Volume 4, No. 3
Dogdays, 1998
Newsletter of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.![[BFW Logo]](/images/bfw1.gif)
Wisconsin BicyclistVolume 4, No. 3Dogdays, 1998Newsletter of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. | |
Here is Vol. 4, No. 2, of WisconsinBicyclist (Summertime, 1998).
by Robbie Webber, BFW Program Manager
All four of the new Wisconsin bike maps produced by BFW are nowavailable in bike shops throughout the Midwest or by phone ormail. For the first time, bicyclists have the freedom to plan safetouring routes of their own choosing from start to finish.
The first map of the set, South-Central/Lake Michigan, was out earlierthis year. The three others, just released, are the Mississippi River,Central and Northern Wisconsin regions.
The new maps divide the state into eight large, detailedsections. Each section covers one side of four sheets of heavy matte26-by-36 inch paper that folds up. The scale is one inch for threemiles on all but the northern map, which is one inch for every fourmiles.
These are biking suitability maps, not just route maps. Brand new isthe inclusion of every state and county highway, color-coded fortraffic volume and road width. Every town road is represented andnamed (though town roads are not rated for suitability).
Urban escape routes are indicated for safe and easy entry into andexit from larger cities. Sponsoring bike shops are indicated with anicon, and their addresses and phone numbers are listed. State touringand mountain bike trails are shown, along with contacts for furtherinformation. Beware: Topographic info is not included!
The old Wisconsin bike maps did not show most roads, only selectedroutes; and town roads that were included often were not named.
The new maps are invaluable tools for planning a long trip, a shortjaunt around a friend's cabin, or a trip to a favorite communityfestival. Additionally, they will be a great resource for planners,tourism officials and citizen advocates. They highlight roads with thebest biking conditions, while helping to identify areas forimprovement.
Maps can be purchased individually for $3.95 or as a set for$12.95. BFW members get a discount; use the insert in this WisconsinBicyclist.
To place a credit card order call 1-800-362-4537. Retailers orderthrough the distributor, American Bike Trails 1-800-246-4627.
Robbie "World-Wide" Webber, geographer extra-ordinaire, is BFW's veryown map coordinator.
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| Northwoods Exploration |
by Ron Bergin
The Chequamegon area in northwest Wisconsin is rapidly becoming themountain biking Mecca of the Midwest.
Hundreds of miles of excellent off-road trails there satisfy appetitesof even the most avid mountain bikers. And thanks to the ChequamegonArea Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA), a user-friendly trail systemand coordinating maps have encouraged thousands of off-road cycliststo explore the territory.
The CAMBA Story
CAMBA's network extends from Delta south to Hayward and east toNamakagon, an area of about 1,600 square miles.
CAMBA resulted from the effort and vision of several local silentsports and other businesses, U.S. Department of Agriculture,U.S. Forest Service, Cable Area Chamber of Commerce and interestedcitizens. Their goal was to develop and promote an extensive web ofoff-road bike trails in and around Chequamegon National Forest.
The groups recognized that the region was an enormous resource that,despite the popularity and success of the Fat Tire Festival, was stillrelatively untapped as a mountain biking destination.
The CAMBA trails were developed from a pre-existing network of activeand ancient logging roads, ski trails, snowmobile trails, and forestroads on public forestland.
The "only" thing the organization had to do was identify trailssuitable to a wide range of riders, then map and mark them.
A Woodsy Jaunt
The sheer size of the Chequamegon area necessitates well-markedtrails. Unless one is quite familiar with the wilderness, or adept atnavigating by map and compass, he or she could easily get verylost. Even the most recent U.S. Geological Service topographic maps donot show all the roads.
The CAMBA system favorably compares to other popular mountain bikingdestinations in the country. While the area obviously does not havethe mountains of Colorado or Vermont, it has consistently good ridingover varied terrain and through a wide variety of forest types. Manyexperienced riders actually prefer the Chequamegon area because theydon't have to deal with riding at altitude, and they don't spend mostof the day riding uphill only to descend in a very short time.
Fat Tires & Fat Wallets
The mountain biking season runs from late April or early May throughNovember. It has been just the thing to fill in some of the slowerseasons, particularly spring and fall, in this tourism-based localeconomy.
A 1996 University of Wisconsin-Extension study estimated a $1.2million economic impact already from the CAMBA trails - this in anarea with total population less than 10,000.
Trails for Gonzo-Dudes and Families Alike
The CAMBA trails are of varied distances and designed to accommodateriders of all ability levels, including trails suited to easy touringand family-style outings.
