A Bicycle Built for 2 (Million)

The triumphant rise of cycling in central Ohio

Even in the cold of winter, residents in and around Columbus are sure to notice a lot more bodies on bikes than there were even a few years ago.

There are any number of reasons for the uptick: an increase in advocacy groups, a concerted effort to maintain local waterways, a dedicated initiative from Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, a huge emphasis on the cancer-fighting goals of Pelotonia. But whatever the catalyst, cycling is on the rise in Columbus, and it doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.

Rising Popularity

One major driver – no pun intended – of changes in attitudes toward cycling has been advocacy group Yay Bikes!.

Since the group, which has developed a slate of programs to offer opportunities and education to the public, was formed in 2009, its surveys have seen higher and higher numbers of people looking for ways to increase their time on the bike. These are people who want to ride more often, or take bike trips rather than car trips, but haven’t quite figured out how.

“We could work for a very long time just engaging that audience of people,” says group Executive Director Catherine Girves.

Some of the folks who’ve gotten into cycling lately have had environmental concerns, Girves says. Others find it more convenient for their lifestyle as they move to areas with greater density. Still others see it as a time-saver; it’s faster than walking or public transit, and when traffic is bad, it can even be faster than driving.

“OSU football games are a perfect example,” says Girves.

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission – which has focused on cycling and other trail usage through Central Ohio Greenways, its trail advocacy group – has seen noticeable growth in cycling numbers through its biannual bike and pedestrian counts.

“We’ve seen through those that there is definitely a consistent, steady – if not huge – increase in the number of people biking,” says Amelia Costanzo, principal planner for MORPC.

Health

That cycling is good exercise is by no means a new development.

But the activity’s health benefits have contributed to its local growth. Making physical activity part of a regular routine makes the habit more likely to stick, says Girves.

“It doesn’t have to be your work trip,” Girves says. “It can be any trip you take every day,” such as to the coffee shop.

Though they started with the goal of raising money for Pelotonia, many members of New Albany-based cycling group Girls with Gears have their own personal goals, says group co-chairwoman Mary Beth Cowardin. Those goals are often related to health – be it physical fitness, weight loss or even stress relief. Some members have even started participating in other charity rides, while others have gotten into triathlons.

Many municipalities – not just Columbus – have been making stronger efforts to promote fitness through public outreach and programming, says Costanzo, and cycling is an easy activity to promote.

Events

Having something to work toward is a big factor that can keep someone coming back to the bike paths, and there are plenty of such opportunities in and around Columbus.

Of course, one of the best-known mass rides is Pelotonia, the annual race that raises massive sums of money for The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

“The reason we chose a bike ride is because we’d seen other rides around the country have success with this model,” says Jillian Blaine, director of marketing and communications for Pelotonia. “Bikes are accessible to most people, and you don’t have to be an athlete to participate in Pelotonia. We want cancer advocates that believe in our mission to end cancer.”

Over the seven years the race has been in existence, organizers have seen participation from huge fundraising groups, small collectives of friends and neighbors and – in some cases – groups that started out small, with the minimum five members, and have now grown their membership levels to the 20s or 30s.

One such group is Girls with Gears, which certainly welcomed the challenge.

“A group of ladies who saw the first year of that event … thought, ‘That’s pretty cool, I had no idea how to ride a bike, but I want to,’” says Cowardin.

Connections

One factor increasing inclination toward bike trips: greater connectivity between bike routes.

Additional trails were the No. 1 accommodation requested by Columbus residents when the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department put together its master plan in 2014. The department – in conjunction with the Department of Public Service, which oversees bike lanes and sharrows on roads – has made connectivity a top priority.

“I think that really speaks to Mayor Coleman’s passion for making Columbus and central Ohio a bicycle-friendly community,” says Brandi Braun, communications and development officer for Recreation and Parks.

There are 120 miles of trails in Columbus, including regional trails.

“We’ve had a big focus on regional trails – the major trails like the Olentangy and Scioto Creek trails – (and) now we’re working to make sure communities in Columbus have the opportunity to access those regional trails,” Braun says.

Because trails follow major waterways and most of central Ohio’s waterways run north-south, east-west connectors are paramount to access-increasing efforts. Columbus is working on seven such connectors, Braun says, and MORPC’s Greenways board has a working team dedicated to forging them and getting cyclists to trails without having to hop in the car first.

Transit

With greater access to paths and bike lanes, central Ohio’s quotient of cyclists has been boosted by people biking to and from work – people who may have only recently become able to do so.

One key tool for bike commuters is CoGo Bike Share, which launched in 2013. The system has 365 bikes available across 41 stations, which are scattered around downtown Columbus roughly from the University District to German Village.

Though some riders use CoGo for recreation, a sizable number use it for their regular commutes, or for workday trips – say, from a Downtown office to a Short North lunch.

“We’re really glad to see people aren’t scared to get on the bikes,” says Kristin Edwards, CoGo marketing specialist. “We even have a small few who commute during winter … so that’s great to see.”

The city is hoping to add four CoGo stations, for a total of 40 additional bikes, in 2016.

