Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

is a popular city for cycling. It is flat with an extensive road network with a number of recreational and competitive opportunities and is, according to cycling advocate David Byrne, one of the top eight biking cities in the world. The city has invested in greenways and bike lanes and other

bicycle-friendly Bicycle-friendly policies and practices help some people feel more comfortable about traveling by bicycle with other traffic. The level of bicycle-friendliness of an environment can be influenced by many factors including town planning and cyclin ...

infrastructure. Bike rental is available from the riverfront and tours of the city's

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

can be booked. The city has a strong cycling heritage, and first embraced cycling during the "golden age" of the 1890s.

Infrastructure

On-road Infrastructure

Detroit is an excellent city for cycling with flat terrain and an extensive but often virtually traffic free road network; according to David Byrne it is one of the top eight biking cities in the world. The city has invested in greenways and bike lanes and has a number of plans to further develop the cycling infrastructure. The city of Detroit installed its first bike lanes along portions of Atwater Street as part of the

Renaissance Center The Renaissance Center (also known as the GM Renaissance Center and nicknamed the RenCen) is a group of seven connected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Renaissance Center complex is on the Detroit International Riv ...

redesign of 2002/2003. The Atwater plans were never fully realized. As of early 2012, there are over 43 miles of bike lanes in Detroit, including 6 miles on

Belle Isle Park Belle Isle Park, known simply as Belle Isle (), is a island park in Detroit, Michigan, developed in the late 19th century. It consists of Belle Isle, an island in the Detroit River, as well as several surrounding islets. The U.S.-Canada border ...

and about 20 miles throughout Southwest Detroit; there are also in-park shared-use paths at Rouge Park, Palmer Park, Patton Park and throughout the city parks in the Lafayette-Elmwood neighborhoods. The

Dequindre Cut The Dequindre Cut is a below-grade pathway, formerly a Grand Trunk Western Railroad line,Dequindre Cut
from the ...

, a major greenway designed for cycling, links to the

Detroit International Riverfront The Detroit International Riverfront is a tourist attraction and landmark of Detroit, Michigan, extending from the Ambassador Bridge in the west to Belle Isle in the east, for a total of 5.5 miles (8.8 kilometers). The International Riverfront en ...

which also allows cycling along the waterfront. Portions of the Conner Creek Greenway on Detroit's east side are also completed. Though still in the early planning stages, United States Bicycle Routes 25, 30, and 36 provide connection through Detroit. The 'Detroit Non-Motorized Master Plan' calls for 400 miles of bike lanes primarily through

road diet A road diet, also called a lane reduction, road rechannelization, or road conversion is a technique in transportation planning whereby the number of travel lanes and/or effective width of the road is reduced in order to achieve systemic improveme ...

s. The plan's implementation was started in summer 2009 with initial projects completed in 2010. The Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion Department (DHWP) is leading the effort to educate the community and elected officials on the value of

Complete streets Complete streets is a transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities regardless of ...

. Groups are working to bring a Complete Streets ordinance before the

Detroit City Council The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The full-time council is required to meet every business day for at least 10 months of the year, with at least eight of these meetings occurring at a location ...

by summer 2012. The

Adventure Cycling Association Adventure Cycling Association is a nonprofit member organization focused on travel by bicycle (bicycle touring). Headquartered in Missoula, Montana, Adventure Cycling develops cycling routes, publishes maps, provides guided trips, and advocates ...

together with Michigan Trails, Greenways Alliance and the Michigan Historic Trails Commission has developed a new 400-mile spur through Detroit to the existing 2,100-mile 'Underground Railroad Bicycle Route' which follows historic

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

sites from Mobile, Alabama to

Owen Sound, Ontario Owen Sound ( 2021 Census population 21,612) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat of Grey County, it is located at the mouths of the Pottawatomi and Sydenham Rivers on an inlet of Georgian Bay. The primary tourist attractio ...

in Canada. The tour map from

Oberlin, Ohio Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, 31 miles southwest of Cleveland. Oberlin is the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students. The town is the birthplace of th ...

Marine City, Michigan Marine City is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the west bank of the St. Clair River, it is one of the cities in the River District north of Detroit and south of Lake Huron. In the late 19th century, it was a m ...

via Detroit is completed. A shorter route just within Detroit has been developed and a brochure is planned.

