Published May 11, 2008 by C.I.C.L.E.

The big week has arrived! Bike Week Pasadena, the L.A. region's biggest and best new-age consciousness raising celebration in honor of National Bike Month.

We took the work out of national Bike to Work Week and National Bike to Work Day so that you could focus on something a little more fun, riding your bike away from work! You know us, we like things to be easy, fun, and inspiring. So on Monday, late afternoon, we are greeting Metro Gold Line riders with wholesome pick-me-up snacks, goodie bags, and secretly indoctrinating unsuspecting non-biking commuters into the mysterious and seductive world of biking for transportation. We will hypnotize the masses by waving Bike Week Pasadena flyers slowly in their faces, and repeating in a monotonous tone, “Ride a bike…you want…to ride...a bike…all..of..the time…you love...riding a bike.”

Pretty much imagine us banging tambourines and singing car-free chants the rest of the week like a group of religious zealots in an airport. We will bike around all week sticking flowers in gas tanks and letting people know that we love them even if they are in a car, and that they are always welcome to join our cult, uh… we mean club. Then on Saturday, we will sit beneath the grand master guru and meditate on the wondrous and vast bike universe known as the Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo….ah, finally, enlightenment will be upon us after a hard week of bicycle contemplation….yes, dogs do go to heaven, and so do bicycles and the people who love them.

Bike Week Pasadena…come get programmed. We mean see our program of great events.

Released May 9, 2008 by C.I.C.L.E.

You could be a hero on May 17th! Volunteer for one hour and you will help save the Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo Kids Bike Rodeo and a lot more.

The C.I.C.L.E. folk were given short notice to recruit the energy to fill a dull but very important duty, and we only have six days to get it done.

It’s a lonely job, standing in a historic “Old Pasadena” alley-way, directing wayward cars back from whence they came to secure the DeLacey Street Closure for the Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo. It’s also a job that will literally save the day.

We need to fill 36 one-hour shifts on Saturday, May 17th, between 7AM to 7PM. Can you do it? Can you commit one hour out of your day, to support the Expo, to support CICLE, to support the dream of creating a Bicycle Utopia?

We need you, your friends, your mother--anyone that will show up on time, and accept this role with pride and a great understanding of its importance—to secure the DeLacey Street closure, and SAVE THE KIDS BIKE RODEO!

Are you brave enough to do two hours? Three if you’re a masochist. We will take you on! We can even break the time in half so you can take an hour breather to enjoy the Expo.

While you’re there you’ll get to enjoy all that the 2nd Annual Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo has to offer—over 30 bike exhibitors from bike shops, bike manufacturers, local cottage industry and local advocacy groups all coming together to present the latest bicycles, fashion, and gear emerging from the ultra-hot urban bike commuter scene. Live music from VERY BE CAREFUL and FEAR MIA. How-to workshops on bike maintenance and bike commuting, and a screening of Triplets of Bellville. And, if we save the DeLacey Street Closure, an all-day kids bike rodeo. ALL FOR FREE!!!

So pick up the phone right now. We can use your support today. Dial 323-478-0060, or via email at info@CICLE.org to sign up to SAVE THE KIDS BIKE RODEO.

For more information about Bike Week Pasadena and the Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo vist www.CICLE.org.

Published May 7, 2008 by LA Times
By Louise Roug

NEW YORK -- The undulating asphalt gave way to a sea of potholes and the bicycle shuddered with each curve and dip. Ahead, the Brooklyn Bridge rose in a long incline toward the camera-ready skyline of Manhattan.

But the cinematic quality of the city was lost on an approaching bicyclist, who saw only a tight grid of streets with thin slices of available roadway -- spaces that momentarily widen, then narrow, in the anarchy of Manhattan traffic.

Only a decade ago, the few bicyclists who tried to wedge into traffic were seen as interlopers, scorned by city drivers and pedestrians alike -- "granola eaters from a fringe movement," said Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, a leading bicycle advocacy group.

But with rising oil prices and heightened concern about carbon emissions, riding a bicycle no longer seems quite so silly. The number of bicyclists has grown by 75% during the last seven years, according to the city's count.

Soon an ambitious city plan will make it possible for riders to traverse Manhattan via dedicated bike lanes and circumnavigate the island along the waterfront. Sheltered bicycle parking and thousands of new public bike racks are already in place.

"It's a new paradigm for biking in New York -- a feet-first approach," said Janette Sadik-Khan, the transportation commissioner who has overseen a $1-million safety campaign that included handing out 10,000 bicycle helmets.

"The bike is not a hobby," said Sadik-Khan, 47, who cycles to work. "It's an important part of the transportation network."

Middle-aged bicycle commuters like Amy Cohen and Gary Eckstein are now more plentiful on the streets than daredevil bike messengers, once the dominant image of New York cyclists.

Every morning, Cohen, 42, and her husband, Eckstein, 45, walk their children, Tamar, 9, and Samuel, 7, to school in Park Slope, Brooklyn, before commuting by bicycle to Lower Manhattan -- a 35-minute ride to work for each of them. As they pedal up the Brooklyn side of the bridge, their wheels rhythmically measure out the wooden beams of the pathway -- thump, thump, thump -- producing a beat overlaid with the occasional sound of a bike bell -- driiiing. Tourists who have inadvertently strolled into the bicycle lane leap back. On the upward slope of the bridge, their legs ache from the strenuous ascent. Reaching the iconic towering arches, there's no longer a need to pedal. Descending now, faster and faster, the breeze grabs their hair and clothes.

Eckstein was once "doored" -- hit by an oblivious passenger exiting a taxi. Cab drivers still drive aggressively around bicyclists. But among other motorists, the couple have noticed a growing bicycle awareness. Partly, that's a function of mass: There are simply more bicycles on the street today than when they began pedaling to work 15 years ago.

"The city feels much safer than when we started," Cohen said. "It even feels safe in the dark."



Still, Manhattan's jam-packed streets often resemble a battleground between bike messengers, car commuters, delivery boys, jaywalkers, limousine chauffeurs and taxi drivers. A few years ago, New York Post columnist Steve Dunleavy described a "civil war" on the streets, referring to bicyclists as "pedal punks" and "kamikaze bike bullies."

"How many times has some mobile moron on a bike, as I opened the [taxi] door after paying the fare, crashed into that door trying to illegally squeeze through?" Dunleavy wrote. "It happens, and the rider protests in profanity and yells, 'Man, you could have killed me!' Pity I failed."

In response, a writer at streetsblog.org depicted Dunleavy in unflattering terms, pointing out that motorists kill more cyclists than cyclists kill pedestrians.

Last year, 271 people were killed in New York City traffic -- including 23 bicyclists and 136 pedestrians -- the vast majority by motorists. However, about once a year a pedestrian is killed in a collision with a bicyclist.

Police here largely ignore jaywalkers, cyclists going against traffic and taxi drivers bounding across lanes to pick up customers. And anarchy begets anarchy. Cyclists -- fearing for their lives -- ride on the sidewalk, and pedestrians -- to avoid the cyclists -- step into traffic.

Jessica Lappin, a councilwoman from the Upper East Side, hears the horror stories almost daily.

