Consensus among participants of Queen City Bike + Dine June 7 is that a great time was had. There were rave reviews, in fact. Another Queen City Bike + Dine is already in the works.

Many expressed a desire to see a continuation of friendly rides that explore Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Dan at Park + Vine, Jason and Sarai at Reser Bicycle Outfitters, Megan at Coffee Emporium and photographer Steve Paszt all support the idea.

Bicyclist K.D. Rex is organizing an exploration of Cincinnati's parks (already dubbed Parks + Ride by Jason at Reser) departing at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19 from Park + Vine, 1109 Vine Street. This is an evening ride. This is a hilly ride. This is a sunset-pleasure ride.

For this first outing, the number of participants is limited to 20. The route includes Eden Park, Ault Park, Mt. Storm and Mt. Echo, ending at Arnold's Bar & Grill downtown. At Arnold's, riders will discuss options for a monthly ride schedule and other events. Kim B. has suggested "Ride the Bridges" and "Ride the Sights, Sounds, and Smells of Cincinnati." Fun, fun, fun.

RSVP kdrex2008[at]yahoo[dot]com and put PARKS + RIDE in the subject line

P.S. Bring front and rear lights. One can easily duct-tape a small flashlight to handlebars just as a "to be seen" type light.

More than 40 cyclists turned out for the city's first Queen City Bike + Dine June 7. Overcast skies protected bike riders as they enjoyed two-wheeled camaraderie and great hospitality at local restaurants. Special thanks to Myra's Dionysus, Melt, Greenup Cafe, Arnold's Bar & Grill, Five Star Foodies, Coffee Emporium, Reser Bicycle Outfitters and Park + Vine for making it such a memorable day.

Check out these photos from Jerome Strauss:

Queen City Bike + Dine photos

Cincinnati's first Queen City Bike + Dine is 1 to 5 p.m. June 7. This 18-mile, progressive bike tour highlights some of Cincinnati's best vegan options at local restaurants, all while emphasizing the ease of transportation by bike. Tickets are $30 and available at Park + Vine (513-721-7275) and Reser Bicycle Outfitters (859-261-6187). Proceeds benefit our pals at MoBo Bicycle Cooperative. Hurry, because space is limited.

Breakfast. Coffee. Free transportation. These are some of the things bicyclists get Friday, May 16 during Bike To Work Day, which caps off Bike To Work Week:

Breakfast on the Bridge: Bike Newport is offering breakfast 6 to 9 a.m. on the Purple People Bridge for bicycle commuters on their way to work. Trauth Dairy, Steamboat Bagels and Mammoth Coffee are providing the sustenance

Fountain Square Commuter Station: On the Cincinnati side, Queen City Bike is sponsoring a commuter station 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Fountain Square with coffee from Coffee Emporium until it's gone and plenty of bicycling information. Bicyclists can also pick up a bike month T-shirt ($15) and cool stickers ($1) designed by Cory Shafer

Free Rides for Cyclists: Tank and Metro are offering free rides for bicycle commuters who use the bike rack on the front of each bus

Deals on Wheels: While you're in transit, be sure to visit the locally owned and operated businesses offering a little something extra to bicyclists in May

A group of local businesses in Cincinnati, Newport and Covington is hosting the region's first Queen City Bike + Dine 1 to 5 p.m. June 7. The 15-mile progressive dinner-style bike tour in and around downtown Cincinnati promotes locally owned and operated restaurants and the diversity of the area's neighborhoods, while emphasizing the ease of getting around on a bicycle.

Participating restaurants include Myra's Dionysus Restaurant, 121 Calhoun St., Clifton Heights; Melt, 4165 Hamilton Ave., Northside; Sung Korean Bistro, 700 Elm St., downtown; and Greenup Cafe, 308 Greenup St., Covington. The menu is vegan, which consists entirely of plant-based foods and excludes meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, or any other animal byproducts. The tour wraps up at Arnold's Bar & Grill, 210 E 8th St., downtown, where riders can order off the menu at their own expense.

Check-in begins 12:30 p.m. at Park + Vine, 1109 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, where Coffee Emporium will provide complimentary coffee. Riders are required to sign a waiver and bring their own bicycle, helmet, bike lock and photo identification. Each rider will receive a bicycle accessory from Reser Bicycle Outfitters, 735 Monmouth St., Newport.

Tickets are available at Park + Vine and Reser Bicycle Outfitters for $30. Advance registration begins May 1 and is open to the first 50 riders. Riders can add $12 to their registration to receive a ride T-shirt designed by Cory Shafer. Children 13 and under can ride for $5 when accompanied by a paying adult. Tickets are nonrefundable. Proceeds benefit MoBo Bicycle Cooperative, 1415 Knowlton Ave., Northside.

For more information, visit Queen City Bike + Dine online or call 513-721-7275 (Park + Vine) or 859-261-6187 (Reser Bicycle Outfitters). For more about bicycling in Greater Cincinnati, visit the Queen City Bike Web site.