taylor said the event is meant to encourage everyone in Provo to ride their bike as much as possible, and not just for fun. He said the city hopes to cut down air pollution.
He said biking in Provo can also help improve traffic and physical health.
The National Bike Challenge will last from May 1 through May 30. People can qualify for prizes by signing up online.
Worldwide Ride of Silence
Provo will be participating in the Ride of Silence this year on May 17.
People all over the world will participate in a silent bike event to “honor those who have been injured or killed” in bike accidents, to “raise awareness that we are here” as bikers and to “ask that we all share the road,” according to the Ride of Silence website.
Provo’s event will include stops at memorials for those who were killed in bike accidents. Those who want to participate can meet at Dixon Middle School (750 W 200 N) at 6:30 p.m. on May 17. The ride starts at 7 p.m.
The mayor’s blog contains more details concerning the event.
Other Provo biking events
- Bike to work day (May 2): Free breakfast for bikers from 7:30 to 9 a.m.
- Monday Night Ride: Group bicycle rides
- Bike-in movies (Wednesdays in May): Free bike-themed movie showings at 8 p.m. hosted by the Provo Bicycle Collective
- Overnight bike trip: 10-mile bike ride, smores and camping
- Cyclofemme ride (May 13): A women-only bike ride
- Provo bike picnic (May 20): A group bike ride followed by a picnic
- Get-Yourself-A-Bike sale (May 2–6): Provo Bicycle Collective offering 10 percent off everything and $20 beach cruisers that can be fixed up.
People can visit the mayor’s blog for details on the events.
