BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Most of us are used to hopping in our cars to head to work, but this week everyone is encouraged to hop on their bikes instead.

This is Bike to Work Week, part of national Bike Month, and GObike Buffalo is offering a number of opportunities for more people to give biking a shot. “We have over 40 events happening this month and it’s all geared towards getting people out there, riding more often,” said GObike Buffalo Executive Director Justin Booth.

Those include everything from free breakfasts for cyclists to weekly Slow Roll rides to bike commuter trains, with large group rides departing from various locations throughout the week.

MORE | Stay up to date with all the GObike Buffalo activities and events.

Bike to Work week ends with the third annual SkyRide happening Saturday on the Skyway. “This is a chance for us to raise money, to let people see our city in a whole new way, and to have a really fun time riding our bikes over the Skyway,” Henry Raess, Event Manager for GObike Buffalo, said.

MORE | Click here to learn more about the SkyRide, including how to register.

Bike to Work Week comes at a time when more and more cyclists are giving a two-wheeled commute a chance. “It’s nice, it’s relaxing. It gets the blood moving in the mornings,” said Sean Brodfuehrer, who rides his bike from North Buffalo to the UB North Campus every day.

Brodfuehrer and other bicycle commuters who stopped by a free bicycle breakfast on Monday morning along side the North Buffalo Rails to Trails project agree, getting around town by bike has gotten much easier in recent years. “Things like the rail-trail, improvements in infrastructure with cycle paths, separated bicycle ways,” listed GObike Buffalo ambassador Stacy Bisker when asked about the ways in which Buffalo has become more bike friendly.

“The bike lane on Delaware Avenue has been great because you feel much more comfortable,” pointed out another bicycle commuter, Raymond Reichert.

The city of Buffalo continues to add more miles of bicycle lanes as the attitude towards bicycling continues to improve. “It went from years of getting stuff thrown at you, to now, most people respect you on the roads,” Brodfuehrer said.

The respect on the roads is a two way street, though.

It is illegal for anyone over age 14 to bicycle on the sidewalk, so bicyclists have to share the road with vehicles. Everyone must follow the rules of the road when doing so, and safety has to be the priority. “Stopping at stop signs, using our hand signals, always properly signaling, always staying predictable, always riding with traffic, wearing a helmet if you’re under the age of 14. I always encourage adults to wear helmets as well,” advised Thea Hassan, who does community outreach for GObike Buffalo.

For people who may just be getting back into biking for the first time in years, Hassan acknowledges that it can be intimidating to try to ride on the streets. She urges patience and practice. “I’ve only been commuting to work for about a year, and at first it was a little bit nerve wracking, but the more you ride the easier it gets,” she said.

GObike Buffalo offers a lot of activities to get people riding more, and there are a number of other events throughout the summer to give more people the chance to enjoy bicycling.

MORE | Check out the details of another upcoming biking event, the Central Termin8er.

A full calendar of Bike Month events should be available on the GObike Buffalo website: www.gobikebuffalo.org/events.