Seniors in her neighborhood feel "terrorized" by delivery people who barrel down the sidewalks on two wheels, causing elderly residents to duck and dive. "While I understand that the cyclists fear for their lives in the streets," she said, "the answer can't be whizzing by on the sidewalk at 20 mph and running into pedestrians."

Lappin added that she supported bicycling in general and -- if it was safer -- would probably bicycle herself.

At the foot of the bridge, Eckstein goes north, while Cohen heads south. She deftly weaves her sport bicycle through the crowd of bankers and secretaries flowing through the canyons of Wall Street. She locks the Cannon at the rack outside the Jewish Child Care Assn., where she works as a grant manager. On sunny days, the street overflows with bikes.

"It's a beautiful way to start the day," she said of her commute.



In theory at least, Manhattan is ideal for cyclists: a grid, flat and finite. But Transportation Alternatives estimates that cycling commuters make up less than 1% of New Yorkers. In contrast, almost 40% of Copenhagen's 1 million residents bicycle to work -- even during long, cold winters.

"We're not Copenhagen, but we can do better than 0.5%," said Sadik-Khan, the commissioner.

Among bicycle activists, hope is tempered with skepticism.

"For me, the level of frustration has never been higher because the potential has never been greater," said George Bliss, an inventor, entrepreneur and longtime bicycle activist. "This moment could pass, and we could end up with nothing."

On a recent Friday, Bliss, 54, rode in a demonstration that began shortly after 8:30 p.m. when dozens of cyclists fanned out from Union Square, closely followed by scooter-riding police officers. In the spring night, the swarm of cyclists brought to mind a colony of bats as they wove between the cars on the darkened streets, dispersing and gathering seemingly without aim. Soon the police lost the trail.

The idea for collective protest rides first took hold in the early 1990s with cyclists demonstrating for better biking conditions in San Francisco. In New York, protesters from the group Critical Mass now gather once a month for a ride through the city, often followed by police who try to ticket them for any traffic rule infraction.

After half an hour, Bliss peeled off and pedaled across town to the Hub Station, his bicycle shop in the West Village. The shop also serves as the headquarters of his other business, Pedicabs of New York, which offers trips by streamlined bicycle rickshaws.

For 20 years, he has fought to allow more bicycles on the streets, but he has recently tired of the protests.

"It used to be celebratory: couples on a Friday night going down to Union Square for a bit of pedaling," Bliss said. "Now it's a fight: anarchists and cop-haters playing a silly game with the police."

Because officers don't ticket drivers parked illegally in bike lanes, the paths often resemble an obstacle course of taxis and trucks unloading people and goods. Bliss said that if officers began clearing bike paths by ticketing and removing illegally parked vehicles, perhaps cyclists would stay in their lanes and order would eventually come to the streets of New York.

"This is a moment when everything can happen," he said, referring to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's willingness to work with the cyclists and the increasing number of cyclists on the streets. "But," he added, "there are some serious cultural structures that have to be dismantled."

louise.roug@latimes.com

Published May 5, by WEEK News 25
By Jim Garrott

As the weather warms up and more and more bicyclists are taking to the roads around the state, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today launched a public awareness effort to educate drivers about a new state law requiring motorists to pass bicyclists with at least three feet to spare. The effort – called “Please Don’t Squeeze” – starts today and is funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Division of Traffic Safety to the League of Illinois Bicyclists (LIB).

“This is the time of year that more and more bicycle riders of all ages will be taking advantage of the warmer weather to get out on our roadways. Sadly, two recent fatal crashes in Chicago remind us how vulnerable bike riders can be,” said Gov. Blagojevich. “Today, we’re launching a radio campaign to educate drivers about a new law requiring motorists to give bicyclists at least three feet of space when passing. If you see a bicyclist up ahead, remember to please slow down and give that cyclist plenty of room.”

Bicycle fatalities decreased in Illinois from 24 to in 2006 to a provisional count of 18 in 2007.

“The message of our radio spot is ‘Please Don’t Squeeze,’” said IDOT Secretary Milton R. Sees. “We want the motoring public to be aware of the new law and to observe it. Our goal is to make the roadways safer for bicyclists and reduce crashes and injuries.”

Ed Barsotti, executive director of LIB – a statewide advocacy group - said, “The purpose of the radio campaign is to inform public before the height of the bicycling season about the new state law, which took effect last Jan. 1.”

Barsotti said the previous law only indicated that motorists must pass bicyclists and others safely but did not specify the distance. Illinois has joined nine other states with similar safe passing laws.

The new law was sponsored by Sen. Edward D. Maloney (D-Chicago) and Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D- Des Plaines).

“We hope that when all motorists see bicyclists ahead, they know to pass them safely by affording at least three feet of space,” Barsotti said. He said the public service announcement also urges bicyclists to do their part for safety by obeying all traffic laws.

LIB received a grant of $33,373 from IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety to produce the radio spot and purchase airtime. The 30-second spots will air on 10 stations starting today through May 30.

LIB and IDOT worked together on a May 2007 radio campaign that urged drivers and bicyclists to obey traffic laws and share the road.

IDOT and LIB have teamed up on number of safety efforts in recent years. In 2006, IDOT provided funding for LIB to produce a bike safety video, “Share the Road – Same Road, Same Rules, Same Rights”, that was distributed free of charge to 2,000 Illinois high schools, private driving schools and law enforcement agencies. The video educates drivers on how they should share the road with bicyclists.

IDOT and LIB have also developed a “Safe Roads for Bicycling” program that involves teaching a class to Police Departments that makes local police more aware of bicycle safety issues.

The new radio spot can be heard at www.bikelib.org or www.dot.state.il.us.

Published May 6, 2008 by djournal.com 
By REGINA BUTLER

A bicycle bandit landed a birthday present of jail time last week.
Pontotoc City Police Chief Larry Poole said two ladies at the local D&R Thrift Store on Oxford Street were forced into the bathroom at knife point while a Memphis man riding a bicycle made off with their purses.
Poole said the man came into the thrift store while the ladies were cleaning on Tuesday, April 29, “and milled around in there for two to three hours.
“He pulled a knife and said he wanted all their money.”
Poole said the women told the man that they didn’t have any money because the thrift store is not open on that day.
“They said the only cash they had was in their purses. So he forced them at knife point into the bathroom and tied the door shut.”
After the bandit fled the building with the purses on a bicycle the ladies worked their way free from the bathroom, and called the police.
“Officers from all the different departments, city, county and state, descended on the area,” Poole said.
One detail that temporarily hampered the officers in their search was the description of the clothing.
“He changed clothes before he left the building.”
However, public input flowed into the police department and within 35 minutes of the call an arrest was made.
“The speedy arrest came about as a response of the officers and information from the general public giving us tips of where he was going.”
Poole said the information from the public even lead officers to the house that the assailant had fled to in an attempt to elude officers.
A 23-year-old Memphis man, Michael Montrell Jones of 1019 Bradley Street, was arrested and charged with two counts of armed robbery.
He is still in jail on a $200,000 bond.
“We recovered the weapon, which was a large flip blade knife, and the purses.”
Poole said, with the exception of some of the cash, all of the belongings were recovered.
“This individual has a criminal history in Memphis and has a felony record of similar criminal activities from Tennessee.
“I am grateful nobody was hurt in the incident.”
Poole said he considers the charges to be serious and “the bond he makes will be a professional bond.”

