Nick Miller and his family moved to Rochester last year in part because of their love of biking.
Miller bikes at least once a day, if not for work or meals, then with his kids. He and other local cyclists hope more Rochester residents will do the same as local businesses have started offering discounts and benefits to encourage more people to bike.
“So much of the way that cities have become more and more spread out and disconnected in many ways [is] requiring more complicated transportation,” Miller said. “It’s created a distance between people and local businesses that have thrived.”
Miller is a board member of We Bike Rochester, a local chapter of the Minnesota Bicycle Alliance. Last week, the advocacy group unveiled its bike benefits program modeled after a national initiative in which businesses encourage more cycling.
In the metro area, more than 100 businesses participate, including more than 50 in Minneapolis alone.
The 17 participating businesses in Rochester range from bike shops and outdoor stores to coffee shops, breweries, food markets and bookstores.
These businesses offer stickers under the program that give cyclists several discounts, from 10% off purchases at Café Steam and Garden Party Books to a free coffee at Forager Brewery for visiting, 50 cents off a drink at Fiddlehead Coffee Co. or $1 off pint at Kinney Creek Brewery.
“It brings a lot more light to the facilities that Rochester has,” said Will Forsman, co-owner of Café Steam. “We have a great trail system; we have great bike paths and improved infrastructure to allow bikes on the road.”
Minnesota is considered one of the most bike-friendly states in the US, while Minneapolis ranks among the best metropolitan areas for cycling in the country.
Rochester has drawn attention for its bike-friendly practices. The area has more than 85 miles of trails throughout the community and connects to trail systems throughout southeastern Minnesota. The city was labeled a Bicycle Friendly Community in 2010 by the League of American Bicyclists, one of the first cities in Minnesota to earn the designation.
Local officials list more bicycle infrastructure among transportation and sustainability goals, including as part of a near-complete update to Rochester’s transportation plan. The city is hiring a transportation coordinator to help implement some of these ideas over the next few years.
“There is more and more awareness that cycling is a legitimate option, even a practical option, for getting around town,” said Nate Nordstrom of New Spin Bicycle Shop.
Nordstrom opened the store last year, in part due to increased interest in e-bikes. Motorized bicycles have become a popular seller in the bicycle industry as it eliminates some of the strain on cyclists while they ride.
With e-bikes making commuting or transporting goods easier, Nordstrom said initiatives like Rochester’s bike-friendly business program are likely to attract more people interested in saving money on gas or concerned for the environment to turn to bicycles.
Miller said it was easy to entice businesses to participate since many owners were already bike enthusiasts. We Bike Rochester plans to expand the program by partnering with more local businesses, though they’re not opposed to big box stores joining in if the corporations can provide good benefits for cyclists.
More businesses will mean more protections to make Rochester easier to bike and more opportunities for families like the Millers.
“It’s not necessarily the perfect place or the safest place to bike as a mode of transportation right now, but Rochester has a lot of potential for the future,” Miller said. “And we want to be a part of that, encouraging people to show that cycling is a fun and very efficient way to get around.”
