Basic Information for the Wheel Mill
Address: 6815 Hamilton Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15208
Hours: Monday – Friday 2PM – 10PM
Saturday – Sunday 10AM – 10PM
To view an up-to-date event schedule, click here.
Website: thewheelmill.com
Admission: $$$
Monday - Friday $23
Saturday - Sunday and Holiday Hours $29
Transportation: Bus and car (parking available)
Access: Handicap accessible indoor site
About the Wheel Mill
As one of just six indoor bike parks in the country, this park is a rare gem for the local cycling community. The Wheel Mill was inspired by Ray’s Bike Park in Cleveland, Ohio and has over 70,000 square feet of skate park. Inside this converted row of warehouses, there are rooms ranging from half pipes to pump tracks and foam pits for BMX riding to trail rooms and mountain biking skill rooms. There is also a fundamental skills room for those just getting started. Several areas within The Wheel Mill are also ADA certified for wheelchair riding. Thus, the park is welcoming for both beginners and seasoned veterans.
Originally, The Wheel Mill was built for cycling enthusiasts; however, the owner, Harry Geyer, has found that it is the hobbyists who really keep the park alive. The park runs biking summer camps and skill classes for children of all ages. The youngest riders are about eighteen months old and learn to ride on balance bikes without peddles. Anyone with an interest in BMX, mountain biking, unicycling, or skateboarding can utilize the park.
The Wheel Mill partners with plenty of local organizations to not only improve the internal structures for riders, but also to foster a tight-knit cycling community in Pittsburgh. The Wheel Mill has worked with various local organizations. Tree Pittsburgh has donated lumber and old trees to be used as both riding space and decor in the park’s trails. In fact, roughly 75% of the park is constructed from reclaimed lumber and other materials. The Wheel Mill also works together with Bike Pittsburgh to co-host city biking safety lessons and biking workshops. Additionally, The Wheel Mill and the Over the Bar Bicycle Cafe partner to bring catered events with alcohol to the park for a variety of events and competitions. One of their most popular events is the “When I’m Not Riding” event.
The Wheel Mill offers a variety of healthy snacks, energy bars, and drinks. They’re also a carrier of Leona’s ice cream sandwiches — a local gourmet ice cream delicacy. Along with the concession eats and treats, The Wheel Mill has a shop with a variety of retail clothing items and basic bike parts, such as chains, pegs, and grips. There are also bikes, pads, and helmets available for rental in the park.
Transitioning from a Steel Town to a Wheel Town: Pittsburgh's Quest to be a Bike-Friendly City
Since before its creation, the bicycle has been a significant part of our society. If one were to head to Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, England to the St. Giles Church, he or she would find a stained-glass window depicting a man riding on a two-wheeled device. This image was created over two hundred years before anything like it ever came to life. In 1817, Baron Karl von Drais of Germany built a running machine called a laufmaschine, which had many elements that would transfer into what we know today as the modern bicycle (Macy, 14).
Making Pittsburgh Bike Friendly: A Collaborative Effort
Bikers are a common sight in the Pittsburgh area today. In the past 13 years, businesses and advocacy groups have worked together to make the city a safer and friendlier place for bicyclists. Bike Pittsburgh and Free Ride, the former a bicycle advocacy group, the latter a bike repair shop and education center have been supporting the community since 2003. Newcomers like the Wheel Mill, a 3 year old indoor bike park have been just as important to the movement as the original supporters.