For Bike to Work Day 2014, BikePGH staff will be writing about how they get around the city by bike and why they choose the routes they do.  If you are interested in biking to work on May 16 there will be Bike Trains (or casual group rides into work) leaving from the East End Food Co-op and other areas in the city. BikePGH is looking for conductors as well as people that want to join in the ride. For more info see this previous blog post about how to join a bike train. 

Mike’s Ride.

How to bike to work from Wilkinsburg and Regent Square. 

Biking into Lawrenceville from Regent Square presents riders with a very dangerous roadway to navigate — Penn Ave. Penn is notoriously fast and narrow between Braddock Ave and East Liberty. Personally, I completely avoid Penn while on a bike.  A short distance from Regent Square are two great, bike-friendly options for people riding in and out of town to avoid Penn — Reynolds St and Meade St / Thomas Ave.

To get from Regent Square to Lawrenceville here’s how I go.

1. Start by going straight through the traffic light at Penn Ave toward the East End Food Co-op (away from Frick Park).
2. Take a left onto Meade St. Depending if you have time or not you can stop in at the Co-op for a snack or pick up some delicious local produce.
3. From there take a right at Construction Junction and Free Ride and continue to the wide and wonderful bike lanes on Thomas Blvd to Dallas Ave and go right down the hill.
4. At the traffic light at the bottom of the hill on Dallas take a left on Hamilton Ave at the Wheel Mill and head toward another great bike lane on East Liberty Blvd.
5. After cursing for a few blocks on E. Liberty Blvd, take a left on Negley Ave. Feel free to take the lane here if you feel like you need; this is the fastest traffic and one of the busier sections of this route into the city. You might be tempted to jump on Penn Ave from Negley but if you go another block Friendship Ave has shared lane arrows and personally I find it to be a much more enjoyable road.
6. When you get to Friendship circle take a right turn onto Edmond to make your way to Allegheny Cemetery, one of the largest and oldest in the city. Watch out for deer, turkeys, and all sorts of wildlife in the cemetery and enjoy the nice downhill to your destination in Lawrenceville.

This is my go-to route from the Wilkinsburg / Regent Square area to Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, and East Liberty. The route keeps you off a very dangerous roadway and features some great bike lanes, sharrows, and green space.

Start: Braddock Ave at Penn Ave.

Ride time – 30 – 45 min with traffic.

• Head northeast on N Braddock Ave toward Meade St 
• Turn left onto Meade St – sharrows 
• Turn right onto N Lexington St – sharrows
• Turn left onto Thomas Blvd – bike lane
• Turn right onto N Dallas Ave – sharrows
• Turn left onto Hamilton Ave – sharrows 
• Turn right onto E Liberty Blvd -bike lane
• Turn left onto N Negley Ave – use caution and take the lane if needed
• Turn right onto Friendship Ave – sharrow
• Turn right onto Edmond St 
• Turn left onto Penn Ave
• Enter Allegheny Cemetery

 

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Aero Tech Designs is a cycling apparel manufacture located in Pittsburgh Pa with 30 years of industry experience. Keeping true to their roots Aero Tech Designs has produced cyclewear in the USA since the early 80’s. ATD specializes in comfortable road, mtb, commuter, and touring clothing, and are located in Coraopolis, PA. They are also available for any custom apparel needs you may have. www.aerotechdesigns.com

Mike’s Aero Tech Designs Clothing Favorite.

Aero Tech Pedal Pusher Commuter Shirt.  

If you are looking for a comfortable shirt that fits in at a coffee shop or a casual office meeting check out the Pedal Pusher shirt. Riding 40 min into work can sometimes leave you a sweaty mess in warmer weather the Pedal Pusher has the features of a cycling jersey,  great wicking fabric, vents, and quick drying material, without the spandex club racer look. To top it off  Aero Tech Designs  makes the Pedal Pusher right here in ‘burgh. – Mike