City Set to Celebrate Bike to Work Day on Thursday

Pasadena will host its annual Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 15, part of a broader month-long celebration promoting cycling as sustainable transportation throughout the city.

The morning event at Pasadena City Hall 100 North Garfield Avenue offers commuters free snacks, cold brew coffee, and quick bicycle tune-ups from 7:00 a.m to 10:00 a.m., followed by an evening social gathering.

“The City is pleased to once again support Bike Month which is a great opportunity for residents and visitors to see, hear, taste and feel all that Pasadena has to offer while riding a bicycle,” said Joaquin Siques, Pasadena Department of Transportation Director.

The Bike to Work Day celebration continues with an evening “Bike from Work Social” at Anaya’s Restaurant, 630 E. Colorado Blvd., in Pasadena, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Cyclists who ride to the Village Al Fresco Dining Pavilion in front of Anaya’s on Colorado Boulevard will receive free agua fresca, courtesy of the restaurant and Playhouse Village Association.

All public transit options will be free for cyclists on May 15, including Metro buses and trains, Metrolink trains, and Pasadena Transit buses. Metro Bike Share is offering free 30-minute rides with promo code 051525, while Metrolink provides free train rides to all passengers bringing bicycles onboard.

“Bike month is a fun, annual encouragement program. The intention is to inspire people to get out and ride a bike,” explained Colin Bogart, Active Transportation Director at Day One, one of the event organizers alongside the Pasadena Department of Transportation and Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition.

The initiative addresses common barriers to cycling adoption.

“Often people are afraid to do it. They’re concerned about getting hurt. And if you create a situation like Bike month where you’re having people ride in a group that is and feels much safer and more people are likely to join and try biking on city streets when they’re in a group,” Bogart noted.

Pasadena Bike Month, running from May 3 through May 31, features over 20 free cycling events, including a Fix a Flat Class at Trek Bicycles Pasadena and a Bike Resource Fair and Family Ride at Hastings Branch Library on May 17. Interested participants can register for events at Bit.ly/PasadenaBikeMonth.

“This year we’re excited to include an E-bike Expo for the second time as well as bike education events and family oriented rides in partnership with the Pasadena Public Library and the Parks Recreation and Community Services Department,” Siques said.

The city aims to increase the proportion of bicycle commute trips to five percent as part of its Bicycle Transportation Action Plan, building on regional progress that has seen bicycle commuting in Los Angeles rise from 0.6 percent in 2000 to 1.0 percent in recent years.

To learn more or to Register for events please visit Bit.ly/PasadenaBikeMonth.