Celebrating 20 years* promoting bicycling in Flagstaff.
*(2020 event canceled due to pandemic shut downs)
For this year’s Flagstaff Bike Month, throughout May of 2023, we are happy to bring back all of our signature events, including Bike to Breakfast – a community favorite! Lots of fun opportunities to encourage you to get out to ride throughout May!
Flagstaff Bike Month is for all kinds of cycling. Whether you are riding to work or school, or mountain biking or riding at the bike park, you can participate.
Get your bike(s) ready!
Monthly Schedule of Events
Check out these ways you can ride and reap the rewards:
May 1-31 – Flagstaff Bike Month!
Biking Challenge!
Log all of your riding in the Biking Challenge and win amazing raffle prizes for FREE!
Throughout May, log every day that you ride. Mountain bike rides, road rides, commutes, school trips, bike park shreds, it only takes a minute, and each time you enter you’ll gain an additional chance to win one of the fabulous raffle prizes donated by local businesses (Thank you!). Raffles will be held at the end of each week, with the biggest prizes being awarded at the end of the last week.
Share your ride! Encourage your friends, co-workers and family to ride.
Post on social media, include the hashtags #iridebecause, #2023flagstaffbikemonth.
Tag flagstaffbiking on Facebook or @flagstaffbikingorg on Instagram
Bike Bingo – All month long
Hosted by Flagstaff Downtown Library
Starting May 1, visit the Downtown Library to pick up your all-ages, free bike bingo card! Complete library and bike-related activities to fill in 5 squares in a row, or go for black out to get two extra entries. Return your bingo card to the Downtown Library by 8pm on May 31 to be entered into the raffle. Prizes include water bottles, books, and more! Join us for Making a Bikeable and Walkable Flagstaff for All with Adam Shimoni talk on June 1, when we announce the winners! (complete details below)
Tuesdays in May
Bike to Dine Out Tuesdays!
Local restaurants are offering special deals for folks who ride to dine-in or pick up takeout food, on Tuesdays during Flagstaff Bike Month.
IMPORTANT! Please park your bike responsibility!
May 1 – Kick-off Ride!
Come ride with us to start Flagstaff Bike Month
Meet at Flagstaff City Hall – 7 am
Come join local elected leaders, officials, your friends and neighbors for a short “commuter” ride through downtown to finish at City Hall.
Ride will start at 7:15 after the Flagstaff Bike Month proclamation announcement and the recognition brick award. Ride is approximately 15/20 minutes through town. View ride map.
- Advocacy Award – We will be awarding a brick at Heritage Square to an individual(s) who has contributed greatly to cycling in the Flagstaff area. This year’s recipient is Cosmic Ray Brutti, Flagstaff mountain biking pioneer, mountain biking guide book author and lifelong goodwill ambassador for bicycling.
May 9 – Lowell Observatory “Mars Hill Challenge Ride”
Hosted by Lowell Observatory
Mars Hill Road …. yep, you probably know it, the paved ½-mile winding climb from Thorpe Park to the scenic overlook and then up to Lowell Observatory that beckons cyclists to pit their aerobic prowess against its steep 10-12% grade.
As a regular BTWW work site participant, Lowell Observatory is sponsoring the “Mars Hill Challenge Ride” again this year as a featured event. Ride anytime between 12 pm and 5 pm, we challenge local cyclists to bike up Mars Hill to the Lowell Observatory Steele Visitor Center and experience first-hand what Lowell BTWW riders contend with all week long. The reward?
A FREE “2 for 1” guest pass to Lowell Observatory, and a refreshing bottle of water. Just show your bike helmet to the front desk greeter in the Visitor Center when you reach the top. For directions and questions, contact Ethan Baisden, ebaisden@lowell.edu or 928-233-3233.
May 10 – Savvy Cyclist Bike Safety Class
5:30 – 7pm, Adult-focused. FREE!
City Hall – council conference room. Taught by League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructor Martin Ince & Kim Austin. Attend in-person or virtually. Event to be live streamed on FBO’s Facebook page.
May 16 – Bike to School Day!
Ride with your school and classmates. Which school will have the most riders?
Free Breakfast! from Peaks Senior Living Community – HWY 180, at the intersection of the driveway and the bike path. (near Business location)
Individual students can log in every day to win prizes – all week long!
May 16 – Kidical Mass Ride (Sechrist School) & Ice Cream Social
Bikes & Ice Cream! yum!
West Side. Meet at Sechrist School. Arrive at 4pm, ride leaves at 4:15pm. The route will be escorted by Flagstaff Police Department, for a 3.5 mile ride on the FUTS. Ice cream treats to be served afterwards.
Ride leaves at 4:15pm — All kids under 18 must wear a helmet. All riders are welcome!
Event sponsored by Safe Kids – Coconino County, Joy Cone & Shamrock Foods
May 17 – Kidical Mass Ride (Thomas School) & Ice Cream Social
Bikes & Ice Cream! yum!
East Side. Meet at Thomas School. Arrive at 4pm, ride leaves at 4:15pm. The route will be escorted by Flagstaff Police Department, for a 3.5 mile ride on the FUTS. Ice cream treats to be served afterwards.
Ride leaves at 4:15pm — All kids under 18 must wear a helmet. All riders are welcome!
Event sponsored by Safe Kids – Coconino County, Joy Cone & Shamrock Foods
May 17 – Bike to Breakfast day is back!
6:30 – 9am
View complete list and location map.
Bike-friendly businesses around Flagstaff are once again sponsoring Bicycle Breakfast stops this year. Check to see which stop is along your route, hit one or hit them all! Coffee, juice, muffins, bagels, DONUTS and other breakfast treats will fuel your commute.
May 21 – Bike Bazaar, Bike and Gear Swap & Bike Parade
Heritage Square – Downtown Flagstaff
9 am – noon
- Bike & Gear Swap!
- Annual Human-Powered Parade — 11:00 am start! Dust off those costumes!
C’mon Flagstaff you love to dress up! - $10 Helmets for kids and adults
- Many sizes and colors to choose from for the whole family.
- In partnership with Coconino County Safe Kids Coalition and Coconino County Public Health Services, we are offering discounted helmets to help keep kids safe while riding.
- Mountain Line – Bike / Bus Demonstration Learn out to load your bike when traveling by bus.
- Iron-on Transfer Station! We will have FREE t-shirts for kids. Adult t-shirts for a $10 donation.
- Exhibits from local organizations, promoting commuter safety and local bike/trail programs
- Flagstaff Trails Initiative
- Metroplan – Greater Flagstaff
- USFS – Flagstaff Ranger District
- and more…
June 1 – Making a Bikeable and Walkable Flagstaff for All with Adam Shimoni, FBO Board Member
5:30 – 7pm – Attend in-person at the Downtown Library Community Room or online via Zoom and through the Flagstaff Biking Organization Facebook page.
Join Adam Shimoni and special guests for a discussion on the history, present, and future of biking and walking transportation infrastructure in Flagstaff! Adam will discuss planning documents issued by the City of Flagstaff from 1980 to 2022 and the successes and missteps in implementing the plans. He will also discuss his work regarding transportation in the recent past and what is ahead, plus how you can get involved and support making Flagstaff a more walkable and bikeable community. We will also announce the winners of Bike Bingo! For more information and to register, visit tiny.cc/FlagBikes
Sponsored by:
Steel Sponsorship Level
Aluminum Sponsorship Level
