#ROCbyBike

“Ever since moving downtown in 2014, biking has blossomed from a suburban, canal-side hobby to my city-side pastime…Biking is always an adventure! Adventures and exploring are a few of my favorite things – cycling has become a perfect way to find places you may not look at via foot or car. It encaptures for me a sense of happiness, fun and freedom.”

(five posts Apr 8-20, 2022)

“Even if you are not a diehard, buffed athlete, you can ride your bike…and it’s a ton of fun! From riding around the neighborhood to driving my bike to a State Park to enjoy the silence and beauty of nature, the time spent consistently kickstarts my energy level, brings clarity of mind, and leaves me with a sense of rejuvenation.” – (five posts Jan 1-13, 2021)

“The number one perk of riding a bike in Rochester is being outside. We have some very gorgeous places to ride here in Monroe County! And often if you commute, you can hit any one of these parks or trails along the way.”

(six posts Nov 1-13, 2019)

“It wasn’t until living in Rochester and using the bikeshare system that I was reminded of the [childhood] freedom, flexibility, and joy that comes with cycling. It didn’t immediately click to me when I moved here that riding a bike could not only be a form of recreation, but also a mode of transportation…I started noticing people riding more.”

“For a city to truly start being a more equitable place, access to different modes of transportation play an incredibly large role – and that includes biking.”

(eight posts Jan 15-27, 2021)

“Rochester has made me the cyclist I am. The roads aren’t too wide or too busy. There are the river and canal trails that connect many excellent places to visit and ride. And the city just isn’t that big. You can get a lot of places in just about the same amount of time it takes to drive there.”

(six posts May 22 – Jun 5, 2020)

“During my journey I have seen the growth of more women of all backgrounds choosing recreational cycling when considering ways to get healthy. Physical activity helps to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes as well as maintaining weight, reduces high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and several forms of cancer.”

(four posts Mar 25 – Apr 8, 2020)

“Upon moving to Rochester in 1993 I rediscovered my [childhood] love of cycling…I noticed that the roads in this part of the state had much wider shoulders than in the Hudson Valley region where I grew up. I was looking for alternate modes of maintaining my fitness so I decided I would grab my old bike…I now ride my bike [downtown] to work.”

(five posts Nov 20 – Dec 2, 2020)

“Most days it takes the same amount of time or sometimes less time to navigate rush hour traffic by bike. I like biking to work because I get to see things in the city that I wouldn’t normally see if I just took the highway on my commute.”

(six posts Dec 13-26, 2019)

“I’ve seen parts of our city that I would have never experienced without a bicycle…As long as you’re outside and moving your body, YOU. CAN. DO. THIS. It doesn’t matter if you’re slow or can’t use gears or don’t know what a Presta valve is. This is a community who loves to help each other. The one thing you have to do is get out there.”

(seven posts Nov 6-18, 2020)

“The thing I love best about cycling is that it keeps taking me to beautiful places that otherwise I never would have seen…I’ve lived and bicycled in Rochester for almost 20 years, and the recent investments in bike infrastructure – while not perfect – have utterly transformed the experience of cycling for transportation, not to mention leisure and exercise.”

(seven posts Dec 18-30, 2020)

“Cycling has played a big part in my life and it will certainly play a big part in Rochester’s revival and beyond. I love this quote by Dr. K.K. Doty: ‘Cyclists see considerably more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens. A good bicycle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to.’”

(six posts May 8-20, 2020)

“I’m a parent living the dream of biking with my family as a means of transportation. For me, being on a bike with my kids is often where some of the best moments of our day happen, where I can connect in a very special way with my kids about the world around us.”

(six posts Feb 21-Mar 4, 2020)

“The most important part of my bike adventures is the people I have met and the friends I have made, above all else. From the Black Girls Do Bike gang…to the Wheel Women of Tryono to my weekend gang I met through WDKX, they are friends who are like family. When it’s cold and dark, and the hill is long and steep we lift each other up!”

