Tag Archives: Bike Friendly Minneapolis

Bike Pic March 10, its ice cream smiles Friday!

This bike pic Friday, looking through the archives do you remember the Gelato Guy? This pic was shot was taken several year’s ago at an Open Streets in Minneapolis. Here is the 2023 schedule.

So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends in one of Minnesota’s HaveFunBiking destinations. And now, check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.

Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic

Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.

Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly, as we enter our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.

Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.

Have a great day with a safe and memorable year ahead!

Minnesota may be one step closer to micro-mobility with biking

by Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking

As more Minnesotans search for fun, eco-friendly transportation options, several communities around the state are updating or developing their bike share infrastructure to make micro-mobility happen. Apple Valley, Bemidji, Duluth, Rochester, and St. Cloud are just a few examples of the towns upgrading their bike-friendly programs. Minneapolis is collaborating with neighboring communities to make the Twin Cities area the perfect place to practice micro-mobility. Especially with the E-bike Challenge and the global initiative of 30-Days of Biking returning.

30 Days of Biking promotes the micro-mobility experience.

30 Days of Biking works with E-bike Challenge for micro-mobility

Encouraging more people to consider riding a bicycle, especially for short errands, the 30-Days of Biking pledge runs through April. With the E-bike Challenge back at the Minneapolis Convention Center on April 2nd & 3rd. This year’s event will again offer visitors a comfortable setting to compare and ride the latest in e-bike technology on a mammoth test track there. Demonstrating carbon-free options for running those short errands, hauling cargo, or commuting to work without working up a sweat. So, what exactly is micro-mobility, you ask?

The term micro-mobility broadly refers to individuals who use any type of human-powered vehicle, including bicycles, roller blades, scooters, etc. And now, with the rise of EV technology, the definition has evolved, accepting electric motor assistance for bicycles and scooters. Though it still excludes devices with internal combustion engines or top speeds above 28 mph. or 45 km. Making this mode of transportation perfect for health and ecological purposes.

About the Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan

Enjoy the micro-mobility experience for those short trips.

According to Minneapolis and their Transportation Action Plan, over 30% of the trips people take in the city are less than three miles. Sometimes these trips feel a little too far to walk but are not long enough where it is practical to take the bus or drive. Bicycles and other low-power micro-mobility options, such as electric-assist bicycles and scooters, are ideal for these short trips. This MPLS plan also shares that over two-thirds of residents report that they often or sometimes ride a bike to get to school, visit parks, or run errands.

Minneapolis’s commitment attracts European bicycle fair organizer

And Move Minneapolis says, “With the popularity of e-bikes soaring, they are some of the best sustainable commute solutions today. Bicycles, including e-bikes, allow for adequate social distancing and provide a great way to travel while taking in some much-needed fresh air.” This commitment from the city’s leaders is what attracted Hicle, Inc., the organizers of hike and cycle fairs in Europe, to bring the first E-bike Challenge to Minneapolis in 2019.

Compare and test ride many brands at the Challenge.

E-bike Challenge returns the first weekend in April

Now, with the Omicron-fueled surge, on the decline, the E-bike Challenge returns the first weekend in April. Offer consumers a comfortable environment to compare and ride the latest e-bikes. There are several social distancing procedures around the exhibit area next to the enormous indoor test track. Visitors will also discover why most trips within a 10-mile range can be less expensive with an e-assist vehicle, even if they can’t replace a car entirely. And, in many cases, taking less time than a carbon-fueled vehicle for the same journey.

Enjoy the E-bike Challenge, a micro-mobility experience.

E-bike brands at the Challenge

Some e-bike brands already registered for the E-bike Challenge include Giant, GoCycle, Serial 1 by Harley Davidson, Pedego, Riese & Muller, and Skyl Power Bikes. Along with Erik’s Bikes, Now Bikes, Power Bikes, and Trailhead Cycle, to name a few of the local bike shops with brands they carry. The event will also feature several breakout health and tech sessions, a kids’ bike test track, and other fun family activities. Plus, visitors will receive a complimentary 2022 Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide, full of bicycling maps of popular Minnesota destinations to explore, at the door.

For more information about the E-bike Challenge in Minneapolis on April 2 & 3, visit www.ebikechallenge.com.

This couple found Open Streets Minneapolis fun and inviting this summer.

Bic Pic Oct 5, Open Streets Minneapolis was fun and inviting

This couple found Open Streets Minneapolis fun and inviting. A Twin City community activity in its sixth year, the event covered eight Minneapolis locations through the 2016 summer bringing together community groups and local businesses. Temporarily closing major thoroughfares to car traffic and open them up for people walking, biking, skating, and playing to enjoy the streets.

With the leaves turning and perfect weather today, we hope you get out on your bike and enjoy a fall ride in Minnesota. See many more bike friendly places to explore in the new Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide

Thanks for viewing Open Streets Minneapolis Pic of the Day. 

Now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun. While showcasing all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more place to have fun we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. As you scroll through the information and stories we have posted, enjoy.

Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each), of who is in the photo (if you know?) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As we continues to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your next bike adventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing the guide.

So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure. And don’t forget to smile, while you are riding and having fun. We may capture you in one of our next photos that we post daily.

