LouVelo Bikes

  LouVelo is Louisville's official bike share program, with 321 bikes, 37 total stations and 2 connected cities (Louisville and Jeffersonville IN). Designed for quick trips, it’s a fun, healthy and convenient way to get around.

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#BikeSmart: Know the Bike Symbols in Louisville

Sharrow

Sharrows, also known as Shared Lane Markings (SLMs), are symbols used to identify lanes that are shared by both bicycles and cars. SLMs are beneficial for both drivers and cyclists. They help drivers become aware of bicycle traffic on the road and inform cyclists of the safest position on to ride in.

Bike Lane

A Bike Lane is a marked portion of a road that is meant for the exclusive use of cyclists. Bike lanes create a safe area for cyclists to ride at their own speed without feeling pressured to ride faster or being overtaken by other vehicles on the road.

Buffered Bike Lane

Buffered Bike Lanes are similar to traditional bicycle lanes, however they have additional line markings to provide the cyclist with more space between vehicles on the road. Buffered Bike Lanes are common on high-speed roads.

Contraflow Bike Lane

Contraflow Bike Lanes are two-way bike lanes (separated by a yellow stripe)  on one side of a one-way road. They allow cyclists to safely ride in the opposite direction of traffic.

Left-Side Bike Lanes

Left-side bike lanes are traditional bike lanes, but are located on the left side of the road instead of the right side.

Shared-Use Paths

Shared-Use Paths are designated paths for recreational activities. These include walking, bicycling, and inline skating. Shared-Use Paths are not meant for cars, and are physically separated from motor vehicle traffic.

Bike Box

Bike Boxes are designated areas at an intersection where cyclists can safely stop while waiting for the light to change. By moving cyclists out of blind spots and into a highly visible area, Bike Boxes help motorists see cyclists, making the road safer for everyone.

Bike Detectors

Bike Detectors are sensors within the road that signal the light to turn green for a cyclist. To activate the detector, position your bicycle tires on this marking.

Bike Counters

Bike counters are tube sensors laid over a bike lane that measures the speed and distance between the two bicycle wheels, allowing cities to keep track of bike lane usage.

Bike Law FAQs

Can I ride a bike on the sidewalk?

No person over 11 years old shall operate a bicycle on any sidewalk in Louisville Metro, and nobody of any age shall ride on the sidewalk downtown. This does not apply to officers of Louisville Metro Police Department or Downtown Management District Cleaning and Safety Team personnel. Please click here for more information.

Can I park a car in the bike lane?

No person shall operate a motorized vehicle on a designated bike path or bike lane.

Can I drive a car in the bike lane?

No person shall operate a motorized vehicle on a designated bike path or bike lane.  A car may turn from a bike lane if the bike line is dashed.  

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LouVelo Member Spotlight

Meet Sarah,

I live in the Highlands and work downtown at Humana as a digital copywriter. I am a writer, artist, vegan, dog walker, and organizer for the annual CycloFemme ride on Mother’s Day. 

For me, freedom and happiness are found through bikes. I own four bikes and counting. I bike to get to work, explore, connect with other cyclists, and enhance my health. 

My solo-braked fixie is my first love and my favorite bike.

1) How do you integrate LouVelo Bike Share into your daily routine?

I often ride LouVelo to work, especially if it’s a rainy day. The fenders prevent rain from spraying up your back and face. I just wear shoe covers, rain pants, and a rain jacket with a hood to stay dry. The pedals are great for any type of shoe; I can ride with heels or flats. 

LouVelo is an easy and comfortable ride, so there’s no sweaty, smelly mess that your coworkers may not appreciate as much as your inner wild woman might.

2) Where is your favorite place to ride a LouVelo Bike Share and why?

The LouVelo stations throughout downtown and the NuLu shopping district provide access to hop on and off bikes frequently. I also like to venture to The Table, Tim Faulkner Gallery, and McQuixote Books & Coffee in Portland. 

The bike seats are comfortable enough for a longer ride of 7 miles there and back along the Louisville Loop.

3) What is your favorite part of LouVelo Bike Share?

It links local Louisville, of course!

4) Do you have any LouVelo Bike Share Tips or Tricks?

Make sure you download the Transit app and get the LouVelo card to access each station without frustration.

5) Words of encouragement for new users?