Published May 6, 2008 by BBC News 
By Claire Heald

The bicycle. It's the model of green transport and sales of folding ones that fit on trains are stepping up a gear. But as they multiply, so does rush-hour resentment, as commuters and cyclists come to blows.

Dawn is breaking over one commuter-town train station as the daily grind of travelling to work begins. A City type is easy to pick out at the far end of the London-bound platform - he has forgone formal pinstripes for Lycra shorts and a luminous top.

He collapses his bike into a spiral that is barely bigger than its 16in (41cm) wheels.

A Brompton folding bicycle, it's the bowler hat of modern commuting - compact, popular, a bit of a design classic.

Its owner is polite and considerate but hesitates to give his name. Glancing sideways, he says he takes an earlier train to avoid the worst of the rush-hour. For him, cycling "at both ends" - in the sticks and the city - means he travels in an environmentally-friendly way.

So what's not to like here?

Plenty, say fellow commuters, aggrieved by the increasing number of folding bikes vying for space on the train. Sales are up, and the crush inside the carriages is on.

Sweaty menace?

"Here's one! Right here," pipes teacher David Pyle, as he opens the train doors to reveal a folding bike strapped to a handrail on the 0628 BST from Sevenoaks to Charing Cross.

Stepping inside, there are no seats left and he struggles to find a place to stand and hold on.

He complains that bikes, even folding ones, take up too much room. And he doubts their environmental credentials when some riders are dropped off at the station in a 4x4

And there is wrath for the sweatier cyclists.

"Yes, you should try to protect the environment, but you should be sensitive to others," he says. "If putting your bike on the train obstructs other people's standing space, it doesn't fulfil any ecological criteria."

Cramming into a busy train while under pressure of time - commuting is hardly an experience that brings out the spirit of generosity in us. Take father and son city-workers Nick and Tom Hester.

"For years we had a long standing thing about a little guy who we called 'cyclo git'," says Nick. "He had a row just about every day - the classic 'get his bike out of the boot at Sevenoaks station' man."

"They're so arrogant with their 'let me through, I'm a cyclist' attitude. The trains are crowded enough, they should be banned during rush hour."

"The most annoying of the lot is the people who build their bike just as everyone gets up to get off," adds Tom. "There's a perfectly large station - why do it on the train?"

Sales shift gear

They've noticed the change as sales of "folders" are on the rise in the UK - about 75,000 of the 3.5 million bikes sold last year. Market leader Dahon says its sales are growing by about a third each year. UK-based Brompton says it's unable to keep pace with demand.

Partly it's down to technical improvements - folding bikes have improved both in the ride they give and how quick and easy they are to fold (7-15 seconds for a Brompton).

Other factors have also driven sales: the London congestion charge (and similar plans in 10 other UK centres); growing awareness about exercise; and the 7 July bombings which converted many to pedal power.

The city now boasts a high-profile cycling mayor and will this year host its second folding bike race for commuters. Across the rail network, standard bikes are either banned by train companies at peak times or must be booked-in.

"Tick, tick, tick"

As rush hour rolls on, the steady tap of rain on the train windows hardens to a more aggressive pelt. Mac-clad passengers squash onboard. Soggy brollies dangle. Tempers begin fray.

But there is also the "tick, tick, tick" sound of folding bikes being wheeled up to, and off of, trains.

City lawyer Roger Day is undeterred by the conditions; indeed they are "liberating". "I always cycle in the morning, rain or shine," he beams.

He does four miles to the station, and a quick sprint in the city: "I used to drive to and from Canary Wharf, and it was miserable. This journey takes longer, but I would take it a million times – it's fantastic and helps keep me healthy."

Other cyclists are keen to show how little room their bike occupies; how easy it is to assemble: "It takes half a minute," says investment banker Jamie MacLean, unfolding his bike at London Bridge.

The us-and-them aggravation in the dog-eat-dog world of the train doorway is well known to some, however. Ercan Ozcelik has 22 years of taking the train and cycling to work under his waterproof, high-visibility belt.

"Coming home, when there's no seats, you can see them looking at you in your shorts, thinking 'I haven't got a seat, and yet he's got a bike'."

Blame game

But to place blame under the tyres of the bicycle is to miss the problem, say cycling's proponents. It is train overcrowding and the demise of the storage-giving guard's van that are at the root.

"Commuters have a problem with other commuters," says Tom Bogdanowicz of the London Cycling Campaign. "The bottom line is they're complaining about overcrowding on trains, not specific items."

The solution? Greater capacity for people and trains designed to take bikes.

Then everyone could fold up their bike at the station, and carry it on to the train.

"People have assumptions that they're unaware of that keep them from doing it," said Gascoigne, who bikes from Arlington to Kendall Square most work days.

Other events include the Redbones Bike Party & Benefit (Somerville, Monday, May 12) with food, drink, bicycle valet parking, music, and giveaways; Brookline Bikes Beacon Bicycle Parade and the Newton Bicycle Rally and Family Ride (both Sunday, May 18); and bike rentals all week.

For more information, see baystatebikeweek.org.

Published May 5, 2008 by C.I.C.L.E.

Wowza! A huge street banner announcing a week of fun bike-things-to-do, hangs over one of the most popular shopping, dining and entertainment destinations in the L.A. area. Waving in the gentle breeze, at the intersection of Colorado Blvd. and Fair Oaks Ave. in Old Pasadena, that banner will be viewed by thousands of pedestrians, motorists, and bicyclists—for the next two weeks.

While we were standing at the corner of Colorado Blvd. and Fair Oaks, we managed to overhear a fellow talking to his friend and pointing up at the banner, “Look, they’re having a bike event…” We couldn’t catch it all, but that short snippet was satisfying enough.

If you happen to be around the Old Pasadena area, cruise on by and take a gander. Better yet, check out our Bike Week Pasadena 2008 schedule of events, and make sure to come on out for the week’s worth of fabulous bike rides, entertainment, and events.

Highlights include:

> Bike Rides like the 'Tour de Pasadena', 'Ladies Night', and 'Heaven on Wheels'.

> Bicycle Pit Stops : Sponsored by Whole Foods on Arroyo

> The 2nd Annual Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo happens on Saturday, May 17th, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and includes a street closure on DeLacey St. in Old Pasadena. Local bike crafters, bike manufacturers, bike shops, accessory manufacturers and local advocacy groups will come together to present the latest bicycles, fashion, and gear emerging from the ultra-hot urban bike commuter scene. Experience how-to workshops on bike maintenance and bike commuting. Entertainment includes live-music from Very Be Careful, DJ Anthony Valadez and an all-day Kids Bike Rodeo.

>> See our growing list of Expo exhibitors.

>> Check out the full Bike Week Pasadena schedule here.

