Getting ahead of the manga is not an issue, as there is 9 volumes of novels to catch up with.
Also, there is no such things as fillers in romantic series, atleast not those with less than 20 episodes. The characters need all time together they can get to develop a relationship, even if Ryuuji and Minori obviously not is a pairing they are aiming for, they still need to make it seem like he is making progress, as that basically is the whole plot so far.
Also, Taiga wobbling around on a bike is cute beyond words. I wonder if her new biking skills will impress Kitamura aswell.