Don’t be afraid to ride on the street. Own the streets! That is where bikes belong, not the sidewalk. We can encourage people to get out of their cars and onto a bike by collectively showing them how easy and free a bike can be. Thus, creating a sense of safety and credibility.

6) Do you have anything else to add?

Riding a bike is great for reducing the air pollution in Louisville as we are one of the top 20 most polluted cities in America. LouVelo is a no-brainer.

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LouVelo Member Spotlight

Meet Cody,

Cody is a LouVelo member who uses LouVelo to commute to and from work. Here’s what he had to say about the system:

1) How do you integrate LouVelo Bike Share into your daily routine?

Well, I live right by Market and Shelby, so I use the bikes there most. I work downtown and they are everywhere as well. So its very handy indeed.

2) Where is your favorite place to ride a LouVelo Bike Share and why

Mostly downtown and back home.

3) What is your favorite part of LouVelo Bike Share?

Convenience, good price, and quality bikes.

4) Do you have any LouVelo Bike Share tips or tricks?

Make sure the bike is still in the loading dock, and always remember to look at your basket before you go home. I've left stuff in them. Luckily my neighborhood is either honest or not observant.

5) Words of encouragement for new users?

LouVelo bikes are easy to ride, and a little exercise is good for you! If you have an issue, the customer service line is always available and very helpful.

6) Do you have anything else to add?

People always ask me about them on the street, and I am happy to give the bikes a good review for strangers!

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5 Places to Ride a LouVelo This April

Louisville comes alive this month with the kick off of the Derby Festival, high-profile comedians, Easter brunches, and much more! The best news, you can ride your LouVelo to all of it!

1.Easter Brunch at Rivue Restaurant

Photo courtesy of RIVUE Restaurant & Lounge (instagram)

Enjoy a special three-course Easter brunch at RIVUE from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm on April 1. Attendees may also join activities in the Archibald Cochran Ballroom, including crafts, kiddie train rides, and pictures with the Easter Bunny.

Visit http://www.rivue.com/easter-brunch/ for more details.

Location: Galt House, 140 N Fourth St, Louisville, KY 40202, USA

Date & Time: Sunday, April 1, 2018 at 10:00 AM — 3:00 PM

Closest station: 4TH & MAIN

2. The Mayor's Music Series: Bendigo Fletcher

Photo courtesy of louisvilleky.gov

The Music Series features every month on the first Thursday. Bring a lunch and a chair and enjoy the outdoor concert. This month, Bendigo Fletcher is playing. You can expect a rugged sound inspired by the wilderness of Kentucky along with “contagious hooks, rich harmonies, and the very best that the American South has to offer - a genuine love for the earth and its people.”

Visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/mayors-music-art-series for more details.

Location: West Lawn of Metro Hall

Date & Time: Thursday, April 5 at 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.

Closest station: 6TH & JEFFERSON - METRO HALL

3.Derby Issue Release Party

Photo courtesy of Louisville Magazine (Facebook)

Louisville Magazine and  Bourbon Women are hosting a party to celebrate the release of the annual Kentucky Derby issue. This free event comes with your own copy of the April issue, complimentary appetizers, and drink specials at the cash bar.

For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/238804596662841/.

Location: 8UP Elevated Drinkery & Kitchen

Date & Time: April 5 at 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Closest station: 4TH & BROADWAY – BROWN HOTEL

4.Thunder VIP Rooftop Party

Photo courtesy of thunderoverlouisville.org

Thunder Over Louisville is rated as one of the top 100 events in North America. It celebrates the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies one of the nation’s top air shows and one of the largest annual fireworks shows in the country.

Get a front row seat this year and watch the show from the Thunder VIP Rooftop Party This all-day party is hosted on the roof of the Waterfront Garage Top and features appetizers, dinner, and a complimentary bar.

For more details, visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/kentucky-derby-festival-thunder-over-louisville-vip-rooftop-party

Location: The Waterfront Garage Top (201 North Brook St)

Date & Time: Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 2:30PM – 10:30PM

Closest station: FLOYD & E. MARKET

5. Kevin Hart - The Irresponsible Tour

Photo courtesy www.kfcyumcenter.com

Kevin Hart is bringing his "Irresponsible Tour" to KFC Yum! Center on April 29th! Hart was the first comedian to sell out an NFL stadium, selling over 50,000 tickets in one show at Lincoln Financial Field. During his last tour, WHAT NOW, he sold out over a dozen arenas in the European market, selling over 150,000 tickets. Don’t miss your chance to see him in the ‘Ville!