Trails are organized into "clusters" and based in the six areacommunities of Cable, Delta, Drummond, Hayward, Namakagon, andSeeley. Each cluster has 30 to 75 miles of trail, for a total 300miles. Each cluster is on a different map showing at least twotrailheads.
A complete set of five cluster maps and one area map costs $5, plus$1.50 shipping and handling. Write to Chequamegon Area Mountain BikeAssociation, P.O. Box 141, Cable WI 54821 or call (800)533-7454. Check out CAMBA's web site at http://www.cable4fun.com/camba.
Ron is Executive Director of CAMBA. He wants to share his neckof da Nort'woods with you!
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| Getting paid to ride! |
by John Sharpe, Breakaway Bicycle Courier
Breakaway Bicycle Courier LLC is a brand new company forged of 4veteran couriers. We all have one thing in common; we love to ridebikes. What better way to earn a living than by doing something youlove to do? We started our own company because we felt our clients'needs weren't being met by other courier services.
People are often amazed to find out Milwaukee has bicyclecouriers. Most don't think Milwaukee is big enough or congested enoughto make a bike courier business feasible. And they wonder what we doin the winter. But weather has never presented much of a problem forus.
Congestion as Opportunity
The labyrinth of one way streets, construction and lack of parking ina downtown environment make cycling a quick and effective way todeliver packages. And there are other advantages over using a car ortruck. We don't have to pay for expensive vehicles or gas. Ourinsurance is a heck of a lot cheaper. We don't pollute the air. Wedon't clog roads with double parked vehicles. A bike courier is afaster form of delivery in a downtown area. The large number of oneway streets and traffic congestion caused by illegally parked deliverytrucks and cars gives bicycle couriers an awesome advantage in thedowntown area.
We can beat a car over a distance of a couple of miles in a downtownarea. While cars get stuck at traffic lights we can simply change ourdirection to go with the green light until we can merge withtraffic. In short the bike can take the fastest and/or the most directroute to save time.
We are fast. We can get across the downtown with a package in aboutseven minutes or less. But we only guarantee the half hour. Our otherservices are 45 minutes, one-hour, and two-hour services. It's allabout how fast the client needs it there.
Weather Beaters
Cold weather is not a problem either. We actually dress ratherlightly. We create our own heat as we exert ourselves whilepedaling. We just keep our heads covered and our hands and feet warmwith good gloves and shoes. Wet weather is our worst enemy. We haven'tfound waterproof boots made for cycling which are also walkable. We'vetried putting our feet into plastic bags, like mom used to do. But theplastic often breaks. Then our feet get wet anyway. If it's cold andrainy too, then we get wet and cold and then we feel miserable. But wehave to keep going. Other than the wet cold days we are usually warmenough.
Our only real limitation is the size or weight of a package. Eventhough we've invested in the largest courier bags possible, we stillcan only carry packages up to the size of a forty-pound archivebox. We'll even deliver odd and delicate things like cheese cakes orlarge unfoldable prints.
The Biz
We started with a few grand, bought the necessary equipment, like ourradios, drew a cool logo, and had brochures and delivery ticketsprinted. Then we handed the brochures out to hundreds of ad agencies,law firms, architects, and any place we thought might needcouriers. The response was intense. We already have about 50 clients,and we are doing 40% more business than projected at this point. We'restill looking to do a lot more.
We have a dispatcher, who operates the computer, phone and the baseunit radio. The clients call in their needs and the dispatcher entersit into the computer and then calls the run out to the couriers. Werotate the dispatcher from day to day so everyone gets their chance tosee the sun.
The most complicated parts were getting the insurance, and getting aworking computer program. Our next step, is to get paid. After thatwe'll get shirts with our logo so we're more visible, andrecognizable. Right now we're just "those crazy biker guys withradios." But soon we'll be those crazy Breakaway guys. Our goal is notnecessarily to be the biggest. Just the best. Info: 414-347-2373.
| Bicycling Education |
by Tom Huber, WISDOT Bike/Ped Coordinator
On September 30, 1998 in Stevens Point, WisDOT will be presenting thecompleted Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan. WisDOT and theBicycle Planning Committee have been working on the plan for over twoyears. Numerous public meetings have already been held and that inputhas gone into the development of the plan. This will be our wrap-uppublic hearing and one of your last opportunities to comment on theplan. The meeting will be held at the Portage County Library, 1001Main Street, Stevens Point from 7pm to 9pm. If you cannot attend themeeting, please feel free to contact me for a copy of the plan. Thesummary will be available on August 24, 1998. The full copy will beavailable on September 14, 1998. You can also check our web page(http://www.dot.state.wi.us/) for the summary. You have until October 16,1998 to comment. We are particularly interested in comments on thebest means of implementing the plan.
