On 2018-03-18 09:22, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/18/2018 11:39 AM, Joerg wrote:
On 2018-03-18 08:10, jbeattie wrote:


... but your mythical person who
would ride if there were infrastructure is not going to be
dragging his or her ass over dirt trails to get somewhere.


Several did. They are not mythical but real people and are now
regularly riding the trails. One even splurged and bought a new and
serious MTB.

Again, Joerg, you keep pumping out anecdotes. "One guy even bought a
bike!!!" or "You should see the trail at rush hour!!"

Anyone with less bias and more interested in facts would say "One guy
out of 20,000 population?" or "At rush hour, how many people are driving
on the road instead of biking on the trail?"


You really don't get it, do you?

I have brought numerous examples over time here and it's all evidenced
by two (2!) bike shops opening in this little village. 15 years ago
there were none.


Now we even have a bike shop right on that trail, Sam's Town Cyclery.
He would not be there if he wasn't sure that that's where MTB riders
come by.

That's fine. A couple years ago a new bike shop opened adjacent to the
longest rail-trail in our area. I know the guy who used to own it. Nice
guy; he did some volunteer work with me. He said the shop was doing just
fine, including renting bikes to people to use on the trail.


See?


But that guy later sold his interest in the shop to his business partner
and went on to a job that made more money. And a few months ago, the
business partner moved the shop from the trailside to the heart of
plaza-land, about five miles away. The business is doing much better now.


Sam's Cyclery in Cameron Park moved from a shopping area in town _to_
the trail.


I'm in favor of people riding bikes - especially if the bike ride
replaces a car trip. I'm in favor of bike shops.

But bike shops come and bike shops go; and most people using trails for
bike rides have _added_ a car trip, to shuttle their bikes to and from
the trail.


And why do they do that? Because they do not feel safe on most roads. If
we had proper bike paths and lanes they would be willing to cycle. I
can't even count anymore how many cyclists I have tried to convince
heading to the singletrack that runs through town by bike. I personally
do not like riding on high speed thoroughfares myself if they don't have
bike lanes or at least wide enough shoulders. However, I do it anyhow.
Most others don't.

So now I usually meet them at one of the areas where there is trail
parking. Which happens to be ... tadaaaa ... excatly where Sam's Cyclery
is now. They truck the bikes there, I ride mine there.


It's folly to think that bike trails are going to generate an
America with fewer cars plus lots of thriving bike shops.


It does work here. Not fewer cars but more cycling. For me it has turned
from next to nothing to 4000mi/year while my car has dropped to less
than 1000mi/year. One core reason can be summed up in two words: Bike
paths. In my case mostly singletrack but that's just my preference.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/