Thank you for another great Bike Month!

This year’s theme was Bikes Connect Us in hopes of celebrating all the ways bikes connect people and places. From family bicycle rides to bike rodeos to safety classes, there was no shortage of opportunities to get on two wheels throughout the region. 

Here are the highlights from Bike Month 2024.

MARC and WAY TO GO partnered with community ride group Women-Led Cycling, to host the Bikes Connect Us Community Ride alongside five other community-ride groups on May 25. Lauren Allen of Women Led Cycling helped plan the routes and shared a few words at the start of the ride.

“When Rachel at MARC reached out to me early this year about collaborating on this ride in celebration of National Bike Month, I knew it was something that needed to happen,” Allen said.

“Whether this is your very first group ride or your five thousandth group ride, if you’re here, you are a cyclist, and you are part of this community,” Allen said. “Bikes connect us, not just to one another, but to our sense of place. Our home, our work, our playgrounds, parks and adventures.”

Almost 100 people from Major Taylor Cycling Club, Party Pace Pedalers, Women Cycle KC, All Bodies on Bikes KC, KC Family Bike and Women-Led Cycling participated in the ride, whose main goal was to unite the bicycling community and create connections between ride groups that normally don’t bike together. Riders were able to choose from a 5-mile-route along Cliff Drive or a 16-mile-ride from Concourse Park to Kaw Point and back, with both rides ending with a picnic at the park.

Each group represented explores different parts of Kansas City when they ride. Whether it’s north Kansas City; the rock island trail; the historic jazz district; the Quindaro Ruins over in Kansas City, Kansas; Waldo; Brookside; Parkville or any given playground on a weekend morning, Allen said there are many amazing places to see and explore by bike.

Residents and visitors alike may have spotted Bike Month messaging on billboards and RideKC buses around the metro featuring illustrations by local artist Nicholette Haigler. Ads also appeared on social media, radio and streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora.

Thank you to all the community partners and bicyclists who submitted events to the community calendar and to everyone who got on their bikes last month. Bicycling stories and resources can continue to be found on the Bike Month page.

We look forward to seeing you out in the bike lanes and trails this summer and beyond!