Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/124935
THE INNOVATOR SARAH REITER STREET CRED: Commercial Bike Parking Manager, Saris Cycling Group Setting the pace: As a Madison native, Sarah Reiter grew up thinking that all cities were like her home—covered in bike paths and marked lanes. When she left for college and realized that wasn't the case, her passion for supporting cycling as an alternative transportation was solidified. That personal passion morphed into a professional mission two years ago when she became the commercial bike parking manager of Saris Cycling Group—a company specializing in bike racks that launched in Madison in 1989 and has since become an industry heavyweight. Saris' core business is manufacturing and selling the slickest, latest accessories for carting your two wheels, as well as corrals for public and private bike parking. It's the latter where Reiter spends her time, assisting cities of all sizes in deciding what type of products will work best for streetscapes and city developments. "The work I do is focused on infrastructure that cities need to promote biking," she says. "I also focus on product innovation and what cities can do to encourage people to get on a bike, then support having more people on bikes." During her time at Saris, Reiter has worked with cities as small as Manhattan, behavior, but also the change in the comKan., which received a grant to create more munity. And it's happening right now." cycling infrastructure, and as large as San Even though her day-to-day focus tends Francisco as they chose options to increase to be on the national level, Reiter is plenty commuter station parking for cyclists. busy pushing for better biking opportuniReiter notes that this kind of infrastructies closer to home. ture—including protected bike "Having world-class biklanes and off-street networks— ing in Dane County is very is critical for creating a safe important to us, and because biking environment and driving of that, we have a really strong economic development. "Cities that have high invest- The number of bikes commitment to advocacy," ment in biking infrastructure, that can be parked in an she explains. Through events like the and a strong biking population, on-street parking spot are healthy cities, both physically in place of a single car Saris Gala—which is in its 10th year and has raised and economically," she explains. more than $725,000 to benefit the Wisconsin Bike Fed, a group dedicated to The chain reaction: Reiter classifies hercycling activism throughout the state— self as a purely recreational cyclist. But her Saris and Reiter hope to ensure attention passion lies in studying environments and and time are spent on local biking issues. how access to safe cycling and easy parking can revitalize a community—and she sees Cycling style: Most mornings, Reiter's the impact this can have firsthand commute begins by joining her two young"It amazes me what a small investment it est children on their bikes to school, then is and what a huge payoff it has," she says. heading home to jump in her car and trek "You can see not only people changing their 10 36 BRAVA Magazine May 2013 to work. She remembers the not-so-distant days in her family when one parent pulled the tagalong, the other pulled the toddler in the trailer, and a young emerging biker rode on her own. Now, they're a fullon gang of five cyclists who regularly take advantage of their proximity to downtown Waunakee. "My husband and I want the kids to learn the skills you gain by having that independence and responsibility that biking allows," she explains. Dream bike: "I've spent some time visiting cycling cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam, and I've fallen in love with the upright city bikes," she says happily. "There's one made by PUBLIC bikes that I have my eye on...Mother's Day is coming up!" Favorite path: "I'm really partial to coming into town along John Nolen Drive and the view of the Capitol and downtown," Reiter says. "I just don't think there's anything better than that."