Trails and greenways

The 'Detroit Greenway Network' is currently under development and would create a citywide network of greenways encompassing more than 70 miles of greenways and use additional miles of bike lanes (based on the City's non-motorized plan) for on-road connections. This Network would also provide connections to other neighboring and regional efforts.

Bikes and transit

All Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) line haul buses are equipped with bike racks capable of holding two bicycles. Maximum tire width is limited to about 2.4 inches, so these racks cannot be used by semi-fat and fat bikes with inflated tires. Bike racks are installed on most Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) buses. The

Detroit People Mover The Detroit People Mover (DPM) is a elevated automated people mover system in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The system operates in a one-way loop on a single track encircling downtown Detroit, using Intermediate Capacity Transit System ...

allows bikes to be brought on board and stations are equipped with bicycle racks. As of October 31, 2017, the Windsor Transit Tunnel Bus allowed bicycles on their bus bike racks. There is no current means for bicycling between Detroit and

Windsor, Ontario Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the southe ...

, Canada across the Detroit River. The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel does not allow bicycles. The

Ambassador Bridge The Ambassador Bridge is a tolled international suspension bridge across the Detroit River that connects Detroit, Michigan, United States, with Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1929, it is the busiest international border crossing in North ...

was open to bicycles and pedestrians from its opening in 1929 but was closed in 2001. The new Gordie Howe International Bridge is being designed with a separated trail that will be open to bicyclists and pedestrians.

Recreational and competitive facilities

The Michigan Mountain Biking Association and Student Conservation Association developed a hiking/mountain bike trail in Rouge Park on Detroit's west side. This 3-mile trail is beginner to intermediate singletrack. The Detroit Fitness Foundation built the Lexus Velodrome at Detroit's Tolan Park in 2017 which opened to the public in January 2018. The outdoor Dorais Velodrome is no longer suitable for track racing.

Maps

*The

Michigan Department of Transportation The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is a constitutional government principal department of the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstat ...

publishe
a number of bike maps
for the state including th
Southeast Region Bike Map
for the region around Detroit. * SEMCOG publishes variou
walking and cycling maps
including th
Southeast Michigan Regional Map
for the region around Detroit. * OpenStreetMap offers
cycling map view
for the city and elsewhere. *

Google Maps Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets ( Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and rou ...

also offers
cycling map view
for the city and elsewhere. *The Detroit Greenways Coalition has an on-lin
Detroit Bike+Parking Map
which is the Google cycling map overlaid with bike parking locations.

Shops and rental

There are a growing number of bike shops in Detroit, including:
Wheelhouse Detroit
which also offers bike rentals and tours on the Riverfront, Hamtramck, and Eastern Market
Hub of Detroit
Cass Corridor
Bike Tech
* Livernois Bike Shop, located across from the

University of Detroit Mercy The University of Detroit Mercy is a private Roman Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 and is the largest Catholic univers ...

main campus
Metropolis
with locations in Corktown and West Village
Motorless City Bicycle Company
Eastern Market
Downtown Detroit Bike Shop
Cass Corridor
Detroit Bikes
Capitol Park
Shinola Flagship - Detroit
Cass Corridor Detroit has a public

bicycle sharing system A bicycle-sharing system, bike share program, public bicycle scheme, or public bike share (PBS) scheme, is a shared transport service where bicycles are available for shared use by individuals at low cost. The programmes themselves include bo ...

calle
MoGo Detroit
MoGo launched in May 2017 with 43 stations and 430 bikes. Prior to MoGo, there was Zagster bike sharing within the downtown area that was limited to employees of

Quicken Loans Rocket Mortgage, LLC (formerly known as Quicken Loans LLC) is a mortgage loan provider. It is headquartered in the One Campus Martius building in the financial district of Downtown Detroit, Michigan. In January 2018, the company became the la ...

and their affiliated companies.

