TroN0074

Detroit Slow Roll is kick starting their season numero cinco! on March 29 at 11:00 AM from Easter Market she #2 . I would say Be there.

Link https://instagram.com/p/0F1ttZlBgk/

SpecializedCT

Too bad it's in Detroit. On the plus side - old, historic places and sights. Definitely not boring. On the minus side - it's dangerous, and feels depressing. I wish there was more rides like that in Oakland County. Royal Oak/Ferndale/Southfield to name a few areas that may be interesting. Maybe "Slow Roll NORTH"

TroN0074

Dude a group of friends and I are carpooling from Lansing to do this ride. If you are in Oakland County you are almost there. I don't think it is dangerous because the large group of cyclist if there is an angry motorist it will have to deal with the whole group. Slow Roll organizers they have a group of staff helping along the ride. So come and join man.

Road Fan

I've had a lot of folks who live west of Detroit say this is a very nice, genteel and safe ride. I've been kept from it by work, family and other obligations, but I hope to try it this year at least a few times.

howeeee

lol I ride in Detroit alone all the time. No one is standing on the corners attacking people on bicycles lol Saturday mornings going down Woodward you will certainly have a laneif not two all your own. Its safe all around, not too mention fun. There are no angry motorists. People of Detroit seem amused and happy to see people on bikes. I ride to the river front sometimes then back up Dequinder cut, through to Eastern Market. Keep your bike with you at Eastern Market dont leave it alone, even if locked.

Riding in Detroit alone or with a group is fun and safe.

oddjob2

I participated in several Slow Rolls last year, including the Eastern Market opener. I recall about 3,000 riders for the opener, of course the weather was perfect. No worries, just a fun time. A lot less traffic than Oakland County, so it feels safer.

mrv 

can't make it: Palm Sunday so I'll be at church.
I've done a few rides in Detroit - Critical Mass (where there's a high potential for upset drivers) https://plus.google.com/photos/11838...94145387315761
and the Tour de Troit https://plus.google.com/photos/11838...81978605525393
And a group of us from work will do rides in and around Detroit: https://plus.google.com/photos/11838...CKCYm5ydiZH-Aw
No problems. Ever. Can't say that about the affluent suburbs or rural riding....

SpecializedCT

My point of view may be different just because I used to live in Detroit and Hamtramck. We moved out far, far away after a very short time. We have plenty of bad experience with that place.
Detroit is a very depressing place to be. Several years back, I did a short documentary about Detroit, after bunch of my friends said that Detroit is a fun and safe place...They couldn't believe what they saw. I don't really care what other people think about that place, everyone can share their opinion...All I know is from living there.

mrv 

i can imagine living there would be very difficult. i've got a friend who teaches in detroit. NOT easy. i'd love see the documentary if it's available. please post a link or more info.

howeeee

Its not like that at all, it is on the up swing, most people are upbeat about midtown, downtown,bricktown and Eastern Market area. I guess if you are an "glass is half empty kinda person you could be depressed. My daughter lives in midtown. She has the time of her life down there with her husband.

People that are moving the city foward, are very optimistic and having fun. I just rode this morning from my house in north Southfield to Eastern market where I met my wife for lunch at Zeffs coney. Then we looked in markets and antique shops. We had a blast.

rm -rf

Looks like fun. A slow cruise, for sure. Check out the bike lights after sunset.

TroN0074

I went with my friends, we car pooled from Lansing and it was fun and safe. Here is the link to the pictures we took

pics: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...6502347&type=1

Video: https://vimeo.com/motorcitydroneco/r...865/29d3ea5670

MooseWinooski

I agree with howeeee and TroN0074 100%
I am a daily commuter in Detroit since 2012 and I have never had an issue at any time of the day or night.
Except potholes

DEW21

Slow Roll this evening - Campus Martius Park - weather should be perfect!!

oddjob2

I'd guess 5,000 showed up, but it was a short ride, just over an hour. No regrets though, cause I flatted 3 blocks from the finish.

mr_ruxbin

New Season of Slow Roll Detroit Kicks off this coming Monday, the 25th. Meeting at Eastern Market Shed #2 , 5:30 pm, roll out at 7:30. Who's coming?

jefnvk

That is actually the worst part of riding in Detroit. Been by a blowout literally on every large ride I've done down there.

I'll probably start doing it when the 3spd is finished, which is whenever I get off my touring project for a few hours and just finish it. Last year's Bike the Bridge turned into a slow roll, no way am I taking drop bars on another one of those!

DTownDave22

Yes, that is a trade off. The other part of the coin of riding in a city that has lost population, has excess road capacity and can be fairly safe for road riding, is that you probably have a bit more apathy and less services like street cleaning (I was riding down Vernor in the past 6 months or so and I literally saw someone in the passenger seat just throw trash outside of their window--and it wasn't just a little napkin--I mean..really?) Overall Vernor feels like a rare street in Detroit and I like it overall for riding--it doesn't feel emptied out but it's not overly fast traffic or too busy except during rush hour and even then, speed limits make me feel like I'm not slowing people down by much as I try to stay in the bike lane if I feel it's safe).

There are roads and stretches in Detroit that are worse than others in the city, where the roads and streets range from dirty (but not a flat risk), small pieces of road and gravel, which can have a cumulative effect on your tires and dirty up your drive train a little quicker, to glass or nails.

I've not had major problems flatting, though I don't live in the city. I do a fair amount of riding on Detroit's roads and have never ridden with tires without flat protection (Bontrager Racelite Hardcase or Schwalbe Marathon Supreme). Cheaper tires will probably cost you a bit more in the long run with tubes you replace or patch and of course your time.

jefnvk

Good to know that! I don't regularly ride right downtown, outside something like Tour De Troit or Bike the Bridge, and have thus far managed to avoid any flats myself. I just see flats quite regularly on those things, some of the routes they choose for those rides do get a bit off the beaten path. Generally, if I go downtown to bike I'll just lap Belle Isle a few times, the roads are clean, people are watching for bikes, and I can take the skinny tires without much concern about coming upon a hidden pothole under a dark bridge.

oddjob2

Weather forecast is unfavorable. If it doesn't rain, I will show up.

Despite the ride marshalls telling everyone to stay right, the curb is where all the glass congregates, so better to ride on the lane's crown.


It is shame the city can't even take proper care of their new infrastructure. Alter Road was newly paved last summer between Warren and 2 blocks from I-94. Why they couldn't do the last 2 blocks is a wonder to me. Furthermore, the city's contractors have ruined the new asphalt already with about 1/2 dozen lumpy cold patches, a big concrete cutout etc. Doing it all bass ackwards.

It's also a shame that it's citizens and dirt ball house cleaner/flippers think any open field is a dump.

mrv 

can't make it this Monday. Any word on when the Dequinter Cut will be done, connecting the River Walk to Eastern Market? I road through it last fall, but it wasn't "finished". That'll be a nice connector for both places.
https://goo.gl/photos/Ze9dw34D4G9zZ9J28

Ghostknife

I might be down for the slow roll pending on the weather. Ill probably be on the Fatboy for this ride