(six posts Nov 26-Dec 8, 2021)

“In addition to the health benefits, I find cycling one of the most fun and rewarding things to do in life. It’s like being able to take a mini-vacation whenever I heat out. It gives me a chance to recharge, it gives me perspective.”

(five posts Dec 28, 2019 – Jan 8, 2020)

“Biking means the freedom to explore my current world. I got into biking for the great workout. It’s also an opportunity to enjoy nature and hang with friends…I ride my bike to work, musical performances, post office, the store, etc.”

(six posts Feb 26-Mar 10, 2021)

“Bicycling is a beautiful way for me to connect with my family…We end most days with a family bike ride either to a big empty parking lot or along the Genesee River path. We often end up with an ice cream from Hedonist, some time to lay in an open field, or with a dandelion bouquet.”

(seven posts Jun 6-29, 2020)

“I’ve heard others say, ‘Riding a bike makes me feel like a kid again.’ I wholeheartedly agree! I have made a lot of different friendships and connections through cycling. We have a lot of different terrain to explore.”

(five posts Nov 29-Dec 11, 2019)

“I am an avid cyclist who loves to explore all that the Rochester area has to offer. I live and ride in the city and find that biking is a great way to get to know your place in the world.”

(six posts Apr 10-21, 2020)

“…I still look forward to every bike ride, regardless of conditions. Even when I feel too tired, I know that if I go ‘too-tired’ I will still always feel better…I was diagnosed with ADD at the ripe young age of 51.” Research shows “that cycling is an excellent ‘medicine’ for the downsides of ADD…This research makes a ton of sense to me – when I ride, I feel my focus sharpen, my anxiety wane, and I find that my thoughts become positive.”

(six posts Mar 25 – Apr 5, 2022)

“There’s really nothing I enjoy more than riding my bike…[Biking] changes your perspective – literally and figuratively. You see things differently from your bike – you take a different route, catch things you would normally miss and you get to see places and meet people I know I wouldn’t normally get to…The Rochester area is a great place to live if you ride a bike.”

(five posts Jan 29-Feb 10, 2021)

“I started off cycling because of my family…As I got older, cycling created a way for me to meet other people…I have met a lot of great people due to my love of bikes and riding. The people I have met along the way in the cycling community are some of the best people I know.”

“Cycling is also special to me because my dad has had a Traumatic Brain Injury for the past 10 years and I haven’t been able to ride with him like I used to as a child. Cycling keeps me connected to his adventurous spirit and the way he moved about the world, with joy to be out riding, enjoying the fresh air.”

(seven posts Apr 11-May 7, 2021)

“Did you know that Rochester is a small but beautiful diamond in the cycling world? We’ve got a goldmine of a trail network in the Rochester / Monroe County region and beyond. The Finger Lakes Region is known to many as one of the finest regions in the entire country for cycling. The Genesee / Western New York Region [is] our 1st choice place to live.”

(seven posts Dec 31, 2021 – Jan 12, 2022)

“Both of my legs were amputated after a bus accident when I was 7 years old. My childhood dreams of riding a bike were realized later when I was introduced to handcycling. My friend Rebecca and I have handcycled a few 5Ks. I went on to handcycle the New York City Marathon. I have a wall covered with racing medals. That is a pretty cool achievement for a woman who, as a 7 year old, did not even have access to a bicycle.”

(six posts Nov 12-24, 2021)

“I rekindled my favorite childhood activity, bicycle riding, at the ripe [age] of 50! I wholeheartedly believe self-care is an extension of self-love, which is why engaging and having fun with physical activities that I enjoy is a top priority for me and a way of life.”

(five posts Jan 24-Feb 5, 2020)

“When I ask myself the question: what does biking mean to me? the first thought to mind was not a word but a feeling: FREEDOM…Inclusivity is the new face of the biking community…Together we can utilize biking as means to a positive end, starting in our own communities spreading its impact out across the world!”

