As we reflected in last year’s review, it’s amazing to see how far we've come. Back when BIKEIOWA (formerly CIBROC) began, the internet was in its infancy. Cycling news and event details were found on club newsletters or pinned to bulletin boards at local bike shops. There were no cell phones, no Google, no Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. BIKEIOWA was born out of a simple idea: to host a small list of events. Over the years, it evolved into one of the most comprehensive cycling websites, covering Iowa bike rides, news, and events throughout the Midwest and beyond.
We thought Iowa’s cycling scene and trails were fantastic in the early 2000s, but fast forward 23 years, and Iowa has become a cycling powerhouse. With a world-class trail system and a vibrant cycling community, Iowa’s scene is now the envy of states across the nation!
BIKEIOWA.com: A Platform We Continue to Trust and Champion
At BIKEIOWA, we’ve always strived to create something truly unique. We’re proud to be a unicorn in the cycling world, leveraging advanced taxonomy to seamlessly connect data across Events, News, Features, and more. For 23 years, we've built multi-genre cycling portals that serve every trail, every city, and every cycling community in Iowa. Our platform is more than a website; it’s a hub for recreation, awareness, education, advocacy, safety, Iowa's world-class trails and promoting bicycle-friendly businesses and sponsors.
The Power of Portals
Each portal on BIKEIOWA.com acts as a mini-site, providing focused information without the clutter of unrelated content. While some portals are more active than others - depending on user contributions and follower engagement - all are designed to serve specific cycling genres. For example, we’d love to see more triathlon/multi-sport and BMX events added to increase awareness and participation in those areas. Newer portals, like Gravel, are still growing their content base, but their potential is immense.
Advocacy (2,771), BMX (147), Charity (2,143), Commuting (1,251) , Culture (4,635), Cyclocross (1,073), Destination (2,792), Education (1,379), Gravel (596), MountainBike (2,138), Other (2,013), Party (4,704), Race (2,530), Recreation (6,957), Road (3,467), Road(Competitive) (1,488), Team/Club (2,524) , Touring (1,659), Tourism (2,217) , Trails (6,580) , Training/Fitness (2,611) , Tri/Multi-Sport (557) - numbers indicate # of posts in each portal
Your Ultimate Event Calendar
Our shared event calendar is a cornerstone of BIKEIOWA, bringing together all types of cycling events in one convenient location. Cyclists regularly use it to plan their weekends and vacations, and the ability to revisit past years’ events, recaps and results adds even more value.
We made a pivotal decision a few years ago: BIKEIOWA will only promote events listed on our calendar. This ensures consistent, detailed information for our audience. While some events may only be posted on social media, we've chosen not to scour platforms like Facebook for event details. Instead, we focus on maintaining the high-quality, user-driven event listings our followers expect. Event promoters can easily add their events to the calendar, and we'll help amplify their reach. It’s a win-win.
Why BIKEIOWA Stands Out
In an era where social media dominates, we understand the challenges of staying relevant. However, BIKEIOWA offers something social platforms can't: a consistent, reliable repository of cycling events, news, and features. Social media users often miss critical posts due to overwhelming feeds, but with BIKEIOWA, important information is always easy to find. Plus, we cater to those who prefer not to rely solely on social media.
A Legacy of Advocacy and Connection
As we close out our 23rd year in 2024, we're proud of the role BIKEIOWA.com has played in Iowa’s cycling community. With over a million views annually, our platform remains a trusted resource for cyclists of all genres. Together, let’s continue to grow, advocate, and celebrate the cycling lifestyle that makes Iowa so special.
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The Shiny and Rusty Awards
As we reflect on the Iowa cycling community this year, some moments sparkled with brilliance, while others showed a bit of wear—here are our Top 3 'Shiny' highlights and 'Rusty' challenges that defined 2024.
Shiny: The bright, polished highlights that stood out in the Iowa cycling community - successes, progress, and celebrations that gleamed with positivity.
- High Trestle and Raccoon River Valley Trail Connector: This 9-mile trail between Perry and Woodward closed a key gap in the Great American Rail-Trail and created a 120-mile paved loop around Des Moines, boosting local outdoor activity and economic potential. (MORE)
- Cyclocross Growth: Iowa’s cyclocross scene has grown with more races, participants, and venues, turning Fall weekends into lively hubs of energy and competition. (MORE)
- Iowa Bike Shop Tour: A collaboration between the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and BIKEIOWA, is a whirlwind journey to visit every bike shop in the state within a week- an incredible opportunity to connect with shop owners and employees, promote their businesses and champion the 'Shop Local' campaign, even if the visits must be brief to cover them all." (MORE)
Rusty: The tarnished or disappointing moments—setbacks, challenges, or issues that dulled the shine of the year.
- Riverdale Gate: Installed in 2020, this gate blocks cyclists from using a public road in the Havens Acres neighborhood to connect the Duck Creek Trail and the Mississippi River Trail. As a result, cyclists are forced onto alternate routes, navigating busy roads, crossing a major highway, and maneuvering around heavily trafficked business areas. We spent some time in the area in December, rode the detours and the neighborhood and saw the hatred from the neighbors. It's a gate that should be removed. It's not IF a cyclist will get killed, it is when... (MORE)
- Bicycle Safety: Bicycle safety in Iowa remains a critical concern, with ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure, education, and awareness, yet challenges persist as cyclists continue to get hit or killed on our roadways. Distracted driving continues to be the #1 factor. (MORE)
- Lack of Bicycle-Friendly Communities: Despite the League of American Bicyclists offering a free designation for Bicycle Friendly Communities, Iowa has relatively few cities earning this title, highlighting missed opportunities to prioritize cycling infrastructure, safety, and accessibility statewide. Once a community earns a designation, they must renew every 4 years and we've seen some major cities not renew such as Des Moines, West Des Moines and Fairfield. (MORE)
As we look ahead to the future, let's continue celebrating the bright moments while addressing the challenges, working together to create a safer, more vibrant cycling community in Iowa.
This content is also in a separate Feature - .2024 Shiny and Rusty Awards.
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Keeping BIKEIOWA fresh, relevant, and up-to-date is always a priority, and 2024 was no exception. It was a remarkable year for the Iowa cycling scene, with a notable increase in events, news, and features shared across our platforms.
These numbers showcase not just BIKEIOWA’s growth but also the vibrant and thriving cycling community we’re proud to support. Here's to an even bigger and better year ahead!