Have a great day!

What do 150 cyclists whizzing by sound like?

You’ll know the sound of 150 cyclists passing by when you hear it. The 17th annual North Star Bicycle Festival is coming back this next week, June 15 -19, in Minnesota, . Photo above shows some kid’s having fun on their bikes at the North Star Bicycle Festival race course, in Stillwater, MN, last year.

Family Fun Bike Festival and Races Begins This Next Week

North Star Criterium in Uptown Minneapolis. photo Stephanie Williams

North Star Criterium in Uptown Minneapolis. photo Stephanie Williams:

Bring your friends, family and cycling curiosity to seven days of:

PRO RACING
STUNT RIDERS
FREE KIDS RACES
A CEO RIDE WITH GREG LEMOND
BIKE EXPOS
SURLY BEER GARDENS
FOOD TRUCKS
INTERACTIVE PROGRAMMING
LIVE MUSIC
AND MUCH MORE!

Presented by North Memorial Health Care and benefiting the Special Olympics of Minnesota, this is a free bike event in five Minnesota communities with professional stage races featuring top cyclists from the U.S. and several foreign countries. Attendees will also enjoy food, fun, music, along with kids’ bike races, a stunt rider exhibition and more.  Free secure bike corral parking each day for those who wish to avoid the hassles of traffic and event parking.

When:

Wednesday-Sunday, June 15-19, 2016

Where:

Stage 1, June 15: Saint Paul Riverfront Time Trial, at 8:30 a. m. near Ford Plant link
Stage 2, June 15: Saint Paul Downtown Criterium, 6:15 p.m., Lowertown’s Mears Park link
Stage 3, June 16: Cannon Falls Road Race, 4:45 p.m. downtown Cannon Falls link
Stage 4, June 17: Uptown Minneapolis Criterium, 6:15 p.m., past Calhoun Square link
Stage 5, June 18: North Mankato Road Race, 12 p.m. start link
Stage 6, June 19: Stillwater Criterium, 10:45 a.m. start  link

* Please Note: Festival with exhibits will open about two hours before the race starts.

Who:

Pro racing is a dazzling sport that can only be fully appreciated in person. The roar of a motorcycle and shrill blasts from the course marshals’ whistles announce the approach of the racing pack. The racers fly by, a brightly colored blur so close that you could reach out and touch them. They kick up enough wind to blow your hair back on a calm day. You hear the buzz of their chains and clicks as they shift gears. Shoulder to shoulder and wheel to wheel, hard physical contact between pro racers is common and the risk of a sudden crash is ever present.

For schedule of cyclists events & race maps visit: www.northstarbicyclefestival.com.

Bike Pic May 7, happiness is riding with a friend with summer gear

Happiness is riding your bike, while wearing your favorite summer attire, pedaling along the trail with a friend. Here cyclists enjoy the Minneapolis Midtown Greenway as the fragrant blossoms along the trail mix into the spring air.

See many more bike friendly places to ride and explore in the new Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.

Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day here at HaveFunBiking (HFB). 

Now, rolling into our 10th year as a bicycle tourism media our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As HFB searches and presents more fun cycling related photos, worth a grin, scroll through the information and stories we have posted that may help you find your next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, next to the route you regularly commute on, or at an event you plan to attend, be prepared to smile. You never know where our camera’s will be and what we will post next!

Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us post? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to: [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 800 pixels wide or larger for us to consider using them. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please reference our blog and the annual print and quarterly digital Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for at the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of information, now available for mobile devices.

So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.

Have a great day!

Bike Pic May 5, all-aboard for the Train and MRT Trail Tour

The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (Bike MN) and Metro Transit will host the fifth annual Train & Trail Tour on Saturday, June 25th. This multi-modal event allows you and your bike a chance to ride the rail, from downtown Minneapolis to Big Lake, then back following the scenic Mississippi River Trail back to the Twin cities.

See many more bike friendly places to ride and explore in the new Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.

Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day here at HaveFunBiking (HFB). 

Now, rolling into our 10th year as a bicycle tourism media our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As HFB searches and presents more fun cycling related photos, worth a grin, scroll through the information and stories we have posted that may help you find your next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, next to the route you regularly commute on, or at an event you plan to attend, be prepared to smile. You never know where our camera’s will be and what we will post next!

Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us post? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to: [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 800 pixels wide or larger for us to consider using them. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please reference our blog and the annual print and quarterly digital Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for at the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of information, now available for mobile devices.

So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.

Have a great day!

Bike Pic March 14, back on the bicycle!

Back on the bike! This group of cyclists enjoyed the 70 degree weather, Saturday, on the Greenway trail in Minneapolis, MN.

See more places to ride and explore in the new Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.

Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day here at HaveFunBiking (HFB). 

Now, rolling into our 10th year as a bicycle tourism media our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As HFB searches and presents more fun cycling related photos, worth a grin, scroll through the information and stories we have posted that may help you find your next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, next to the route you regularly commute on, or at an event you plan to attend, be prepared to smile. You never know where our camera’s will be and what we will post next!

Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us post? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to: [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 800 pixels wide or larger for us to consider using them. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please reference our blog and the annual print and quarterly digital Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for at the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of information, now available for mobile devices. 

So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.

Have a great day!