Detroit Bike Expo

Based on the crowd size from last weekend’s bicycle show, it’s evident that Detroiters love their bikes. For the second year in a row, Detroit Bike City held their bike Expo at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit. Although the Metro Detroit area was covered in a fresh coating of snow and sleet, that didn’t seem to stop thousands of people from attending the annual bicycling event. Over fifty cycling related vendors were there offering a range of bicycles, accessories, and clothing. There were also a number of bicycle-related organizations on hand promoting greenways, organized rides, and special fundraising events.

A wide range of bike accessories were close at hand

All types of new bikes were on display and available for those wishing to buy a new bike for the upcoming riding season. They included tricycles for youngsters, sleek lightweight racing bicycles, bikes made from light-weight metals, and hand-made bicycles crafted from exotic woods. A number of rugged fat-tired mountain bikes were on display, as were various 1950s retro-looking single and multi-speed urban cruisers, trimmed in shiny chrome.

Rows of vendors offered a variety of bikes and accessories

This beauty was made of wood

Also at the expo were a variety of throwback sting-rays; a classic American kid’s bike complete with high-rise handlebars, banana sets with tall sissy bars. The sting-rays also had gear shift levers (reminiscent of a floor shift found in a car) mounted to the crossbar. The bicycles on display ranged in cost from a few hundred dollars to well into the thousands.

All types of bikes were available to purchase

In addition to new bikes and accessories, attendees were able buy used bikes, parts, and accessories in a special swap-meet section. A BMX demo was part of the event and they entertained the crowd by doing backflips, spins and other aerobatics while soaring off ramps.  Kudos to the organizers for pulling together this big-time event!

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Bike City plus Marche du Nain Rouge

It was a perfect spring weekend in Detroit for bicycle enthusiasts and for those attending a Mardi Gras style parade through the Cass Corridor. The weekend kicked off Saturday with the first annual Detroit Bike City bicycle show and swap meet. It was held at Cobo Center  downtown. Sunday was the third annual Marche du Nain Rouge, and that event took place in the city’s mid-town neighborhood.

Detroit Bike City

The Detroit Bike City show and swap meet, the first of its kind in the city, showcased a variety of cycling vendors. They were selling everything from collectible 1960’s-70’s vintage bikes, priced upwards of $350, to all types of new bikes. These  included mountain, hybrids, road bikes and retro cruisers, and they were selling for substantially more than the used bikes.  The new bikes I looked at were considerably lighter and technically superior to my 15-year old, steel framed hybrid.  As compared to them, my bike is as heavy as a 1950’s Buick.

There were a few vintage bikes for sale

Very cool, retro looking "Detroit Flyer"

I loved this monster of a bike. It was surprisingly very lightweight

In addition to bicycle vendors, there were a variety of used parts, bike accessories, and other cycling related sellers offering items such as helmets, t-shirts, stickers, etc. There were other vendors present who were promoting organized tours, trails and bike safety. They offered information on the Tour de Troit and the Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance, among other things.  The event also showcased stunt riders zipping off ramps and twisting and turning in the air.

A good mix of vendors attended the show

All types of Bike accessories were being sold

I arrived in the early afternoon and there was still a good size crowd wandering from table to table checking out the goods and services. The event seemed to be well-organized, and free secured parking was available to those riding to the show.

Lots of riders pedaled to the show

Marche du Nein Rouge – 2012

On Sunday, the third annual Marche du Nein Rouge was held in Detroit’s mid-town neighborhood.  The annual event is held the first Sunday of spring. It’s an event designed to banish an evil 300 year-old Red Devil from Detroit, and by doing so, lifting a curse from the city for the upcoming year.

After a rousing opening ceremony in the parking lot of Detroit’s Traffic Jam Restaurant, where the Devil himself made an appearance, costumed revelers and parade watchers marched their way through the Cass Corridor to the imp’s place of eventual demise, The Historic Masonic Temple. The stylish Mardi Gras type parade, led by the swinging Detroit Party Marching Band, included those dressed as unicorns, Christian brothers, angels, pilgrims, assorted monsters and other bizarre characters (some without costumes).

A colorful crowd of merrymakers jammed the streets of mid-town Detroit

Check out the hairy legs on this guy

At the Temple, the Devil taunted the crowd by spewing out evil doings that all Detroiter’s should partake in. After a few minutes of listening to that madness, people in the crowd had had enough and began booing and pelting the Devil with what appeared to be tomatoes, driving him away for another year.

Could the Nain be the answer to Detroit's problems

For more information on the myth of Detroit’s Red Devil, you can click here to read my blog entry on last year’s Marche.

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