9 Tips to

PLAN A PRESERVATION BIKE RIDE

1. Safety first.Because people who show up will be an eclectic mix with varying biking experience,

it’s imperative to give everyone a refresher on bike safety.

Include a leader and a sweeper to make sure everyone stays safe.

2. Pick a theme.The tour will be more cohesive if

there is a guiding theme. Be

creative, and don’t be afraid to

contact your local preservation

organization to see if they have

suggestions for stops along the way.

3. Decide the route.Consider a loop that ends at the

starting point. Do a trial run

beforehand to work out any kinks.

4. Know the limits.A preservation bike ride should be a

fun experience, not a challenging

workout. Limit the tour to no more than

15 miles and no more than seven

stops within an hour.

5. Prepare

information

beforehand.Consider making a PDF with a

map, the route, and the stops

planned. Also include

photographs (historic ones

especially) and more information

for people to read on their own

time.

6. Involve the owners

of the buildings.Contact them beforehand to see if they’d

be willing to give people a quick tour (your

local preservation society can also help

with this).

7. Partner with a

bike share program.Not everyone on the tour will have

bikes. A bike share program can also

advertise the bike ride to their own

channels, which could introduce new

people to preservation.

8. Have fun and

be creative.Hand out laminated spoke cards

to stick between people’s spokes

to commemorate the event.

9. Meet up when

it’s over.After you conclude your bike

route, invite everyone for a drink

at a local bar or some place

similar.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America’s

historic places. Preservation Tips & Tools helps others do the same

in their own communities.

For more information, visit SavingPlaces.org.

Photos courtesy of Cincinnati Preservation

Collective (CPC).