Bike Carmel, with the support of IU Health, is actively promoting the use of bicycles through the Love to Ride Challenge during Bike Month. This community-oriented program seeks to increase bike ridership and gather feedback on local cycling routes directly from participants. Riders can download the Love to Ride app, hit the trails or streets at their convenience, and then use the app's Rate My Routes feature to share their experiences.
The input from cyclists will serve to inform future infrastructure improvements, aiming to make biking safer and more pleasurable. To sweeten the deal, each ride and feedback submission earns points which then become entries into a prize drawing. Convince others to join, and the points – and fun – multiply. Companies can also get in on the action by creating profiles for a dash of friendly workplace rivalry.
Intimidated by the thought of getting back on a two-wheeler? Love to Ride has solutions for novices and lapsed cyclists alike. The group boasts a record of helping people worldwide to confidently take to biking, equipped with resources such as tips, articles, and Quick Courses. As stated in the City of Carmel news release, "To join the challenge, it doesn't matter if you ride every day or if you haven't been on a bike in years."
By participating in the Bike Month Challenge, residents are not just pedaling for points or praising the bike lanes; they are part of a larger movement to transform Carmel into a city where biking is not just an afterthought but a mainstream mode of transport. And, as an extra incentive, they get to possibly win prizes while fostering community spirit and contributing to the common good.
