The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

I realize that I have no numbers to back me up on this, but...

It seems to me that there are far more people out on the road on bicycle these days.  I realize that this is comepletely subjective.  Has anyone else felt this way?  It makes me feel really good that the usage is up and if some solid numbers were put together, it might push forward some bike lane demarcations.

Thoughts?

Does anyone have numbers on this?  Is there a way to even go about doing numbers on this?

I dunno, just spent 48 hours around 30,000 other cycling enthusiasts in Wichita Falls, Tx for Hotter 'N' Hell Hundred edition 30 ;)  I do think Tulsa has become one of the more cycling-friendly cities in the country, rivaling Portland or Denver.  Tulsa's geographic profile works good for commuting, as you can be anywhere in 1 hour or less, depending on how stout a rider you are.

Yeah.  I love to ride, even in the heat, but I just really cou'dn't see myself ever wanting to get that personally aquainted with that part of texas.   We are a certified bike friendly community.  I own a car, but try not to use it, as I can get around on bike.

Tulsa has a great begining set of trails, riverparks being the crown jewel.They just need to be expanded and augmented.  Also, maybe mor water fountains near NSU BA.  Getting out there you realize that you should have brought your own water.

I have also noticed that there constantly seem to be more bikes on the road. Out here in Bixby, a bunch of cyclists get together and ride on Thursday mornings. This is all welcome news to me, and I can't wait until we see a real bike lane system.

I had to chuckle a little bit over Conan's Portland reference. I just got back from a week in Portland. The bicycle infrastructure was beyond anything I expected, even having heard/read about it. Most major thoroughfares had bike lanes (created by reducing the road from four lanes to two, plus bike lanes and parking). Separate bike trails criss-crossed the city.  There were thousands of bicyclists everywhere, and drivers were used to coexisting with them.  My daughter explained that there were three levels of cyclists there and infrastructure to accommodate them.  The timid cyclist can use the separate trails and get around pretty well.  The cautiously assertive cyclist can use the trails and the bike lanes.  The bold assertive cyclist can take their lane anywhere. 

Our trail system is pretty good, but there are significant gaps.  The only bike lane I've seen is on Archer and is mainly used to store broken glass.  The bike routes aren't bad, but some drivers have an intense resentment of anyone getting in their way.  With the exception of the occasional testosterone-poisoned "ricer" Portlanders are amazingly patient and laid back in traffic.  They even stop for pedestrians and crossing cyclists. 

The weather in Portland isn't quite as hot as Tulsa's. ;D

@Cynical: I've been riding city street for awhile and only once has some redneck told me that I need tyo get off the road.  While, yeah, we got nothing on portland, we've done quite well in the lest 5 years or so. 

We came up as 35th on bicycling magazines list of bike friendly cities.  Check it out http://www.bicycling.com/news/featured-stories/bicyclings-top-50 (http://www.bicycling.com/news/featured-stories/bicyclings-top-50)

Yeah, my "rival" Portland comment might be a bit exaggerated, but Tulsa has gone to great lengths to be cycling friendly.

My posting was not intended to denigrate Tulsa's efforts to be bicycle friendly.  The bike route system and the trails put it ahead of most non-college cities its size that I've seen. I have ridden the streets and highways around here since the mid-1970s (I guess that makes me old), take my lane, and have had many people yell, a few people throw things, and most people drive around me without trouble.  The advent of the mobile phone/texting driver has changed the equation a bit.  Those folks are more dangerous than the drunks IMO. 

My impression is that the bike culture here is primarily recreational. In Portland as in NYC, bicycles are a transportation alternative. The proliferation of young, active, and underemployed adults probably stimulates bicycle use. The proliferation of microbreweries, etc., might not.

What could Tulsa do better for cyclists?

1. Bike parking downtown. The building I work in (the Bank of America Tower) has a parking garage, but bikes are banned. The BOK Tower, on the other hand, provides inside bike storage and a health club for showering. Give them a gold star, but even those upturned U-shaped things embeded in the sidewalk would help.
2. Trails along the remaining expressways, primarily the BA.
3. Bike lanes in low speed, high density areas such as downtown, Cherry Street, and Brookside.
4. More bicyclists (yes, even hipsters) to get drivers more accustomed to sharing the road.
5. Better weather - cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter. 

This isn't thread drift, is it?

Yes, lots more bikes; I think Tulsa Tough had more than a little influence on this.

I'm working on outfitting my bike to be my primary mode of transportation for errands, I already use it to go place to place or to meet friends out.

Nah, I wouldn't call it drift.  Now, if I were to compare McNellie's Pub Ale to Fat Tire...

