Bike Route Indianapolis

Bicycle Garage Indy is proud to be a long-time sponsor of the N.I.T.E. Ride, held on June 26^th. Not only does BGI help promote the event, we provide supplies and service before and during the event, including riding support who do small repairs on the route as well as support vehicles to bring in those who can’t finish the ride. In recognition of our efforts to provide service to the riders before and during the event, we received the following "Thanks" from NITE Ride Director Dan Shields:

"On behalf of Central Indiana Bicycling Association (CIBA), I would like to thank you and the entire BGI team for your efforts to help make 2010 N.I.T.E. Ride (Navigate Indy This Evening) such a huge success.

This year’s event, on June 26, 2010, far surpassed our registration record that was set just last year, with nearly 3,300 paid registrations. We are also clearly reaching more novice riders as evidenced by an even higher rate of growth in riders needing assistance, whether for bicycle servicing before the event or SAG support during the ride. BGI’s incredible support in this area has been crucial to achieving our mission of promoting bicycling for fun, fitness, commuting and touring while maintaining a great experience for all participants.

We are also thankful for your working with Giant Bicycles in providing the bicyclies for the BGI Great Bike Giveaway", the prizes for the "L.I.T.E. Up Your Bike" contest, BGI’s efforts to co-promote the event and all of the other valuable elements of BGI’s sponsorship.

Please accept our thanks for your fine support of N.I.T.E. Ride 2010!

Dan Shields
Chair, 2010 N.I.T.E. Ride Committee"

Bicycle Garage Indy looks forward to supporting the N.I.T.E. Ride in 2011!  (June 25th, 2011)

Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy
Indianapolis and Greenwood, IN

In 2007, I had been practicing law for over 25 years and needed a getaway. I read a story about the (Adventure Cycling Association) National Bicycle Route System and decided I would gear up and ride the Underground Railroad from Indy to Mobile, Alabama. I started to train, educated myself, bought a Trek 520 touring bike from Bicycle Garage Indy. Had it fitted by Frank, bought the touring bags and set out, on my own, the day after the Memorial Day weekend. I had never ridden such a distance before and had never ridden a bike with 50 pounds of gear on it. To make a long story short, 1100 miles, one flat tire and two weeks later, I rolled into Mobile. I promptly rented a car and drove to my brother's house in Panama City, Florida. I discovered myself and discovered that there are a lot of friendly people on the road. There are also a lot of dry counties in Kentucky, Tennesse, Mississippi and Alabama. It was a great trip and a great way to get away. Ride America!

Name: Alan Ladd
Bicycle: Trek 520
City: Indianapolis
State: IN

Alan:  Thanks from everyone at Bicycle Garage Indy for Your Bicycle Story.  

Bicycle Garage Indy's Nothing But Us Chicks Ride, May 6, 2010 - First ride of 2010 for the "chicks" - we had a record crowd with 16 women ready to ride. We had a beautiful evening, 70 degrees, sunny. Everyone seemed to enjoy the route and riding along Fall Creek Parkway.

Next "official" ride is Thursday, June 3, but the group gets together at other times as well. For more info about the ride and to be put on the email list for additional rides, go to the Nothing But Us Chicks info page.

Hope to see even more women bicyclists next ride!

Connie Szabo Schmucker, Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy
Indianapolis & Greenwood
(You can find a full calendar Bicycle Garage Indy sponsored Classes, Mini Clinics and Bike Rides Indianapolis at www.bgindy.com/for/calendar)

Bicycle Garage Indy was involved with getting Andy Clarke, president of League of American Bicyclists, to Indianapolis for a celebration/photo op with Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard to celebrate Indianapolis' designation as a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community.  BGI was also recognized at the celebration on Thursday, April 22, 2010 as a Gold level Bicycle Friendly Business.

After the celebration, I took Andy Clarke on a tour of Indianapolis, highlighting what's been accomplished and what we hope to acheive in the near future. He was duly impressed. Andy had been sent the feedback Indianapolis has been given last fall when we received the Bronze designation and as he listened to Mayor Ballard tout the most recent accomplishments, he realized we has already accomplished much on the "to-do" list we had been given.

