To celebrate National Bike Month in May, the City invites area cyclists to start pedaling to help Lincoln continue its streak as National Bike Challenge champions.

The 2019 National Bike Challenge begins May 1 and runs through September 30.  To participate, sign up at lovetoride.net.

Last year, Lincoln won the Challenge for the third time in a row in its population category (150,000 to 400,000), with 916 riders pedaling 709,315 miles.  Lincoln also placed third overall in the nation, behind San Francisco and Atlanta.  Previous Challenge wins were in 2017, 2016 and 2013.

Other cycling events this spring include the following:

Bike to School Day – BikeWalk Nebraska urges schools to sign up for the eighth annual event on May 8 that promotes establishing safe cycling routes to schools. Visit walkbiketoschool.org for details and to register.

Tour de Lincoln – Hosted by the Great Plains Trails Network (GPTN), this free event series showcases trails in all four quadrants of the City.  The four separate rides begin at 6 p.m. at the Jayne Snyder Trails Center, 21st and “Q” streets.  For more information, visit gptn.org. The dates are as follows:

  • May 9 – Northeast Tour, 16 miles
  • May 16 – Southeast Tour, 15 miles
  • May 23 – Northwest Tour, 12 miles
  • May 30 – Southwest Tour, 16 miles

Bike to Work Week – May 10 through 17. Events include the following:

  • Friday, May 10 – Kickoff Event, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Jayne Snyder Trails Center, 250 North 21st St.  BicycLincoln and the Parks and Recreation Department will provide pastries, coffee and juice as well as information on cycling events during Bike Month and the rest of the year.

Information will be available on BikeLNK, the local bike share program, StarTran’s bus-mounted bike racks, the new City of Lincoln Bike Plan, and the new Haines Branch Prairie Corridor.  The corridor near Pioneers Park is a tallgrass prairie passage and trail that will build on Lincoln’s nationally-recognized trail and greenway system and will link two of Lincoln and Lancaster County’s premier environmental resource and education centers.

  • Friday, May 17 – Wrap-up Event, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the BikeLnk office, 206 South Antelope Valley Parkway.  Families are encouraged to celebrate a successful Bike to Work Week with free BikeLnk passes, gift certificates from local bike shops and lemonade from BikeLNK.  Beverages from Code Beer Company and food from the Porkcentric truck will be available for purchase.  Secure bike parking and a dog-friendly environment will be provided.

Trail Trek – Sunday, June 23 at Haymarket Park, 403 Line Drive Circle. This celebration of Lincoln’s trail system is led by GPTN and features three fun rides ranging from 10 to 37 miles.  This year’s event also features a performance by the NoWear Freestyle BMX Stunt Team.  Each participant receives a shirt, a water bottle (first 1,000 entries), on-trail water and snacks, and lunch at Haymarket Park.  To register or for more information, visitgptn.org.

For more information on cycling in Lincoln, visit bike.lincoln.ne.gov or contact Mike Heyl, Public Health Educator, Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, at [email protected] or 402-441-3889.