For more details, visit: https://www.kfcyumcenter.com/events/detail/kevin-hart-the-irresponsible-tour

Location: KFC Yun! Center

Date & Time: Sunday, April 29, 2018 at 8:00 PM

Closest station: 4TH & MAIN

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LouVelo Member Spotlight

Meet Scott,

Commuter, gourmand, theater lover, Scott is a busy guy with a lot of interests. Having a way to get around downtown without hunting for parking has made him a big fan of the LouVelo system.

1) How do you integrate LouVelo Bike Share into your daily routine?

I commute in from Bardstown. I take a LouVelo from the Brown Hotel to Main St. every day.

2) Where is your favorite place to ride a LouVelo Bike Share and why?

My favorite ride is down to Central Park because it means I am going to see Kentucky Shakespeare. Second is the ride to East Market to hang out at the Please & Thank you.

3) What is your favorite part of LouVelo Bike Share?

The convenience. There are so many stations downtown that I don’t have to hike to find a bike.

4) Do you have any LouVelo Bike Share Tips or Tricks?

The transit app is the nicest thing. The other tip for new riders is “the switch” if you have a membership and are riding for a while. Lock your bike in a station, then take it out to avoid going over the hour ride limit.

5) Words of encouragement for new users?

You don’t have to be a great cyclist to use the bikes, just use them.

6) Do you have anything else to add?

When I am riding around, I always use the bell to let pedestrians know that I am around. People are so deep in thought, or their phones, that they don’t see what’s around. I think it is a good thing to try and let them know I am there.

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5 Places to Ride a LouVelo This March

There is never a dull moment in the ‘Ville, grab a LouVelo and start exploring all that our city has to offer!

1. 42nd Humana Festival Of New American Plays at Actors Theatre

“Young Actors at 7th Street” Photo courtesy of actorstheatre.org

The 42nd annual Human Festival of New American Plays kicks off on February 28, 2018 and runs until April 8, 2018. This year’s Festival will feature: God Said This by Leah Nanako Winkler, Marginal Loss by Deborah Stein, Do You Feel Anger? by Mara Nelson-Greenberg, Evocation to Visible Appearance by Mark Schultz, You Across from Me by Jaclyn Backhaus, Dipika Guha, Brian Otano and Jason Gray Platt, and we, the invisibles by Susan Soon He Stanton.

For more information on ticket sales, and detailed information about each of the plays, visit www.ActorsTheatre.org, or call the box office at 502.584.1205.

Location: Actors Theater (316 West Main St.)

Date & Time: February 28 - April 8, 2018, various times

Closest station: 4TH & MAIN

2. Rain- A Tribute To The Beatles

Photo courtesy of www.gotolouisville.com

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, RAIN will perform the album in its entirety. Enjoy a note-for-note tribute to the legendary foursome. It’s the next best thing to seeing the Beatles!

For more info visit http://www.kentuckycenter.org/all-shows/rain-a-tribute-to-the-beatles

Location: The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts (501 W. Main St.)

Date & Time: March 6, 2018, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Closest station: 5TH & MAIN STREET - THE BELVEDERE

3. Shamrock and Roll - St. Patrick’s Parade

Photo courtesy of louisvilleirish.com

The “people’s” parade is back! Last year 10,000 + people watched the mix of decorated vehicles and groups along the route. This year’s parade kicks off at 3 p.m. at Baxter and Broadway. The parade will follow the route along the Baxter/Bardstown Road corridor.

Location: Baxter/Bardstown Road Corridor

Date & Time: March 10, 2018, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Closest station: FLOYD & BROADWAY – MED CENTER 2

4. School of Rock the Musical

Photo courtesy of www.gotolouisville.com

“After blowing out the speakers on Broadway, School of Rock hits the road on its first national tour. Based on the classic movie starring Jack Black, this blockbuster musical follows hilarious slacker Dewey Finn as he leads a classroom of nerdy misfits to rock stardom.”

The musical will be in Louisville from March 13 - 18, 2018 at Kentucky Center - Whitney Hall. Don’t miss your chance to see this modern classic!