Bike Week Pasadena is a citywide effort to highlight the benefits of bicycling. Riding a bicycle is an easy way to exercise, reduce traffic congestion, minimize air pollution, cut fuel costs -- and a wonderful way to meet your neighbors. This weeklong salute is presented by city of Pasadena Department of Transportation, One Colorado, and Cyclists Inciting Change through Live Exchange (C.I.C.L.E.)

Published April 29, 2008 by Portland Business Journal

Portland has earned the "Platinum" Level Bicycle Friendly Community award from the League of American Bicyclists.

The designation of "Bicycle Friendly Community," given at levels from Bronze to Platinum, recognizes those communities that are improving conditions for bicyclists and cycling safety. Portland is the first large U.S. city to gain the designation and joins Davis, Calif., as the only other Platinum city in the country.

"When Portland received the Gold award in 2003," said Andy Clarke, president of the league in Washington, D.C., "we challenged the community to increase ridership to get to Platinum. Bold leadership, community-wide involvement, and a lot of hard work have resulted in a 144 percent increase in bicycle use since the 2000 Census -- impressive results by any standard."

The league's reviewers noted that Portland has coupled modest but smart investments in infrastructure, with outstanding education, promotion, and encouragement activities to make cycling a practical and safe option for many more Portlanders than ever before.

Published April 29, 2008 by San Jose Mercury 
By Judy Peterson

By this time next month, new bicycle lanes on both sides of Highway 9 between Los Gatos and Saratoga should be open to riders.

Published April 27, 2008 by New York Times  
By BERNIE BECKER

WASHINGTON — Starting next month, people here will be able to rent a bicycle day and night with the swipe of a membership card.

A new public-private venture called SmartBike DC will make 120 bicycles available at 10 spots in central locations in the city. The automated program, which district officials say is the first of its kind in the nation, will operate in a similar fashion to car-sharing programs like Zipcar.

The district has teamed up with an advertiser, Clear Channel Outdoor, to put the bikes on the streets.

“There’s a lot of stress on our transit systems currently,” said Jim Sebastian, who manages bicycle and pedestrian programs for Washington’s Transportation Department. Offering another option, Mr. Sebastian said, “will help us reduce congestion and pollution,” as well as parking problems.

In the deal, Clear Channel will have exclusive advertising rights in the city’s bus shelters. The company has reached a similar deal with San Francisco. Chicago and Portland, Ore., are also considering proposals from advertisers.

For a $40 annual membership fee, SmartBike users can check out three-speed bicycles for three hours at a time. The program will not provide helmets but does encourage their use.

Similar programs have proved successful in Europe. The Vélib program in Paris and Bicing in Barcelona, Spain, both started around a year ago and already offer thousands of bicycles.

Mr. Sebastian, who started trying to bring bike-sharing to Washington even before its success in Paris and Barcelona, said he believed that the program could grow within a year and hoped that it would eventually offer 1,000 bicycles.

While automated bike-sharing programs are new to the United States, the idea of bike-sharing is hardly novel. Milan, Amsterdam and Portland have all had lower-tech free bike-sharing programs in the past, with Amsterdam’s dating to the 1960s.

But “studies showed that many bikes would get stolen in a day, or within a few weeks,” said Paul DeMaio, a Washington-area bike-sharing consultant. “In Amsterdam, they would often find them in the canals.”

Improved technology allows programs to better protect bicycles. In Washington, SmartBike subscribers who keep bicycles longer than the three-hour maximum will receive demerits and could eventually lose renting privileges. Bicycles gone for more than 48 hours will be deemed lost, with the last user charged a $200 replacement fee.

That technology comes with a price, which is one reason cities and advertisers started joining forces to offer bike-sharing. The European programs would cost cities about $4,500 per bike if sponsors did not step in, Mr. DeMaio said.

Cities realize “they literally have to spend no money on designing, marketing or maintaining” a bike-sharing program, said Martina Schmidt of Clear Channel Outdoor. Washington will keep the revenue generated by the program.

Bike-sharing has become a “public service subsidized by advertising,” said Bernard Parisot, the president and co-chief executive officer of JCDecaux North America, an outdoor advertiser that made a proposal to bring bike-sharing to Chicago.

But, Mr. Parisot added, if users had to pay all of the costs for bike-sharing, “they would probably just take a cab.”

The low cost could be one of the program’s major selling points.

At George Washington University in Foggy Bottom, one of the program’s 10 locations, students were unsure how often they would use SmartBike, but said its price made it worth a try.

“I’d probably use it more in the summer than winter,” said Dewey Archer, a senior. “But for $40? That’s cheaper than gas.”

Published April 28, 2008 by The Oregonian 
By STEPHEN BEAVEN

By late last week, six bright green bike boxes were installed, and eight more are on the way. But the biggest changes in Portland's efforts to make cyclists safer are far less obvious.

The Portland Police Bureau changed its policies for investigating crashes involving cyclists and appointed a liaison officer to work with the cycling community. The city, meanwhile, is retrofitting its truck fleet with "bike guards" to protect riders. It also invited cyclists and truckers to meet and mingle on Southeast Clinton Street during the evening commute on Tuesday.

Although the bike boxes and other safety measures were on the drawing board for some time, those efforts took on a new urgency in recent months following the deaths of two cyclists in high-profile crashes in October.

Now the city and the cycling community are working more closely to put new policies and equipment in place to make bike lanes and intersections safer for two-wheeled commuters.

"Those two deaths were a catalyst for positive change," said Mark Ginsberg, an attorney who is chairman of the city's bicycle advisory committee. "It has definitely accelerated."

Capt. Larry O'Dea, who heads the Police Bureau's traffic division, plans to meet with attorneys, judges and cycling advocates in May to better understand language in several bike-related state laws. The bureau has appointed an officer who used to be a bike messenger as a liaison to the cycling community.

O'Dea also has begun talking with members of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and regularly attending bicycle advisory committee meetings.

"In being at all these meetings, I'm getting very strong feedback from the bicycle community," O'Dea said. "They want a good relationship with the Police Bureau."

Perhaps the biggest change at the bureau came in February when Chief Rosie Sizer issued an executive order that changed the policy for investigating crashes involving cyclists, as well as pedestrians, skateboarders and others defined as "vulnerable road users."

Before, there was no separate standard for crashes involving such users. Investigations were mandatory only if there were serious or life-threatening injuries.

Now any collision in which a cyclist is taken to a hospital by an ambulance is investigated. The traffic division investigated nine such crashes involving cyclists last month, compared with five in March 2007, O'Dea said.

Ginsberg credits the bureau for building a better relationship with cyclists, adding that it was especially helpful for officers to hand out educational brochures instead of tickets when the bike boxes were initially installed.

But he'd still like to see the bureau pursue reckless and careless drivers more aggressively, even if cyclists aren't injured. O'Dea said he has already asked the Bicycle Transportation Alliance for help in determining where the bureau should focus its efforts.

Cyclist Tim Calvert said he's glad the city is listening to the cycling community and taking even incremental steps to make the streets safer.

The bike boxes are an especially vivid reminder of the changes Portland has undertaken in recent months.