You are correct, Tulsa's bike culture is primarily recreational.  I know a few people who try to ride everywhere possible but they are largely outnumbered by recreational riders.  I commuted to work and back a little this summer when I was training for the Leadville Trail 100 as I needed to get as much mileage as possible, but given the nature of my job, it can prove difficult when I need to go see clients during the day.  Fortunately we have a full apartment here at the office so a shower is no problem when I can commute.  We even have a jacuzzi tub ;)

When Lee's opened downtown, Adam had a vision of becoming somewhat of a Mellow Johnnie's in Austin by having day parking for bikes and a shower, but apparently the city frowned on the idea of a communal shower.  I'm really not sure how to finally tip things in favor of more commuters.

And speaking of commuters, does anyone remember that notoriously frugal Roger Randle was an avid bike commuter when he was mayor?  Good way to lead by example.

I think if you were to examine the demographics in cites with a higher percentage of transportation bicyclists, you'd find that they're either college towns or cities with a much higher cost of living than Tulsa. I'm convinced that economics has more to do with getting people out of cars and onto bicycles than any amenities we can offer. The biggest competitor for those who would use a bike as transportation is mass transit. If buses, subways, or light rail exist that can serve population centers, the bicycle comes out second best.

Still, I think that commuting by bicycle here in Tulsa is certainly doable. Drivers are accommodating and safety minded - for the most part - and we're at more risk from inattentive motorists than any others. The deliberately hostile or 'homicidal maniac driving a car' are blessedly rare.

And I still think we should all get together for a ride some weekend.

Agreed.  There's a nice little ride coming up in three weeks from Tulsa to OKC ;)

Went to Portland a year and half ago and was amazed with the bike system.  Tulsa will likely never go to that extent, but what we have is exceptional among most cities.  It amazes me how well developed it is becoming.  I never expected such a progressive stance when I was cycling full time in the past (60's, 70's, thru early 80's.)  It is a joy to behold and I am getting back to riding.

Getting to work would be rough for me, due to the far flung nature of my work day, but I can remember in 1978-79-80 riding from BA into mid town Tulsa (15th & Yale) to go to work.  Long ride, but it was viable due to lower traffic on 145th.  Now - suicide!

As comparison, OKC area has nothing.  Few miles over by Hefner lake.  Can't get to Norman or even Moore on trails.  Unless you know of some secret route, Conan??

I just gave up walking with the cane, Conan!  I'm in no condition to ride the MS150.

What I'll say is that most of the time I find myself bemoaning my inablity to do anything to realize what it is that I want to see her.  I can't build buildings, or start a business.  The most important thing I can do it ride my bike when and where I can.  It's seemingly all I can do.

So I'll do it.

Also, Ed is right.  There should be a TNF Ride.  Does a sunday sound good to people?  If we can agree on a date, we can post it in the happenings forum?

Definitely more cycling in OKC lately, as well. Gas prices and the general popularity of the idea of biking are having an impact I'd say.


Tulsa has a more extensive system for sure, but OKC's trails are quite a bit more than just Lake Hefner now. A lot of work has been done since the Lake Hefner Trail and another 60-70 miles of multipurpose trails are currently funded and under construction (50 miles included in MAPS 3), including links to Moore. Here is a map showing the portions of the network in OKC that are completed, under construction, or fully funded and shovel ready.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/eyeblink/maps3trails.jpg)

Sharrows and bike lanes are also being added throughout the city, which I think could have a lot more potential than trails to increase the visibility of biking as a commute option.

Shane, is there any push to connect Norman and Moore with OKC via bike trail?  There's a right of way along the BNSF tracks, and already a nice trail by the tracks in Norman.  Add some trees and it could be a nice connection, especially if it connected at the north end to the Oklahoma River trails and downtown's emerging bike lane network thanks to Project 180.  Tulsa's bike lane network downtown is practically non-existent besides a small lane on Archer through Brady. 

As an avid biker myself I would like to see the river loop completed from Jenks to Turkey Mountain on the west bank, and the dual trails (some of the nicest I've seen anywhere in the country) extended south to the Jenks Bridge and Creek Trail.  The east bank is pretty heavily used and having the separated trails is REALLY nice.  Looking forward to the last section under I-44 being completed in the next year.  It would also be nice to see the Midland Valley trail improved from 21st south to the pedestrian bridge...the part north of 21st is newer and nice but the southern section (which is usually pretty busy) is showing its age.

As for bike lanes, I would love to see actual lanes painted on 36th instead of just sharrows and signs.  Plenty of room for such a lane from Hudson all the way to Riverside, right through the center of midtown.  Also bike lanes on 6th from Delaware to downtown, and along several of the major streets through downtown. 

I would like to see the dual trails continued all the way down the east bank in Bixby and connect to Washington Irving Park. If that were to happen, I could ride my bike to the trail, and then theoretically spend a day riding into downtown, hang out there for an hour or so, and back. That would be AMAZING.

