May is National Bike Month

National Bike Month is celebrated annually in communities from coast to coast. It is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling — for work, fun or fitness — and to encourage more people to try it. Raleigh's free bike month events encourage riders, novice or experienced, to enjoy all that bicycling has to offer.

Bike Bonanza

Friday, May 5
Raleigh Union Station
510 W Martin Street
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Visit Raleigh Union Station Plaza as part of downtown Raleigh’s First Friday. Music, bicycle advocates, safety checks, a bike decoration station, AAA of the Carolinas, and photo booth will all be part of this free family-friendly social event.

Vendors Attending:

AAA of the Carolinas - Giving away free bike helmets
Oaks and Spokes - Bike decoration station and free bike servicing
Raleigh Riders - Demonstrating a tandem bike and signing up volunteers for greenway rides
Raleigh Bike Polo - Demonstration of Bike Polo and talking about the sport
Raleigh Popsicle Co. – Will have a variety of popsicle flavors!

2023 Bike Webinar - A Commute Smart Raleigh Virtual Event

Tuesday, May 16
Online Meeting
Noon - 1 p.m.

Commute Smart Raleigh’s annual Bike Webinar will focus around the E-Bike Revolution! E-Bikes are a growing part of the mobility solution and fight against climate change. The landscape surrounding e-bikes is changing rapidly, so join us for a discussion from industry experts about the future of e-bikes!

Featuring a presentation from Dr. Ashley (Ash) Lovell, the Electric Bicycle Policy and Campaign Director for PeopleForBikes. She holds a Ph.D. in environmental sociology and specializes in collaborative decision-making. Ash has worked with the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, and multiple environmental organizations to tackle issues of climate change, shared land management, and sustainability. At PeopleForBikes, Ash leads initiatives that include the e-bike safety task force, the e-bike battery recycling program, federal, state and local lobbying for pro-bike legislation, and engagements with regulatory agencies. When she's not building coalitions for PeopleForBikes, you can find Ash riding around the Front Range of Colorado on her electric cargo bike with her two little boys in tow.

Bike to Work Day Pit Stops

Friday, May 19
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Ride to one or more pit stops for bike swag, snacks and fun.

Pit Stop Locations

National Bike & Roll To School

National Bike & Roll To School is May 3rd, but any day in May works, and any outdoor, active event works too! Our friends Oaks and Spokes, in partnership with Safe Routes to School Wake County, offers FREE planning services to Raleigh schools to participate. Please reach out for help by emailing info@oakandspokes.com. Wake County Schools who register early can get free prize kits! Register today online.

Bike Month at Forest Ridge Park

Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources will be hosting a series of fun, engaging, and educational events at Forest Ridge Park throughout May. Learn more and join in the action!

More Bike Month Events Around Raleigh!

There are so many bike-friendly events being offered during the month of May. Check out other bike events from a few of our partners!

Want to add your Bike Month event?
Register your event to be added to our full bike month events calendar.

Exploris Middle School Bike Mural

On your next bike ride, stop by Exploris Middle School on Harrington Street to check out the newest bike mural going up.

Mayanthi Jayawardena’s Bike Month 2023 mural celebrates movement, health, wellness, and the outdoors through cycling. Bold and exciting colors accentuate silhouettes of bicycles and enliven the streetscape. You can find the mural on the side of the Exploris Middle School building, located at 67 S Harrington Street.

The newly installed mural on Harrington St. highlights the growing cycling community in Raleigh. It ushers in another Bike Month in our community welcoming thousands of avid cyclists and casual bikers alike. Bike Month focuses on supporting, celebrating, and encouraging our bike community to become more active in their daily travel and commute. Raleigh is a growing city with expanding access to greenways, biking infrastructure, and opportunities to choose bikes over cars. This mural speaks loudly to that shift and stands as a sign that the City of Oaks is becoming the City of Spokes.

About the Artist
Mayanthi Jayawardena is the multidisciplinary artist behind Serendib Creative LLC. Mayanthi is a self-taught muralist, fine arts painter, children’s book illustrator, designer and photographer residing in Durham who describes her art as an expressive blend of her Sri Lankan culture and life experiences. Her murals are colorful, incorporate nature and people, and span from abstract to realism. Mayanthi loves creating a sense of community through her art so she also enjoys painting people using the other elements of nature and color to enhance the message.

About Raleigh Arts
Raleigh Arts is the City's hub for public art, community arts programming and organizational support for the cultural sector. Raleigh Arts also oversees the Pullen and Sertoma Arts Centers and manages several exhibition spaces as well as the Municipal Art Collection. We work to ensure every resident has access to the arts and support our local creative community.

Project Partners
Exploris Middle School, Raleigh Department of Transportation, Raleigh Arts, State of Beer