"I think anytime bicycling is elevated on the street level to a more equal status with cars," Calvert said, "it helps both the drivers and cyclists acknowledge that they're both commuters, and they're both trying to get to work safely."

Stephen Beaven: 503-294-7663; stevebeaven@news.oregonian.com

Published April 27, 2008 by StatesmanJournal.com
By Ron Cowan

First it was doors at the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, and now it's bikes and much, much more. Zeek, who has endeavored throughout the years to get art out of the gallery and into downtown Salem, has outdone herself with her new venture, "Different Spokes: People Powered Art for Change," opening May 6.

"I have taken on a lot," said Zeek, who has been working with a committee of artists and activists for the last three months.

"Every other year, we've done the Door Show (with artist doors spread around downtown businesses). We've done it for three years.

"So now we're doing the 'Spokes' show. I guess what we're trying to come up with is something where we could put art in different places."

She ended up with a "green" theme of bikes, in connection with the fact that May is National Bike Month, Bike-to-Work Week is from May 12 to 16 and Bike-to-Work Day on May 16.

The art is based on bikes: Artists were asked to buy a bike and embellish or reconstruct it as a basis for art.

"They could go wherever they could take it," Zeek said.

"Sculpture is a little more bulky than the doors. They're a little more bulky, a little more hard to handle and to move."

The works will be for sale, at prices from $800 $3,000.

The 16 bikes, in addition to six bike paintings at the Zeek gallery, are being placed in more distant, bike-friendly locations.

Those range from Kettle Foods on State Street to Salem Electric on Edgewater Street and the Capitol Building on Court Street. The show includes a First Wednesday reception with a Community Bike Ride.

Although the bikes will be indoors, they will generally be visible from the outdoors.

The show gets a kick-off earlier with an extravagant event Saturday at the former City Center Motel.

Two University of Oregon student teams, a Western Oregon University student team and artist Patrick Collier of Salem each will have a room at the motel for an installation.

In a fifth room, there will be "Bike Wars." Each of four six-person teams will have three hours to create bike art. Artists Doug Dacar and Kristin Kuhns are among the participants.

"We're not going to pick a winner," Zeek said.

A private event afterward will auction off the competitive works supporting bike-related Cautious Kids, with the proceeds going for scholarships.

The bike artworks, pre-installation, will be on view in a tent on the property.

The day will include a kids' bike parade. Antique bikes will be on view, as well as electric cars and a biodiesel car.

Salem Transit District will hand out free bus tickets as part of the green theme.

Artist Layne Young of Salem will use pieces of a bike inner tube to create a chain — to be displayed at Zeek's gallery — with kids asked to write down what changes they want to see on each piece of the tube.

Volunteers on site will help the kids transform their bikes into artworks for the parade, which will wind around the Pringle Park area, led by Salem police on bikes.

Like many of Zeek's efforts, "Different Spokes" is a collaborative event and has a community thrust: promoting the health and well-being of individuals and the community.

This show captures the importance of bikes to exercise and health, social and environmental awareness, and alternative modes of transportation.

Given the work involved, Zeek said she is not likely to mount the show again but hopes someone else, such as the Salem Conference Center, could pick up on the idea as a community tradition.

"I think it's really exciting, a little insane, a lot of fun," said Salem artist Paula Booth, who will be on hand as a resident art installation expert Saturday.

"She has a way of drawing people in," Booth said of Zeek.

The artists, by and large, did whimsical and unpredictable art based on the theme.

Jud Turner of Eugene has a sleek bike driven by a silver skeleton.

William Skrips of Blairstown, N.J., did a retro bike, with an old-fashioned look and an old engine hood.

Carolyn Garcia of Portland did an art deco, streamlined bike that looks like it's permanently in motion.

Craig Windom of Eugene did an inlaid wood table and chair, with a bike design on the table.

"I think they came up with some great ideas," Zeek said. "It was just as diverse as the artists.

"I think again it's one of those assignments I like to give to artists. They came up with some great ideas."

Zeek collaborated with her husband, Alan, and Salem artist Jan Gassner on a bike that has a bird on the bike handle and playful decorations.

The other artists doing sculpture are Del Loose, Tualatin; Gene Fewx, Salem; Matt Cartwright, Portland; Jackie Hoyt, Portland; Brian Mock, Beaverton; Totem Shriver, Sheridan; John and Robin Gumaelius of Hoquiam, Wash,; and Andries Fourie, Salem.

The paintings are by Deb DeWit-Marchant, Tigard; Tracy MacEwan, Gleneden Beach; Nyla Pilon, St. Helens; Grace Sanchez, Aloha; Katherine Dunn, Yamhill; and Doug Dacar, Salem.

"Different Spokes" has its own Web site, www.bikeartsalem.com.

Published April 25, 2008 by Honolulu Star Bulletin 
By Robert Shikina

Police plan to increase their presence on Honolulu roadways today for a monthly bicycling event after last month's event ended with a clash between police and cyclists.

In a news conference at the Capitol yesterday, a police official asked motorists to be patient and respectful of the bicyclists on the road during rush hour between downtown and Waikiki.

An undisclosed number of additional officers will be on hand to ensure bicyclists and motorists are following traffic laws, said Honolulu police Maj. Clayton Saito, of the downtown district.

"We just want to ensure that everybody is operating on the road safely, whether it's the bicyclist or the motorist," he said. "We're not out there just to look at bicyclists. We want to make sure the motorists are also respecting the bicyclists' rights of way."

The bicycling event is called Critical Mass. It started in San Francisco in the 1990s to promote the right of bicyclists to ride on the street. Critical Mass Honolulu has no leadership and central organization, according to its Web site, and is held the last Friday of every month.

Police expect the event to start on Beretania Street at the Capitol at 5 p.m., head down King Street to Waikiki, and return along Beretania Street.

Last month about 50 bicyclists traversed the roads between Kakaako and Waikiki during rush hour.

The clash between police and bicyclists occurred on the last stretch of the event, in front of police headquarters on Beretania Street. A video was posted online afterward depicting a police officer answering questions from upset bicyclists after a police officer collided with a bicyclist.

Saito said the incident started earlier when several phone calls were received about cyclists blocking traffic. Police responded in Waikiki, arresting one man on an unrelated warrant and confiscating several unregistered bikes.

As the group traveled on Beretania Street, an officer tried to stop a bicyclist and tripped, colliding into another rider, Saito said. The woman is seen talking to paramedics in the video, but declined an ambulance ride to the hospital.

Saito said police will watch for bicyclists or drivers breaking traffic laws.

Violations for bicyclists include not riding on the right-hand side of the road, not staying to one side on a one-way street, and ignoring traffic signals and signs. He said bicyclists generally are required to ride single file.

Fearing that bicyclists obstructing packed rush-hour traffic could cause drivers' tensions to flare and lead to altercations, police have asked the Hawaii Bicycling League, the state's largest bicycling group, to make contact with Critical Mass members.

Mitchell Nakagawa, executive director of the Hawaii Bicycling League, said they have not been able to reach anyone organizing the event.

He said he supports the group's efforts to raise cycling awareness, but that it should be done with respect for other forms of transportation.

