The movement to encourage more people to bike as part of their daily lives continues with Bicycle Benefits. The new program has taken off in Seattle, Charlotte and Madison, Wis., and is now coming to St. Louis.
Here’s how it works: Businesses that support cycling join as program participants, sell the $5 Bicycle Benefits helmet stickers and establish a reward for patrons who come in on a bike and show their sticker. Rewards can be anything from a sales incentive or discount to a special prize. The idea is for citywide program to develop that concurrently supports more biking and local businesses.
“My husband, Harold, and I were in Charlotte last month and saved more than $30 just by riding our bicycles and showing our Bicycle Benefits helmet sticker,” said Karen Karrabell, who is helping push the program in St. Louis. “It’s ridiculously cheap for businesses to sign up. Each business gets to choose its own discount, and gets national exposure for being bicycle-friendly.
“The goal is to make St. Louis the next large community offering Bicycle Benefits,” said Karrabell. Get more information at bb2.bicyclebenefits.org.
Terrain Magazine, thank you for the wonderful shout-out! A brand-new feature of the program are Bicycle Benefits cards (also available for $5). People may prefer carrying these to putting a sticker on their helmet.
I’ve arranged with Bicycle Benefits to sign up STL-area businesses directly. There are two tiers of business membership:
1. For $25, a business gets its choice of10 cards or helmet stickers, or a mix. They sell these for $5 each (doubling their initial investment)
2. Many business owners don’t want to bother with cards or stickers! They may sign up for $15. At this price they still get three cards or helmet stickers (which they may sell to recoup their investment)
At either level businesses have complete control over their discount, and receive national exposure on the Bicycle Benefits website. The site is mobile friendly, helping cyclists easily discover businesses near them that offer discounts.
That’s the key: You must ride your bike to the business to receive the discount.
Business owners are welcome to email me (kkarabell “at” gmail.com). Business owners will be billed after they are completely set up on the website and with their promotional material and cards in hand. Everything about this program is super simple!
Thank you, Terrain Magazine, for helping spread the word.