Tuesday, May 17, 2011

25 Sites to Bookmark for National Bike Month

Article from http://www.bestcollegesonline.com

May is National Bike Month, when Americans are encouraged to put away their car keys and cruise around on a bike for fun, transportation and exercise. Even commuters will the take time to pedal into work for Bike to Work Week, which is May 16-20. If you're ready to ride this bike month, but need some information and guidance to get started, these 25 sites will help move you in the right direction.

Bike Races and Events

National Bike Month may only last one month, but why stop at the end of May? Challenge your cycling skills with a bike race or group tour listed on these sites.

USA Cycling: USA Cycling is the most comprehensive competitive cycling site with a wide variety of events and races to get you going this bike month and every other month.

BikeRide.com: From casual group bike rides to competitive cycling events, BikeRide.com will get your wheels turning this month.

Active.come: Active.com will get you hooked up with the biggest and best biking events happening in your area, as well as helpful commuting tips and race-day pointers.

Bicycletour.com: Bookmark this site to score a spot in one of many bike tours happening in your city this month and all year long.

Pedaling.com: Venture out on the best road and mountain bike routes North America has to offer with the help of Pedaling.com.

Bike Associations and Clubs

Find some cycling camaraderie by joining one of these active bike associations or bicycling clubs.

Adventure Sports Online: This site will connect you to an exciting road or mountain bike club in your area.

Bicycling Beginners Meetup Group: Put your beginner bicycling fears behind you and join one of the introductory cycling groups featured on this site.

Recumbent Rides: Challenge yourself to one of the many group recumbent rides listed on this city guide.

Thunderhead Alliance: Use this site to find and join a bicycle advocacy organization in your state to help increase funding and representation of bicyclists.

Adventure Cycling Association: Adventure Cycling Association is just that &ndash a group of 40,000 avid bicyclists who encourage traveling and daily commuting by bike.

[Locally, RASC and TriRochester -- I added these]

Bicycle Safety & Laws

Learn the rules of the road and brush up on your safety tips before bicycling this month.

NHTSA: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides some interesting stats on bicycle accidents and safety tips that will come in handy this month.

MassBike: Before you start pedaling around town, make sure to brush up on your home state's bike laws that can be found here.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center: Here you'll find biking safety laws and general information to stay safe this National Bike Month.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Check out your state's helmet laws to protect your noggin and avoid a ticket.

BicycleTransportation Alliance: This site is loaded with helpful commuter resources, biking laws and safety tips to keep you pedaling safely all month long.

Online Bike Stores

If you're on the lookout for a new or used bike, these online discount stores and local traders are your best bet.

Local Bicycle Trader: Local Bicycle Trader connects riders to their dream bikes in every make, model, type and condition.

Bicycle Trader USA: Check out this site's wide collection of pre-owned bicycles from across the nation.

Moutain.Bike198.com: This site will help you find the best mountain bikes, components and related gear, thanks to the tips and informative reviews of these products.

Performance Bicycle: Check out this store's wide selection of bicycles, parts, helmets and riding gear at affordable prices.

Mountain Biking Online: Mountain Biking Online makes it a breeze to find the best deals on bicycles and equipment by conveniently listing them here.

[Local shops: Rochester Cycling & Fitness, Bicycle Sports, Honest Bike Shop -- I added these]

General Biking

Stay abreast of the latest bike trends, cycling news and commuter info on these general biking sites.

League of American Bicyclists: This is the place to get all of your bike month events, ideas and promotion tools for convincing your coworkers, friends and family to commute by bike.

Bike to Work: This is your go-to guide for biking to work, where you can share your biking stories and interact with fellow cyclists through the public forum.

Commute by Bike: Check out the commuting stories and musings of this avid biker, as well as his collection of bicycle product reviews.

Cycling News: Get up to date news on your favorite professional cyclists and follow international races and results on Cycling News.

Bike Forums: Join fellow cyclists in discussions of bikes, cycling events, bike mechanics and much more on the Bike Forums.

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