iBikeCha
What: An initiative led by local bike shops designed to increase usage of the city’s bicycle infrastructure by offering downtown residents incentives to commute by bicycleWhen: Riders can take the pledge now at iBikeCha.com. Those who sign up pledge to bike commute during June and July.Incentives: Discounted electric bikes at Electric Bike Specialists and a discounted bicycle commuter accessory package at Cycle Sport Concepts. Those who take Outdoor Chattanooga’s “Street Cycling 101” class receive a $25 gift card to Suck Creek Cycle. The iBikeCha participant who logs the most trips will win a fully loaded commuter bike from Cycle Sport Concepts.
Katie Hargrave is one of the first people in Chattanooga to take the iBikeCha pledge.
The North Shore resident wanted to commute on a bicycle to her job at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
She knew she needed a boost, though, and decided to buy an electric bike from Electric Bike Specialists on Main Street to help her traverse her neighborhood’s hills.
“It just made sense for me,” said Hargrave, who got a discounted bike by pledging to bicycle commute during June and July. “It is an investment, but maybe if I actually ride the bicycle all the time, that’ll cut down on the amount of gas that I’m using and wear and tear on my car.”