The next morning Andy led the bike train for St. Thomas Aquinas Walk/Bike to School with Your Grandparent event. I participated in the bike ride and got the opportunity to meet Rep. Andre Carson, Mayor Ballard, and USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood. It was a whirlwind 24 hours.

Here are some links of media coverage of the event:

LAB's blog about the 4/22 event
http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/2010/04/indianapolis-bicycling-and-ray-lahood/

LAB's blog on the Bike to School event:
http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/2010/04/big-names-at-indianapolis-safe-routes-to-school-event/

USDOT Sec. LaHood's blog
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/04/grandparents-day-safe-routes-to-school-mash-up.html

NUVO item
http://www.nuvo.net/NewsBlog/archives/2010/04/23/indianapolis-a-bicycle-friendly-city

Courier-Journal - Louisville, KY
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100423/NEWS02/4240304/-1/EXTRAS05/Obama+official+walks+kids+to+Indianapolis+school

IndyStar
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100423/NEWS04/4230374/Obama-official-walks-kids-to-Northside-school

USDOT policy article/backlash
http://www.theindychannel.com/automotive/23144733/detail.html

St. Thomas Aquinas website - photos
http://www.staindy.org/school/section.php?page=3-84

another Indy website coverage
http://www.indy.com/posts/obama-official-walks-kids-to-northside-school

And in our own blogs:
http://blog.bgindy.com/blog/bicycle-garage-indy/0/0/bicycle-friendly-city-event-in-downtown-indianapolis

Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy / BGI Fitness
Indianapolis & Greenwood, IN
cschmucker@bgindy.com
www.bgindy.com

Bike racing is a tough sport for kids to get started in.  A lot of parents worry about the startup cost and the risk of injury.  Fortunately, the fastest-growing race category in the US is also the most kid-friendly:  cyclocross!


Most kids' bikes are not well-suited to road or mountain bike racing, but a cyclocross racer can use just about anything--as evidenced by these fellas trying to negotiate the sand pit.


The Ohio Valley Cyclocross Series has put a strong emphasis on encouraging kids' participation.  They frequently get junior-aged fields of 30 or more.  Many of the stronger junior riders compete in the senior categories and put a hurt on them (myself included)!


Cyclocross races are generally much friendlier to kids or other inexperienced racers.  There are no high-speed packs of riders to negotiate.  The consequences of a fall are generally much less than in a road race or on a rock-strewn mountain bike descent.  And you get to do lots of different fun, playful things on your bike--like trying to leap back onto the seat after running up a hill!


BGI has several riders who participate in cyclocross races in Indianapolis and surrounding cities.  This picture is of Josh Prater, assistant service manager, en route to winning the Category 3 state championship in 2008.


You can also get cyclocross advice from some of our other riders:  the South store has Shane Meadows, Daniel Bartholomew, and Bob Locke; the North store has Mark Trousdale, Josh, and yours truly.


The cross season is over for this year, but keep an eye on www.ovcx.com next year as the summer winds down--there'll be plenty more muddy, sandy, snowy, awesome action to be had.

 My first "adult" bike was an Austrian-made, 26" wheeled, Sturmey-Archer 3-Speed from Sears.  It was a black with with white trim, with upright bars, fenders and a rear rack.  Purchased with $50 of mowing and paper route money, I rode it almost a 1,000 miles over two summers around the 9th grade.  It was followed by my first "speed" bike, but the freedom that 3-speed offered meant more to me than starting to drive the following year. 

One encounters lots of interesting things while riding the bike.  For example, I saw two deer at 106th and Hazel Dell on Sunday, but they weren't the usual does or young bucks--these were big guys with eight-point antlers.  Neato!

Lots of these sights pass without comment.  Another blue heron!  A Ferrari!  A racing rival riding the other direction!  But every once in a while, there's something worth stopping and recording for posterity:


This caught my eye because of its relation to my friend and BGI mechanic JB Musselman (whose name itself is also hilarious for obvious reasons).  So I stopped and snapped it for him. 

