PITTSFIELD — The Berkshire Bike Path Council capped off Bike Month on Saturday with a group ride along the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail.

The council has celebrated Bike Month for 26 years, President Marjorie Cohan said. Saturday’s ride focused on building community among cyclists, offering both short and long routes while highlighting the safety of riding on the trail.

"The path is a wonderful place to start for people," Cohan said. "I can see the joy they have being on their bikes and encourage people to ride."

Marjorie Cohan, president of Berkshire Bike Path Council, helps organize the events for bike month.

On Saturday morning, 10 people gathered under gloomy skies at the bike path’s Crane Trailhead for the group ride, the day’s final event. Thankfully, the rain held off.

"The joy of this event is we get kids and people who aren't riding on the road," she said, referring to the council's other events. "So, it's nice that it's not raining."

Cohan, wearing a safety-yellow helmet and shirt, gathered riders for an opening talk on trail safety, including the Rail Trail’s 15 mph speed limit, which she said many riders ignore.

"If you're used to being on the road and you get on the path, you don't even realize," Cohan said. "There is talk of putting on a blinking light that will tell you: Happy if you're under [15 mph] and mean if you're not."

Canyon Ranch bike mechanic Dan Brinton checked chains and tested gear shifting on riders’ bikes. Brinton, who also leads Canyon Ranch cycling groups, stressed the importance of regular bike maintenance.

Dan Brinton, the bike mechanic at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, helped tune up riders bikes before the group ride. He said it's important to inspect your bike to catch issues before they become "catastrophic."

"A lot of times with just regular maintenance, we can prevent stuff that ends up being catastrophic," he said. "Just making sure bolts are tightened, things are adjusted right."

Saturday marked biker Robert Ragaini’s first group ride with the Bike Path Council. He recently began transitioning to living in Berkshire County full time.

"It's more fun," he said, referring to groups rides. "It gives you a little bit of incentive maybe to do a little bit better, and it's just more fun to be out with other people and share the joy."

Robert Ragaini is relatively new to the Berkshires but already found a group of bikers to ride with. The community and riding together helps share the joy, he said.

Ragaini said it was nice to have a group event like this to meet people with the same hobby.

One Bike Month event remains — the Conte School Bike Rodeo, rescheduled for June 4 because of rain — but Cohan said several important meetings are also coming up as efforts continue to expand the trail southward.

"The support now for the bike path going south is terrific," she said, noting that there are upcoming meetings slated for Great Barrington, Lenoxdale, Stockbridge and Sheffield on the expansion.

The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission is also exploring extending the Rail Trail farther south, Cohan said.

The group that showed up to ride the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail took of for their ride at 10:27 a.m., marking the end of bike month in the Berkshires.

The ride drew people of all ages onto the trail, including one child riding a scooter — something Cohan said reflects the inclusive spirit of the events.

"It's for everybody," she said. "You can get a reasonable bike, and the rest of it is free."