Bike Riding for Recreation & Destination

While we never forget how to ride bicycles, it’s easy to forget why we ride them. Exercise is the primary reason more than 20 million Americans ride bicycles. Of course, a majority of those pedaling are kids, but bicycling should not be dismissed as a childhood pastime. Considering that a one-hour leisurely bike ride will help burn up to 530 calories – pedal more vigorously to burn almost twice as many – it’s no wonder 41 percent of people bicycling are doing it for the exercise.

But if it’s all about burning calories, wouldn’t a treadmill suffice? Cycling enthusiasts say it’s not just a way to stay in shape, but also recreational. Part of the recreational allure is spending quality time outdoors, not in the gym. It’s also a great way to network socially. Numerous cycle groups called "bike trains" often meet at restaurants, coffee shops and bars.

A small but growing population of Atlantans is rediscovering a more utilitarian purpose of bicycling: transportation.

A century after the rise of the automobile, our motor-driven culture tends to forget the old-fashioned bicycle was once a prevailing mode of transportation. It’s usually a bicyclist, weaving through 5 o'clock gridlock, who reminds us that bicycle commuting is not completely of a bygone era. According to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, .006 percent of some 470,000 Atlantans bike to work – that’s 2,800 people, a mere spoke in the wheel.

Eric Thomas, a history teacher and varsity soccer coach at The Paideia School, pedals 10 miles to work every day. As a former triathlete, it’s a way for him to take part in one of his favorite pastimes and stay in shape. He also reaps financial benefits: He pays less at the pump and limits unnecessary wear-and-tear on his car; he also qualifies for cash Commuter Rewards – up to $3 a day for those who qualify – furnished through Georgia’s Clean Air Campaign.

Stuck in First Gear

One reason so many people opt to live Intown is to avoid lengthy commutes. But what many Intown residents are discovering is that shortened commutes don’t exactly equate to less time in the car. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Atlanta is one of the most congested cities in the country. In fact, Atlanta is a semifinalist to receive $1.1. billion in federal funding to help fight its traffic problems. Who can blame Atlantans for having an affinity for cars: MARTA is only useful for those fortunate enough to live and work near the line, a 10-mile cab ride can cost as much as $30 dollars, and walking just takes too long.

Why aren’t more Atlantans commuting by bicycle? Bicycling Magazine rated Atlanta one of the three worst bicycling cities in America for consecutive years. Geographical and climate conditions, biker-friendly safety conditions and city projects (planned and completed) that promote bicycle commuting were all fundamental in their findings.

In a flat city like Amsterdam, you can spot a family of four toting groceries on a bicycle. Atlanta’s landscape doesn’t invite this sort of family affair. In fact, even the most ardent cyclist is challenged by Atlanta’s hilly landscape. The biggest upside to cycling in Atlanta has to be the weather. Seasons here are mild compared to most other major cities, but stifling heat can make even the shortest commute unbearable during the summer.

Given our reputation for being rude drivers – Atlanta is the number 12 worst road-raged city – pothole-plagued roads, and the volume of motorists aggressively positioning themselves to cut seconds off their commute, only intrepid souls brave the road on a bike. Moreover, Atlanta just doesn’t have the miles of bike lanes and paths that make a city like Portland so biker-friendly, and on-street cycling is too daunting a task for many.

The rivalry between drivers and bicyclists can get ugly. If a biker swerves off the road, it’s usually because a driver was too aggressive or not paying attention. Drivers become most enraged when a biker passes all traffic stopped at a traffic light and proceeds to run the red light. Both parties need to realize all traffic laws that apply to vehicles (with the exception of a few that only apply to motor vehicles) also apply to bicycles, hence the slogan, "Share the Road." When stuck behind a cyclist and more often a group of cyclists, frustrated drivers hastily ask, why don’t they ride on the sidewalk? Traffic laws prohibit bicycling on sidewalks because it presents hazards at driveways and cross streets. It’s also intrudes on pedestrians.

Atlantan Brian Tribble trains for mini-triathlons to stay in shape. Whenever possible, he rides on bike paths, but sometimes he’s forced to use the road. Tribble said, "The biggest safety concern bicyclists face is aggressive drivers who follow and pass too closely."

Pedalling Forward

The city is already addressing its reputation as an unfriendly cycling city. For one thing, the PATH Foundation and the City of Atlanta have already begun some 350 miles of on- and off-street bike paths, a project that will take place over the next 15 years. Many roads are being redesigned to allot more room for cyclists. The City of Atlanta’s Bicycle Parking Program has increased the number of bike racks in public places to 400. Those wishing to learn the safety of bicycle commuting can now take a nationally certified Effective Cycling course sponsored by The Atlanta Bicycle Campaign.

The proposed BeltLine and Peachtree Corridor should help relieve traffic woes, as each project promises to incorporate more bike paths.

Chastain Greenway Trail: While a majority of the 250 or so people who use this trail each hour are dog-walkers and joggers, cyclists will find a pleasant ride at the newly constructed 3.3-mile loop around Chastain Park. Shady creek-side resting points with swinging park benches and picnic tables highlight this beautifully landscaped greenway. Rows of street lamps provide ample lighting for those cruising near the hours of dusk and dawn. Visible and informative signs warn cyclists of steep inclines, drop-offs and curves.

Freedom Park: This 210-acre park encompasses six miles of PATH Foundation trails and provides access to the Atlanta/Stone Mountain Trail. Connecting several Intown neighborhoods, it’s one of Atlanta’s safest, yet functional, Intown bike routes. The vast rolling green park is decorated with fewer trees than, say, Piedmont Park, but the permanent sculpture collection, local color, and the spectacular urban skyline make up for those deciduous losses.

Piedmont Park: Inline skaters rule the roost here, but that doesn’t mean you can’t hop on the old one-speed for some old-fashioned people watching. Whether it’s a commuter-cyclist cutting through to take shelter from a road-raged automobilist, bikers of all skill levels will find their favorite route through Atlanta’s beloved 180-acre park. Bicycles are prohibited in certain parts of the park. Skate Escape near the park entrance on Piedmont Avenue offers bike rentals.

Trolley Trail: Hosea L. Williams Drive, primarily a residential street, makes up a great portion of the seven-mile PATH Foundation trail. The City of Atlanta has put this unusually wide street to good use by adding bike lanes on both sides of the road. The route passes many parks, including Coan Park. Make a pit stop at Arden’s Garden in Kirkwood before continuing on toward Agnes Scott College, Oakhurst Distric, and downtown Decatur.

Stone Mountain/Atlanta Trail: A majority of the PATH trail lies inside the Perimeter, stretching 17 miles from the MLK Jr. National Historic Center all the way to Stone Mountain Park. Fourteen miles of the trail are greenway, while the rest is on-street cycling. It winds through the City of Atlanta, Decatur, Avondale, and Clarkston before stopping at the big granite rock.

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