Robert King

IndyStar

They refer to themselves as a community. Some even call them a fellowship. And the person they came to honor, they said, was "one of their own."

This growing band of cyclists — in a city of expanding bike trails and national recognition for its bike culture — had something of a cycling moment Sunday, one that had elements of a church service: words spoken about the memory of a fallen rider, a moment of silence along a roadside and a salute at a deadly intersection to a shrine with a white "ghost bike." The Northwestside procession even had a police escort.

Yet most of the 250-plus riders who came out Sunday had never met Neil Kelty, the 23-year-old bicycle commuter who died more than a week ago in a collision with a school bus. That was true of Jon Brewer, who addressed the congregation of cyclists just before they set off on the memorial ride he had organized in a matter of a week.

"The reason why I did this was I'm a commuter. I'm a rider. I'm just like every one of you. And Neil was just like every one of us as well," Brewer said.

Some of the cyclists knew Kelty quite well. Leading them out of the parking lot of Kelty's workplace, PERQ Marketing, was his fiancee, Kelsea Nicholson. "This is just inspiring to me to see how many people in this town have the same passion as Neil," she said.

Around her neck, on a chain, she wore Neil's silver wedding band. On her left hand was the engagement ring and the wedding ring she would have worn as Kelty's wife come September. Also in the group of riders was Kelty's sister, Stephanie. Before the ride, Neil's parents, Rich and Sandy Kelty, made a point to shake as many cyclists' hands as possible.

But aside from the people who also knew Kelty from his days as a student at Indiana University and those who had met him as he asked questions about bike trails, bike lanes and bikes as part of his fascination with cycling, there were plenty of people like Alecia Gilles, who were unknown to Kelty.

Gilles, who makes daily bike commutes from Castleton to Noblesville, was like many who merely wanted to show support for a fellow rider and for a cycling community that faces peril on a regular basis. "It's just dangerous on some roads," she said.

No charges have been filed in the incident, which Mayor Greg Ballard, on hand to participate in the ride, called "a tragic accident." To the crowd, he said: "Sometimes as the mayor I see great things, and sometimes I see tragic things, and sometimes things don't make much sense to me."

Sunday's ride included a stop at Ditch and Westlane roads, where the accident occurred.

There stood a "ghost bike" — painted entirely in white — that served as a roadside remembrance.

Kelty's parents said they hope people will continue to ride and that people sharing the road will think about safety as they commute. "I hope something good comes out of it," Sandy Kelty said. "We hope our tragedy can be a triumph for the city."

Call Star reporter Robert King at (317) 444-6089. Follow him on Twitter: @Rbtking.