Events and tours

Beat the Train
- 6 am Saturdays April through October at Fort Wayne.
Bike the Blizzard
- An annual 24 hour charity bike-a-thon on Sunday before MLK Day supportin
Back Alley Bikes
*'Bike the Bridge' - Cycle rides across the

. *Bike to Work Day - This annual Detroit Greenways Coalition event is part of the national

Bike-to-Work Day Bike to Work Day is an annual event that promotes the bicycle as an option for commuting to work (bicycle commuting). It is held in the Spring in a variety of locations including the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. Bike Week is the week t ...

effort.
Criterium Detroit City
- The inaugural race was July 9, 2010. *

Critical Mass In nuclear engineering, a critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. The critical mass of a fissionable material depends upon its nuclear properties (specifically, its nuclear fi ...

- the last Friday of each month. An estimated 375 people took part in June 2010. *Detroit Invitational Cyclocross (DICX) - The Inaugural event was December 4, 2010 presented by the Racing Greyhounds cycling club out of Livonia Michigan. The event was intended to thumb its nose at more pretentious races sanctioned by the UCI and includes unusual barriers (felled trees, piles of snow, hay bales, etc..) Heckling and hand-ups are encouraged. * Detroit Agricultural Network Tour - Guided bike tours that highlight Detroit's

urban agriculture Urban agriculture, urban farming, or urban gardening is the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around urban areas. It encompasses a complex and diverse mix of food production activities, including fisheries and fo ...

. *Fender Bender - A monthly

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...

bicycle education and training evening. *The 'Mad Anthony Cyclocross race' is held in the fall at Historic Fort Wayne. *

Ride of Silence The Ride of Silence is an annual multi-location, international bicycle ride to commemorate cyclists killed and support those injured while riding on public roads. It helps to raise awareness among motorists, the public and decision makers of the d ...

A slow-paced bicycle ride on the third Wednesday each May to honor cyclists killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. *Slow Roll - This is a large slow ride that occurs every Monday and can attract over a thousand cyclists. *Tour de Ford - A bicycle ride fundraiser for the

Henry Ford Health System Henry Ford Health (formerly the Henry Ford Health System) is an integrated, not-for-profit health care organization in Metro Detroit. The corporate office is at One Ford Place, in Midtown Detroit, Michigan. Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, ...

*Tour de Troit - One of the largest bicycle tours in Michigan with over 7,000 cyclists participating in 2012. *Wolverine 200 - An annual endurance event held each spring on Belle Isle. This event has not been held since 2008.

Proposed developments

The following three greenway projects would link the

through Corktown and Mexican Town to connect to the River Rouge and from there up-river to the River Rouge Park and

The Henry Ford The Henry Ford (also known as the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village, and as the Edison Institute) is a history museum complex in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, United States. The museum collection contains ...

. *Corktown-Mexicantown Greenlink *Southwest Detroit Riverfront Greenway *Rouge Gateway Greenway Other proposals include: * Conner Creek Greenway (and Milbank), a nine-mile pathway along Conner and St. Jean from Eight Mile Road to the Maheras Gentry Park on the Detroit River. * Detroit Rivewalk * Fort Street Greenway. * Hamtramck Greenway, a 1.5-mile link to connect Downtown Hamtramck with the Dequindre Cut. * Lyndon Avenue Greenway, a 1.5-mile section of Lyndon Avenue. * Midtown Loop Greenway, a 2-mile greenway trail following Kirby Street, John R Street, Canfield Street, and Cass Avenue. * Southwest Detroit/Dearborn Greenway, paved pathways through Patton Park and around Lapeer park with an on-road signed bike route to connect the two.

Organizations and Clubs

Center for Creative Studies College for Creative Studies (CCS) is a private art school in Detroit, Michigan. It enrolls more than 1,400 students and focuses on arts education. The college is also active in offering art education to children through its Community Arts Part ...

Cycling club. *Detroit Greenways Coalition *Detroit Randonneurs http://detroitrandonneurs.org/ *Downriver Highriders *Eastside Riders Bike Club *Fender Bender Detroit - A women, queer, and trans* justice-based bike shop and mechanic training experience in the Cass Corridor *Grown Men on Bikes (G.M.O.B.) *m-bike - Bicycling advocacy site for Metro Detroit. *League of Michigan Bicyclists *Metro 313 Cyclones - a Major Taylor club *Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance (MTGA) *Michigan Mountain Biking Association *Morning Cranks *Sisters Cycling (Detroit) - Cycling club for women in the metro-Detroit area. *Taylor Cycling Association - resident riding club for city of Taylor MI 48180 https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183945/http://taylorcyclingassociation.bike/ * *

Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university in Detroit, Michigan. It is Michigan's third-largest university. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 350 programs to nearly 25,000 ...