Governors Bicycle Coordinating Council and the City of La Crosse willagain be hosting the 3rd Governor's Bicycle Conference in La Crosse onOctober 11, 12, and 13, 1998.
WisDOT has sixty-five new Effective Cyclists thanks to the combinedefforts of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin and Wisconsin'sTransportation Demand Management program. Special thanks toinstructors Peter Flucke and Arthur Ross who did the training andhelped tailor a special version of the course for WisDOT. The courseswere held in six of the WisDOT district offices. The course was wellreceived by WisDOT participants (mostly planners and engineers) andhopefully will be brought back by popular demand in future years.
by Robbie Webber, Effective Cycling Instructor
I recently took the Effective Cycling - Road I course, anintroductory, nine-hour class designed to make bicyclists feel morecomfortable on the road with cars and other bicyclists. As with manyconverts, I have become an evangelist; I have been preaching the valueof this class to my biking buddies and colleagues. Many in my socialcircle already know about Effective Cycling or have taken it, butthose aren't the people who need it. And therein lies the problem.
Although Road I can benefit any cyclist, regardless of experience; itis designed to teach concepts of riding with traffic, lanepositioning, signaling, etc. so that we can ride safely andefficiently on public thoroughfares. In my class most participantsalready rode comfortably in traffic. I found myself wishing that Icould drag some of my friends and work colleagues into the class.
Have you said or has a friend or family member said:
"I would never attempt to ride on X Rd."
"Having those cars around me makes me very nervous."
"How can you ride out to that town? People drive fast on that road."
Now, I'm not suggesting riding on the interstate, or the main roadinto town during rush hour, but everyone can feel comfortable taking anice leisurely ride to a friend's house, out in the country, or overto your favorite restaurant. It is possible to share the road withcars. It will open many new activities to you and expand your ridingoptions. You may even find that you don't need to drive everywhere!
Am I preaching to the converted again? I hope not. Those reading thiswho are casual riders or even brand new bicyclists should considerthis class. You will feel the freedom that knowledge and a bike canprovide. If you already can ride everywhere- sign up a friend,spouse, parent, or colleague- you may just gain a new ridingpartner.
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by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member
Fall is one of the best times of the year to bicycle in our part ofthe country. The rust is off of your bicycle, you are in better shapethan you were in the Spring, its getting cooler and the colors willsoon be nothing short of fantastic. However, this is also the time ofyear when many of us start to get a little tired of doing the same oldroutes on our bikes and maybe we are even starting to think that falland winter won't really be too bad after all.
WAIT!!! Don't write off what could be your best riding yet and whatcould be a great step up towards enjoying bicycling even more nextyear. Instead enroll now in an Effective Cycling course near you. ECwill teach you new skills and give you a fresh perspective that willkeep you riding with new enthusiasm long into the season and maybeeven all year.
To find an EC course near you, call one of the 24 EC instructors orthe BFW office.
More Effective Cycling courses are being scheduled all the time. Ifyou would like to be notified about upcoming courses in your area orif you would like to sponsor a course please contact BFW at608-251-4456 or any of the instructors listed above.
by Bob Mack, Effective Cycling Instructor
Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles.
Effective Cycling is a series of courses designed to make bicyclistsof all ages and abilities more comfortable and safer while ridingtheir bicycle in a variety of traffic conditions. Created by JohnForester and the League of American Bicyclists, Effective Cycling hasbeen helping bicyclists ride safely for over 20 years. EffectiveCycling is the only bicycle education program taught by certifiedinstructors and is endorsed by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin andthe Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Road 1 is an nine hour course covering the principles of vehicularcycling, bicycle selection and fit, basic bike handling skills,traffic rules and responsibilities as well as minor maintenance. The$35.00 fee includes all materials. Road 1 courses are appropriate forall bicyclists 14 and older.
Road 1 Courses: September 15,16 & 17, 6 to 9 p.m., Milwaukee,Wisconsin Instructor: Bob Mack; Cost: $35; To Register: Call BobMack at 243-9700 or send your check to: Bob Mack, 12838 North ColonyDrive Mequon, WI 53097. Bob Mack. Bob Mack. Bob Mack.
by Jeff Polenske
The City of Milwaukee is implementing numerous bicycle-relatedprojects this summer.
