The number and variety of bike rides in the city of Detroit continues to flourish. It seems there are more rides this month then there were all summer long just a handful of years ago. And this list doesn’t include the many fee-based tours offered by groups like the Wheelhouse Detroit.

Saturday, 9/10/2011 – Handlebars for the Homeless

This year the NSO Detroit 5K River run and walk includes a “non-competitive 13-15 mile bike tour” at 8am. This fundraising event is being led by Detroit tour veteran Tom Page and will include Belle Isle, Indian Village and the Heidelberg Project. You can register at the event. More details are on their web site.

Saturday, 9/12/2011 – Full Moon Bike Ride

Fender Bender is hosting this second annual ride that meets at 9pm and starts 30 minutes later. The ride begins in front of the abandoned trail station on Michigan Avenue at 14th. The Fender Bender web site has more information.

Saturday, 9/17/2011 – Celebration of Cycling

This PEAC hosted ride begin in Hines Park and offers a 12, 35, 50, or 100-mile route options. This event is a fundraiser for PEAC amazing programs that help the physically challenged gain greater mobility through bicycling. For more details, visit the PEAC web site. [Yeah, this ride isn’t in Detroit but it’s real close and for a great cause, so we included it.]

Sunday, 9/18/2011 – Tour de Ford

The?Henry Ford Emergency Departments is hosting a fundraiser bike ride for the?Tom Groth Patient Medical Needs Fund. There are 10, 35, and 70 mile options. A custom jersey is available as well. Visit the Tour de Ford web site for all the details.

Sunday, 9/18/2011 – Great Southwest Detroit Industrial Bicycle Tour II

This Detroit Synergy ride begins at 9am at the Rivard Plaza on the RiverWalk. It 18 miles and there is no charge. Here’s the intriguing ride description:

This isn’t your typical suburban ride through pretty neighborhoods with picket fences bordered by flower beds. Rather, this route takes us through much of the industrial underbelly of southwest Detroit. Poetically, residences are sprinkled throughout the heavy industry complexes. When I tested the route last year the imagery of “little houses on the prairie” kept popping into my head. I am confident that you, like me, will ride away from this tour with a new appreciation of the heavy industry that is an integral part of our area’s history and our shared culture.

Got questions? Contact Tom Page at pagete@gmail.com or 313-473-7118.

Sunday, 9/18/2011 – Back Alley Bikes Progressive Dinner

This is a fundraising event for the invaluable Back Alley Bikes program. According to a Detroit News article, “Scheduled for 3 p.m. Sept. 18, the 11-mile route will offer a five-course meal made by Suddenly Sauer, Organaman, Neighborhood Noodle and the Pie-Sci pizza guys at Woodbridge Pub.” REGISTRATION CLOSES SEPTEMBER 11th!

Friday, 9/23/2011 – New Center Bike Tour

This is presented by Bikes and Murder, but don’t be scared off by their name. This ride begins at 7pm.

Friday, 9/23/2011 – UDM Midnight Bike Tour

Yes, this is the 23rd annual University of Detroit-Mercy bike ride, which likely makes this the oldest bike ride tradition in the Motor City. ?This 25-mile casual ride begins at 8pm on the UDM campus and does a tour of the city. ?We agree with Alec Whitfield, assistant director of student life. “This is an excellent opportunity for new students to see Detroit and even native Detroiters to see our city from an entirely different perspective, at night.”

Saturday, 9/24/2011 – Tour de Troit

The 10th year of this ride will be the largest yet with 5,000 cyclists expected. Given the size, it’s more of a bike parade than just a bike ride. Some changes have been made in order to accommodate such a large group. This event raises funds that helped get those new bike lanes and bike routes added to Corktown and Mexicantown. Register at www.tour-de-troit.org

Friday, 9/30/2011 – Detroit Critical Mass

The group meets at 6:30pm at the corner of Trumbull and Warren. It starts at 7pm. There’s additional information on Facebook

Every Monday – Slow Roll to Slow Jams

This 2.5 hour ride meets at the Woodbridge Pub every Monday at 7pm and leaves 30 minutes later. Details are on their Facebook page.

This Saturday is PEAC’s Celebration of Cycling ride in Metro Detroit.

The Eighteenth Annual Celebration of Cycling Ride will be held on September 18th, 2010 starting at Warrendale Shelter in Hines Park. Routes range from a traffic-free 12-mile course to a challenging century ride. This ride is truly for everybody, including competitive cyclists and families.

PEAC is a great organization that not only helps cyclists with disabilities, they were instrumental in getting the Complete Streets legislation passed in Lansing.

From PEAC’s John Waterman:

Three youth with disabilities (Conor Waterman 9 , Katie Birchmeier 9, and James Kleimola 17) stood up for all cyclists in Michigan to help pass Complete Streets Legislation.