Also of interest was the following gem that requires a little explanation.  Around these parts, the accepted method of informal bike route marking is known as a "Dan Henry:"


You find these all over the roads around here.  They're generally very helpful, except when routes intersect, and then it can be a little difficult to make sure you're on the one you want.  It is also easy to confuse with another common symbol: 

Luckily, this confusion only occurs at specific types of intersections.


You also find the occasional attempt to introduce a higher level of artistry to the Dan Henry:


The white symbol above is not uncommon, and it has the same role as a Dan Henry, except more specific:  if you have a bike with two disc wheels, and a transparent frame, then you want to go this way.  Also:  no helmets allowed.

The yellow symbol is far less common, for obvious reasons:  most robots don't bother with a bike route, since they have other means of propulsion.  Unfortunately, the artist left their message a little unclear.  Does this mean "robots go this way?"  "Danger:  Robots ahead?"  "This route only for cyclists with a robot sidekick?"  I lean toward that last explanation, since a cyclist with an invisible bike frame would probably also have access to robot technology.

Sometimes you just have a perfect day even if it doesn't start out that way. It was cloudy, cool (65 degrees) and although rain wasn't predicted, it looked like it could rain at any time. Against our better judgment we made the drive down to Madison for the Grand Touring Ride.  We ended up having a great day riding on Saturday Aug 22 in Madison,  IN.

The 45 mile route started from Clifty Fall State Park, went North and East of Madison into the burgs of Canaan, China, Pleasantville and various other little towns. It was a CIBA Grand Touring Ride led by Kerry Knipp.  There were a total of 7 people - 5 single bikes and our tandem. I was the sole female rider. We rode with George and his son Brendan, Tick, Mark, and Kerry (the ride leader). We drove down that morning. Everyone else had camped out at the park the night before.

Flat tires At the Madison Grand Touring Ride in June, we assisted Mark with his flat tire. On this occasion, we were 2 miles from the park when Mark announced he got a flat tire. Mark is prepared - he even carries latex gloves to keep his hands from getting grease on them! His flat tire was fixed and we set off again, commenting that Madison must be a bad place for him to ride a bike. Another 2 miles down the road and Brendan got a flat tire. His dad George assisted while we looked on. 

All were hoping this was not a bad omen - flats had affected 2 out of 6 bikes so  far.  Brendan got his flat in almost the exact location where Mark got his flat last June. While George was fixing Brendan's flat, we were talking about how, back in June, people had been so helpful and someone driving by even went to their house to get a floor pump. Just as we were talking about that, a woman in bike clothes came up to us from a nearby parking lot.  She was with a group of bicyclists from Floyds Knob riding in the area. They had a floor pump that we could use if we wanted to. Pretty amazing.

We finally got back riding and eventually arrived at the country store for lunch. Over lunch we exchanged stories of our bicycling adventures and some told of their hiking adventures in Denali, Peru (South America) and the Appalachian Trail.

We ran into a little road construction, but roads are never truly closed to resourceful bicyclists! (we walked our bikes through the dirt to the other side of the construction) The rest of the ride was fairly uneventful. There were long gradual climbs (5-8% for 1-2 miles) and long gradual descents and rolling terrain on the ridges. We had some awesome long views on the ridges. We ended the ride along the Ohio River before we had the hardest climb of the day -  the south entrance to Clifty Fall State Park (mostly 10% grade, spiked at 12%).



After the ride, my husband Randy and I went to the Ribberfest. Blues music, BBQ, Balloons. We ate pulled pork dinners while watching boats on the Ohio River and listening to blues music. After we finished eating, we went to watch the musical artists. Then aross the river,  the hot air balloons began to lift off for the balloon race. As we left Madison, we saw an awesome sunset on the way home - a beautiful end to an awesome day.

What's your bicycle adventure story?


Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy / BGI Fitness
Indianapolis & Greenwood, IN
cschmucker@bgindy.com

 This will be a relatively short update, as I still have plenty to do. It's Tuesday afternoon (August 11) and everything is pretty much all set. My bike is boxed, my bags are organized, and everything's loaded in the van. Shower, late lunch, then off to Union Station.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm in a suburb of Chicago, so to box my bike I had the assistance of a great shop, Dan's Bike Shop in Berwyn. After emailing them ahead of time to check the availability of bike boxes, I stopped in yesterday to pick up a box. I was pleasantly surprised when they also handed me a plastic bag labeled "packing kit," that contained all the necessary padding for my bike. It was great, and completely free! It took me about 45 minutes to pack up the bike this morning. Around the bike inside the box I also packed one front pannier, my handlebar bag, bike shoes, and my water bottles (empty of course). This way I was able to maximize the use of space in the box while also adding extra padding for my precious vehicle. I also utilized a great resource on our own BGI website that takes one through packing a bike step by step. Check it out here. Now let's see if Amtrak takes good care of it...

For the train ride to Pittsburgh I'll check two other panniers. My carry on bags will be one rear pannier (loaded with reading material and such, as well as my fuel bottle) and a duffle bag that has my tent, sleeping bag, and helmet inside. 

When I arrive in Pittsburgh tomorrow morning, I'll assemble my bike and load it up, have some breakfast at a nearby bagel shop, then get shuttled to the trailhead. Since the final 9 miles from McKeesport to Pittsburgh are not complete on the GAP trail, I have to get to it some other way. I emailed the trail association and they said that traffic is SO thick around there that they wouldn't even recommend a bike route. The did, however, give me the name of a taxi service (Bill's) who will pick me and my bike up in Pittsburgh and take me to the trailhead in McKeesport for $45. Then the cycling adventure begins!

So, for now, my future is in the hands of Amtrak. I'll enjoy a comfy coach-class seat on a Superliner for the overnight trek while my bike rests gently in the baggage car. I don't expect a great night's sleep, but only have about 45 miles to pedal tomorrow, so I can turn in early. 

Bon Voyage!

The concept of a “bicycle staycation” and the Tour Du Parc webpages are a collaborative effort between NIFS and Bicycle Garage Indy (BGI). BGI and NIFS worked together to develop these suggested routes, resource links and discounts for downtown venues to encourage individuals and families to consider the great opportunities for bicycling staycations in Indianapolis.

The maps/routes use low traffic roads and Indy Greenways to connect many parks and venues in Indianapolis including White River State Park, Fort Harrison State Park, Broad Ripple, Skiles Test Park, Ellenberger Park and Garfield Park.

So what are you waiting for, Hoosiers? Pack a picnic, grab your Frisbee and jump on your bikes! Discover what’s in your own backyard. Save money, explore Indy by Bike! Your imagination is your limit! Plan your own Tour du Parc!

At the “Bicycle Staycation” displays at BGI you can view some of the webpages and pick up some additional maps/resources for other areas around the state to explore. Tour du Parc has the linked routes, maps and discounts.

Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy

Did you buy your bike with the intention of using it for exploring Indianapolis bicycle trails or to try bicycle commuting in Indianapolis, or riding for recreation and fitness. But then you got stopped from experiencing the joy of bicycling because you didn't feel comfortable riding on the roads or couldn't find a good commuting route?

One of the best ways to get around Indianapolis can be by bike, but it helps to be "street wise" in your journeys by bike.

You have a great bike - BGI wants you to enjoy riding it! Your comfort level riding on the streets is a combination of knowledge, skill and experience. We can help with the knowledge and skill portion and help provide you with additional resources to increase your experience level.

Increasing your personal comfort level riding your bike on streets will not only increase your joy of bicycling and expand the areas you can explore by bike, you'll also be a safer bicyclist.

Launched in June 2009, BGI One-on-One StreetWise is personalized One-on-One bicycle instruction. You tell us what you need or want to learn to enjoy bicycling more and we will give you one-on one personalized bicycle training in Indianapolis. Your needs, your schedule!

One-on-One StreetWise is based on skills and topics in the League of American Bicyclists' SmartCycling Traffic Skills 101 curriculum. If you want to feel more comfortable riding on the streets and develop the knowledge and skills to handle most situations, sign up for a one-on-one session, customized for your riding style and experience. 