To begin with, the city's Bike Route Guide is now available. The routeguide identifies new and existing City of Milwaukee bike routes aswell as the Milwaukee County Oak Leaf Trail. The City's new bikeroutes will be signed during the next year.
The route guide will also serve as the City's main advertising sourcefor its new Bicycle Locker Program. The City has purchased andinstalled 13 bike lockers in the downtown area, with five more plannedfor installation early this summer. Each locker has two separatecompartments, providing a complete enclosure for storing abicycle. Lockers are available for $40 annually or $25 from April 1 toOctober 31. Bike lockers are available for use through the City ofMilwaukee's Permit Center on the 10th floor of the Municipal Building,841 N. Broadway, (414)286-3312.
A bicycle rack assistance program is being developed through afederally funded grant. The program is intended to make bicycle racksavailable to businesses throughout the city of Milwaukee in an effortto encourage employees and customers to use bicycles as a mode oftransportation. Upon request, from a local business or businessdistrict, bicycle racks will be purchased and provided by thecity. Info: Jeff Polenske at (414)286-3144.
| Around the State |
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| Site of proposed Blackhawk Commuter Path |
by Scott Rose
Blackhawk Bicycle Commuter Path- Almost ten years ago, DaneCounty sought and obtained funding to build a half-mile bicycle pathwith federal "High Hazard Elimination" funds inside a stretch ofrailroad right-of-way just north of and parallel to a busy section ofUniversity Avenue. Dozens of bicycle/automobile accidents, most withinjuries, had been recorded along University Avenue, and it was atextbook case for construction of a segregated facility.
By late 1990 the city of Madison was reporting in its plans forbicycle projects that it expected construction to start, and theproject completed, by late 1991. But now, in 1998, not a spade ofearth has been turned on the project, WisDOT is threatening to let theproject funding die, and Madison cyclists are livid. What went wrong?
Most of the proposed path is in the village of Shorewood Hills. Backin 1990 the Village expressed its desire to see the path sited southof the tracks, driven by the desire of the Blackhawk Country Club topreserve the illegal encroachment of its golf course onto portions ofthe north side of the right-of-way. Much discussion followed, witheventual agreement of all parties that challenges to the constructionof a safe south side path made it impractical.
Then, ownership of the rail corridor changed hands, and the projectwas put on hold for several years.
By 1994, the state held effective ownership of the corridor, and itseemed as if all the obstacles to path construction had beenremoved. But the Village sought, with the acquiescence of the otherparties, the opportunity to try to design a safe and compliant southside path. By the second half of 1998, though, they still hadn'tproposed a design, and WisDOT threatened to pull the plug. Thatattracted the attention of the media, the cities of Madison andMiddleton, and, of course, the bicycling community.
The Village is now scurrying to assure all parties that they are"committed to the construction of a path." But at a June meeting thatfilled the Village Hall to the brim with lawyers, politicians,engineers, Village residents, and bicycle transportation advocates,they were telling anybody that would listen that a south side path is"safer," when the facts simply don't support the position that a southside path offers anything other than "further from the Village."
Bottom line: to this day, no design has been submitted, no path hasbeen built, and the carnage continues. More information:http://danenet.wicip.org/bcp/blackhawk.html
Southwest Bicycle and Pedestrian Commuter Path- Recently, WisconsinSouthern Railroad and the South Central Rail Transit Commission(formerly the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad line) abandoned its railservice from Madison to Freeport, Illinois. The Wisconsin portion ofthe railroad right-of-way is owned by the state of Wisconsin, whichhas expressed its intention to preserve the corridor fortransportation uses. To the delight of Madison bicycle commuters,recreational cyclists, and pedestrians, plans are now underway tobuild a multi-use path dubbed the Southwest Bicycle and PedestrianCommuter Path. That's a far cry from a proposal from the 1950s tobuild a four-lane expressway there.
The Madison portion of the corridor runs from Camp Randall on theUniversity of Wisconsin campus southwest to the city limits. The Cityof Madison is forging ahead expeditiously to plan for a two-mile,asphalt path. Construction of this portion could start as early as2000, while other sections will probably lag by a few years. Aseparate project, already underway, is constructing an overpass of theWest Beltline Highway at Hammersley Road (near Midvale Blvd.). Coupledwith the existing grade-separated (abandoned) railroad crossing ofVerona Road, the path will provide an excellent escape route from thesouthwest corner of the city.
