LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Starting Monday, Metrolink is gearing up for a busy Bike Month, beginning by offering free travel during "Bike to Work Week" for those who board with bicycles on Metrolink's bike-friendly passenger trains.
The month-long festivities will also include an Aventon e-bike giveaway, the launch of rail-friendly bike excursions specially curated by AllTrails, and a bike safety webinar with the Los Angeles County Bike Coalition.
"Bike to Work Week" lasts from Monday through Friday.
Metrolink, which saw its share of riders traveling with bikes more than double since March of last year, makes pairing cycling with rail travel easy with a variety of convenient amenities, including bike storage lockers at 23 stations, bike racks at 34 stations and dedicated bike cars on select trains that hold nine bikes on the lower level.
"It's been exciting to see such a dramatic increase in riders boarding with bikes this last year," said Ara Najarian, Metrolink Board Chair and Glendale councilmember.
"The combination of public transportation and cycling for first and last mile travel leads to a positive long-term impact on our health and our environment. We're pleased to partner with Southern California organizations to help encourage more people to discover the benefits that cycling with Metrolink can offer."
Setting the pace for an exciting Bike Month celebration, Metrolink has partnered with Aventon to give away a brand new PACE 500 e-bike. The sleek e-bike, worth $1,499 at retail, features a 40-mile average range and goes up to 28 miles-per-hour. To enter the contest, visit the Metrolink Bike Month site at metrolinktrains.com/bike-month.
"We are so excited to be partnering with Metrolink during Bike Month to give away an e-bike and to bring awareness to alternate modes of transportation that complement each other," said Adele Nasr, Aventon's chief marketing officer.
"With Metrolink's expansive service throughout Southern California, this is a great opportunity for our customers to enjoy a broader range of activities using their e-bikes on Metrolink trains. Metrolink makes it easy to ditch the car and traffic and have a family adventure!"
In addition, Metrolink has teamed up with AllTrails to offer cyclists of all skill levels a special selection of biking explorations across Southern California. Whether it is mountain trails, road biking expeditions or trails less traveled, the routes offer adventures the whole family can enjoy that start within two miles of Metrolink tracks. To access the special bike trails, visit this special "Trains, Two-Wheelers and Train Tracks" section on the AllTrails website at alltrails.com/lists/trails-two-wheelers-and-train-tracks.
And to make sure cyclists stay safe, LACBC will hold a free webinar on Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. led by LACBC's Kevin Shin to provide tips on the safest way to travel with your bikes when using public transportation. Attendees will learn how to take extra precautions around rail crossings and additional tips for making any railway trip easier, safer, and more convenient with a bike.
According to recent reports, biking increased by 21% from March-June 2020 in U.S. urban-areas compared with the same time frame in 2019. Experts are pointing at a combination of the shelter-in-place orders that kept cars and trucks off the roads, and a swell in activism have brought bicycle riders out in record numbers and made many reimagine city and suburban life -- without the cars, traffic and polluted air.
"Since the pandemic started, we're pleased to see that more cyclists are discovering Metrolink's unique bike trains, which is also helping reduce toxic emissions in the air we breathe," said Metrolink CEO Stephanie Wiggins. "We hope Bike Month can help raise more awareness about how traveling with your bike on Metrolink is easy and convenient."
Riders who snap a selfie of themselves on the train with their bike and use #MetrolinkBikeMonth will have the chance to be featured on Metrolink's social media accounts.
Follow along with #MetrolinkBikeMonth on social media for real time updates and visit Metrolink's Bike Month website at metrolinktrains.com/bikemonth for more information on Metrolink's Bike Month and how to enter the free bike giveaway.