Cycling in Detroit

Detroit is a popular city for cycling. It is flat with an extensive road network with a number of recreational and competitive opportunities and is, according to cycling advocate David Byrne, one of the top eight biking cities in the world. The city has invested in greenways and bike lanes and other bicycle-friendly infrastructure. Bike rental is available from the riverfront and tours of the city's architecture can be booked.
The city has a strong cycling heritage, and first embraced cycling during the "golden age" of the 1890s.
Detroit is an excellent city for cycling with flat terrain and an extensive but often virtually traffic free road network; according to David Byrne it is one of the top eight biking cities in the world. The city has invested in greenways and bike lanes and has a number of plans to further develop the cycling infrastructure.
The city of Detroit installed its first bike lanes along portions of Atwater Street as part of the Renaissance Center redesign of 2002/2003. The Atwater plans were never fully realized.
As of early 2012, there are over 43 miles of bike lanes in Detroit, including 6 miles on Belle Isle Park and about 20 miles throughout Southwest Detroit; there are also in-park shared-use paths at Rouge Park, Palmer Park, Patton Park and throughout the city parks in the Lafayette-Elmwood neighborhoods. The Dequindre Cut, a major greenway designed for cycling, links to the Detroit International Riverfront which also allows cycling along the waterfront. Portions of the Conner Creek Greenway on Detroit's east side are also completed.
Though still in the early planning stages, United States Bicycle Routes 25, 30, and 36 provide connection through Detroit.
The 'Detroit Non-Motorized Master Plan' calls for 400 miles of bike lanes primarily through road diets. The plan's implementation was started in summer 2009 with initial projects completed in 2010.
The Detroit Health and Wellness Promotion Department (DHWP) is leading the effort to educate the community and elected officials on the value of Complete streets. Groups are working to bring a Complete Streets ordinance before the Detroit City Council by summer 2012.
The Adventure Cycling Association together with Michigan Trails, Greenways Alliance and the Michigan Historic Trails Commission has developed a new 400-mile spur through Detroit to the existing 2,100-mile 'Underground Railroad Bicycle Route' which follows historic Underground Railroad sites from Mobile, Alabama to Owen Sound, Ontario in Canada. The tour map from Oberlin, Ohio to Marine City, Michigan via Detroit is completed. A shorter route just within Detroit has been developed and a brochure is planned.
The 'Detroit Greenway Network' is currently under development and would create a citywide network of greenways encompassing more than 70 miles of greenways and use additional miles of bike lanes (based on the City's non-motorized plan) for on-road connections. This Network would also provide connections to other neighboring and regional efforts.
Buses on the city's main transit systems, DDOT and SMART, are equipped with bike racks capable of holding two bicycles. Maximum tire width is limited to about 2.4 inches, so these racks cannot be used by semi-fat and fat bikes with inflated tires. The Detroit People Mover and QLINE allow bicycles to be brought onto their trains.
There is no current means for bicycling between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada across the Detroit River. The Ambassador Bridge was open to bicycles and pedestrians from its opening in 1929 but was closed in 2001. The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel does not allow bicycles either, though bicycles can be brought on Transit Windsor's Tunnel Bus.
The new Gordie Howe International Bridge, under construction with a projected 2025 opening, is being designed with a separated trail that will be open to bicyclists and pedestrians.
The Michigan Mountain Biking Association and Student Conservation Association developed a hiking/mountain bike trail in Rouge Park on Detroit's west side. This 3-mile trail is beginner to intermediate singletrack.
The Detroit Fitness Foundation built the Lexus Velodrome at Detroit's Tolan Park in 2017 which opened to the public in January 2018. The outdoor Dorais Velodrome is no longer suitable for track racing.
Detroit has a public bicycle sharing system called MoGo, which launched in May 2017. Prior to MoGo, there was Zagster bike sharing within the downtown area that was limited to employees of Quicken Loans and their affiliated companies.
The following three greenway projects would link the Detroit International Riverfront through Corktown and Mexican Town to connect to the River Rouge and from there up-river to the River Rouge Park and The Henry Ford.
Other proposals include:
Velocipedes preceded highwheeler and safety bicycles on Detroit's streets. Ben Fletcher rode the first velocipede in Detroit on December 18, 1868. Velocipedes were "in common use" by 1875.
The Detroit Bicycle Club was formed in 1879 when "only a few persons in Detroit rode." By 1890, the club merged with the Meteor Bicycle Club and the Star Bicycle Club to become the Detroit Wheelmen. The Unique Cycling Club (1894 to 1911) was the women's equivalent to the Wheelmen and often shared their clubhouse.
In 1891, the League of American Wheelmen held their annual meeting on Detroit's Belle Isle.
In 1896, the Detroit Wheelmen boasted 450 members and built a $40,000 clubhouse near Grand Circus Park. Famous Detroit Wheelmen include John F. Dodge, Horace E. Dodge, William E. Metzger, Truman H. Newberry, Horatio Earle, Tom Cooper (driver) and Edward N. Hines.
Also in 1896, Henry Ford bicycled behind as Charles Brady King drove the first gasoline automobile in Detroit. Ford drove his first car, called the Quadricycle, just 3 months later. His vehicle was built using various bicycle components, including four bicycle wheels.
Detroit's bicycle shop owners, manufacturers, racers, and enthusiasts became the city's automobile pioneers.
The Wolverine Sports Club (WSC) originated in 1937 as a touring and racing club. The club's headquarters became Mike Walden's Continental Bike Shop in Detroit, and followed the shop's moves ending up in Hazel Park. In 1949, a board of directors was established to guide the club philosophically. Other sports that were a part of the club at this time were: hockey, boxing, track and field, speedskating, and cross country skiing. In 1950 WSC merged with the Berkley Speedskating Club and grew considerably in size. In 1972, cross-country skiing was added as a major sport and the club assumed its current form and became known as the Wolverine Sports Club. WSC was voted the United States Cycling Federation Club of the Year in 1991. Up to that time 28% of all National medal winners came from WSC. In 1997 the WSC became a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.