Two regional committees are now studying the path design. There is adizzying array of conflicting interests at stake: dog walkers,skiiers, roller-bladers, recreational and commuting bicyclists, andowners of adjacent property, many of whom would be happy to see thecorridor remain precisely as it is. Among the most contentious issuesare lighting, surface material, and width. Other issues are winterplowing and landscaping. All the stake-holders are represented on thecommittees.
Bicycle commuter and neighborhood resident Joseph King sits on thesubcommittee that studies the eastern section of the path. He has madea variety of documents about the path - including a draft of a jointreport - available on the web athttp://danenet.wicip.org/bcp/swpath.html. Input, comments, andencouragement can be sent to the committee via email atswp@gcg.com. You can also write the committee c/o Cristy Bachman, CityEngineering, room 115, 210 Martin Luther King, Blvd., Madison, WI53709.
Scott is the editor of Bicycle Transportation Alliance of DaneCounty's Bicycling Community Page which can be found in the bowels ofcyberia at http://danenet.wicip.org/bcp.
by Chris Kegel, BFW Board Member
The goal of the Milwaukee Bike Commute Project (MBCP) is to expand thesport beyond weekend rides and encourage daily commutes to work. I'mvery excited about our bike-to-work efforts.
Many employees want to bike to work, and I have been able to convincebusiness leaders to provide cycling-to-work programs.
My strategy is fourfold: First, reach large numbers of people throughprint. The Sunday Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel and Silent Sportsmagazine have covered our Bike-to-Work project extensively.
Second, conduct direct educational programs. We conducted bike-to-workseminars in May at the G.Y.M. (Get Yourself Moving) event in the MECCAConvention Center. Athletes from all sports were in attendance. The20x10 booth showcased the many different ways to bike to work, and ourdisplay included fully outfitted bikes with a cycle computer so riderscould get a realistic feel for distances.
Third, develop relationships with companies. We networked throughoutthe Milwaukee metropolitan area. I also met with city and countyofficials including Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist, county supervisorsand park officials.
Finally, build grassroots support. I am actively encouraging ridersto tell their employers that they are interested in a bike-to-workprogram. MBCP is following up by assisting corporate participantswanting to improve their programs and by helping other organizationsget started. If you know of businesses looking to developbike-to-work programs, or if you would like to share ideas regardingMBCP, call me at (414) 427-8100.
Chris Kegel, a longtime bike advocate, is president of Wheel &Sprocket bike shops.
by Dan Herber, BFW Board Member
La Crosse Associate City Planner and Bike Fed Board Member TracyZafian has left La Crosse. Her pro-bike, pro-pedestrian andpro-sustainable approach to planning will be greatly missed. Tracy hasbeen accepted to a master's program in traffic engineering atMIT. Among her many duties, Tracy served as the bicycle and pedestriancoordinator for the city. During her tenure, she significantlyadvanced the cause of bicycle awareness in the professionalengineering and planning communities. La Crosse and the bicyclingadvocacy movement owes a great debt to her tireless efforts.
The State Enhancement grant committee ranked a number of La Crosseprojects very high for funding in the 1999-2001 funding cycle. LaCrosse's effort to link the La Crosse River and Great River statebicycle trails with downtown La Crosse was ranked very high and willbe funded in 1999. The project cost is estimated at $1.4 million witha local cost share of $280,000. Three other needed bicycle andpedestrian projects totalling over $1 million in improvements also ranked high and are likely to receive funding.
In October, La Crosse will host this year's annual Governor's State Bicycle Conference. The conference is slated for October 11-13 (Sunday through Tuesday). In conjunction with this event, the Spokesnfolks coalition will host the second annual Human Powered Vehicle Parade on Sunday, October 11th at 1:00 PM in Cameron Park in downtown La Crosse. Unicycles, bicycles, tricycles, quadricycles, trailers, floats, pedicabs, pedestrians, Santa and live music will grace this unique and growing parade and festival. Info: Dan Herber at (608)781-3699.
by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member
Green Bay - The proposed Fox River Trail is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Education and Recreation Committee of the Brown County Board of Supervisors voted July 30 to recommend to the full county board that they enter into an agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to manage the trail.
The full Brown County Board was scheduled to take up the management agreement in August (after Wisconsin Bicyclist went to press).
The proposed trail would be multi-use and would run along the east side of the Fox River almost 14 miles from the city of Green Bay south to the town of Greenleaf. It then would follow the soon-to-be-abandoned Wisconsin Central Railroad right-of-way, from which tracks have already been removed.
The trail is very important to bicyclists for both recreation and transportation. Currently, no other acceptable bicycle routes serve the area. The need for this trail was made even greater when no accommodations were made for bicyclists during the recent reconstruction of Riverside Drive, which runs parallel to the river.
