Explore Tallahassee on Two Wheels

Activities Celebrating Bike Month Planned Throughout May

April 26, 2018

Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy once said, “Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.” Taking that sentiment to heart, the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department (Planning) is hosting several activities throughout May to celebrate National Bike Month. Established in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists, Bike Month encourages communities from coast to coast to give cycling a try.

Get involved through the following community events:

Tuesday, May 1
Tallahassee-Leon County Bike Expo, 6 p.m. – To officially kick off Bike Month, an expo for cyclists will be offered at the Anita Favors Thompson Plaza at Lake Anita (under the Duval Street overpass at FAMU Way and S. Adams Street). Planning staff will walk participants through the ins and outs of traveling around Tallahassee on two wheels. Some topics that will be covered include basic set-up, equipment and safety. Local bicycle shops including Bird Legs Bicycles, the Great Bicycle Shop, Higher Ground and Bicycle House will be on hand to provide tune-ups. Local food trucks will be available, too. After the class, Planning staff will lead participants on a ride through beautiful Cascades Park, 1001 S. Gadsden Street.

Saturday, May 5
Slow Roll Boomer Bike Ride, 9:30 a.m. – In partnership with AARP and Pace Bike Share, a bike ride for all ages will offer a tour of central Tallahassee. The ride will begin at the Anita Favors Thompson Plaza at Lake Anita. From there, participants will travel along FAMU Way to Cascades Park, getting an in-depth tour of Tallahassee’s Central Park and the newly re-opened Smokey Hollow Barbershop. Participants will not have to bring their own bike to participate, only a helmet. Pace Bike Share will provide a special promotional code for the event, allowing participants to rent bikes for free. Registration for the Slow Roll Boomer Bike Ride is required.

Tuesday, May 8, and Wednesday, May 9
Bike Month Proclamation – The City and County Commissions will recognize May as National Bike Month with a formal proclamation at their respective meetings. The Leon County Commission meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 8, beginning at 3 p.m. at the Leon County Courthouse, located at 301 S. Monroe Street. The Tallahassee City Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 9, beginning at 4 p.m. at City Hall, located at 300 S. Adams Street. Both meetings are open to the public.

Saturday, May 19
Tour de Farm: A Tour of Tallahassee’s Farmer’s Markets on Bike, 9:30 a.m. – Staff will lead participants on a tour of several farmer’s markets located within the city. Stops include the Tallahassee Downtown Marketplace, Frenchtown Farmer’s Market and Lake Ella Grower’s Market. Participants are encouraged to bring money and reusable bags to purchase and store items from each of the markets. The Tour de Farm will begin at Railroad Square, 602 McDonnell Drive. Registration for this event is required.

For those who may not own a bicycle, there is an option – Pace Bike Share. Pace is a dockless bike share service that debuted in Tallahassee last December. Powered by Zagster, the nation’s leading provider of modern, flexible bike share services, Pace features a first-of-its-kind dockless bike share model that blends predictability and convenience for riders. Riders can rent and return bikes from any of Pace’s 50 dedicated bike parking racks, or from any of the hundreds of public bike racks available throughout the community.

To join Pace, riders simply download the free Pace Bike Share app, available in the App Store or Google Play. Riders can find available bikes and parking locations in the app, and can unlock bikes at the touch of a button to get rolling in seconds.

Cycling offers many benefits, including increased physical fitness, financial savings and fewer impacts on the environment when compared to driving a vehicle.
The Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department is a joint department of the City of Tallahassee and Leon County. It is responsible for land use, zoning, mobility planning and more. For more information, please visit Talgov.com/planning or LeonCountyFL.gov/Planning.