Location: Whitney Hall

Date & Times: March 13 - 18, 2018, various times

Closest station: 6TH & MAIN – KENTUCKY CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

5. NULU Bock Fest

Photo courtesy of gotolouisville.com

The Nulu Bock Fest is an annual event that celebrates a ritual dating back to the mid-19th century. Bock Beer Festivals marked the beginning of spring when the German lager, known as bock, was drank throughout the city after a winter of aging.

This year, enjoy beer from 12 breweries including 3rd Turn, Against the Grain, Akasha, Dry Ground Brewing, Ethereal Brewing, Falls City, Goodwood Brewing, Gordon Biersch, Mile Wide, Monnik Brewing, and West Sixth.

Also at Bock Fest this year, there will be a fun and safe Goat Race and a sausage competition known as Wurst Fest.

Learn more about the event at  https://www.gotolouisville.com/events-calendar/3rd-annual-nulu-bock-fest/

Location: 600 and 700 Blocks of East Market Street

Date & Time: March 24, 2018, 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Closest station: HANCOCK & E. MARKET – W. NULU

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What can you do to help the environment?

We all want to leave the Earth a great place for our children and generations to come. Doing so can feel tricky. Implementing green strategies in our homes can seem confusing or even difficult to do. Here are a list of tips that makes being energy efficient and sustainable accessible to everyone.

1. Reduce Food Waste

In 2014 the EPA found that more than 38 millions tons of food waste were generated, and only 5.1% of that was diverted from landfills and composting. One of the ways to reduce this is to keep a food diary for a week. Write down everything you eat, how much you ate, and what went bad in your fridge. This diary will give you a great idea of how much food you actually eat. Take that with you to the store and only buy the amount of food you ate the week before. It’s a cost effective way of saving the environment.

2.  Composting

Composting turns your trash and food waste into fertilizer. It enriches the soil, suppresses plant diseases and pests, and helps to retain moisture in the soil. The process is actually more simple than you think. With many composting products on the market, reducing your carbon footprint is easier than ever.

3.  Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

As mentioned above, composting can help reduce your carbon footprint. One of the best ways to reduce your footprint is to reduce how often you drive a car. A Harvard study found that a “typical car takes 30x more energy per kilometer than biking”. That’s a lot of energy! One way we recommend to help is to bike more. With 27 LouVelo bike share stations, it is the perfect chance to leave your car in the garage for those shorter trips you need to take.

4.  Protect the Bees

Did you know that about 1/3 of the food you eat is pollinated by bees? Some of those foods include almonds, berries, and many of other fruits and vegetables. Without pollinators like bees, they wouldn’t turn into edible plants. Some easy ways to protect them is to be careful when you spray pesticides. Try not to spray on a windy day, and the best time to spray is the early evening. It gives it time to dry overnight. If you have any unwanted beehives call a local beekeeper so they can move them to a better location.

5.  Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Everyone knows you should recycle, but many do not know how. Some common things you can recycle: cardboard, paper, food boxes, cans, and glass bottles. Instead of taking these to your local recycling center you can order recycle bins off of the Louisville Metro Public Works website. The garbage men will pick it up and take it for you.

6.  Demand Businesses to be More Sustainable

In 2013 The Guardian reached out to more than 200 people across business, academia, government and civil society. The Guardian asked them for their top questions they would like to ask a top CEO. One of the main themes was sustainable business practices. What are they doing to ensure sustainability? It’s important to not only have good practices at home, but also to make sure who shop from, do business with, or work for is taking the important steps. Some companies like our local Computershare office make going green fun, by having a Community Gardens Program. They have a 30x30 vegetable plot, and all vegetables are donated to back to the community. More companies should have initiatives like these. Reach out to businesses through social media and customer service to demand them to be green.

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What can you do to help the environment?

We all want to leave the Earth a great place for our children and generations to come. Doing so can feel tricky. Implementing green strategies in our homes can seem confusing or even difficult to do....

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The Frazier History Museum is a cornerstone of downtown Louisville. Located on museum row, it is a place where you can go and learn about Kentucky’s proud history. Visit to experience the wonderment of Frazier’s live educational performances, and stay to travel back in time with historical figures answering questions about their lives. The “teaching artists” at the Frazier never break character so that you are fully immersed in the history of their time.

Do you know the history of the Frazier?

The founder of the Frazier, Owsley Brown Frazier, was an avid historic gun and knife collector. His weapon collection began with a gift from his grandfather. A long rifle that was built in Bardstown, Kentucky in 1820. It was eventually lost in a tornado, but it was sparked Frazier’s Interest in historic weapons. As his collection grew in size, he would take ownership of famous weapons like Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick.”