For more information call Mike McFarlane, director of parks for Brown County (920) 448-4465 or Gary Hanson, district trails coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (920) 492-5823.
by Dean Paynter
Rock Trail Coalition, the biking and hiking trail advocacy group in Rock County, announces our first ever (first annual?) photo contest. We are looking for photos of or from established biking and hiking trails anywhere in Rock County.
For example: Pelishek Nature Trail, the Janesville City Trail System, Beloit City Trail System, Rock County Parks hiking trails, etc. Pictures might be of trail users, wildlife, wildflowers, whatever the trail means to you.
The contest ends Friday, October 30. Photos may be taken anytime before that date and may include photos you have already taken prior to the contest start date.
Photos should illustrate "What the trail means to me." Photos will be used for publications, newsletters, exhibits, and other promotional purposes.
The contest is open to members and non-members alike, as well as professional photographers and amateurs. Winners will be chosen by members of the Janesville Photo Club. Merchandise prizes will be awarded to winners.
Entries should be color prints, unmounted, and 4x6 or larger. Each entrant may submit up to six pictures. Entries should include: Your name and address; location where the photo was taken; an explanation, in 3 sentences or less, on why this picture represents "What the trail means to me."
The Fine Print: Photos are the property of Rock Trail Coalition to be used for promotional purposes at their discretion. Photos will not be returned. Copyright remains with the photographer. Mail entries to RTC Photo Contest, 2939 Afton Road, Janesville, 53545.
| Planning for Bicycles |
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| Madison's east side - artful bike rack from DeroRacks |
by Arthur Ross, BFW Board Member
Bicycle parking is an important facility need for bicyclists. Once we get to our destinations, we have to safely park and lock our bicycles while we are working, shopping, visiting, or playing there.
There are several things that make good bicycle parking facilities. Where it is located, how much space is provided for each bicycle as well as for access around the rack and bicycles, and racks that are easy to use with a variety of locks and accessories.
Location, Location, Location
People like to park as close to their destinations as possible, whether parking a car or a bike. Placing bicycle parking close to entrances ensures that the parking will be found and used by bicyclists. And it helps prevent theft. Bicycle parking should be in a high traffic area where bicycle thieves have little time to work unobserved. Bike racks located behind fences or shrubs, or out back by the dumpster, give bike thieves cover and time to steal bicycles.
The design of a bicycle parking area is based on bicycle dimensions. The critical dimensions are bicycle width and length, and space behind the bicycle needed to get in and out of each space. Bicycle handlebars are 15 - 18 inches wide for road bikes, 20 - 24 inches for mountain bikes and hybrids. Overall bicycle length is about 68 inches. Thus, a minimum bicycle space 2 feet wide and 6 feet long is a minimum specification. A five-foot access aisle is also required.
Design with the Bicyclist in Mind
Unfortunately, few manufacturers build racks to appropriate dimensions. Here are some tips to help you determine if a particular rack will serve bicyclists well:
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| Inverted U-racks at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison |
The Good
"Inverted U" racks are a simple design, aesthetically pleasing, and can fit into limited spaces. The inverted-U rack is designed to park two bicycles, facing in opposite directions, parallel to the rack. Racks in a parallel series need to be 4 feet apart to provide adequate access to each bicycle.
The major design concern with this type of rack is the length of the rack (the distance between the two verticals). Good inverted-U racks are a minimum of 30 inches long, with 36 inches preferred. At this length, two bicycles parked on opposite sides facing in opposite directions will not interfere with each other. Narrower inverted-U racks (18 - 24 inches) will generally be used for one bike, not two. A nice addition is a horizontal bar across the inverted-U about 18 inches off the ground. This provides additional stability, as well as added flexibility in locking a bicycle to the rack. Height of the rack can be of concern as well. An overall height of about 30-32" works well. A height of 36" or more can interfere with handlebars.
The "post and ring" rack is used in a similar fashion as inverted-U racks. The ring is typically 18 inches in diameter. The bottom of the ring should be about 12" off the ground. As with narrow inverted-U racks, this should be considered a one-bicycle rack.
The Ugly
The "fence" or "grid" style rack is one of the most commonly seen racks. These racks are unacceptable due to typically narrow spaces, 16 - 18 inches wide, and the fact that U-locks cannot be used effectively. Bicyclists will often use these racks by lifting the front wheel over the rack in order to use a U-lock. This can damage the bicycle frame and fork. Another common misuse of this rack is for a bicycle to be parked parallel to the rack, turning it into a one bike rack. This style of rack is also known for a tendency to bend wheels when a bicycle falls over.
