BikeToledo.net started out as a local cycling site to encourage residents to spend more time on their bikes and less time in their cars, featuring local and regional bike routes and bike shops in The Toledo Region. But strong sections on getting started in cycling, bicycle touring, utility riding and commuting, coupled with a highly effective search engine positioning program, attracted more than 9,000 visitors in its first year, many from countries in Europe, South America and Asia. Currently it pulls more than a thousand visitors a week.
      With more than a hundred pages and 1,000+ links to bike-related sites, the site is a major attraction for regional riders and has gotten recognition from several top-level national cycling journalists. Topical biking news keeps the site current and includes a bike touring blog by the publisher, a comprehensive calendar of cycling events in the region and many interviews with local cyclists. The site is liberally sprinkled with humorous biking photos and quotes to make reading a multi-dimensional pleasure. The site is thus far advertising-free and published as a public service.
      The site continues to grow with increased viewer feedback, and is on its way to becoming a national resource for cyclists. Check this site out at http://www.biketoledo.net.