Spring is the perfect time to pull your bike out of the garage, dust it off, pump up the tires, and take it out for a spin! If you are looking for new and fun ways to get back on a bicycle this spring, check out SABR Seacoast Bike Month, which offers a variety of events in May.
Seacoast Area Bike Riders is a local non-profit organization dedicated to “Making the
Seacoast Better for Biking.” Throughout the winter, SABR worked with numerous volunteers,
the staff, and the management of local bike shops to organize Seacoast Bike Month 2024.
Kicking off Bike Month is the CommuteSmart B2B Challenge, which runs for the duration of
May. The B2B Challenge invites all employers in the Seacoast of New Hampshire to compete
for the honor of having the smartest, greenest commuting workforce. There are prizes, trophies, social media buzz, and the exhilarating thrill of victory! For more info, please visit:
On Sunday, May 5th, there are two fun community events, starting with the Portsmouth Spring Bike Rodeo. The Bike Rodeo is a fun, safety-focused event geared toward elementary-aged riders and families and runs from 1 to 3 p.m. outside New Franklin School (1 Franklin Ave).
There will be a bike course, bike safety check, helmet fit station, neighborhood rides, and prizes.
The Portsmouth Mayor’s Ride (also on May 5th) will follow from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. and departs
from New Franklin School (1 Franklin Ave). Join Mayor Deaglan McEachern and Portsmouth
City staff for a slow-roll tour of Portsmouth neighborhoods and bike lanes. The route is six miles long and includes stops to discuss new and planned bike infrastructure.
On Saturday, May 11th, at 9:30 a.m., the Portsmouth Sustainability Ride will begin with riders
meeting at Portsmouth Women’s City Club (375 Middle Street). The slow roll will take riders
through the back streets of Portsmouth West End for a stop at The Refill Station (124 Bartlett
Street), a low-waste ReFill shop offering sustainable, eco-friendly household products.
The ride will continue to Portsmouth High School for the ECO Club Annual Sustainability Fair
with 40 vendors dedicated to promoting sustainable practices and environmental awareness.
The ride will wrap up at Treeline Outfitters (125 Brewery Lane), a community gathering spot withan emphasis on quality gear made with sustainable practices.
On Saturday, May 18th, join SABR for BIKE-EAT-SHOP-DOVAH! Riders will gather at Garrison
City Beerworks (455 Central Ave) at noon to learn more about the Bicycle Benefits program and get tips about what to do in town. Pedal around Dover with your biking buddies, stopping off at shops & eateries for a casual afternoon on the town.
On Sunday, May 19th, at 10 am, the SABR Women’s Ride will explore the quieter roads
around Eliot and South Berwick, Maine. This is a women-only social ride with two routes: a
faster group (12+ mph) and a more casual-paced group (averaging 10 mph). Join in, and you
may find a riding buddy (or two!). Stay after the ride for lunch and socialize at Shipyard Brew
Pub at Eliot Commons.
On Sunday, May 26th, at 9 a.m., join SABR for Coffee Outside at Vaughan Woods State Park
on Oldfields Road in South Berwick, Maine. Ride your bike from where you like to join us for a bike and coffee social. Bring DIY camp coffee gear to make coffee on site (small camp stoves only), bring coffee from home in a travel tumbler, or just bring a mug. Tea drinkers are welcome!
For more information and to register for any of the above SABR events, please visit:
seacoastbikes.org/events to RSVP.
Also, in May, several area bike shops are hosting clinics from bike maintenance to cycling
apparel wear and care and an intro to backpacking session.
Sunday, May 5th Bike Maintenance Clinic @ Hampton Rec by Colonial Bicycle Co.
Wednesday, May 8th Intro to Bikepacking Clinic @ Gus’ Bike Shop, North Hampton, NH
Thursday, May 9th, Spring Bike Clinic @ Colonial Bicycle Co., Portsmouth, NH
Sunday, May 12th, Bike Service Clinic @ Papa Wheelie’s, Portsmouth, NH
Tuesday, May 14th, Spring Bike Clinic @ Colonial Bicycle Co., Portsmouth, NH
Thursday, May 23rd, Cycling Apparel Use & Care Clinic @ Exeter Cycles, Exeter, NH
For details and links to any of the above clinics, please visit: www.seacoastbikes.org/calendar or reach out directly to the shops offering them.
If you are interested in a variety of Bike Shop Weekly Rides this May, Dover Cyclery, Gus’
Bike Shop in North Hampton and Papa Wheelies in Portsmouth have lots to offer.
For more information, visit www.seacoastbikes.org/bikeshoprides or contact any of the shops
directly for the most up-to-date information.
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