The Champaign County Bikes organization will host its first bike-to-work event Tuesday to highlight National Bike Month. Urbana city planner Rebecca Bird said the League of American Bicyclists gave the local C-U Bikes organization the idea to host this event.

“May is a national bike month,” Bird said. “A lot of communities are trying to promote bicycle riding. The national day is toward the end of May, but we’re doing it in early May. We wanted to have it while the students are still here.”

Sponsors including Savoy, Champaign, Urbana, the MTD and the University have a designated bike station where people can kick off the event.

There is no deadline to register, and participants have the opportunity to receive free items and services. Bird said as of Friday, 550 people are registered.

“The first 500 people to register gets free T-shirts,” Bird said. “You register online and (indicate) which bike station. There’s one in downtown Champaign, downtown Urbana, Savoy and on campus… near Wright and Green.”

She added that there will be food and bicycle mechanics providing bike check ups.

“They’ll give you tips, help fix your bike and tell you if you need to take it to a bike shop,” Bird said.

Bird said she hopes the event encourages people to make biking to work a habit.

“You hold this bike-to-work day and get as many people biking to work,” Bird said. “And that gives the possibility that people will do it once every couple of weeks. And they realize it’s healthy for them and good for the environment.”

She added that participants can offer feedback by registering online and answering questions about their daily route to work and what would help make biking easier.

“We want help in future planning for bicycle infrastructure, and we can plan bigger events,” Bird said.