Published April 24, 2008 by  SignOnSanDiego.com

SAN YSIDRO: A $3 million project to make the San Ysidro Port of Entry more friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists opened yesterday, nearly a year after most of the work was completed.

The California Department of Transportation announced that fences around a 39-step shortcut stairway, 12-foot-wide bike path and 300-space bicycle parking lot – closed as city of San Diego and state officials worked out a maintenance plan – were finally removed.

“The city will take care of what's on city property, and the state will take care of state property,” Caltrans spokesman Ed Cartagena said.

Construction crews began work on Friendship Plaza in 2003 with federal and state transportation funds. A clause in the contractor's agreement allowed the company to fence off an area for which he was responsible.

Cartagena said he expects border crossers to start using the renovated Camiones Way cul-de-sac immediately. Nine bilingual sign panels describing the history of Spanish colonization and national parks in California and Baja California were recently added.

Work included wider sidewalks, new benches and trash cans, additional streetlights, passenger loading zones, disabled access and wider turnstiles at the entrance to Mexico. –J.Z.

Published April 23, 2008 by The Age 
Clay Lucas

MELBOURNE City Council's plan for new separated bicycle lanes on a major East Melbourne road must be overturned, the Master Builders Association says.

The association will take the council to the state planning tribunal next week in a bid to block its "Copenhagen-style" bicycle lanes on Albert Street, where the association has had its office for more than 40 years.

The bike lanes, similar to lanes already installed in Swanston Street, Carlton, separate cyclists and car traffic with a parking lane.

Under the council's $500,000 plan for the East Melbourne bike lanes, Albert Street will be reduced from a two-lane road all day to a single-lane road at all times, except during peak hours. Parking will still be available on the street, except during peak hours.

The space currently used for parking will be taken up by a new bicycle lane.

Master Builders Association executive director Brian Welch said the expenditure was ludicrous.

"The council is listening far more to the protestations of Bicycle Victoria than tenants like us," he said.

In March, Bicycle Victoria found that 192 riders used the route in morning rush hour.

But Mr Welch said parking was crucial to the street. "We are going to lose a lane of car traffic during business hours, which will mean that people will have to stop when anyone wishes to park in Albert Street."

Many other businesses in the area were upset at the changes, Mr Welch said, because it would become more difficult to park in the street to visit them.

"And it's an unwarranted expense (on behalf of) cyclists who probably don't pay rates at all in this area," he said. "It is an ideological bent of council rather than a sensible plan."

He said the association would take up the issue with Roads Minister Tim Pallas.

Mr Pallas last year caused a stir when he stopped a Melbourne City Council proposal to remove a car lane on St Kilda Road to make room for the new Copenhagen lanes.

City councillor Fraser Brindley said better bike lanes meant more people would ride to the central business district.

Council figures show bicycle trips into the city centre are soaring.

In March 2006, bicycles made up 3.95% of the 58,378 vehicles that entered the city. Last month, an identical count showed that had risen to 9.21% of the 73,873 vehicles entering the city. Over the same period, cars entering the CBD fell from 83.2% of all vehicles to 79.02%.

Bicycle Victoria head Harry Barber said it was vital that the Albert Street route was made a major cycling strip.

"It is the main alternative route to Victoria Parade, which is too wide, too fast and too busy for cyclists," he said.

"There is a lazy lane on Albert Street during the day. This will create a more efficient pipe to draw people into the CBD on their bikes. What's not to like about that?"

Published April 23, 2008 by  Wichita Falls Online
By Lara K. Richards

Jarvis Polvado has seen the effects of high gas prices firsthand.

The door to his business, Texoma Cycling Center, constantly swings open with people wanting to buy bicycles and bike gear.

“We’re getting more and more customers that are buying bikes to commute in lieu of gas prices,” he said. “Where I’ve seen the biggest increase is people buying bikes to go to work.”

Escalating fuel costs are driving residents to abandon their cars, Polvado said.

But even more people might consider alternative transportation if the city carried through with the Master Bicycle Plan, which was completed in June 2005, he said.

The plan was adopted as part of the 2005-2030 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, which was commissioned by the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The Wichita Falls MPO helps coordinate regional transportation planning between the state, Wichita County and the cities of Wichita Falls, Pleasant Valley and Lakeside City.

Part of the current area transportation puzzle includes bicycling.

As the plan states, “The Wichita Falls MPO wanted a bicycle plan in order to support the annual Hotter’N Hell Hundred race, as well as to provide alternative transportation for those wanting options to the single occupant vehicle and additional facilities for those wanting recreational options.”

The plan highlights the numerous benefits of encouraging bicycling in the community. From improving quality of life and increasing the health of residents, more bikes on the road is also good for the environment and reduces congestion.

The overall goal is to make Wichita Falls safer and more attractive for riders.

“As with most cities, riders along Wichita Falls’ major thoroughfares experience hazards from traffic, roadway conditions, busy intersections and numerous driveways,” the plan states. “As Wichita Falls’ population increases and generates more traffic, these conditions will continue to deteriorate. An effective, long-term plan is necessary to ensure that as this growth continues, roadways will also continue to be friendly to cyclists.”

The Master Bicycle Plan calls for Wichita Falls to finish the 26-mile hike and bike trail that encircles the city, which is currently about 12 miles complete. The plan also recommends installing bike lanes on numerous roads and streets in town.

Both of these would be great additions to the city and would encourage more people to get on bikes, Polvado said.

“If you have a place to ride, people are comfortable,” he said. “A lot of people won’t ride to work because we don’t have the bike lanes. The biggest fear (riders) always have is riding bikes on the streets.”

Sadly, the plan has sat dormant since being adopted, Polvado said.

“It’s been put on the backburner,” he said. “The only way to get it done is to bring it back to light, back to the forefront.”

At the Wichita Falls City Council meeting April 15, Polvado pressed the council to move forward with recommendations in the plan.

He wants the city to make a commitment to being a bicycle-friendly city.

“People always talk about Hotter’N Hell here, and then they talk about how cities like Austin and how bike-friendly it is,” he said. “I want that for Wichita Falls.”

Polvado, who is also involved with HHH, said he’s working to get the word out about the necessity of completing the Master Bicycle Plan.

He said he’s going to go before the City Council every few weeks to keep the issue alive.

“I also plan on getting like-minded people who are passionate about this to get involved,” he said.

Published April 23, 200 by KCCI.com 

SOUTH PASADENA, Calif. -- Brent Hatch doesn't worry about filling up with expensive gas. His ride is powered by the sun. Hatch converted an eight-seat surrey bike to a solar-powered commuter.His fringed-topped bike is the sort you see shuttling tourists on oceanfront boardwalks and through amusement parks. It was a little tough peddling uphill with his five kids, so Hatch added an electric motor.

To keep from running out of juice, the Los Angeles-area real estate agent later installed solar panels.

Hatch is now a believer in solar commuting. He said if he can do it, almost anybody can.

Published April 21, 2008 by Examiner.com 
By Beth Winegarner

SAN FRANCISCO  - While San Francisco is often seen as a bikeable, walkable city, very few students ride bicycles or walk to school, according to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. The City’s Department of Public Health is hoping a $500,000 grant will change that.

