Carrollwood Cyclists Hit the Road for National Bike Month

May is a busy month for the people at Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium.

After all, the sun is shining, it’s not too hot, it’s not too cold and it’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy a bike ride.

May also happens to be National Bike Month. The annual celebration of all things bike-related is sponsored by the Bike League, a national advocacy and awareness organization that works to get people riding.

National Bike Month “is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride,” according to the Bike League’s website.

The month-long celebration includes a number of special events, including Bike to Work Week, which runs May 13-17.

At Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium, 14425 N. Dale Mabry Highway, employees are trying to spread the word about the observance. Messages on the store’s Facebook page tout the benefits of riding and help shed some light on the events surrounding National Bike Month.

“We’re trying to get more people on bikes,” explained manager Manny Sierra, ticking off a variety of reasons why cycling is a great way to travel.

The benefits go beyond health, he pointed out.

“The bicycle is the answer to a lot of our problems in the U.S.,” Sierra said. Those problems include congested roadways, obesity, reliance on fossil fuels – his list goes on. Considering that most trips outside of a home are only to destinations two to three miles away, according to Sierra, it just doesn’t make sense to drive everywhere.

While Carrollwood, Northdale and Tampa Bay aren’t as bicycle friendly as other parts of the country, such as Seattle, Sierra hopes to see this change.

“We’re trying to bring that here,” he said, adding that he frequently bikes to work from his home near State Road 52.

Regular Rides Get Bikers on the Roads

In an effort to create more of a bike culture in Tampa Bay, the Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium sponsors weekly rides from its shop on Dale Mabry. The free weekly rides take place every Saturday and leave out of the shop’s back parking lot around 8 a.m. Routes can vary a little, but include treks along Dale Mabry Highway, onto the Upper Tampa Bay Trail and even through Westchase.

A 27-mile course is set for the Saturday rides, which are considered “no drop.” That means the group waits up for slower riders and beginners. The pace averages about 17 mph.

A monthly longer-distance ride is staged the first Sunday of each month. This ride runs a 41-mile course from Carrollwood to Safety Harbor. It also rolls out at 8 a.m.

For more information about the shop, visit it online. To find out about upcoming rides, visit the Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium’s Facebook page.

Are you doing anything to recognize National Bike Month? Tell us by commenting below!

See Also:

Would You Bike on Dale Mabry Highway?