(five posts Jan 14-26, 2022)

“Cycling has helped me come out of my shell, let loose, meet lifelong friends and explore Rochester. As an introvert, I need space and downtime to relax. However, group bike rides and subsequent hangs are the exception for me. Meeting the fine folks in the Rochester Bike Kids, a local cycling group, made cycling less intimidating.”

(four posts Apr 24 – May 7, 2020)

“There is a sense of peace I feel in riding. Not only is it refreshing, but it relieves stress and allows me to leave my troubles behind! I…enjoy riding on the trails!”

(seven posts Feb 11-23, 2022)

“Most of my miles come from cycling-as-transportation – just running everyday errands. I love the cost savings and the sustainability of this mode of travel.” Plus “cycling breaks down barriers like nothing I’ve ever seen. It has an uncanny power to bring people together.”

(seven posts Nov 15-27, 2019)

[While attending RIT], I would ride into the city to explore the trails and downtown…[Later] I moved into the City and started riding with the Rochester Bike Kids…There were no better tour guides than the rowdy delinquent friends I made in RBK. [Through them} I discovered the city’s oddities and delights…”

(six posts Mar 12-23, 2021)

“I like to explore trails on my folding bike. It’s one of my favorite ways to experience the outdoors…I love the feel of [a] single lane dirt path; it makes me feel like I’m flying through the woods! There are often beautiful flowers along the trail and I love experiencing the outdoors by bike.”

(four posts Feb 12-24, 2021)

“Biking has completely changed the way I see my community. I enjoy the many health benefits from riding. I feel great and it keeps me healthier.”

(five posts Mar 26-Apr 8, 2021)

“I bike for a number of reasons, but mainly because it’s the most enjoyable form of exercise I’ve found. I love being outside, I love seeing what there is to see, I love feeling my muscles doing their thing, and it simply makes my heart happy to be on my bike.”

(seven posts Jan 10-22, 2020)

“What does cycling mean to me? It is an opportunity to meet others on the path and ride with a purpose…I am a rider for life.”

(five posts Feb 25 – Mar 9, 2022)

“Not only did biking lead me to my husband, but it also brought many new friends into my life. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful area for biking. You’ll find an awesome and welcoming biking community in Rochester!”

(five posts Feb 7-19, 2020)

“I got into cycling because I was looking for something I could do to help get myself into shape. [I continue riding] because I like what happens when I ride. I do much of my best ‘writing’ while I’m riding. And I’ve seen so many beautiful things…It’s a great way to feel alive.”

(six posts Dec 10-24, 2021)

“Like any kid, I loved to ride my bike. As an adult, the bike was an escape into nature and away from work…I like to think I started a movement – bikes which properly fit women, regardless of their height. Biking is way too much fun to miss out on just because the bicycle industry has its head in the sand.”

(five posts Dec 4-16, 2020)

“Life slows – and perspective heightens – on two wheels, no matter your objective or how fast the legs turn over. And, there’s just no place better than the amazing, winding perfection of our Erie Canalway Trail in greater Rochester…”

(seven posts Jan 28 – Feb 9, 2022)

“I credit my love for two wheels from going to my father’s vintage motocross races and dabbling in motocross as a little kid. Mountain biking [is my] soul food. Fresh air and epic experiences create an everlasting sense of community: riding, clinics, racing, inclusion, and trail maintenance.”

(seven posts Mar 11-23, 2022)

“Biking was my first taste of freedom, back when kids were allowed and encouraged to have it. I appreciated that. Since then, I have ridden for just about every reason anyone would ride – for exercise, transportation, to better the environment, to save money, because it’s more fun than driving, just because it’s fun, because it’s faster than walking, for mental health, to do something fun with the kids, to get away from the kids, because the state doesn’t charge me registration and I don’t have a license plate for big brother!”

(six posts Mar 6-23, 2020)