I would also love to see bike lanes through midtown and downtown, espescially around TU. Tulsa has the potential to be one of the best biking cities in the country. All the way from rugged mountain biking to smooth, paved trails and lanes for road bikes.

Absolutely.  Let me coordinate when I'm here because it would be a really fun meet-up.

Heir- There's a Monday/Weds. night group which meets in the marina parking lot at Lake Draper.  The common route uses part of the lake road which is pretty safe, parts of Douglas, SE 59th, Hiwassee, and 104th.  I cobble together some other routes out in SE OKC as it's great hill work. You get the odd hillbilly who hates cyclists and displays that indifference but most of those people are used to seeing bikes in the area so they seem to be mostly pretty good with us.

FMC and I ride down Sooner Rd. on Saturdays when we are down there to meet up with a group at the Moore-Norman library and we will take any combination of side roads down to Norman or Noble for breakfast.  Or if the wind is out of the north, we take Shields up to downtown and ride on out to Heffner and back.  OKC's trail system lags far behind Tulsa.  That's for certain one thing we could and should take pride in for overall livability. I've seen parts of a trail system in Del City but have yet to figure it out.

Harvard to Peoria is wide enough, but I disagree about Hudson to Harvard, it's simply not wide enough with the current curbs.  For cars to give the 3 foot legal pass to a cyclist they have to cross the center line now.  I'd love it if they could do that though, 36th is sort of my expressway to just about everywhere else I bike to around town.

Actually MT and the bike are great partners. Bike to the bus or train which has a space for the bike, disembark and then pedal to your destination.

How about a bash? I think a beer at the end of the Sunday ride would be perfect.

Beer at the end of any ride (except a commute to work) is perfect.

Let's set it up! I'll donate some beer.

Ok so sunday.  2 pm?  Meet up at the pedestrian bridge?  Does that work for everyone?

I'm OOT this weekend, but here the following weekend (the 11th).  Hell make it a standing Sunday ride, always good to have a set time and place to ride with others.

Yes it would have to be widened.  But by connecting all the way to Hudson you then have a direct route south to the bike trail along I-44 (even if it is really short).  There are long-range plans for a longer trail along I-44 to the river. 

I just saw something that shows Tulsa is taking a step toward a more comprehensive bike culture.  It was a cargo bike, a bike with extended rear stays and a flat bed. It resembled Xtracycle's Big Dummy, but without the panniers. 

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4278051/bdcomplete-2011-1_1.png)

Just a plain bed for carrying stuff. The rider was wearing a ball cap. He wasn't carrying anything on the bike at the time.

I see these often.  Not with the extended rear end, but with the platform on the back.  The saddle bags are really nice.  I'm thinking about working up something syself in this repsect.  Now If only I have some backing....

My original comment was pretty general, but in the last few days I have kept my eyes open to this and have noticed more and more people who are professional types who commute.  If the ciy offered an incentive to compaines to offer a shower to their employees iit would help.  I know that the health department only once use to you one shower once and that it should then be demolished and replaced rather than mutiple people suing the same shower, but It seems like a pretty small thing.  If the incentive is just slightly larger than the cost of building the shower.

And while I'm wishing, i'd like a pony (this may well become my new mantra)

TO be clear, I am going to be at the pedestrian bridge on sunday @2.  Anyone who wants to do a ride, come along and look at riverparks at its busiest.

See you there!

I think I know what you wanted to say but your typing fingers and brain were in different gears.  Care to clarify?

Is anyone using the big wire baskets on the front of a bicycle like the newspaper delivery boys (& girls?) did in the 60s?

I see front baskets occasionally, but not those big ones. Even on the cruiser bikes that were the rule back then those things were harder than hell to control when full of newspapers. The wheel flop was terrible.

A quick google search shows Wald still makes and sells a "giant delivery basket."

http://waldsports.com/index.cfm/wald157basket.html (http://waldsports.com/index.cfm/wald157basket.html)

Good luck with that.

That's why we went fast, to get the gyroscopic stabilization of the bicycle wheels.

I didn't have my own route but several friends did.  I substituted for them when they were out of town, etc. 

jacobi, I wont make it this Sunday...push out a week?

sure thing.  i'll do both. see you next week.

FMC and I should be there next Sunday.  Carlton, you are still on for Weds. night, right?

Headed OOT...back next week

Just got back from a western states tour and it is incredible how many cities - and even very small towns - have well developed bike lanes.  And people I saw respect the bikes.  Even out in the middle of nowhere!

Maybe we should just have a requirement that all Okies be required to put in a certain amount of time in a more evolved area of the country.  Kind of a reverse Peace Corp or mission program!