May is National Bike Month, a great time to start riding your bike, if you haven’t already.
Fairbanks has several ways to celebrate biking. We’ve got several weekly or otherwise semi-regular rides for a variety of riding styles and intensity, plus we’ve got some upcoming special events, ways to volunteer, and more.
Weekly/Periodic Rides
Fairbanks has several regular and semi-regular rides throughout the summer for a variety of riders. Some are for faster riders, some for slower. Some are for women, others are open to all. Some are road rides, a couple are for mountain bikers.
To find out more about all these rides, see the FCC Rides PAGE.
National Bike to Work Week
The Fairbanks Borough Parks and Recreation Department – with help from the Fairbanks Cycle Club, FAST Planning, and others – is organizing several events for National Bike Month. These are happening during Bike to Work Week (May 15-19), but they are about more than just biking to work:
- Morning snack shacks on Monday and Wednesday at several locations for bike commuters
- Parents and Kids on Bikes events on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 4-6 p.m.
- A Bike Week Bash on Friday, 4-6 p.m., at the Carlson Center parking lot. The event will will include music, ice cream, and more.
See a schedule for the week HERE. For more see this PAGE or follow the FNSB Parks and Recreation Facebook PAGE. More details will be coming soon.
If you have further questions and if you would like to volunteer to help these events succeed, please contact FNSB Parks and Recreation Specialist Evee Rynish at Evee.Rynish@fnsb.gov or 907-459-1028.
Free Bicycle Maintenance 101 Session
A free bike maintenance session will be held Saturday, May 20, 11am-2pm
at 1504 Gillam Way. Parking at Lathrop High School, adjacent to the football field and tennis courts.
All ages &experience levels are welcome. Several aspects of bike repair will be covered, including repair/adjust shifting, brakes, chain care, flat repair, and more. Safety checks performed by UAF Green Bikes. There will be five maintenance stations.
Special Presentation 12-12:30pm: Fixing Flats & Roadside Repair
Questions? Email: 1504GillamWay@Gmail.com
Annual Bike and Pedestrian Count
FAST Planning will be holding its Annual Bicycle & Pedestrian Count May 23 – 25 (Tuesday through Thursday) from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. each day. FAST relies on volunteers for this event, which helps the organization get an accurate count of where and how many cyclists and pedestrians use our roads and paths. People can sign up for one or more shifts at set locations. Go to this PAGE to sign up.
Getting accurate counts on cyclists and pedestrians helps guide infrastructure planning for the Fairbanks/North Pole area. For example, this data helped transportation officials decide to put in the new crosswalk planned near the Tanana Valley Farmer’s Market. For more information contact FAST Planning Executive Director Jackson Fox: jackson.fox@fastplanning.us.
FCC Bike Swap
Just a little past National Bike Month, on June 3, the Fairbanks Cycle Club will be holding its annual bike swap. Find out more HERE.
OTHER CYCLE RESOURCES
The Fairbanks Cycle Club has a Resources PAGE with links to useful resources for cyclists. Below are just a few of the resources highlighted on the page.
Bikeways Map
FAST Planning produces a Bikeways Map. The map has paths and bike-friendly roads in the Fairbanks and North Pole urban areas. You can view the map online or pick up a free paper copy. Copies will be available at the FCC Bike Swap and are often available in the local bike shops. You can also get them at FAST Planning office: 100 Cushman Street, Suite 205. (907) 205-4276. Find the map on the FAST maps PAGE.
Rights and Responsibilities of Cycling
The Alaska Department of Transportation has a blog POST about state laws regarding cycling on our roads. It was written in 2015, but the state laws have not changed since then so it’s still valid.
Road maintenance
See a road issue that needs addressing while out biking? Use this page to determine which government is responsible for which roads. Check the “Who Maintains My Road? MAP.”