Social distancing doesn’t mean packing away your bicycle. Even these days, membership in Bicyclists of Iowa City (BIC) still means new ways to get more out of biking.
Though our group rides and activities are suspended until further notice, you can still ride alone. Local trails, however, are crowded these days. You need space. That’s where our website library of ride maps—powered by Club Express—comes in. Download a map and take a tour that starts out in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, or West Branch, and sample less-traveled county roads and byways surrounding the metro area.
Better yet, take advantage of the BIC Club Account with Ride with GPS. It comes with your membership free of charge. Sign up, sign in, and access our maps from within Ride With GPS with the added benefit of turn-by-turn navigation through the voice app on your smartphone. Using Ride with GPS means you aren’t so alone when riding by yourself: Use the app’s advance turn notifications and time estimates.
Want to tell others where you went and how long it took? Share it through social media features in Ride with GPS or through the new BIC page in Strava. Sign up with Strava and use it to track your progress, motivate you, and connect with others. Use Stava to see nearby biking discoveries made by other bicyclists, too.
Start with our website, www.bicyclistsofiowacity.org. Click on the Ride Maps tab on the left side of our home page and check out four subfolders of rides (Wednesday Night Ride Maps, Weekend Ride Maps, Iowa City Metro Area Trails, and Special Event Ride Maps).
As a current BIC member, Ken Wall will send you a link to make the complimentary Ride with GPS club account membership easy. Once you join, print maps and cue sheets for any route open to BIC members. Take a 40-second tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ridewithgps Learn how to make the most of your new Ride with GPS account through the Help Center: https://ridewithgps.com/help/ Stuck at home on a rainy day with a smart indoor trainer? Go on a virtual ride. With upgraded membership, ride with GPS enables you to follow routes planned on its website or app using a Wahoo or Garmin device (see Riding Routes Indoors on the Help Page).
Join the BIC Strava webpage through this link: https://www.strava.com/clubs/614422/members From its website: “Strava turns every iPhone and Android into a sophisticated running and cycling computer . . . Start Strava before an activity and you can track your favorite performance stats, and afterwards, dive deep into your data.”
Looking for more ways to get more out of biking? BIC’s membership in the League of American Bicyclists lets you access recordings of webinars created for the annual National Bike Summit: https://www.gotostage.com/channel/2020-national-bike-summit Also, check out the National Bike Challenge, a fun, friendly challenge for social groups, individuals and businesses, at https://www.lovetoride.net/usa?locale=en-US Win prizes by participating in this event, which runs from May to September.
On your bike, on the road, or in your home, membership in BIC has its privileges. Make the most of them today. Go to bicyclistsofiowacity.org and click on membership tab. Choose from drop down menu and follow instructions. Contact Ken Wall, khwallst@yahoo.com with questions.
David Heitbrink, President; Donna Hamm, Vice President; Dale Simon, Treasurer; Kurt Rogahn, Secretary