Meet Jennifer Nutting of Handlebar Bike Tours

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Nutting.

Jennifer, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
For most of my adult life, I’ve spent summers exploring the world on self-supported bike tours. In 2011, I was elected to my local Neighborhood Council and began to learn about development in LA and work to bring bike lanes to my neighborhood.

As a high school teacher, living and working in Downtown L.A., and walking to school daily, I realized there is so much history, art and culture right here in my own back yard. With all the new hotels and tourists discovering Downtown, in addition to bike infrastructure improvements, it dawned on me DTLA was ready for its close up.

I got in touch with Grand Central Market, they liked the idea and found a storage space for me and my bikes. All Handlebar Bike Tours start at the market, right across the street from Angel’s Flight. I couldn’t ask for a more exciting, historic home base, great food, special events and entertainment, its the perfect place to land after a bike tour.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In 2015, I had what Tyler Durden calls “a near life experience.” I slammed into a parked car on the freeway at night, and thought for sure I was a goner. Just before the crash, I thought of all the things I hadn’t done, one of them being to start my own bicycle business.

After the accident, I spent several months unable to walk, but thankfully recovered and was able to bike again. I got a tiny little insurance settlement and thought the perfect use for that money would be to start Handlebar Bike Tours. The learning curve coming from public service to entrepreneurship was steep, but I soaked up info and advice like a sponge.

Convincing people that DTLA is safe for biking is probably the biggest challenge, but it really is one of the safest and most convenient places to bike in L.A. After the tour, we get a lot of guest comments how easy and safe the tour feels. Picking the right routes and timing for traffic is key to enjoying a bike ride in Downtown.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Our daily Historic Core Tour is a top-10 of DTLA, our Arts District Tour is a bit more off the beaten path; locals love it. We have a new Brews Cruise, which hits up three local breweries, guests have the option to leave the bikes at our last stop and are provided a Lyft credit. Plus we have some new tours in the works for this summer, which will be our 3rd year in business.

Handlebar Bike Tours are designed specifically for casual bike riders; they’re all about two hours, with ten stops, and an off-bike bunk outbreak in the middle where guests can explore a bit on their own. As a teacher, I’ve got a lot of experience relaying information in an entertaining way and giving clear directions.

Our weekday guide, Jenna, is a local tattoo artist and works at The Music Center, so she’s an expert in all things Grand Park, Grand Avenue, and street art. We’re pretty good at reading people’s interests and abilities, with our small groups, we can tailor the tour to keep everybody happy and entertained. It was important to me to invest in quality bikes and helmets that are comfortable and suitable for sightseeing, so I chose local company

Pure Bicycle’s 8-speed upright city bikes, and Bell helmets. Plus we’re women-owned and operated, there are other companies that do bike tours, but I think ours appeals to a wider variety of skill levels, interests, and the $40 price point is reasonable for any level of travel.

What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been a bit of an explorer on my bike as long as I can remember. I raced mountain bikes at expert level in my early 20s, then switched over to the road. I’m not so extreme anymore, nowadays I prefer a 15-20 mile ride, ideally with a lunch/beer stop built in.

I took my first international trip at 17 with a friend and caught the travel bug hard, it is one of the reasons I became a teacher. I went to England on that trip and took a deep dive into punk rock, rockabilly, and mod culture. I learned to play the drums and have played in a few bands.

I bartended my way around the world and through college; I think that definitely helps me relate to all kinds of people. Even though I’m a big bicycle advocate, I have a motorcycle license and drive a 1960 Cadillac. I guess I just love going places, and finding an interesting way to get there. Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Nutting.

Pricing:

• Most tours are $40 including bike and helmet.

Contact Info:

• Address: 308 S. Hill St. Los Angeles, CA 90013
• Website: www.handlebarbiketours.com
• Phone: 323-439-4448
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handlebarbiketours/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Handlebarbike/posts/?ref=page_internal
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/handlebar-bike-tours-los-angeles
• Other: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g32655-d12429167-Reviews-Handlebar_Bike_Tours-Los_Angeles_California.html

Image Credit:
Art Perez Terry-Lynn Massey

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