Cycling advocates and business owners learned about bicycle-friendly business tactics at a Frederick Bicycle Coalition workshop Tuesday afternoon.
The C. Burr Artz Public Library Community Room was packed with about 35 participants, including a panel of speakers.
Tom Rinker talks to business people every week who are interested in becoming more bicycle friendly. Even more often, he hears from workers interested in finding employment that accommodates bicyclists.
"People do think about it, especially young professionals," the Bicycle Escape store owner said.
Businesses can benefit from being bicycle friendly, he said, including being more attractive to potential employees and creating a more creative environment with less stress, Director of Economic Development Richard Griffin said.
Making strides toward becoming a bicycle-friendly business is easy, according to Bill Nesper, director of the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle-Friendly America Program.
Participating in Bike to Work Day — scheduled for May 20 — and providing bike safety tips to employees can get businesses on the right track, Nesper said.
FBC member, business owner and bike rider Bob McCutcheon would like to apply for the bicycle-friendly business designation in the future, but needs to add bike racks for customers and employees at his downtown store, McCutcheon’s Apple Products Inc.
"More bicycle-friendly businesses mean a more bicycle-friendly city," McCutcheon said.
The Commuter Check for Bicycling program, a national benefit to allow bike commuters to receive $20 per month as a subsidy to pay for commuting costs, is certainly friendly.
People can use the vouchers at participating businesses to pay for things like bike storage at work, the purchase of bike-related equipment and repairs, said Paul Doran, director of sales for the program. Rinker’s business utilizes the vouchers, though they haven’t had many cyclists turn them in.
Clyde Hicks, co-owner of The Trail House outdoor shop, would likely apply for the designation, he said.
"I thought we were (bicycle friendly)," he said at the Tuesday workshop, where he learned about more extensive measures the store can take to aid cyclists.
"Most businesses we deal with can find quite a few things they are already doing that is (potentially) accommodating," Nesper said.
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Biking in Baltimore