In 2000, he was asked to present his collection in an exhibit that thousands of people attended. This surprised Frazier and lead him to open up a more long-term exhibit. After purchasing some former warehouses, he opened up the museum which was originally called the Frazier Historical Arms Museum. It went through several names changes such as the Frazier International History Museum after the museum displayed part of Britain’s collection but now is known as the Frazier History Museum.

The Frazier is now in the midst of planning a bourbon history exhibit and they will be engaging in a partnership with the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, becoming the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Until then, enjoy the Spirits of the Bluegrass: Prohibition and Kentucky exhibit that highlights the rise and fall of the temperance movement.

To experience our rich history just take a LouVelo bike to our Zirmed station on 8th and W.Market street. Walk north one block and head east on Main St. Don’t forget to show your LouVelo membership card to the attendant. All LouVelo members get $2.00 off general admission.

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LouVelo and Shutter LLC Street Art in Louisville

Last weekend, the LouVelo team got together with Shutter LLC, a team of two photographers in the Louisville Area. Adam Mescan and Aaron Kingsbury combine their photography and editing skills to create intimate yet somehow atmospheric images of events and locations. They are well-known for portraits and landscapes, using new technology to capture events important to Louisville.

Chrome Pony playing at the Waterfront (c) Shutter LLC We couldn’t think of a better collaboration than Shutter to showcase Louisville’s colorful street art. There’s a number of beautiful murals throughout the city, and we wanted to combine them with our bright bikes to give a taste of what makes Louisville so unique.

Q: What equipment were you using here? Because I'm sure all the gearheads will want to know.

Adam: I shoot with a Nikon D750 and Fujifilm's X-T2.

Aaron: My setup is a Canon 5d mark iii with a 50mm f/1.2, 35mm f/1.4, and 17-40mm f/4.0 for those really wide shots.

Q: What's your favorite thing to photograph?

Adam: Portraits has been a growing favorite of mine. Trying to capture the personality of someone but also creating a narrative behind that image creates a challenge but it's a challenge that keeps you motivated.

Aaron: I love street photography. Traveling to a new city and getting lost in the people or even walking the streets at home. Each time you explore there is something new to see and each photo you capture is unique and real. There is no better way to capture people and life really happening.

This mural is around the corner from our Butchertown station at East Washington & Cable Street, and was painted by Aron Conaway and Tara Remington.

Q: Favorite Louisville Neighborhood?

Adam: I have moved to Crescent Hill around a year and a half ago, I just love walking around and photographing in the neighborhood so I'd have to say right now it's definitely my favorite. The businesses around are great to work with, I was working with a model in the coffee shop, VINT, on Frankfort Ave. and we stopped in there to meet up but the people working there that day were super cool with us taking some images inside respecting other people space and no including others in the images.

Aaron: Well I live in Germantown and love it here. I've always had friends or family living around Germantown and the highlands and it's unique charm is just something you can't get anywhere else in louisville.

Q: How do you think biking and photography are linked?

Adam:  Hmm, that's a bit of a tough one. I'd have to say the two are linked because you're concentrating on multiple aspects of the camera and the same thing while you're biking knowing all of your components and how they work together and to give you the best result.

Aaron: I find myself biking when I am exploring home or a different cities. It's a great way to capture street photography and you don't have to worry about parking a car out of the way and best for congested areas or high traffic times of day. It also allows me to be more minimal with my gear which pushes me to try new ways of capturing an image.

Bryan Patrick Todd, who is responsible for a few of the best murals in Louisville, has this mammoth piece a stone’s throw from the Floyd & Broadway station.

Q: What is your favorite shot of this set and why?

Adam: My favorite shot of the set would have to be the image from the Broadway station where you have this interesting view down the center with bike on both sides and you almost float above them, seeing things in a new perspective always creates interest for me.

Aaron: Probably the Butchertown area photos in front of the colorful mural. It's just so vibrant and the bike is just as cool and bright.

Q: What makes Louisville so photogenic?

Adam: Louisville is a big small town so we have this cityscape to explore as well as rural areas surrounding and a mix in between, it creates a lot of backgrounds to work with. That and of course all the beautiful people, that always helps.

