Anyone else feel like there has been quite an increase in the number of bikes on the road this year? I myself have seen a huge increase along my route everyday.
I noticed in the winter that there were more than I remember seeing last year. and of course, the number only grows as we move from winter to spring.
I've definitely noticed and increased use of the port authority bike racks on buses lately as well.
Yes. I said this morning that Bakery Square's "good racks" held 10 bikes in 12 racks.
i saw so many today, and this weekend some out of towners asked me if 'cycling is really big here" 
I moved to outside Dayton in January but was back visiting the Burgh a few weeks ago. I was continually amazed at how many people riding bikes I saw. Nearly everywhere I went around downtown, the strip, Oakland, Squirrel Hill, Highland Park, 'Sliberty, etc. there were folks getting themselves around town by bike. I found myself thinking "No way were there this many people on bikes last fall. This is just amazing."
There were a bunch more racks inside the parking garage, rsprake.
The security guard there was kind enough to walk over and show me where they were when he saw I was locking up to some railing next to a door.
How many bikes were there?
I've seen a ridiculous number lately - and that's just in the boonies. I went from "OOOOO LOOK A CYCLIST OMG" last year (total about three different ones seen in my driving/biking around the burbs from April to March) to "hey, there's another one!" (total 5 different ones since beginning of April alone - about one a week).
When I get into the city I don't even get excited to see them anymore, it's weird to NOT see one or two, even in crap rainy weather or crazy busy streets. Though I am excited that there are so many in general.
I think my friends from out of town were impressed by how many cyclists were out on the super rainy days they were in town last week.
On Sunday I chatted with a dude from Germany who said he was surprised how many cyclists there were in Pittsburgh.
deep down, I think that this is largely due to the PAT cuts (and other factors). I considered trying to take credit for it anyway, but decided that would be unethical.
Well if I'm ever stopped by a news crew asking why there is a surge in the number of bikes in town, I'll attribute it to Lyle...
Either PAT Cuts or people trying to get in-shape by commuting -I don't care..... I like seeing this increase in riders too
If you do the math, it's probably more Mick's doing than mine.
Riding a bike has fallen back into being a trendy thing. See: urban outfitters, american apparel and crate and barrel catalogs.
@lyle If you do the math, it's probably more Mick's doing than mine.
Lyle, I'm glad you are starting to make some sense, here.
rsprake, last time I went over there was in the fall, it was just mine
When is the last time they did one of those bicycle counts?
I'm skeptical that there are any more than usual during the nice weather
Even when the rather was still cold and shitty, I noticed more commuters than I have ever seen before.
Highland Ave. "seemed" to have more bike riders than cars. When I was leaving work I had to waint for the bike riders to pass before I could pull my bike out onto the street lol
5 separate cyclists crossing 31st Street Bridge last night as I was going the other way. Definitely more bikes than cars on that bridge right now.
speaking of bike counts, where did that bike count thread go? i need to post some things there!
I got a coworker to bike to work. Perhaps people who were on the fence about riding will start to commute because they may feel it is safer with the increasing number of others on the road.
Counted 10 on the way home to Highland Park from downtown. Way more than I've ever seen. There is actually bike "traffic" at some of the intersections!
Saw a cyclist coming down Babcock to the McKnight/Perrymont intersection this morning around 6:30. Took the lane off the light with a pickup and four cars behind him, and kept it, to and onto the Babcock peel-off. Clearly a serious cyclist. So, even in the North Hills, there are commuter cyclists (other than me).
Later, around 5p, I tried to tie up my bike by the City-County Building, and had trouble finding a spot. There were bikes on both sides of several Three Rivers racks on Forbes by Grant.
i noticed more cyclists during the winter than in years past. but when there are fewer in general, they stick out more.
but i would also like to see numbers, and comparisons to previous years. while it does seem like a lot of folks are out on bikes, i can see it being a) the sharp increase in use due to the nice weather, and 2) the sharp increase in noticing use due to me being around the universities more frequently.
Bike traffic jams are awesome. 3 or 5 stuck at any given intersection makes my day.
@mark - I topped the bike count threads
I saw a guy biking down my street, in Robinson, looked like he was coming home from work. I didn't get a chance to talk to him. But I didn't know him, and my street isn't that big!!! But!!!
Was in Boston over the weekend, saw very few bikes and the drivers dominated the roads. Pedestrians attempting to cross the street, even when they had the light, were taking their chances.
It was great to be back in Pittsburgh.
went to rite-aid on butler today and there were three other bikes parked there already, unfortunately to that yellow pipe-looking barrier
i lost count of how many cyclists i saw today after 50. and that was just on my commute home.
I passed probably 20 at 7pm going from Schenley plaza to my house in Greenfield. Never ever seen more than 3-4.
Also, avoid PHR.. after patching potholes all last week, they carved up the entire road now and are repaving it. Kind of odd.
i was blown away by how many i saw today. don't think i've seen so many on a weekday, maybe ever
Eh, after reading this thread I seemed to notice more myself. Saw about for or five at the intersection of 2nd Ave and Greenfield Ave this morning
Now if only we could mobilize all these people to get us some more bike lane advocacy
Thanks for the heads up, Dan...hopefully it won't be raining tomorrow morning and I can take the trail easily enough.
I have seen a ton the past couple days...haven't counted, but I probably would have lost count.
I think it's because the weather has been so bad and then exploded into awesomeness. Instead of a slow, steady trickle, all the fair-weather cyclists chose this week to start riding.
Just a heads up for bike parking---the Sennott Square garage (slightly off of Bouquet St. in Oakland) now has a bike rack inside on the ground level. It's right by the handicapped spots. It's awesome to have free covered bike parking, especially since that garage can be pricey. I think I was the first person to lock up to it last week.
i lock up to that rack every time i meet my girlfriend for lunch. there used to be only one bike there ever. now it's getting near full every time i'm there. i hope i don't find it full next time!
a few weeks ago i caught up to a group of cyclists that happened to be taking my usual route from grocery store to home. it was so pleasant to be riding with a group completely unplanned!
this past winter i was commuting at six AM from Lawrenceville to southside. if there was anyone else out there on a bike at that time in February, i probably just couldn't see them through the ice forming on my eyeballs.
It's also heartening to see new folks on the board. Winter riders represent!
Yep same here. I never see anyone except maybe one or two cyclists at 530 or 6am
I often ride into Squirrel Hill around 5:30-6 am, and will occasionally see another cyclist on Panther Hollow Boulevard (which, by the way, STILL HAD VISIBLE POTHOLES after they stripped it. So glad that road is being re-paved!).
I live at the top of Greenfield Avenue, so I see cyclists all year. I have recently noticed the return of kids on BMX bikes, though, so the weather is definitely a factor.
I definitely noticed a huge increase in winter cyclists this year, and it is ridiculous and wonderful how many people are riding around now that its nice out!
Going northbound on Aiken at the intersection with Ellsworth on Wednesday, I pulled up behind two other cyclists waiting in the left-turn lane. It was awesome. 
I was going to get my camera but the front cyclist took advantage of a lull in the cross-traffic and rode through the red to turn left.
I caught up with her like a block down after it went green. 
That often happens when I wait at red lights and other cyclists don't.