Connie Szabo Schmucker
Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy
cschmucker@bgindy.com

First, to business:  this week's Friday ride is starting early.  There's a training event at the shop that we have to be back in time for.  So we're rolling at 6:30 AM and doing the Fort Ben loop:




This map is a little hard to read, so let me know if you're trying to follow it and having trouble.  Or better yet, come on out to the ride and I'll just show you.

In other news, I headed out to the Indiana State Road Race Championship last weekend.  It was a little chaotic at the beginning due to some construction, a last-minute route change, and a field of 75 guys (and a few very strong girls).  But things smoothed out after a while, and we rode a fast, clean race.  62 miles all told, with a 25.2 average.  Pretty tiring day in the saddle for a guy like me.

I finished somewhere around 25-30th, but didn't get listed in the results.  Oh well.  I managed to avoid the one crash, got some great training time, even spent a few minutes in a short-lived breakaway.  One of my teammates got 4th in the race, which was good for 2nd amongst Indiana riders!  Nice job, Rob.

So, a nice experience race, but no big result or drama or anything.  Just riding hard.  There was one exciting point on the course with a poorly filled utility cut--it flatted about 15 tires over the course of our race, with similar attrition in the other categories.  My Trek Madone bike once again served me admirably. 

No pictures this time.  Next race is the Bloomington Criterium, one of my very favorites, and for which I have high hopes. 

We bicycle riders have always had to fight for our right to any little bit of road. We have just taken it for granted that that's the way its going to be. Well, I'm encouraged and impressed with the amount of work that is being done.

With Indianapolis investing in bike lanes and greenway expansion it was certain to filter down to my main riding location. Johnson County, is getting in the mix with a growing support group for safe bike routes. Check out this web site to find out more  http://www.johnsoncountycompplan.org/

There has been some public meetings and more are coming. Come and share your input.

Anita Knowles should be given big thanks for all her hard work leading up to this point.

 This Saturday, Kathy and I had a fantastic 30 mile ride stopping midway for coffee at Strange Brew in Greenwood.  Rolling hills, not-so-bad traffic, great company (I love riding with my bride to be), and perfect weather made this the best ride so far this year.  We felt so good that we even pushed the pace a bit and ended with an average speed of nearly 12.5 mph!


Bike rides Indianapolis, bike route Indianapolis, bicycle Indianapolis, cycling Indianapolis, Indianapolis greenways, Indianapolis bike path 

It seems everytime I talk to someone about bicycling in Indianapolis, they are looking for a way to get from home to work or somewhere else by bike. Just last Friday I was talking with someone at an event who had been commuting to work last year. But he didn't like his choices and wanted to know how to get to the Monon from where he lived instead of riding on Binford Blvd. Once I found out where he lived, it was easy to find him a great route on neighborhood roads that will connect him to Fall Creek Trail and then the Monon. 

The first tip in finding a bike route to work is to look at a map of Indianapolis. There are often low-traffic roads that connect where you are with where you want to go. Often they parallel higher traffic roads. Look for roads that you don't use for driving your car.  In general you want to look for the straightest route on the lower traffic streets. However, sometimes it is much more enjoyable to go a little out of your way to avoid very busy roads.

The next step is to map out your preferred route and try it on a weekend, just to get your bearings. It may not give you a sense of how your route will be in rush-hour traffic, but it's better to get lost or turned around when you don't have a time-crunch.  It will also give you an idea how long it will take you to get from home to work. 

The 3rd step is to try your route on a work day.  It's often good to have a few routes in mind for variety to explore different areas on your way home.

A 4th step is to talk about riding to work with others - chances are you'll find a group of bicyclists you can ride with at least part of the way to work.

Bicycling in Indianapolis takes some skill, knowledge and experience, but it can be a lot of fun.

If you're in need of some guidance in finding a better bicycle commuting route to work or in feeling more confident bicycling in Indianapolis, email me at cschmucker@bgindy.com  I've been bicycling in Indianapolis for more than 20 years and can say from experience there's lots of great riding within Marion County. You just have to know how to find it.

Connie Szabo Schmucker, Advocacy Director
Bicycle Garage Indy
Indianapolis, IN
cschmucker@bgindy.com
www.bgindy.com