When you’re running on a treadmill in a fluorescent-lit gym, it’s hard to focus on anything except the fact that you’re exercising. But biking along an open road feels entirely different. When the sun is shining on your back and the wind is blowing through your hair, you can actually focus on the beauty of the scenery you’re cycling past, and the joy of spending time outside in the summer. So grab that bike pump that’s been gathering dust in your basement for months, and get going!
(One of) the Best Bikes Money Can Buy
Pop quiz! Complete this analogy: Harley-Davidson is to Wisconsin motorcycles what ____ is to Wisconsin bicycles. The answer, of course, is Trek (trekbikes.com). The Waterloo-based company has been making some of the best bikes in the business since the 1970s.
If you’re thinking about purchasing one yourself, you can’t go wrong with the VERVE ($560-$860), a recreational hybrid model that performs equally well on smoothly paved city streets and bumpy bike paths. It’s also intuitively designed and comes with a cushioned saddle and ergonomic grips. So even if you’re not an especially experienced biker, you should feel comfortable cruising around town from the get-go.
Experience an unforgettable evening celebrating great design!
Forget Google Maps – Use this App to Plan Your Next Bike Route
The city of Milwaukee created an INTERACTIVE MAP FOR BICYCLISTS. Once you’ve pulled the map up on your phone or tablet, you can use it to create bike routes throughout the city, and add planned stops or detours along the way. You can opt to only include quiet, low-stress streets (labeled green), or incorporate moderately busy (yellow) or bustling (red) streets as well, depending on your comfort level. You’ll see little bike icons indicating both public and private bike racks available to use, too. milwaukee.gov/bikemap
Ride Across Wisconsin: July 30-Aug. 2
There’s a reason that the organizers of this four-day event decided to use the word ride, not race, in its title. They expect the participants to bike 225 miles through whatever weather Mother Nature feels like flinging their way, from La Crosse to Green Bay. But they don’t expect them to set a punishingly fast pace. Because, as far as they’re concerned, the stunning scenery of rural Wisconsin is too pretty to speed past. rideacrosswisconsin.com
