Spring of 2020 has been like no other. With a global quarantine underway to combat COVID-19, many Bike to Work Day and Bike Month events have been canceled or postponed. Many Americans are finding themselves stuck at home, but they’re also walking and biking more, as exercise is one of the approved reasons to leave home. This has been accompanied by a decrease in vehicle traffic. These factors have combined to create safer conditions for biking. For people interested in biking within the provisions of social distancing and other restrictions, and to celebrate Bike Month, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) are providing a series of resources to help you ride. Throughout the month of May, learn how to ride, where to ride, and who is making a difference for bicycling in Maryland. 

 

If you keep your bike and essential gear in a convenient place with easy access, you are more likely to ride. Bike storage depends on a number of considerations:

In order to maximize the life of your bike and to protect it from theft and the elements, it’s important to consider options that are right for your personal needs. Fortunately, there are many options to store a bike, whether indoors, outdoors, or in a garage. 

If you live in an apartment or small space, there are some creative and safe ways you can store your bike, including vertical storage using ceiling racks, floor stands for small spaces, DIY storage, or a closet. 

If you store your bike outdoors, consider how to protect it both from weather and theft. If you have more space, a bike storage shed may be just what you need. With less outdoor space, a bike cover and lock may be your best option. 

If you live in a place that has a garage, you can use it to store all of your vehicles. Depending on how much space you have, there is plenty of flexibility in garage storage: vertical bike storage, horizontal bike storage, and ceiling and wall hooks. 

No matter the bike storage arrangements, check on it regularly if not in use. Make sure the location is convenient for spur-of-the-moment bike rides. 
 

Maryland is home to many great trails. During Bike Month, we’re featuring trails that are Maryland biking destinations. If you can’t make it to these trails under current travel restrictions, consider a trip when travel restrictions are lifted.

 

The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail extends 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The GAP connects directly to the 185-mile C&O Canal towpath, creating one of the longest, continuous bike trails in the United States.  In Maryland, the GAP steadily climbs the Allegheny Front from Cumberland to Frostburg along a railroad grade shared with the Western Maryland Railroad.  The GAP provides sweeping vistas of the Maryland mountains and passes through the Bordon Tunnel before continuing into Pennsylvania.