Conor, Katie and James wrote their own speeches and testified in front of the House Transportation Committee, Senate Transportation Committee and The Disability Caucus.  Their testimony and hard work was instrumental in the passage of Complete Streets and Senator Basham stated, “Conor, Katie, and James helped me make up my mind.”  After their presentation the Senate immediately moved it out of committee.

Now you can help these students by riding in the Celebration of Cycling Ride on September 18, 2010.  Join hundreds of people grabbing their bikes to help individuals with learn to ride.  If you cannot ride please sponsor a cyclist with disabilities for $20.00, so Everyone Can Ride.  Thank you for helping individuals with disabilities improve cycling for everyone.

John Waterman, the executive director of PEAC (Program to Educate All Cyclists) will be in Lansing this Wednesday to discuss how we can better support cyclists with disabilities in Michigan. He’s wanting to get as many people to the meeting as possible.

Here’s more information from John:

PEAC is excited to share with you that Senator John Gleason, the Chair of the Michigan Legislative Disability Caucus, has invited PEAC to address Michigan?s Representatives and Senators, Wednesday, June 23rd. The topic of the meeting will be cycling and persons with disabilities. From 12pm-1pm PEAC will educate the Caucus about its mission and programs, and advocate for greater state support for cycling for persons with disabilities. John Waterman, Executive Director of PEAC, as well as several children who have benefitted from PEAC?s programs, will address the Caucus.

This is a crucial opportunity for us to share with legislatures the importance of providing opportunities for people living with disabilities. If you are planning on attending please contact me by at jwaterman@bikeprogram.org at leave a message at 734-484-2758. The meeting will be in the Capital Building, ?Speakers Library? 2nd Floor, West Wing. We already have a couple of carpools started and would like to organize more, so we can pack the house.

One interesting note: getting more persons with disabilities on bikes can save taxpayer dollars. It’s very expensive providing paratransit options. If we can make it easier and possible for people to ride, they might be able to use the existing linehaul bus system. Reducing paratransit needs can save a significant amount of money.

House Bills 6151 and 6152 were introduced in the Michigan House recently. The first requires that anyone receiving state or federal road funding must have a Complete Streets policy. The second makes Complete Streets, non-motorized transportation, and traffic calming required components of every Michigan community’s planning efforts.

The Detroit Free Press reported:

For too long, supporters say, Michigan has emphasized automobiles at the expense of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, seniors and people with disabilities. They’re calling for the state to join a Complete Streets movement that takes into account non-motorized and other forms of transportation when streets are built or repaired.

The aim is to devote more planning and resources to improve sidewalks, add bike lanes and paths, upgrade transit stops and address other measures to serve people who don’t drive.

A secondary goal is to encourage more walking and biking.

From a non-motorized view point, this legislation would absolutely turn Michigan around, put us in lockstep with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, and make our streets much more welcoming to all cyclists.

Of course, bills change. It’s possible that these requirements could be weakened into suggestions and that would be a shame.

House Transportation Committee

Last Thursday, both bills were taken up by the House Transportation Committee before a standing room only crowd of supporters. The Michigan Complete Streets Coalition has excellent coverage on this initial hearing. Among those providing testimony, John Waterman from PEAC and his group stood out. Their message was Complete Streets provide greater independence for many of the physically challenged children and adults.

Two groups’ opposition were noted: the Road Commissions for Oakland County and Macomb County. That wasn’t a surprise.

What can you do? Please contact your State Representative and Senator to let them know you support Complete Streets and these bills. The Michigan Complete Streets web site makes this easy.

A second hearing is tentatively planned for June 10th.

Complete Streets Resolution

The Transportation Committee did unanimously report out House Resolution 187 (and its companion, House Concurrent Resolution 34.) These resolutions “…urge county and local road agencies with the construction or reconstruction of transportation facilities to act in accordance with Complete Streets, Context Sensitive Solutions, and Safe Routes to School principles.”

Here is the complete resolution:

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Bicycling means different things to different people: recreation, transportation, independence, fun, fitness, and much more.

And since was relatively easy for most of us to get into bicycling, we probably take that for granted.

But for some individuals with disabilities, getting into bicycling is not easy. And fortunately PEAC doesn’t take that for granted.

PEAC stands for the Programs to Educate All Cyclists. Their purpose is “to enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities by using cycling for transportation, integrated recreation, fitness, and therapy.”

PEAC helps individuals with cognitive, physical, and emotional disabilities reach their cycling goals… In addition, PEAC strives to integrate cyclists with disabilities into the mainstream cycling community by giving them the skills necessary to participate in tours, races, and bicycle club rides.

Last month I was fortunate to join PEAC for their weekly Thursday ride in Detroit. Photos from that ride are now on-line.

Our group rode from the Lenox Center on the Detroit river to Belle Isle via Jefferson Avenue. And although drivers were very courteous, it certainly would have helped had there been bike lanes.

The PEAC web site has more informtation for those interested in volunteering or making a donation. PEAC is a 501(c)3 non-profit, so donations are tax-deductible.

Let’s not taking cycling for everyone for granted.