The "wheel holder" is another common unacceptable rack type. This rack has many of the shortcomings of the fence style racks: typically narrow spacing and an inability to use U-locks. Some people will use this rack backwards in order to use a U-lock, but this will not work with some wider mountain bike tires, if the bicycle has fenders, or if the rack is located against a wall. This rack can also bend wheels.
"Wave" or "loop" racks are just pretty fence racks. Most have spaces 18 - 20 inches wide (verticals 9-10 inches apart). U-locks can be used for bicycles parked in the open top spaces, but not in the closed top spaces. Bicyclists can, and will, park parallel to this rack, as with the fence style rack.
"Pedestal" style racks support the bicycle below its center of gravity, making bicycles prone to falling over. Many of these allow the rack to be locked, but not the bicycle. They may have holes large enough to fit a U-lock through, but the bicycle wheel and frame often cannot be locked directly to the rack with the U-lock.
A list of bicycle manufacturers with racks that meet these design guidelines is available from the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin office. If you know of other manufacturers with racks that you like, please contact the BFW office for rack evaluation for possible inclusion in a list update.
As Madison's Ped/Bike Coordinator, Arthur is valiantly trying to install enough bike racks to keep pace with the explosion of bicycle use throughout Madtown.
by Dave Cieslewicz
A few days after graduating from high school in Milwaukee, two friends and I loaded our bikes onto an Amtrak train headed for La Crosse. When we got there, we rolled our clothes into our sleeping bags, lashed them under our bike seats and started peddling back home.
Over the next five days, I got to know the Wisconsin landscape better. Our first day out we got lost and darkness fell before we could find our campsite. The wind kicked up and lighting started in the distance. We got our tent up just as the storm hit. Trees swayed in the heavy wind above our tent.
The next morning dawned hot and sunny and we needed to make up for miles lost the previous day. We rode the entire length of the Elroy-Sparta Trail plus another 70 miles or so for good measure in blistering heat. The long, cold tunnels on the trail made us welcome the warmth at the other end. We went up (it seemed always up) the steep hills of the Coulee Region. We ended our second day, after dark yet again, gliding down into Devil's Lake State Park. It was as if we battled up every hill all day only to get one giant payoff at the finish line.
The third day, with a cooler breeze at our backs, we saw the State Capitol emerge on the horizon between Holsteins standing on a rolling field in western Dane County. We biked through the Madison isthmus and ate sandwiches on the shores of Lake Monona. We finished the trip from Madison to Milwaukee in two days of easy riding over flat town and county roads. After the torture of the steep southwest Wisconsin hills we appreciated what the glacier had done for us in Jefferson and Waukesha counties.
The first part of our trip made us take notice of and respect the rolling Wisconsin countryside. I never knew my state had hills like that. My thighs certainly didn't expect it. The long glide home over the glaciated southeast gave us time to think. The truth is that long bike rides are often best appreciated in the rear view mirror. The pain and the heat were forgotten and the beauty of the region we had left was fresh in our minds.
Part of the experience of biking in Wisconsin is getting a feel for that changing landscape: Cursing the same hill that gives you the ride of your life down the other side; getting in a zone as you glide along perfectly flat country roads in another region; stopping at the country taverns for a Pabst; and, with luck, for miles and miles not seeing a car or truck.
Unfortunately, we're witnessing land use and transportation policies at the state and local levels that don't respect the kinds of things bikers respect. There is a kind of development that gets done for the experience of driving through a place and a kind that gets done for the experience of biking or walking through it. The place designed for cars is designed to be experienced at 30 or 40 miles an hour. At that speed, surrounded by glass and steel, a lot of detail is unimportant. The place designed for bikers and pedestrians, on the other hand, needs to get the details right. Any biker knows the advantages of the right kind of storm sewer grate, for example.
Lighting, trees, sidewalks, plantings, porches and storefronts are just some of the things that get noticed and which make the experience of biking or walking around a community pleasant and interesting. These things are frills to road engineers and to too many state and local officials. But they are fundamental to people who bike and walk. A wider road moves more trucks and cars faster, but it works to the detriment of people on bike or on foot. And we are building wider roads at a blistering pace. Two billion dollars in road expansions are already approved by the state and the Department of Transportation would like to add over $6 billion more over the next two decades.
My organization, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, is in the business of creating awareness of how land use and development decisions effect how we live and how much we enjoy the communities we live in. Once that awareness is created we offer a public policy agenda to get more places built that aren't just safe to bike or walk in but that people will want to bike or walk in.
