National Bike to Work Day
Two wheels, one commute, zero gasoline. National Bike to Work Day — the third Friday in May — is the climax of National Bike Month and one of the cheapest quality-of-life upgrades available to any American with a working bike.
Why it matters
TWO WHEELS!
It’s National Bike to Work Day — the third Friday of May, the climactic day of National Bike Month. Whether you’re a daily rider or have never considered it, today’s the day. Pump the tires. Find the helmet. Try it.
The Story
America has more registered bicycles than cars — but less than 1% of commutes are by bike. Bike to Work Day exists to nudge that number upward, one rider at a time.
The League of American Bicyclists was founded in 1880 (as the League of American Wheelmen) and is the oldest cycling advocacy organization in the country. In 1956, the League established National Bike Month — an annual May celebration of cycling. In the 1950s, the idea was quaint. Americans were buying cars. Bike commuting was for children.
Bike to Work Day began in 1956 as a single-day event within Bike Month. It was, for decades, a small-scale affair — cycling clubs, a few employers, some college campuses. Then came the 1970s oil crisis, the 1990s environmental movement, the 2000s urban-cycling renaissance, and the 2010s bike-share explosion. By 2020, 1,000+ cities and towns were participating in Bike to Work Day in some form.
The U.S. has about 100 million bicycles in private ownership and 900,000+ bike-commuters who ride to work daily. American bike commuting has roughly doubled since 2000, though it remains a tiny fraction of total commutes. Cities like Portland, Minneapolis, Washington DC, and New York have the highest rates — each around 6-8% of commuters.
The League still coordinates Bike to Work Day. Today, the event pairs advocacy (safer infrastructure, protected bike lanes) with participation (free breakfast stations, group rides, employer incentives). If you’ve never biked to work, today’s the day to try. If you already do — today’s the day to encourage one coworker.
When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.
Why Bike Commuting Works
Four reasons cycling to work beats driving, measurably:
Health
20 minutes of daily cycling reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression — measurably. Most effective single lifestyle change most adults can make.
Money
AAA estimates the true cost of car ownership at $10,000+/year. Biking drops that to near zero. A bike pays for itself in 3-6 months of commuting.
Climate
Transportation is 29% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Cycling cuts that household slice to nearly zero for every trip you replace.
Time
Urban bikers often beat rush-hour drivers. Cycling commute times are predictable; car commute times compound as traffic gets worse.
Great American Bike Cities
Six U.S. cities where commuting by bike is actually pleasant:
Did You Know?!
Bikes are more energy-efficient than cars by 50x.
A calorie of human effort on a bike moves you farther than a calorie of gasoline in a car. The most efficient transportation ever devised, by a huge margin.
The Netherlands has more bikes than people.
23 million bikes, 17 million people. Biking accounts for 36% of all Dutch trips. The Dutch cycle infrastructure is a policy choice American cities can copy.
The bicycle was invented in 1817.
Karl von Drais’s “Draisine” — essentially a two-wheeled walking device — became the ancestor of the bicycle. The pedal-driven version came in the 1860s.
Tour de France winners average 25 mph for 21 days.
World’s most prestigious cycling race. Riders cover 2,000+ miles at near-marathon pace. Nothing in human athletic endurance compares.
Read & Ride
Bike Snob
Eben Weiss · 2010
The definitive modern American cycling book. Funny, opinionated, a love letter to urban cycling. Required reading for new commuters.
The Art of Cycling
Robert Hurst · 2004
The best urban-cycling skill book ever written. How to ride with traffic, how to handle hazards, how to stay safe. Life-saving, practical.
Copenhagen’s Biking
Mikael Colville-Andersen · 2018
Copenhagen’s story of becoming the world’s best biking city. Made readable for urbanists and designers. Should be required for American city planners.
Pair It With
Kraftwerk’s “Tour de France” — the commuter’s anthem. Or any upbeat podcast.
Breaking Away (1979) — the best American movie about cycling. Hold up 45 years later.
The War on Cars — the best urban-cycling podcast going.
A coffee at a cycling-friendly local cafe. Most cities have at least one, and it’ll probably have a bike rack out front.
Ride And Show Us!
Tag us @celebrationnation with #BikeToWorkDay. Best commute photo of the year wins a feature.
How to celebrate
Today's the day to try:
- 🚴 Ride your bike to work. Even once. Even part of the way. Many cities have bike-share near transit stops.
- 🛣️ Plan your route. Google Maps' bike directions find lower-traffic roads, bike lanes, trails.
- 💧 Pack a water bottle, a snack, a change of shirt. Basic commuting kit. Nothing fancy.
- ⚙️ Tune-up if needed. Flat tires, squeaky chain. Most bike shops will do a free 5-minute check on bike-month Friday.
- 🚴♀️ Organize a team ride. Bike to work with a coworker. Miles always go faster in good company.
Celebration ideas by audience
For families
Weekend family bike outing. Paved trails, gentle slopes, destination with ice cream. Kids who bike as families become adults who bike as commuters.
For kids
A balance bike for toddlers, a pedal bike for age 5-6. Kids pick up cycling fast; most adults forget that biking was an early childhood joy.
For couples
Tandem ride if the relationship can handle it. (It mostly can.) Side-by-side on a paved trail; talk without distraction.
At the office
Company-sponsored Bike to Work Day — free breakfast for bike commuters, secure bike parking, shower access. One small investment, real commuting culture shift.
At school
Bike Safety Day at elementary schools. Local bike shops often donate helmets; kids learn hand signals, street crossings, and rules of the road.
In your community
Local bike advocacy groups (Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle, Bike New York, etc.) run free Bike to Work Day stations with coffee, pastries, and air pumps. Find yours.
On your own
Try it once. That's it. See if it works for your commute. Thousands of Americans who 'don't bike' became daily riders after one Bike to Work Day.