I'm curious.

[Owlie]

I live in Cleveland these days. There's a fair population of commuter cyclists near me, but I think that's largely a function of living in an area that's full of students. There really doesn't seem to be much of an active sport cycling community here at all.
Cincinnati has a decently sized one. I know there are a few TE'ers in the Cincy area who race, but there just don't seem to be organized rides for those of us who choose not to.
And then there's Indy...there's three of TE'ers I can think of off-hand in that area. Tons of stuff, it seems like. Of course, I don't live there, so I can't really tell.

What is Indianapolis doing that Cleveland and Cincinnati can't seem to do? Cleveland is trying to turn itself into a "green city" , and therefore trying to be more friendly to cyclists. Except that it really isn't (judging by the failure of that multi-use bridge they were proposing). I also live in a poorer part of Cleveland in an older suburb. It's largely inhabited by college students and hipsters, so there are a lot of single speeds, but no roadies. It's not a place that's likely to support such a community either. I see female commuters, and few or no female sport cyclists. We don't really have much in the way of trails, for those of us like me who hate riding on roads. I think there's a more active bike community further south, but that doesn't really help me.

Cincinnati is more of a mystery. My LBS there does a lot (I know someone will complain about them....). We have a trail, a nice one too. I know the road cycling community exists. It seems like there's not a lot beyond what's there for the racers, which is kind of weird.

I'm sure there may be other reasons that there don't really seem to be many of us from NE Ohio. It's a little lonely here.

[OakLeaf]

As far as Cincinnati, I'm guessing it's the terrain. If you're not already a fairly fit cyclist, having to surmount 15-20% grades to go any-freakin'-where is kind of intimidating to a lot of people...

My DH is talking about getting a bike, but is seriously intimidated by the east central Ohio terrain.

[Owlie]

See, I've never really thought of it as hilly, though I suppose it is. Most of my riding in Cincinnati has been on a false-flat bike trail. It follows the Little Miami, so it slopes downhill as you go south. You don't really notice the slope, you just notice that it's a little harder going north than south. Of course, my neighborhood is pretty hilly, so shows how much I notice.

Cleveland, apart from a ridge on one side of the city, is pretty flat. I guess that's what happens when you get run over by a large glacier.

[Roadtrip]

Just joined TE and from Cincy. Still learning about the bike scene here, tho have loved here for over a decade, but just getting my way started on the bike.

Curious how many on here are from the Cincinnati area!!

Shannon

[Owlie]

I know there are two others who race, but they don't post that often. Artifactos is from the general area, but she's up toward Dayton, IIRC.

(BTW, I sent you a PM)

[artifactos]

I'm between Cincinnati and Dayton, but since I'm going to UC I'm spending most of my time in Cincinnati these days.

[indysteel]

I'm certainly no expert on how Indy stacks up as a cycling or racing community. Our biggest local club has been pretty active for a long time and has a fair number of members. It's totally volunteer driven, but hosts weekday training rides every night of the week from multiple locations around the area. It also hosts weekend club rides nearly every weekend from March until November. There's also dinner and breakfast rides, camping and touring rides and "sociables. So, there are lots of opportunities to ride. You need not be a member to do a ride and membershi costs about $25 to $30 a year.

Add to that a number of bike shops with their own rides, along with sponsorship of local cycling teams, and we do have a strong community. Marian University has a top collegiate team, and we have a velodrome, too.

What we don't have is a good commuting infrastructure. They have added some bike lanes, but I have mixed feelings about them because they weren't designed very well and are not well maintained. Our drivers aren't particularly tolerant either.

I know some of the people who made our cycling club what it is today. I have n doubt they started small. I'm grateful for what they did, but I do my part now as much as I can by leading my own club ride. If you want to build a bigger community in Cleveland, I would suggest starting with an LBS. Work toward offering some shop rides or joining ones they already have.

[Owlie]

See, here, it's the opposite. Cleveland is trying to make itself more commuter-friendly despite that bridge proposal failing. The transit system's buses now all have bike racks, and they're now letting bikes on the train at off-peak hours. There's a decent population of commuter cyclists (I had or knew several professors who are among them), but many of them, IME, are the kind who bought a bike because the mile walk to campus was "too long."

I ran across my city's (I don't live in Cleveland proper) bicycle coalition's website, so at least there's some activism. The big sport cycling communities, though, seem to be southeast of me or on the west side. My university has a cycling club, but I think there's one other woman in it. There are shops that hold their own rides (the one I like and bought my bike from included), but again, they're southeast of me or on the west side. The two near me don't, although one is involved with the [city] Bicycle Coalition, if quietly. I think at least some of the problem is demographics, as those areas tend to be properly suburban and are the type to have the spare cash necessary by the sport.