Welcome to New Mexico, cyclists.

Bicycling in New Mexico has a lot to offer, no matter what type of cycle you’re riding.It’s pretty sweet. The climate is nice, with nearly year-round sunshine. There are lots of places to bike, including bike lanes, paths, dirt trails, and BMX parks. There are wonderful people, with whom to ride, race, and get involved. You can learn a lot, with over 40 League of American Bicyclist instructors throughout the state. Yup, it’s pretty sweet.

If you’re in Albuquerque, Parks & Recreation’s bicycle education program reaches over 11,000 youth and over 2,000 adults each year, with classes from mechanics to vehicular cycling. The program has a top-notch, co-op style, community bike shop, at Esperanza. The city has over 506 miles of bike lanes, trails, and routes. You can even get the map on a bandana. For dirt, you don’t even have to leave town, with the highest percentage of parkland and Open Spaces per person, within city limits. If you’re into BMX, you’re in luck. Duke City BMX boasts the world’s largest covered track.

You like dirt? Good. Check out Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Los Lunas, Las Cruces, Socorro, Ruidoso, Hobbs, Farmington, Taos, and Alamogordo. It’s a mountain biking paradise of wilderness and awesome trails in the Land of Enchantment. There is everything from mountains, to forests, to open mesa, to the weird. New Mexico has some bizarre sand. Venture out to the popular White Mesa trails, or head south, for the bi-annual and always sold-out Full Moon Bike Ride, at White Sands. There are so many cool places in NM, just go to the Places section and click through. You’ll find plenty to do.

Oh! Also, watch out for goatheads. They’ll pop your tubes. Seriously. It’s a thing. Tube sealant, tire liners, thorn resistant tubes and resistant tires are all options. At least one is necessary here, for a flat free ride. Seriously.

Why are you still reading this? Go get on your bike.