Aaron: Louisville is very diverse and a combination of different neighborhoods brought together to create an endless selection of photogenic areas. It's also full of history and unique (new and old/abandoned) places to capture some interesting images. It also has an amazing community of artist that thrive and create from one another.

To see more of Adam and Aaron’s work, visit http://www.adammescanphotography.com/, or like them on Facebook! 

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This week, we will explore our most popular hub, Preston and Witherspoon, situated on the northern tip of Louisville Slugger Field.

Home to the Louisville Bats, our baseball team, and Louisville City FC, our soccer team!

The Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat is iconic in Louisville as much as the hot brown and our domed skyline. Legend goes that a seventeen-year-old John A. “Bud” Hillerich played hooky one day from work in 1884 and stole away to a baseball game where his favorite player, Pete Browning, was losing. When his bat snapped after a losing streak, Bud approached Browning and offered to find him something better. He brought - back to his father’s woodworking shop and produced what would become the Louisville Slugger bat, built from one solid plank of wood. And the rest, they say, is history, baseball fans!

The Bats have a full schedule for the summer, with three home games just this week! The Bats face off against the Buffalo Bisons in three games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Louisville City Football Club’s next skirmish is July 29th, squaring off with sister city Cincinnati. For more scheduled games and events, check out Do502.

It’s rare to find the Waterfront this peaceful!

A short ride away is beautiful Waterfront Park, running along the edge of the Ohio River. Filled with bike-friendly paths, long skylines and stretching green lawns, Waterfront Park plays host to most of Louisville’s rocking music festivals, field days and even famous Thunder Over Louisville. When it isn’t packed with baseball fans and concert-goers, the park is pleasant and spacious, and a great place to soak in the southern sunshine.

Last week was the legendary Forecastle Festival, which drew record crowds. Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo even rode one of our bikes across the stage!

had a great day! here's a pic of rivers cuomo entering the stage on a green bike pic.twitter.com/CQ1dlLlEvB

— comic xans (@bailzsz) July 17, 2017

Bypassing any potential parking issues, biking is the perfect solution to come to these great events, and the Preston & Witherspoon station is perfectly close.

We still have our partnership running with Against the Grain, which is an easy walk or ride up one block from Preston & Witherspoon. Simply flash your LouVelo membership card to receive 10% off appetizers after your waterfront adventure.

Want to see what other hubs we’ve featured? Click here.

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SOUTH SLUGGER FIELD

For our first Hub of the Week, we’ll be looking at Jackson & Main Street.  What is LouVelo’s Hub of the Week?  It is where we look at one of our unique bike hubs and its surrounding sites, interests and intrigue.

We are fortunate to have two stations on either side of Slugger Field at the north and south corners. This week we will be discussing the southern hub, right on the corner of Jackson Street and Main Street. It’s a popular station in our system, and offers 23 docks. It is especially easy for our Monthly and Annual members, who get unlimited 60 minute rides to just roll in, dock, and pick back up again later to continue their adventure.

Take the opportunity to cruise into Against the Grain (or ATG, as it is lovingly known) on your next ride. This brew pub is located ideally inside Louisville Slugger’s brick gate and started in 2011 by artisan brewers Sam Cruz, Jerry Gnangy, Adam Watson, and restaurateur Andrew Scott. ATG has grown to craft over a hundred brews, mostly made in their Victorian copper distilleries on site. When you go inside, you can peer up over the brick walls and see the tops of the distilleries, hard at work on your next draft.

Against the Grain, as the name implies, prides itself as the first brewer owned-and-operated pub in Louisville, committed to brewing anything from a pilsner to a lager using unusual combinations and ingredients. While Artisan beer is delicious, it is not the only thing that keeps baseball fans and brewery buffs alike streaming in its doors. Delicious food has a lot to do with it, too. The LouVelo crew took advantage of the close proximity to our hub and wheeled in to do some appetizers for lunch. Between the bleu-cheese crumbled chicken wings, the nachos, and the salted pretzel-- it is at a baseball stadium-- we left with a home run.

Ground was broken in 1998 on the site that would become Louisville Slugger Field, which was a former train yard. Some of the design has retained, including the entrance into the stands, which was a restored train shed. It really does give the feeling that the stadium is as old as the tradition of baseball. 

Home to the Louisville Bats, our baseball team, and Louisville City FC, our soccer team, hanging out with our buddy, hall-of-famer Pee Wee Reese.

