Bicycling
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With its wide streets, relatively low traffic volume, and flat terrain, Detroit is an excellent city to bike in for transportation or recreation. There are currently about 40 miles of bike lanes in the city, including 6 miles on Belle Isle and about 20 throughout Southwest Detroit and Corktown. Detroit's Non-Motorized Master Plan calls for the development of 400 miles of bike lanes total, with 100 slated to be installed by the end of 2013.
Cycling culture in the city is booming. Below is a growing list of local resources for cyclists of all levels of interest & experience. If you have questions, corrections, or suggestions for more content, please let us know at greengaragedetroit@gmail.com. The more people we hear from, the more comprehensive & inclusive this page will be. Thanks!
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Bike shops
- Biketech (18401 E. Warren Ave, East English Village)
- Bike sales (new from $350-$400, used/vintage from $100)
- Accessory sales
- Repairs
- Contact: (313) 884-BIKE
- Corktown Cycles
- Physical shop closed during current relocation
- In the meantime, Jordan (owner) will meet you at your place to fix your bike
- Has repair bike, and will meet you if you break down and perform repair on site
- Contact: (313) 638-0224
- Contact person: Jordan Baker
- G&R Bikes (21706 Grand River Ave, Redford)
- Bike sales (new & used from $150-$420)
- Accessory sales
- Repairs
- Contact: (313) 531-1146
- The Hub of Detroit (3611 Cass Ave, Cass Corridor)
- Bike sales (used, refurbished from around $70-$200)
- Accessory sales
- Repairs
- Variety of classes for youth and adults offered through parent organization Back Alley Bikes (see Organizations below)
- Contact: shop@thehubofdetroit.org, (313) 833-0813
- Livernois Bike Shop (16657 Livernois Avenue, University District)
- Bike sales (used/BMX, from $40 to $400)
- Repairs
- Contact: (313) 864-8734
- Third Avenue Hardware (3645 3rd Street, Cass Corridor)
- Bike sales (used/vintage from $80)
- Contact: (313) 832-7241
- Wheelhouse Detroit (1340 E. Atwater Street, on the Riverwalk)
- Bike sales (new from $350)
- Bike rentals
- Detroit bike tours, including self-guided tours
- Accessory sales
- Repairs
- Maintenance classes
- Contact: info@wheelhousedetroit.com, (313) 656-BIKE (2453)
- Contact person: Kelli Kavanaugh
Organizations/Community
- Back Alley Bikes
- Adult mechanics classes
- Youth earn-a-bike
- Kids ages 8-16 learn to build or repair (then get to keep) a bike
- Youth mechanics-in-training program
- Paid internship for youth ages 14-18
- Youth rides
- For youth ages 8-16
- Fender Bender
- Mechanic classes for women, transgender, and queer cyclists
- Organizing Bicycle Lending Library for 2012 Allied Media Conference
- Hot Spokes
- Carry-out lunch delivery service by bike ($3 delivery charge, M-F, 11 am-4 pm)
- Deliveries to New Center, Woodbridge, Cass Corridor, Downtown & Medical Center
- Participating restaurants: Avalon, Cass Cafe, Goodwells, Hot Taco, Louisiana Creole Gumbo, Shangri-La, PJs Lager House, Seva Detroit, Slows To Go, Town Pump Tavern
Events
- Beat the Train
- Moderately paced 30-35 mile ride with stops at several landmarks
- Takes place every Saturday morning April through October
- Departs 6:30 am from historic Fort Wayne
- Criterium Detroit City
- Short, multi-lap, closed circuit road cycling race downtown
- Organized in 2011, will return in early summer 2013
- Critical Mass
- Leisurely two hour ride (app. 13-20 miles)
- Takes place on the last Friday of every month
- Meet at Warren & Trumbull at 6:30 pm, ride starts at 7
- Detroit Bike City
- New, annual bike show & swap meet at Cobo Hall
- Monday Palmer Park Bike Rides
- Leisurely 10-12 mile ride
- Takes place every Monday, May through September, from 7:30 - 8:30 pm
- Meet at Palmer Park pool parking lot
- Tour De Troit
- Annual fall ride (attended by more than 4,400 people in 2011)
- Two options: leisurely 25 mile ride with police escort or metric century, a 62 mile ride without police escort for experienced cyclists
- Funds planning, development, administration and wayfinding for the Southwest Detroit Greenlink
Trails & Greenways
For detailed information about Detroit's numerous trails and greenways, visit this Wikipedia page
Rules & Regulations
- What Every Michigan Bicyclist must know guidebook
- Michigan biking laws from M-Bike.org
- League of American Bicyclists Rules of the Road
Media
- Detroit Bike City, a short documentary by Alex Gallegos
- Detroit Bikes, an ongoing series in Huffington Post Detroit about local cycling culture
- M-Bike.org, a frequently updated regional biking blog with regular Detroit coverage
