Coming on the heels of National Bike Month, cycling is set to take center stage in Traverse City this summer with the launch of a new bike-share program for government employees, the construction of a new bicycling education center at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center, and several bike-centric festivals and events.

Bike Share Program
A Grand Traverse County wellness committee dedicated to encouraging employee health has launched a pilot program in partnership with cycling advocacy group Norte to create a bike-share system for government employees (pictured).

With assistance from Norte, the county purchased four specialized cruiser bikes at a discounted price from McLain Cycle and Fitness. All of the bikes are outfitted with racks, baskets, and locks. Two of the bikes will be parked at the Governmental Center, one at the county’s MSU Extension/Commission on Aging office on West Front Street, and one at the Civic Center. County employees can use the bikes at no charge during the work day to ride to meetings or exercise during breaks. Free helmets are also available for use at MSU Extension on a first-come, first-served basis.

The pilot program is set to run June 1 through September 1. If successful, the program could be expanded – potentially to offer more bikes, and/or to allow other groups, such as city employees, to access the bikes. Many residents in the community have also expressed hope that a public bike-share program will eventually come to Traverse City.

“I’ve always wondered if Traverse City is ready for a legit bike-share program,” says Norte Founder Ty Schmidt. “I think it ties in nicely with efforts by BATA (Bay Area Transportation Authority) and others to reduce cars in the core. I hope it’s successful…and that they get a lot of riders and less cars (in use).”

Wheelhouse at the Civic Center
The launch of a Norte cycling clubhouse in the Civic Center’s former police sector building in late 2016 has proven so successful the organization is now preparing to embark on a $25,000 project to transform the property’s former Northwest Michigan Fairgrounds building into a new headquarters.

The county has approved a three-year lease with Norte to use the building as an education and advocacy center called The Norte Wheelhouse. The facility will host a Traverse City Community Bike Shop offering tools, benches, and expertise to help residents repair and maintain their bikes; a Grand Traverse Kids’ Bike Library to offer bikes on loan for families who can’t afford them; El Barrio Bike Fix, a weekly summertime community bike fix; La Solucion, a bike mechanic apprenticeship program aimed at training high schoolers for jobs in bike shops; and the Civic Center Traffic Garden, a planned Safe Routes to School project that will allow kids to learn bike safety skills in a protected setting.

Norte has launched a community crowdfunding campaign to help cover renovations to the neglected Fairgrounds building, which needs extensive repairs including new windows, bay doors, interior and exterior paint, among other upgrades. The nonprofit has already raised nearly $4,400 toward its goal and hopes to complete the building renovations this summer. “The clubhouse was tiny and wasn’t sustainable for us,” says Schmidt. “But we love being at the Civic Center. The location is phenomenal. With the playground and the Y and baseball and all the social sports, it’s a vibrant place. I think with some love, (the Fairgrounds building) can be a cool community place.”

Bike Events
Several bike events aim to get riders out on area trails and roads this summer – both recreationally and competitively. Here are just a few of the key events on deck for the season.

R-A-B Bike Swap, June 2: The eighth annual Recycle-A-Bicycle Bike Swap will take place today (Saturday) from 9am to 2pm at the Old Town Parking Garage on Eighth Street. Gently used or outgrown bicycles and accessories – including bike trailers, hitches, bike racks, and frames/wheels – will be available for purchase. Twenty-five percent of the event proceeds benefit Recycle-A-Bicycle, a TART Trails nonprofit initiative that provides economically disadvantaged individuals in the Grand Traverse Region with refurbished bicycles for transportation.

Smart Commute Week, June 4-8: Smart Commute Week returns Monday with a full week of events promoting cycling, walking, taking the bus, and carpooling. Free daily breakfasts are hosted at various locations around town for smart commuters. Community members can also challenge each other in a friendly competition known as the Smart Commute Challenge, with top-performing individuals and teams earning prizes. To sign up for the Smart Commute Challenge and see a list of participating free breakfast locations, click here https://traversetrails.org/event/smart-commute-week-2018/.

TC Rides, Every Wednesday During The Summer: Billed as “Traverse City’s weekly, chit chatty, very short and very slow, summertime community bicycle ride,” TC Rides aims to raise awareness for riders on bikes through a communal five-mile ride through downtown Traverse City. Riders meet at F&M Park at 5:45pm every Wednesday and depart at 6pm, concluding at The Little Fleet for food and drinks. Special editions of TC Rides this summer include a Here:Say Storytelling ride June 13, a Pride Ride during Up North Pride Week on June 20, and a National Cherry Festival morning ride – featuring free cherry pie – July 2 at 9am.

Tour de TART, July 20: An estimated 600 participants are expected to take part in the 18th annual Tour de TART bicycle tour July 20, a 17-mile recreational ride from Traverse City’s Darrow Park to the Village Marina & Park in Suttons Bay. The evening ride features two food stops along the route, dinner at the Marina, local beer and wine, and a bus ride back to Traverse City (including bike transportation). Registration is $40 for riders 13 and up and $15 for riders 12 and under.

Cherry Roubaix, August 4: Several hundred riders – including a diverse mix of serious competitors and casual cyclists – come out for the Cherry Roubaix each year, tackling a choice of 20-mile, 40-mile, 60-mile, and 90-mile courses starting in downtown Traverse City and weaving extensively through Leelanau County. Individual and team medals are awarded in both women’s and men’s categories, and an event after-party is hosted at Suttons Bay’s Herman Park. Registration is $40 for the 20-mile route and $55 for all other categories.