Bicycles
Bike-Walk-Run Map
Based on input received in a bicycle community survey, the Town of Wake Forest developed and produced the Bike-Walk-Run Wake Forest map in April 2014. The fold-out map is a guide to cycling and walking routes available within the town limits. Printed copies of the map are available at town hall and a digital version is available for download.
Bicycling Education
Few of us have received a comprehensive cycling education, and the informal education some of us receive from observing others on the road at times makes cycling less safe. While there are fairly good resources for cycling safety information in print and on the web, nothing can replace or compare to the quality of information and personal feedback from participating in a class with a qualified instructor.
Here are a few resource options for bicycle training offered by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB):
Smart Cycling - covers bike fit, equipment selection, nutrition, bike handling and traffic cycling principles. To find a course or instructor visit the LAB website education section.
Bicycling Skills 123 Youth - a two hour course teaching youth bike handing skills.
To jumpstart your bicycling education, here are some resources to give you a good start:
Town of Wake Forest Annual Bicycle Safety Fair
Bicycling Laws
Under North Carolina law, a bicycle is considered a vehicle, and is entitled to share the road with cars, trucks and other vehicles. Citizens wishing to operate a bicycle should become familiar with state traffic laws that apply to bicycles. Click here to view the state's bicycle laws.
It is lawful for cyclists to ride on any public road unless it is designated as a limited or controlled-access highway. However, some roads are more suitable than others. A significant proportion of current bicycle ridership occurs on lower-speed residential neighborhood streets rather than major thoroughfares in Wake Forest.
Ordinances prohibit bicycling on sidewalks in Wake Forest. Transportation safety research shows that riding bicycles on sidewalks is up to twenty-five times less safe than riding on a major street that has no bike lanes. The research also shows that adding bike lanes on major streets improves safety.