Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments

THANKS to ALL who participated
in Bike Week 2006

Click here to view photos of
Bike to Work Day May 24, 2006

The Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments wants people to try bicycling to work or school. The agency is promoting Bike to Work Day - Wednesday, May 24.

"Our region has lots of bike paths, many signed bike routes, and hardly any hills at all," says Ed O'Reilly, chair of TMACOG's Pedestrian and Bikeways Committee. "And chances are, if you live and work in the Toledo area, your commute is only 18 minutes and less than 9 miles," he adds. "Many people could make that trip to and from work or school on a bicycle at least some of the time."

Why ride to work? There are lots of reasons. As gas prices rise, you could save plenty by riding even occasionally. By riding a bike, you reduce congestion on the roads and save wear and tear on your car. And it's good for you.

• A 15-minute bike ride to and from work five times a week burns the equivalent of 11 pounds of fat per year.
• A rough calculation suggests that new cyclists covering short distances can reduce their risk of death (mostly due to the reduction of heart disease) by as much as 22 percent.
• A four-mile round trip on a bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.

If you haven't had your bike out this season, do an inspection before Bike to Work Day. Terry Waltzer, a member of the Pedestrian and Bikeways Committee and owner of The Bike Route has a checklist:

• Make sure tires are properly inflated. See the side of the tire for correct pressure.
• Look for rust on the chain. Treat rust with bike chain lubricant.
• Check the brake blocks for wear and ensure that blocks contact squarely with the rim, not the tire.
• Adjust brake cables so brake levers don't touch the handlebars even during hard braking.
• Check for loose connections by lifting the bike a quarter-inch and gently dropping it. Listen for rattles. Tighten nuts and bolts.
• Inspect the frame for damage.
• Inspect tires for tears or broken spokes.
• Spin each wheel. A wobbly wheel can cause problem with brakes.
• Take a brief ride to check that the bike shifts and brakes properly.
• Get a professional's help with gear or frame problems.

Our region has several long bike paths connecting neighborhoods.These paths are separated from car and truck traffic and will take you through parks and wooded areas. Even if our region's bike paths won't connect your home to your place of work, you can map out a trip. Look at a county road map. Less heavily traveled neighborhood streets might parallel your normal driving route. If not, most major roads have a curb lane that is extra wide to accommodate bicycles. Over the years, storm drain grates throughout the region have been changed to a design that will not trap bike tires.

Still finding it a challenge to ride to work?
Ride your bike to a bus! On Bike to Work Week, May 22-26, TARTA is 25 cents for cyclists.
And every day, all TARTA buses are equipped with easy-to-use bike racks.

The best way to be safe on a bicycle is to follow all the rules of the road. A bicycle is considered a vehicle and subject to all the same laws as a car. Cyclists should ride with, not against, traffic, and obey all signs and traffic signals. Wear a helmet and signal your turns with hand signals. Maintain your bike's reflectors. A front headlight is required if you ride at night or within 30 minutes of sunset or sunrise. TMACOG wants to recognize those people who make the effort to Bike to Work. If you have a group of people willing to ride to a single place of school or work, call TMACOG and tell them howme many riders you have and how approximately how far each will ride. If your individual ride is over five miles, call and register that too. The biggest group and the longest commute will be recognized with certificates. Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments: 419.241-9155, ext. 125