PA Route 6 Bike Friendly Business Program

Joining the Bike Friendly Business Program provides business owners with the resources they need to attract more customers while still providing a quality experience for cyclists. Across the U.S., communities that embrace bicycle tourism have seen sustainable success.

• In 2017, the Outdoor Industry Association found that bicyclists nationally spend $83 billion per year on trip-related sales, and generate $97 billion in retail spending.

• In 2021, the state of Oregon found that bicycling generates $1.5 billion in visitor spending throughout the state, up from $400 million in 2012.

• The nearby Great Allegheny Passage consistently sees over 1 million visitors, with overnight visitors spending an average of 7 times more than day users.

Bike tourism is a multi-layered industry that includes a wide spectrum of riders with various skill levels. We believe the Route 6 corridor is the perfect destination because it offers such a wide variety of riding possibilities. Sure, BicyclePA Route Y and USBR 36 provide routes along historical Route 6 across the northern tier of Pennsylvania, but this route also bisects numerous back roads and gravel roads through state forest and game lands. These routes are ideal jumping-off places for riders to spend more time in an area, which means more economic opportunities for local businesses. This is why we feel that even businesses not located directly on Route 6 will benefit from bike tourism, and we encourage all businesses to check out the Bike Friendly Business Program.

PA Route 6 Alliance recently attended a Gravel Summit hosted by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC). If you’re curious about gravel cycling and want to learn more about the unlimited potential for this type of tourism along Route 6, check out the Gravel Report assembled the PEC.

Who Can Participate in the Bike Friendly Business Program?

The PA Route 6 Bike-Friendly Business program is open to all businesses along the 11-county PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor who are current members of their CVB*. This program is available at no cost to businesses or travelers along PA Route 6. Businesses should be in one of the following categories:

• Lodging
• Food or drink
• Bike shops
• Retail or attraction

How to Be Recognized as a Bike Friendly Business:

To be approved into the Bike Friendly Business Program, a business must:

• Be a member of their CVB*

• Be friendly and welcoming to bicycling visitors

• Provide at least 3 of the following:
  • Bike cleaning station
  • Bike floor pump and tools for repair and/or bike mechanic available to hire
  • Bike maps and area information
  • Complementary lock for bikes while at the business
  • Designated bike parking area in close proximity (bike rack, secure courtyard)
  • Electronic charging available for devices
  • Free water bottle refill
  • Long-term vehicle parking for visitors taking multi-day bicycling trips
  • Public restroom
  • Shipping available for customer purchases
  • Wifi

Additionally:

• Lodging properties must provide secure and dry bike parking for overnight guests, by allowing bikes in guest rooms or providing space in a locked storage room.

• Camping properties must accommodate bicyclists who arrive by bike without a reservation. If full, this could mean allowing bicyclists to set up their tent for one night in a day-use area.

• We have created a self-assessment checklist for business to help them determine if they’re a good fit for this program. Download the PA Route 6 Bike Friendly Business Checklist to take the assessment. Please note: you do not have to meet every criteria on this list. This is simply to provide a basic starting point in getting you familiar with the needs of cyclists and how you can best help them enjoy a quality experience along the PA Route 6 corridor.

 The Application Process:

Are you ready to join PA Route 6’s Bike Friendly Business Program? Once again, it’s 100% free and the application process takes only about 15 minutes.

Fill out the Online Application for the PA Route 6 Bike-Friendly Business Program

Upon approval, PA Route 6 Alliance will:

• Add the business listing on the website with the “Bike Friendly” designation.
• Add the business as a point of interest/destination to loops within the PA Route 6 route library on Ride with GPS, which is the website/software most used by cyclists when planning trips and where to ride.
• Send a welcome packet and window cling.

Please allow 30 days for PA Route 6 Alliance to approve all applications.

*PA Route 6 relies on support from the CVBs along the route’s corridor. By becoming a member of their CVB, a business is automatically a member of the PA Route 6 Alliance.