Those who use their own bikes for trips may be able to take advantage of the bike corrals set up at major events – again, think OSU football games – by Yay Bikes!. The group arranges about 30 corrals a year, though Girves says it gets requests for about 300.

“At ComFest, we park about 2,300 bikes in three days,” she says.

Cycling the Suburbs

Dublin has, in recent years, put forth initiatives to bolster bikers’ options, including its Dublin Bicycle Ambassadors program. Launched in 2012, the program recruited residents to traverse the city’s paths, offering directions, helping with helmet fitting, reporting maintenance issues and more. And that’s in addition to major efforts to connect bike paths within the city’s borders, making it possible for cyclists to travel anywhere.

New Albany, too, has developed a reputation for an extensive path network for cyclists – no coincidence in a city that consistently has one of the highest Pelotonia participation rates.

MORPC has noticed a number of central Ohio communities making it easier for residents to bike to regular destinations such as schools, restaurants and grocery stores.

“A lot of our communities around central Ohio are starting to develop in a more compact way … so there are shorter distances to where (residents) need to go,” says Costanzo.

Pelotonia Facts

-Route: As many as 180 miles, from Columbus to Gambier (and, for the most daring cyclists, back)

-2015 race had almost 8,000 participants across 277 teams and raised over $23 million

-Seven-year total is just north of $108 million

-Registration for 2016 begins Jan. 20

 “The Columbus community as a whole has really rallied behind this cause.” –Jillian Blaine, director of marketing and communications

Bike Helmet Facts

-Helmets reduce the risk of brain injury by 88 percent in the event of a crash

-Brain injuries from bike crashes range from mild concussions to permanent disability and even death

-In children, bike accidents are responsible for more traumatic brain injuries than any other cause

-Nine out of 10 bicycle accident deaths occur when the cyclist is not wearing a helmet

-Several local cities, including Columbus, have laws requiring helmets for cyclists under 18

-To maximize protection, a helmet should sit above the eyebrows, covering the entire forehead, and be secure enough that the chin strap doesn’t sag and hands cannot fit between the head and the inside of the helmet.

-Foam lining in helmets contracts when riders sweat, affecting fit and, ultimately, safety

Another Race

One of the oldest rides in town is the Tour de Grandview. The 22nd annual event is slated for June 17.

Though the race pulls in an international group of professional cyclists, the field always includes some locals. And it affects more than just those who participate: A street party draws huge crowds every year.

“The community of Grandview loves it,” says Marta Durban, senior recreation supervisor for the city of Grandview Heights and one of the event’s organizers. “They love the sporting aspect of it, they love the family aspect of it.”

Local Cycling Clubs

Licking County Bicycle Club: www.lickingcountybicycleclub.com

Westerville Bicycle Club: www.westervillebicycleclub.org

Ohio Randonneurs: www.ohiorandonneurs.org

Major Taylor Cycling Club: www.majortaylorcycling.org

Columbus Outdoor Pursuits: www.outdoor-pursuits.org

Girls with Gears: www.girlswithgears.org

Did You Know?

The Columbus Metro Bike Map, a full map of bike paths and routes in central Ohio, can be found on MORPC’s website, www.morpc.org.

The busiest multi-purpose trail in Ohio is the Olentangy Trail, which runs 18 miles from Worthington Hills to downtown Columbus. It had more than 1 million users in 2014, with some sections having more than 1,000 per day.

Yay Bikes! works to educate riders on more than just traffic laws. Another topic touched on: how to ride while dressed up for work, helping to put at ease would-be commuters’ fears of showing up at the office sweaty and sporting wicked helmet hair.

In 2016, Columbus hopes to build three east-west connectors linking neighborhoods to the Alum Creek Trail, open a Scioto Trail extension along Fifth Avenue to McKinley Avenue and finish the Camp Chase Trail on the city’s west side.

CoGo is operated by Motivate, which runs 11 bike shares across the country.

“(Motivate) knows that bike sharing is taking over and taking off, and they want to be part of all of the projects,” says Edwards.

One major accomplishment for Central Ohio Greenways is the recent completion of the Alum Creek Trail.

“There are no gaps in Alum Creek anymore, so you can ride all the way from Fairfield County to Delaware County, all the way to Knox County, and jump on the Ohio to Erie Trail,” says Amanda McEldowney, project manager for Central Ohio Greenways.

Safety is another big priority of Yay Bikes!. The group’s How We Roll campaign was designed, in part, to reduce cyclist injuries by educating cyclists and motorists alike. And the group has worked with public officials to improve road designs and make them more bike-friendly.

Users can buy $75 annual CoGo memberships or test it out with $6 24-hour passes. They are allowed unlimited trips within the designated time periods, but trips must be kept under 30 minutes to avoid additional fees.

Yay Bikes!’ Year of Yay! monthly ride series is another means to teach riders about their options. The 2016 rides will all begin at Easton Town Center, and each will show participants how to navigate the various trails and bike lanes in a different part of the surrounding area, as well as follow a set theme.

Garth Bishop is managing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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