After opening in 2000, Slugger Field has been home to the Louisville Bats, our minor league team. Besides people-watching with a hot dog, there is a great variety of things to do at Slugger Field, playing host to concerts like Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and John Mellancamp. The architecture is fun and nostalgic, and you can smell the popcorn from miles away.

While baseball has long been an institution in Louisville, Slugger Field’s new tenants have international flair. The Louisville City Football Club (or, FC, or soccer for us colonial rebels) moved in in March of 2015, making this sports haven a visit for any fan.

Want to go check it out for yourself? Look to the right while going west down Main Street and dock in. 

We teamed up with @atgbrewery- Against the Grain to give our Monthly, Annual, and Founding Members a special deal on their tasty appetizers. 

Just flash your card and get 10% off any appetizer. Yum!

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They make it look so easy, don’t they? Today we started installing our bike hubs all over Louisville. One down, 26 to go!

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We're almost here! Rolling in soon to your neighborhood. Take advantage of our Founding Membership plan, which is only offered until we launch! 

http://www.louvelo.com 

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4 ways cycling supports local businesses

People on bikes make spontaneous stops

You know how it goes. You’re driving downtown and spot an intriguing little restaurant you’ve never seen before. You’d like to try it out but you’re already moving in a stream of traffic and parking looks to be non-existent, so you continue on your planned A to B route.

In dense downtown areas, it can be tough to accommodate spontaneous stops in a car – especially when parking is scarce – yet restaurants, coffee shops and local stores often depend on passer-by traffic. Cyclists ride slowly enough to see businesses; they can stop and lock their bikes on a whim, and they can carry way more than a pedestrian – thanks, baskets and handlebars.

People on bikes will travel further than pedestrians

Even at a leisurely pace, cycling is 4x faster than walking. While it’s unlikely you’ll walk an extra two or three miles merely to check out one store, it takes no time at all on a bike.

People on bikes shop more often

Cyclists can’t carry as much as their car-driving counterparts, which means they shop with more regularity. This increases the possibility of “temptation spending”, a well-documented consumer behaviour. The more we’re exposed to potential purchases – that cookbook/rug/painting we’ve been ogling – the more likely we are to actually buy.

Cyclists spend more money locally

It makes sense given everything we’ve already talked about, but don’t take our word for it. Studies conducted all over the world – both in the US and as far away as Toronto, Switzerland and New Zealand – all came to the same conclusion.

When San Francisco made its Valencia Street less conducive to car travel and better for bicyclists, for example, nearly 40% of merchants reported increased sales and 60% reported more area residents shopping locally due to reduced travel time and convenience.

The benefits of this stretch far beyond simply supporting places we love. Neighborhood dollars spent help create jobs within the community; they keep our hometowns unique, and they go towards sustaining the local economy as a whole. A series of studies by the research firm Civic Economics found that 48% of purchases at local independent businesses go right back into the community, compared to less than 14% of sales made at chain stores.

No bike? No problem. Rent a LouVelo bike for as little as $3 per 30 minutes, or sign up for a Founding Membership, with unlimited 60-minute rides all year long.

[louvelobikes]

6 health benefits of using LouVelo

With LouVelo launching in less than a month, we wanted to highlight all of the benefits bike share will bring to Louisville, to make sure you get the most out of your city’s new program. Starting with the basics, cycling is a great way to keep fit and healthy. It’s good for your heart, brain, blood vessels and a lot more besides. Here are six health benefits you’ll enjoy when making a regular trip around town on a LouVelo bike.

Your heart will be healthier

A recent study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise spent years looking at the activity of its participants. Those who cycled on a daily basis were 31% less likely to develop high blood pressure. According to the British Heart Foundation, cycling 20 miles per week – that daily ride to the store, dinner or work every day – reduces your risk of heart disease by half.

It helps you lose weight

Dropping pounds to reach a healthy goal weight is largely dependent on creating a calorie deficit. Even cycling at a leisurely pace, the average person weighing 154 pounds can burn around 250 calories an hour. That’s 1,750 calories in a week, or a little over half a pound of fat.

It’s easy on your joints (and can help you ease back into exercise after injury)

When you sit on a bike, you put your weight on bones in the pelvis called the ischial tuberosities, unlike walking or running, when you put your weight on your legs, knees and feet. Even elderly patients with knee pain and osteoarthritis have been shown to improve their condition with cycling. It’s gentle on the body, but still packs a punch. Bonus: It’s improves posture and coordination, too.