If you would like to learn more about us, you can visit our web site at http://www.link-here.com/friends or call us at (608)259-1000. It would be great to have more members of Wisconsin's active biking community as Friends members.
Dave Cieslewicz is the Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin.
by Amy Kinast
The western suburbs of Chicago exemplify what south-central Wisconsin bicyclists could face in a future of wall-to-wall sprawl.
This second installment on living and bicycling in northern Illinois will look at the third "D," DuPage County, in the heart of the western suburbs. I lived there from 1993 to 1996. The first article (Wisconsin Bicyclist, Vol. 4/No. 2) covered DeKalb County, Ill., a virtual bicycling backwater. I now live in Madison, in the heart of Dane County.
DuPage is in the midst of retrofitting its transportation system to accommodate bicyclists who want to commute to work or shopping, and not just embark on the two-wheeled equivalent of a Sunday stroll.
Precious Little Left
DuPage County has one-fourth the area of Dane County. But DuPage is also much more developed and densely populated. Its 30 villages and a few cities amount to five Madisons placed side-by-side.
By 1985, DuPage County was 88 percent built out; there are no working farms left. In comparison, Dane County is only about 14 percent developed, and agriculture still blankets the countryside.
Navigating Lexusland on a Trek
Each DuPage suburb usually has a little village shopping district and a commuter train station (with bike racks!). Unfortunately village borders are defined by toll roads- I-90, I-290, I-355, I-55. These toll roads can be crossed via underpasses- if you don't mind going a few miles out of the way. Imagine the havoc that 10-lane interstate toll roads running through Madison would wreak on pedestrians and bicyclists. (Hint: Like the Beltline, but worse.)
Besides the toll highways, the other obstacles to smooth bicycling in the 'burbs are: Gated communities, subdivisions without linking paths, hellishly busy rush hour traffic on four-lane roads without shoulders and commuter and freight train tracks. Oh, and attitudes.
Wealthy suburbanites live in mortal fear of being sued; and some see a guardian lawyer hovering over every cyclist's shoulder. At a village meeting I reported on in the tony village of Oak Brook, one angry homeowner who didn't want a federally funded bike path across her driveway declared, "Our taxes help pay for school buses, so there's no reason for riding bikes."
But the climate is changing. While suburban bike routes have historically led pedalers away from the high traffic areas where most of the jobs and services are located, now officials are getting serious about bicycling as a commute option. It makes sense because during the 1990's many high-tech and service jobs moved out of Chicago and into the suburbs, where the workforce already lived.
Dig in, Saddle Up
If proposals for new bikeways are implemented, and if population in DuPage doesn't grow (an unlikely scenario, but let's pretend!), the county is poised to become as bike-friendly as Madison within the next 20 years.
The county's 1995, 20-year bike plan takes already scheduled future road improvements and reworks them slightly to accommodate bicycles. William Heniff, senior planner with the DuPage Regional Planning Commission, calls the process "retrofitting." An example of what the county can achieve is the new $1.4 million bridge over I-355 along the Great Western Trail, a branch of the Illinois Prairie Path, which is a multi-use recreational trail.
Participation by villages and cities is just as crucial. Naperville, in the southwest corner of DuPage, is the third largest city in the state. Since 1995 the city has added 38 miles of trails and routes. Heniff said it's on the fast track and able to follow through with plans because officials there strategically linked bike path construction to the capital finance budget.
Plan for Bikes, Then Develop
Clearly, DuPage County has a lot of catching up to do. It would be a tragedy if DuPage became the de facto blueprint for 21st Century Dane County bike planning. Here in Wisconsin, let's incorporate bikeways into new development from the get-go!
(Thanks to the following people who supplied data: Bill Schaefer, transportation planner at Dane County Regional Planning Commission; Arthur Ross, Madison bike/ped coordinator and Bike Federation board member; William Heniff, senior planner with the DuPage County Regional Planning Commission.)
Amy, a freelance writer, loves zipping around town on her perfectly fitted Terry bike.
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| The Wisconsin Bicyclist |
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Wisconsin Bicyclist is published four times per year by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
| Executive Editor | Michael Barrett |
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| Contributors | Robbie Webber, Ron Bergin, John Sharpe, Tom Huber, Bob Mack, Peter Flucke, Jeff Polenske, Scott Rose, Chris Kegel, Dan Herber, Dean Paynter, Arthur Ross, Dave Cieslewicz, Amy Kinast |
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