Easy intro to Philly cycling: Bike Philly route with no cars

Looking for a place to spin your wheels Sunday?

Bike Philly offers cyclists a chance to glide through city streets unperturbed by cars - and the honking horns and profanity-laced death threats that often accompany them.

For two hours starting at 8 a.m., many streets will be closed to automobiles while Bike Philly cyclists rule the road.

"My hopes are that we're able to introduce people to how much fun Philadelphia can be on two wheels," said Alex Doty, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, which organizes the event, now in its fifth year.

Doty hopes the tour, which goes past Independence Hall, City Hall, and the Art Museum, and through Fairmount Park, will counter news stories about violent flash mobs and other problems. About 75 percent of riders do not live in the city, Doty said, and about 3,000 people typically participate.

The event, which costs $50 for adults, $20 for students, and $10 for children under 12, raises money to complete the Schuylkill River Trail Network, 67 miles of recreational trails in Montgomery and Delaware Counties.

On Sunday's jaunt, riders can choose a ride of 10, 20, or 35 miles. Parts of the 35-mile route are in Montgomery and Delaware Counties on roads shared with cars.

The event capitalizes on Philadelphia's growing reputation as bike-friendly.

About 2 percent of people who live here commute to work on a bicycle, ranking the city among the top 10 on that front.

In Center City, South Philadelphia, and neighborhoods such as Northern Liberties, that figure is about 5 percent, about the same as in Portland, Ore., where more people cycle to work than in any other large U.S. city.

"We have dense residential centers that are close to employment centers, so it's no surprise that you see a high percentage of bicyclists in those neighborhoods north and south of [Center] City," said Andrew Stober, chief of staff for Mayor Nutter's office of transportation.

Philadelphia is mostly flat, another plus for anyone on getting around on his or her own power.

"We have good geography and a good development pattern that works well for cycling," Stober said.

The city is trying to support all those riders. After recently adding bike lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets, the city is testing new ones on 10th and 13th Streets.