It decreases stress

Outside of the strangely meditative state that comes with the repetitive action of pedaling (try it – it’s a thing), cycling has been lauded by experts for its stress-relieving qualities in countless studies. It boosts blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which in turn regenerates receptors. Researchers from the University of Illinois found that an improvement of only 5% in cardiorespiratory fitness led to a further improvement of up to 15% in the ability to deal with stress. 

Having trouble sleeping? Stanford University School of Medicine researchers asked sedentary insomnia sufferers to cycle for 20-30 minutes every other day. The result? The time required for the insomniacs to fall asleep was reduced by half, and sleep time increased by almost an hour.

It makes you happier (and boosts your ego)

We’re all aware of the exercise-induced endorphin benefits (not to mention the bragging rights when you upload a post-workout selfie), but did you know cycling can boost your ego, too? A study in the International Journal of Exercise Science recently discovered that self-esteem improves after just 10 sessions when you’ve been otherwise sedentary. 

A survey commissioned by The British Heart Foundation, meanwhile, found that cyclists were perceived as 13% more intelligent and cooler than other people, and 23% said a cyclist would be their preferred blind-date athlete of choice. Time to update the Match profile.

It might even help you live longer

One study of former Tour de France riders found former pros lived 17% longer than the general population. We’re not promising a fountain of youth, but the study’s findings are still pretty impressive. More recently published research in medical journal Cell Metabolism found that cycling for just 52 minutes per week could help slow the aging process.

You don’t need to be a hardcore cyclist to reap the rewards of cycling. Adding a few short trips a week to your routine is all you need. Sign up for a Founding Membership with LouVelo for access to unlimited 60-minute rides, and see for yourself.

[louvelobikes]

What is bike share?

Louisville’s first bike share system will launch this spring, as announced by Mayor Greg Fischer last week. It’s an exciting addition to our thriving city but – as with anything new – you likely have questions. We’re here to help! Send us your queries @LouVeloBikes on Twitter and Facebook. In the meantime, let’s start with the basics.

What is bike share?

Bike share is an innovative transportation option, which provides city residents and visitors with a quick, fun and affordable way to get around town. Designed with short trips in mind, users can pick up a bike at any self-serve station and return it to any other bike station located within the system's service area. Stations are dense – you’re never far away from one – and close to all of downtown’s amenities.

How will I know where the stations are?

You can check the system map on the LouVelo website, or download the CycleFinder or Transit App, which will show you where your nearest stations and bikes are.

How much is it?

For a limited time ahead of launch, you can purchase an annual Founding Membership for $99, which comes with unlimited 60-minute rides. Prefer to pay as you go? You can buy 30-minute rides for just $3. More membership options will be made available following launch.

How do I sign up?

Become an annual member, or buy casual ride time through the Transit App or LouVelo website. Once LouVelo has officially launched, you will also be able to purchase your ride time at any bike station kiosk around the city.

What are the bikes like?

These sturdy and comfortable little guys have some handy features. The passive GPS allows users to track personal cycling metrics (distance, average speed, elevation, calories, co2 reductions) as well as set goals and keep history via the CycleFinder app. A 10,000-hour lighting system sees lights stay active for 90 seconds after the bike has stopped moving. Each bike is also equipped with a chain protector to protect users’ clothes, a luggage carrier and a secondary lock, which allows users to park anywhere.

I have a car / bike. Why would I use bike share?

There are an estimated 260 million cars in the USA, but bike share thrives in cities all over the country. Whether you use bike share to commute to school, work or even to and from outings with friends, you don’t have to worry about traffic, parking, or getting stuck on the same old route. On a bike, you can twist, turn and duck through any side street, alley or park that piques your interest, and avoid common driving woes in the process.

Bike share can still be useful for bike owners, too. It saves the trouble of carrying a lock, or having to find a place to lock up. You needn’t worry about parts being stolen, and it’ll save unnecessary wear and tear on your own bike – our mechanics take care of every flat and repair. Late night? There’s no figuring out how to get your own bike home with bike share. Dock at a station, enjoy your evening, and catch a ride home with friends.

Do you have more questions? Ask away on Twitter and Facebook and we’ll cover them in an upcoming post.