The grant, from the federal Safe Routes to School programs, would provide funding for infrastructure and education that would make it easier for students to walk and bicycle to school. Leaders said they hope to roll out Safe Routes programs at five local schools in the fall and at another 10 next fall.

“We’re looking to focus on schools with a high percentage of students living within a half-mile of the school,” said Leah Shahum, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

The coalition — along with DPH and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority — is also eyeing five schools that already have been targeted for traffic taming, including Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, Leonard R. Flynn Elementary School, Longfellow Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School and Tenderloin Community School, said Jessica Manzi of the SFMTA.

Safe Routes to School originally was hatched across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County in August 2000. The project, founded by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, has become a national model; $612 million in federal funding was released to 42 states for Safe Routes programs in 2007.

Marin has since seen a 40 percent decline in car-related traffic near schools, according to Shahum.

While San Francisco received its grant last year, it can’t launch Safe Routes until it passes a handful of legal hurdles with the California Department of Transportation, the agency responsible for disbursing the money, said Ana Validzic, pedestrian and traffic safety project coordinator for the DPH.

Maggie Morgan-Butcher, 11, who attends Alamo Elementary School in the Richmond district, said she enjoys biking or walking to school.

“It’s really fun — you get some fresh air before you go sit in a classroom all day,” Morgan-Butcher said. Her only safety concerns come when she crosses 25th Avenue, she said, because it’s so busy.

bwinegarner@examiner.com

Published April 21, 2008 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 
By JAMIE GUMBRECHT

It was a frigid night in late 2004 when the lights went out on a potluck dinner of frustrated bicycle enthusiasts. Brothers Jay and Stewart Varner and their friend Rachael Spiewak had posted fliers inviting bikers to Jay's house in Reynoldstown, not realizing that 60 people would pack the living room and turn the porch into a parking lot.

Even in the darkness of a power outage, "there was so much momentum and excitement that nobody wanted to go home," said Spiewak, a 26-year-old bike rider who lives in Poncey-Highland.

So in flickers of bike safety lamps, they sought ideas and answers. How to introduce biking to more people? How to get more bikes on the road in Atlanta? How to make biking safe?

The result was SoPo Bicycle Co-op, a nonprofit bike shop and maintenance space in East Atlanta. In 12 hours each week, it offers bicycle education to daredevilish kids bored with TV, young adult commuters who can't afford cars, middle-aged parents remembering how to pedal and retirees who want a workout.

And it all started with a crank puller.

Jay bought the $40 tool one summer when he got around town primarily on a dilapidated bike. (Technically, the Varner brothers, who grew up in Dalton, share their mother's non-working 1984 Volvo wagon, but even expensive bike repair is cheaper than car repair, they say.) Crank pullers are needed once a year, maybe less often. Nobody should ever have to buy this part again, the brothers decided. Wouldn't it be cool to have a big tool drawer and share it with other riders?

The question was answered a few months later by the crowd in Jay's darkened living room. Potlucks became planning groups, networking events and on-site neighborhood bike repair. Spiewak and Jay's living and dining rooms briefly became a bike shop, where the roommates woke to bike parts strewn on furniture and all-hours maintenance requests.

As demand grew, they found a space for the shop: a $325-per-month concrete room in the alley behind the Australian Bakery on Flat Shoals Avenue. An artist worked with local kids to produce a bright, bike-filled mural. Donations of wheels, tires, frames, clips, cranks, pumps and wrenches poured in.

"We added a few tools to the drawer," Jay said. "And by drawer, I mean shop."

SoPo — South of Ponce, or "so poor we can't afford a car" — is plagued by typical nonprofit troubles: too many ideas but not enough time, volunteers or money. It runs on donated cash and parts, with shared labor and knowledge, like the Wikipedia of bike maintenance.

One Saturday in April, a woman shopping for a bicycle wondered, can a 10-speed be made into a 21-speed?

The question volleyed to Spiewak, who bounced it to Jay. With no conviction but plenty of enthusiasm, Jay said "sure," until Dana Scott, 60, a volunteer who hasn't owned a car in 15 years, stepped in with an explanation.

The final answer: Maybe. Let's find out.

Plenty of SoPo repairs and updates start that way. Volunteers and regulars are stumped often, especially by gadgetry from the last couple of years. They rely on books or the all-knowing-but-not-always-correct Internet for answers, then use on-site tools and parts for repairs.

"You don't take the wrench out of their hands," said volunteer John St. Louis, a 17-year-old student at Paideia School. "I learned a lot since coming here — how to fix, how to learn, how to teach."

SoPo co-founders say it's not unusual for someone to wheel in a dusty, half-working bike only to pedal away with a serviceable bicycle hours later. A few dozen people, many of them regulars, come by during each session.

At Critical Mass, a monthly downtown bike ride, Spiewak used to see only about 30 people.

"Now it's 300 and I know exactly where some of their bikes came from," she says.

Organizers say they try to make SoPo a safe learning environment for everyone, from reluctant-but-curious riders to those without cash to buy brand new. The logo, a puffy RoboSheep with wheels for feet, was chosen because it's memorable, gender-neutral and nonthreatening. (So "cute" that the co-founders are tattooed with it, but not so cute that the Varners' mom has seen the ink.)

Atlanta City Councilmember Natalyn Mosby Archibong said the organization fit easily into the community by attracting different age groups with an environmental, healthy, economical solution to transportation.

"Sometimes [alternative transportation] is an afterthought and it needs to be at the forefront," Archibong said. "With gas prices becoming more expensive than gold bullion, I think they're on track."

On a rainy Saturday afternoon in the co-op parking lot, SoPo regular Jonathan Gaerlan and 12-year-old Dameion Johnson picked out parts and rebuilt brakes under the watchful eyes of SoPo volunteers. (Brakes, it turns out, are something worth checking twice.)

"I put new stuff on it every time I come," Dameion said of the blue bicycle he rides to school. "If I didn't know this place was right here, my bike wouldn't even be fixed right now."

The pair turned the final screws and Gaerlan announced the bike was ready for stopping. Dameion pedaled off with his friends; Gaerlan donated cash to cover the shop time and tool use and turned to his own SoPo-ized bike.

He said he gave up cars shortly after he moved to Atlanta six months ago. He fell in love with the city from the seat of his bike. He painted it black, swapped in a two-toned chain and added a bell that's become his signature sound.

"It was a safe, functional bicycle," said Gaerlan, 24. "Now it's getting the way I want it."

And there's SoPo's answer to problems pondered by bike lamp in a Reynoldstown living room: Help people make their bikes safe and build them as they want, and they will ride.

Before you bike

Don't yank that old, forgotten bike out of the garage and expect to pedal away in minutes. Before you ride, SoPo bike volunteers recommend you put your bike through an ABC Quick Check. (If you're not comfortable doing it at home, most bike shops sell tune-up services or SoPo volunteers will guide riders through the process.)

A is for air. Check the tire pressure and inflate to the proper level. If the tire treads or sidewalls are damaged, tires might need to be replaced.

