Paul posted a link to a video made by Slow Roll Detroit: http://localhost/mb/topic/the-out-of-town-news-thread-vol-ii/#post-320625
2015-11-29 08:55:57
10
Biking in Detroit?
Okay, so here's the deal: I have been offered a position with a company in Detroit that I am likely to accept, meaning that I'll be moving my family to Michigan next year.
I've heard a lot of people saying that Detroit has been making a lot of strides in terms of biking culture and infrastructure, but does anyone know anything about what the reality on the ground there is like?
And does Detroit have an organization like Bike Pittsburgh???
2015-11-29 07:43:08
I think the folks behind Steel City Roll spent some time in Detroit checking out SlowRoll, you might ask Scott. https://www.facebook.com/steelcityroll/
also, congrats on the new opportunity!
2015-11-29 10:11:09
Dequindre Cut sounds interesting. It's a former railway thru downtown now converted to a rail trail. http://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2013/november/01/michigans-dequindre-cut-greenway/
2015-11-29 10:30:56
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity. Go for it!
Also, please keep in touch. Cross-pollination of bike cultures can only benefit both. Do they have a Critical Mass ride, and if so, is it more like Cleveland? Our Undies Ride? Like our 412 Flock? Like what I've been trying to do with taking the lane with small groups on bike-unfriendly streets?
And what are they doing that we are not?
How do they deal with snow there, both as individual cyclists and the clearing if sidewalks, trails and streets in general?
Anyone there like me who travels in from 10 miles out?
Do they have hills there?
2015-11-29 13:22:17
Thanks, Stu. I haven't been the most active user here, but it is no exaggeration to say that without Bike Pittsburgh, I would never have gone from someone who occasionally did some biking on the weekend for exercise to someone who bikes to work downtown three days a week. Bike Pgh + its forum is a great resource, and Pittsburgh's bike community is lucky to have it.
As for people who bike in from 10 miles out...well, that might be me, soon, depending on where I live. Downtown/midtown Detroit looks decent, but I have a 3-year-old to take care of, and the more 'child friendly' places to live appear to be the suburbs like Ferndale, Royal Oak, or Grosse Pointe.
2015-11-29 15:24:28
I took bicycle vacation to the west side of Michigan this past summer. Parked the car at the Traverse City Airport and biked from there. I highly recommend taking a road trip to cycle around Torch Lake. Take some time and hit Charlevoix and the trail system around the area. Unbelievably friendly people. I'd stop for directions and people would offer to fill my water bottles (w/o me asking). This was a very helpful website: http://www.michigantrails.org/. Good luck to you!
2015-11-30 09:57:08
This just in:
NBC's upbeat look at Detroit bike culture
http://www.metrotimes.com/Blogs/archives/2015/12/02/nbcs-upbeat-look-at-detroit-bike-culture
2015-12-02 22:42:31
@marko82 - yes, that is kind of the vibe I've been getting after talking to some people online and doing some research. It looks like Detroit is heading in Pittsburgh's direction, but it isn't quite there yet.
IMHO, they need a true grassroots advocacy organization to push things forward. Like, gosh, I don't know, Bike Pittsburgh maybe? :-)
2015-12-07 09:08:13
@durishange - thanks, that's a good resource.
I also found this -- apparently Michigan just put together two trails for hiking and biking from Detroit all the way to the Wisconsin border in the Upper Peninsula. Cool! http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10365_16839_71459---,00.html
2015-12-07 09:12:10