Sarasota Bicycling

Sarasota residents and visitors to the area can take advantage of greater Sarasota´s fine weather and beautiful scenery from atop of bicycle.  Florida in general, and Sarasota in particular, continue to become bicycle-friendly locales for on-road and off-road riders, those who ride for leisure, for exercise, or competitively.

The Florida Bicycling Association is a non-profit member-driven organization that aims to support bicycling and cyclists and to promote bicycle friendliness.  The Association´s stated purposes are to educate cyclists and motorists about bicycle safety issues, to voice cyclists´ needs to government authorities, to foster citizen advocacy, to encourage the creation of places to ride, and to provide a statewide communications network for bicyclists.

2007 marks the tenth anniversary of the Florida Bicycling Association.  Some of the fine accomplishments of the Association include production of bicycle safety DVDs, redisgn of Floria´s Share the Road license plate, middle and elementary school bicycle safety programs, bicycle safety education training for the public, publication of an electronic newsletter, and participation in and sponsorship of a variety of cycling events.  More information about the Florida Bicycling Association, based in Waldo, is available at http://www.floridabicycle.org or by telephoning (352) 468-3430.

The Florida Discovery Bicycling Center, based in the Town of Lake Helen, offers a variety of programs to appeal to cyclists.  Among the most popular are the Center´s bicycling tours, which range from 20 to 40 miles, with additional options available for customizing tours to individual cyclists.  In addition, the center hosts special events and offers safety training.  More information about the Center is available at http://www.floridabicycle.org/discovery, or by emailing the Center at fdcb@earthlink.net.

The Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club was founded in 1974, and is a non-profit organization that promotes bicycling as recreation, fitness, exercise, sport, and transportation, as well as aiming to further local bicyclists´ interests and safety. 

The Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club is open to everyone.  The Club offers member-led rides throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties on weekdays and weekends.  In addition, special event rides are scheduled to locations such as Withlacoochee State Forest and a variety of weekend- and week-long bike tours.  Club members are entitled to receive the bimonthly newsletter, Rough Draft, which lists scheduled club rides and includes articles written by members about the club, equipment, riding skills, bicycling safety, and more.  Additional information about the Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club can be found at the Club´s website, at http://www.smbc.us, or by emailing info@smbc.us.

The Coastal Cruisers Bicycle Club, based in North Port, just south of Sarasota.  The over-thirty-year-old club consists of members from throughout Sarasota and Charlotte counties, and offers regularly-scheduled rides and activities year-round.  The Coastal Cruisers publish an online newsletter, with ride schedules as well as articles about bicycling, cycle maintenance, fitness, and health.  More information about the Club, including membership and events, is available online at http://www.coastalcruisers.net, or by emailing webmaster@coastalcruisers.net.