Cycling Club * Wolverine Sports Club *Velvet Elvis Cycling Club

History

Velocipedes preceded highwheeler and safety bicycles on Detroit's streets. Ben Fletcher rode the first velocipede in Detroit on December 18, 1868. Velocipedes were "in common use" by 1875. The Detroit Bicycle Club was formed in 1879 when "only a few persons in Detroit rode." By 1890, the club merged with the Meteor Bicycle Club and the Star Bicycle Club to become the Detroit Wheelmen. The Unique Cycling Club (1894 to 1911) was the women's equivalent to the Wheelmen and often shared their clubhouse. In 1891, the

League of American Wheelmen The League of American Bicyclists (LAB), officially the League of American Wheelmen, is a membership organization that promotes cycling for fun, fitness and transportation through advocacy and education. A Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ...

held their annual meeting on Detroit's Belle Isle. In 1896, the Detroit Wheelmen boasted 450 members and built a $40,000 clubhouse near Grand Circus Park. Famous Detroit Wheelmen include John F. Dodge,

Horace E. Dodge Horace Elgin Dodge Sr. (May 17, 1868 – December 10, 1920) was an American automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge Brothers Company. Early years and business He was born in Niles, Michigan, on May 17, 1868.Burton, Clarence M. ...

William E. Metzger William Ernest Metzger (September 30, 1868 – April 11, 1933) was an automotive pioneer and salesman from Detroit. He opened one of the first automobile dealerships in the United States, and participated in the early development of a number of e ...

, Truman H. Newberry, Horatio Earle, Tom Cooper (driver) and Edward N. Hines. Also in 1896,

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, business magnate, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production. By creating the first automobile that ...

bicycled behind as

Charles Brady King Charles Brady King (February 2, 1868 – June 22, 1957) was an American engineer and entrepreneur remembered as an automotive pioneer, artist, etcher, musician, poet, architect, mystic, industrialist and inventor.Powell, pp. 6-9May, George S., '' ...

drove the first gasoline automobile in Detroit. Ford drove his first car, called the

Quadricycle Quadricycle refers to vehicles with four wheels. In 1896 Henry Ford named his first vehicle design the "Quadricycle". it ran on four bicycle wheels, with an engine driving the back wheels.Brinkley, David, ''Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His ...

, just 3 months later. His vehicle was built using various bicycle components, including four bicycle wheels. Detroit's bicycle shop owners, manufacturers, racers, and enthusiasts became the city's

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarde ...

pioneers.

Wolverine Sports Club

The Wolverine Sports Club (WSC) originated in 1937 as a touring and racing club.Oakland County Planning. ''Bike Route'', 1975, page 28. The club's headquarters became Mike Walden's Continental Bike Shop in Detroit, and followed the shop's moves ending up in

Hazel Park Hazel Park is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As a part of Metro Detroit, the city shares its southern border with the city of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 16,422. Hazel Park was incorporated as a c ...

. In 1949, a board of directors was established to guide the club philosophically. Other sports that were a part of the club at this time were: hockey, boxing, track and field, speedskating, and cross country skiing. In 1950 WSC merged with the Berkley Speedskating Club and grew considerably in size. In 1972, cross-country skiing was added as a major sport and the club assumed its current form and became known as the Wolverine Sports Club. WSC was voted the United States Cycling Federation Club of the Year in 1991. Up to that time 28% of all National medal winners came from WSC. In 1997 the WSC became a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.

References

External links

City of DetroitDetroit Complete StreetsDetroit Bikes!
A project of Detroit Synergy
Tour de Hood
A personal blog about touring the City and memoralizing some of its weirdness
Rickshaw Detroit LLC
A Detroit pedicab service
MiRideShare
Michigan site to find cycling partners for commuters
Detroit je taime blog
A video of the Grown Men On Bikes, biking in Detroit. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cycling In Detroit Sports in Detroit Transportation in Detroit