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By Robin McMacken, Staff Writer Updated 7:09 PM Thursday, March 31, 2011

It seems only natural that Dayton area residents have a fond affinity for bicycle riding. It was here, after all, where the inestimable Wilbur and Orville Wright operated bike shops, only one of which still stands as a National Historic Landmark in downtown Dayton.

Whether your ride of choice is a sleek road bike or a rough-and-ready BMX, you don’t have to be an ultra-athlete like Lance Armstrong to navigate the many trails in the area that accommodate almost any skill level. According to Five Rivers MetroParks, there are more than 70 miles of bikeways in Montgomery County. Additionally, Ohio’s Miami Valley region provides nearly 270 miles of paved, multi-use bikeways.

Dayton’s formidable biking system earned it a bronze award last year from the League of American Bicyclists, making it the second city in Ohio to receive such a designation. Columbus is the other city to be named “bike friendly” by the 130-year-old league, the nation’s largest bike advocacy organization.

Beverly Owens, 68, of Englewood is a MetroParks Volunteer Patrol rider who helps people master their cycling skills during the Bike for the Health of It that meets for a group ride every Saturday from April through October. (Visit metroparks.org/BikeHealth for a complete schedule.)

“I grew up in Spring Valley, and anywhere you went, you went on your bike,” she recalled. Owens says she became a serious cyclist when she became a grandmother, taking her granddaughters biking on the Little Miami Trail. Nowadays, she leads a weekly group ride in Brookville that covers 31 miles. “I really enjoy the company of other riders,” she said. “And it’s excellent for your health. My doctor said if all of his patients worked out like I do, he would be out of business.”

The spin of things

Christopher Brown, 46, of Oakwood, said he was a bit shaky at first when he started biking again in 1998. He was disappointed about the spare tire that had developed around his abdomen, so he borrowed his dad’s 1977 Schwinn Suburban to ride around the neighborhood. “The best advice would be the old Nike ad: Just do it. Just get a bike, an old beater like my Schwinn, and start riding. Streets or bike paths, it doesn’t matter. Many cities around here have marked bike routes on the streets: Kettering, Oakwood, Fairborn, Beavercreek and probably others.”

He added the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Dayton Cycling Club, Five Rivers MetroParks and the Miami Conservancy District are all terrific resources for maps, information and people with whom to ride.

Tom Kohn, 59, of Dayton, urges returning bikers to “first, make sure that you have a bike that fits your style of riding. It doesn’t have to be an expensive ‘horse,’ but you have to appreciate its beauty, on its own terms, and on yours.”

He gives the quick lowdown on how to buy a bike: Have your body and bike measured, and all the parts (seat, handlebar, stem, crank arms) adjusted or changed to fit you well. You also might consider purchasing a pair of cycling shorts with a padded lining to ensure comfort.

Healthy habits

May is National Bike Month, and the League of American Bicyclists is getting the word out early to promote recreational bike riding as a safe, low-impact, aerobic activity for Americans of all ages–and a great way to burn calories. According to the league, a 150-pound cyclist burns 410 calories while pedaling 12 miles in an hour – almost the equivalent calories of a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, while a 200-pound cyclist burns 546 calories while going 12 miles per hour, about the equivalent of a Big Mac.

In addition to seeing a slimmer waistline, Brown, who now rides a 2000 Trek 520 touring bike, said “the thing I’ve noticed most is that, for whatever reason, I get fewer colds and stuffy noses than I did before I started riding again.”

Kohn is grateful for an impressive level of health that belies his age. “I don’t need medications to get lower cholesterol,” he said. “(I have) a good BMI, ability to fall asleep within five minutes, and a strong body that has recuperated quickly from all the health hazards that I’ve met. I’m knocking on wood as I claim that I haven’t had a cold or flu for years. ... And I don’t have to spend another hour or two each day devoted to running or cycling to keep fit, all I have to do is hop on my bike for the twice-daily commute.”

Bike to work

If paying $3.50 or more a gallon for gas has hit you hard in the pocketbook, then consider using your bike for short trips or riding to work. Not only does bike riding reduce carbon emissions, it also relieves highway congestion and, who knows, maybe even road rage.

Kohn has been bike-commuting for years, and his reasoning is simple: “I just couldn’t see using a car when a bike could get me somewhere and yet let me enjoy getting there.” He rides his bike from his home on Dayton’s University Road to Eastman Kodak Co. on Research Boulevard, where he works as a technical writer.

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