Bicycle Heaven
I have been an avid bicyclist for most of my life, using bikes for recreation, exercise, short shopping trips, and for commuting to work. Having lived in the Pittsburgh area for a good portion of my life, I am aware of the challenges that this area, with its steep hills and narrow, winding roads offers the bicyclist. However, it is getting more biker friendly. Bike lanes now exist on many of the streets of the ‘Burgh, and the biking and walking trails along its rivers and streams offer some excellent flat riding. One can even ride from Downtown Pittsburgh to Washington DC on old railroad beds converted to bike trails by the Rails to Trails Conservancy. However, no one would really suggest that Pittsburgh is bicycle heaven, except for one funky museum on the North Side of Pittsburgh.
Several years ago, I was biking along the Allegheny River, on the North Shore Trail, just getting some exercise and enjoying the views. On the way to the Point (confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers) I passed PNC park where the Pirates play and Acrisure Stadium where the Steelers play (always will be Heinz Field to me). I then followed the trail down the Ohio River, past the Carnegie Science Center and the Rivers Casino. The trail entered an industrial area and ended after a few miles at the old federal penitentiary. I turned around and on the way back I saw a sign pointing the direction to something called “Bicycle Heaven”. Of course, I had to check this out. I rode a few blocks off the trail into an area of warehouses and came to my destination.
Here it was, Bicycle Heaven, located in the Casey Industrial Park at 1800 Preble Avenue on the North Side. There was no entry fee, so I went inside and was immediately amazed by the number of bikes, bike parts, and biking paraphernalia on display. There were old wooden bikes, custom built bikes, classic bikes, and bikes owned by “famous” people, such as the Monkeys singing group.
I learned that it is “the largest transportation museum in the world dedicated to bicycles”. The museum was founded by Craig Morrow and comprises his personal collection gathered over decades. The show room contains over 3,500 bicycles with an additional 27,000 in storage, and there are over 100,000 parts to keep the collection in repair. Bicycle Heaven supports itself by serving as a bike repair shop and by providing bicycle props for film, television and theatrical productions. After being used in productions, the bicycles are returned and become part of the permanent collection.
A great place to start this ride, with plenty of parking, is at the Millvale Riverfront Trail and Park, accessible off Route 28. It is about a ten-mile roundtrip ride to Bicycle Heaven on the flat and paved North Shore Trail. It is worth any biker’s time to take this ride, enjoy the sights of the rivers and downtown Pittsburgh, and search out and enjoy this one-of-a-kind museum. Maybe you will even buy a T-Shirt.
– Ray Burdett, Founding member and future resident of RCE, August 2, 2024