Pump up your tires, grease up your chain and and put it in first gear as you  join your other spoke-friendly folks for the 4th Annual Mayor’s Bicycle Ride this Saturday, May 5 at 10 a.m. Mayor Tommy Battle of Huntsville is quite the advocate for cyclists in the city, which is why he is pedaling for Bicycle Safety Awareness Month in Huntsville!

How Many Wheels?

Whether you’re getting around on four wheels, trike bikes or even unicycles, the importance of getting from Point A to Point B safely is high priority for vehiclists and bike riders alike. More and more cyclists are riding past windows, buildings, intersections while crossing from one area of town to the next. Road biking and commuting by bike has caught on in bigger cities and is trickling down to the smaller ones.

Sharing the Road

Huntsville is sharing the road, especially in the downtown areas. Word on the street from AlaBike President, Marjorie Holderer of the Alabama Bicycle Coalition, is that the Rocket City is taking some pretty sweet measures to become more bike friendly.

“The City Traffic Department is putting in ‘sweet spots,’ sensors at intersections that will allow bikes to trigger traffic lights; the sweet spots are stenciled bicycles with white reclective paint in the middle of the lane, not off to the side.”
-AlaBike President Marjorie Holderer.

Putting these sensors in the center of the lane encourages cyclists to be visible in the middle of the road rather than on the side where they are more likely to get hit by passing cars and trucks. Out of 308 signals in the city, 20 have been “sweetened.”  Check out this video about Sweet Spots!

The 4 mile, Mayor’s Bicycle Ride will begin at Fountain Circle downtown and loop around the Big Spring Park, Von Braun Center and Huntsville Hospital. Click here for a map of the route. Remember to wear your helmet, and even though all ages are welcomed, kids must be accompanied by an adult. There will be informational booths available before and after the ride for many more bicycle events going on in May.

Go for a Ride

If you haven’t experienced biking through the city, take a ride through the streets and see it from a different perspective. There’s something quite liberating about feeling the wind and the sun on your face while your wheels are spinning in circular harmony! Click here for more information on cycling in Huntsville.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, May 5th
Time: Riders should gather on Fountain Circle at 9:00 am; Ride will begin at 10:00 am
Location: Ride will start at Fountain Circle
Cost: Free
Note: Participants will need to fill out registration forms here