Built For Bicycles

There's so much buzz these days about the resurgence of bicycling in Detroit, whether it's the success of Critical Mass, the proliferation of bicycling bloggers, modern-day bike clubs, or tours of the city by bike. It made me curious about the first age of bicycles in Detroit, especially when I learned that the Athletic Pavilion on Belle Isle was actually built as the Bicycle Pavilion. Then....

and now....

It was built in 1898 by prominent Detroit architect Edward A. Schilling, who was also involved in the Casino; many Catholic churches including St. Charles Borromeo, St. Theresa of Avila, St. Thomas the Apostle, and Holy Family; public schools like the Catherine Ferguson Academy, originally the Chaney School, and police precinct stations. Schilling, along with Emil Lorch, was one of the founding members of the Detroit Architectural Club, which later became the Thumb Tack Club. If you peruse this architecture publication of the era, you may see echoes in the rooflines of this building.

Could someone smarter than me please tell me what the cilia-like projections on the inside of the corbels are in the photo below? Anti-nest devices?

There is an account of the Cleveland Architectural Club visiting Detroit in August,1897, including a wheelmen's tour, here. They were very impressed with the wondrous new buildings and talent in Detroit, particularly with Albert Kahn.

The Bicycle Pavilion was built with the patronage of the League of American Wheelmen's Michigan Division. The excellent m-bike.org has more on the background of the building itself.  The Pavilion was built as a clubhouse for members to store their bikes and socialize, in addition to providing bicycle rentals.

Maybe circular bespoked balconies were common on buildings of the era, but this says "wheel" to me. Looks just like Woodward's map of Detroit, too.

This early photo of folks at the foot of the bridge to Belle Isle shows more bicycles than cars, including a few female cyclists....

On Central Avenue, the aptly-named middle road of the island, automobiles were not permitted. Central Avenue ends at the forest, where these folks are enjoying an outing....I have to say, this part of the island looks much the same today.

There are so many great web resources for Detroit bicyclists. Here are a few favorites to start with....these will lead you to the many others.

m-bike.org...promoting safe, convenient biking in Metro Detroit

Wheelhouse Detroit....rentals, service, retail, and tours by bike, in Rivard Plaza on the River

The Hub Of Detroit...non-profit, full-service bicycle shop

Bike Detroit...great descriptions of the nuts and bolts of riding around the D

Bikes, Books, and a Little Music...always something new to learn about the city here (I had been meaning to write about bikes and Belle Isle for a while, finally getting to it after running into this intrepid bike blogger on the island last weekend)

Tour de Hood... classic tales of biking the mean streets of Detroit

As for being part of a modern bike club, who wouldn't want to be part of the Suicide Squad? Tongue-in-cheek description from their facebook page.....

Holey mackerel! we have bunches of new fans... So maybe we should describe ourselves a bit better... We Ride Bikes! We like skinny tires and gears but a bike is a bike. We go fast most of the time, and we go through traffic. We drink, and party. Some of us smoke, most of us also smoke. We have plans for several organized rides coming up, notably an Ann Arbor ride, and a Underbelly Detroit Tour... Anything I missed?

The Athletic Shelter, born as the Bicycle Pavilion, is adjacent to the tennis courts and athletic fields. It serves primarily as restrooms today. 

Modern day bicyclists may not be aware of the island's history of cycling, but they still come out in droves to enjoy their touring, whether on elegant racing bikes, fixies, beaters, or pulling the baby trailer behind them. I'd stick with riding early in the day if you want to avoid traffic, especially in the summer. In the spring and fall, you could have the road to yourself pretty regularly. In the winter, if you are willing to ride then, you could have your very own island.

Bring your bike to Belle Isle. It's built for it.

All historical photos are by the Detroit Publishing Company, from the Library of Congress, in the public domain.