What’s the best way to get around Rockford?

We think it’s by bicycle, even with the gaps in the bike path-bike route system.

A bike ride around town can be physically challenging because of rolling hills in some neighborhoods, but it also can be relaxing if you travel the flat route of the Sinnissippi Recreation Path along the Rock River.

The Perryville Path along Perryville Road connects you to Rock Cut State Park on one end and to shopping along the East State Street corridor. Turn left on Argus Drive, ride over to Bell School Road and you can take the path next to Bell School to Six Flags Magic Waters or CherryVale Mall.

If that's too long a ride for you consider riding part way and taking a Rockford Mass Transit bus to your destination. The bike racks available on RMTD buses help you travel farther and faster than your own legs can take you.

There’s a lot to see and do on two wheels and May is the month to explore if you’re not in the habit of riding your bicycle to and fro.

May is National Bike Month, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists. Bike Month, established in 1956, is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling — and encourage more folks to give biking a try.

National Bike to Work Week is May 13–19. Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 17. Mark your calendars accordingly.

The bicycling culture in Rockford is improving thanks to the work of I Bike Rockford, an advocacy group that is working with government officials on infrastructure, safety and other needs of cyclists.

That’s the serious side. I Bike reminds us how much fun it is to ride with events such as Swarm the Market, a short bike ride around the downtown on Fridays during Rockford City Market and last year’s inaugural Cycle on Second. This year's Cycle on Second is scheduled for Sept. 8.

Still, there’s a long way to go before Rockford is considered a bicycle friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists.

More roadways need to be striped and there need to be more racks available for people to lock up their bikes once they get to where they need to go. Better signage also would help bicyclists and the motorists with whom they share the road. It also would help if street sweepers cleared bike routes of flat-causing debris.

We had hoped that last year’s Lime bike-sharing program would be the impetus for improvements for cyclists, but Lime is no longer here because the company is concentrating on its electric products rather than pedal-powered bikes. However, we see more political will than ever for improving conditions for cyclists.

A tip of the bike helmet to Alderman Chad Tuneberg, R-3, who has been looking at innovative ways to make bicycling safer in his ward and throughout the community.

Not many people in town use their bicycles to commute. Only about a half a percent of local residents say a bicycle is their main way to get from here to there. That’s been a consistent number for years.

Among midsized cities (population 100,000-199,999), Boulder, Colorado, sets the pace for those who commute by bicycle with 10.5% of workers going that route. Boulder has received the bike league’s top rating of platinum. Colorado, overall, is the sixth-ranked bicycle friendly state. The state of Washington is No. 1.

Illinois is ranked 16th with 19 bicycle friendly communities, 23 bicycle friendly businesses and 10 bicycle friendly universities.

The best biking city within 90 minutes of Rockford is Madison, Wisconsin. Madison also has platinum status as a bicycle friendly community. A little more than 5% of Madison workers commute by bicycle.

It will be rainy the next couple of days, but then the skies will clear and there will be near-perfect bicycling conditions for most of the weekend.

Get your bike out and explore the town.