B is for brakes. If the brake lever hits the handle before the bike stops, brakes must be tightened. If less than 1/4-inch of brake pads remain, it's time to replace.

C is for cables, cranks and chains. Adjust cables when you check brakes. Make sure nothing wobbles when you pedal; if necessary, lube the crank threads. Make sure the chain isn't stretched, and carefully oil with one drop for each link.

Q is for quick release. If your bike has quick releases, make sure they're tight and nothing will catch on them.

R is for run a quick check. Nothing should feel shaky, loose or out of your control. "You probably know more than you think you do," says SoPo bikes co-founder Rachael Spiewak. "If you've been riding your bike and something feels wrong, it's probably wrong."

Source: SoPo Bike Co-op and League of American Bicyclists

About SoPo

SoPo Bicycle Co-op is at 465-C Flat Shoals Ave. in Atlanta. It's open 7-10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 2-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, contact 404-425-9989 or info@sopobikes.org. Information about volunteering, donating and maintenance also is available at www.sopobikes.org.

Published April 18, 2008 by LA Times : Emerald City 
By Alex Thompson

Last week I began writing about how you can get a bicycle.  I wrote about what one's goals should be in buying their first bicycle as an adult, briefly explained the types of bicycles, and shared my opinion on budgeting for a new bicycle.  In this entry I'll explain the basic options for where one can buy a bicycle in LA, share my opinions as to which are best, and I'll briefly discuss helmets, locks, and lights.

If you've figured out the right size and type of bike, and decided about how much to spend, then you're ready to look for a bicycle.  In LA there are five basic options:

Craigslist: Local and used is the greenest option!  There are a ton of inexpensive bikes available on Craigslist, and most bikes are priced fairly.  However, buyer beware, some of them are a bit run down.  I think this a good option if you don't have a lot of time to invest, and you're looking for something functional and used.  Find a few bikes in the right size and type, and then contact those sellers.

eBay: eBay sellers have a reputation for overpricing their bikes.  On the other hand, the quality of merchandise is very high, high enough that you don't need to worry about being unable to test ride the bike.  However, if you get a bike on eBay it will arrive in a box, so you're going to have to assemble it somehow.  We'll talk about that later.

A local bike shop: Your local bike shop offers instant gratification, at a price.  At most bike shops the lowest priced model will be $250 or $300, so it's easy to blow your budget.  Still, you'll end up with a finished product, all new, and someone to hold responsible if something goes wrong.  If you're cash flow is healthy, and you're short on time, this is a good option.

The Bike Kitchen, Bike Oven, or Bikerowave: There are three organizations in LA known as bike repair collectives.  These are non-profit, all volunteer organizations which teach people how to fix bicycles, and provide them the equipment to do so.  They also usually have "project bikes" which you can buy cheaply, but you will need to do some work on them.  That's ok, depending on which collective you visit you can pay between $5 and $7 an hour to have a volunteer walk you through the repairs.  The Bike Kitchen is in East Hollywood, the Bike Oven is in Highland Park, and Bikerowave is in East Santa Monica.  All three organizations have late evening hours on most weekdays, and daytime hours on the weekend, so you should be able to make it sometime.

Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or garage sales: These are labor intensive options for finding a bike.  However, it's your best chance at finding an insanely cheap bicycle, and the money spent goes to an excellent cause.  The trouble is, while most thrift shops will have at least bicycle for sale, the odds that the bicycle is your size or type of bike you're looking for are low.  So it is almost certain that you will need to go to multiple stores to find a bicycle that works for you.

When you're buying a bicycle it is good to test ride the bike if possible.  If you have a friend who rides bikes, see if they'll come along to inspect the bike.  If you don't, then you should try to inspect it yourself.  Now, I can look at a bike with problems and assess accurately how much work needs to be done, so I'm sometimes willing to take on such a bike.  However, it took me a year of volunteering at Bikerowave to get to that point.  Unless you're bike mechanic (why would you be reading this if you were?) you should not buy a bike with obvious mechanical problems.  There are plenty of used bikes without mechanical problems, so just skip the ones that clearly have issues.

Some mechanical problems should cause you to move on.  Rubbing brakes or a wobbly wheel could mean only a minor repair, but might need a major overhaul.  Find a bike without those.  Lots of rust on any part of the bike other than the chain is a bad sign.  A rusty chain is no big deal, you can easily replace it for $10.  Flat tires are a sign that either the tires are damaged, or that the seller is just too lazy to pump them up.  Either way I'd avoid a bike with flat tires if I was you.

If you don't spot anything obviously wrong, the bike feels ok when you ride it, and it fits your budget and goals, go for it!  No sense being a perfectionist because your goal is to get out and ride it.

Once you have your bike you probably will want to tune it up, or if you bought a bike from eBay you'll need to assemble it.  When you're ready, here are your two options for tune ups or assembly:

Local bike shop: You can go to a bike shop to get your bike tuned up.  This is a good option for people who don't have much free time and can afford to delegate responsibility.  On the Westside the waits to get your bike fixed are sometimes as much as a week.  So, if you plan to ride a lot, like to be self sufficient, or don't have much money, I recommend visiting one of the:

Bike Kitchen, Bike Oven, Bikerowave:  Most of us wouldn't even attempt to do all the maintenance on our cars.  However, this is totally reasonable for bicycles.  With about 10 hours instruction a normal person can learn how to maintain every aspect of their own bike.  That means when you're 10 miles from home on a bike ride and something goes wrong, you have a good chance of being able to fix it.  The Bike Repair Collectives will help you do a tune up or assemble a bike by having a volunteer walk you through the process.  Afterward you'll be much closer to being able to maintain your own machine.  Empowering, and it's all not for profit!

There's three other basics I want to mention.  You should wear a helmet, use a lock, and if you ride at night, ride with lights.  When buying a helmet don't spend more than $40.  Some helmets are displayed as $140, and for some reason people buy them!  Those helmets are for racers who are way too inclined to cut 10 oz of weight by spending money rather than pushing back from the dinner table.  You don't need that - aim for $30, it will still protect your brain just as well.

There are also a wide variety of locks available.  I recommend a U-lock, and I don't recommend spending a lot.  Even U-locks can be broken, but with the low end bike I hope you went for, the lock should offer sufficient disincentive to prevent theft.  Some U-locks come with a cable to help you lock up your wheels as well.  That can be useful, but the best way to prevent wheel theft, or plain old bike theft, on a low end bike is to always lock your bike in a place which is well lit where there are people.

With lights, as with the bike, I recommend getting something affordable that you plan to replace if you enjoy biking.  Lights break, fail, and fall off bikes, so you'll replace them anyway.  However, it's important to have them, since the California Vehicle Code says you must have a front light after dusk, and you should have a rear light to be safe riding at night.  Motorists know just how invisible pedestrians crossing dark streets can be.  Cyclists are the same, so get lit up.  You should be able to get an adequate set of lights, front and rear, for under $40 at most shops, and if you're lucky they'll carry a set for $20-$30.

I hope this is beneficial advice.  Ride safe!

Published April 17, 2008 by San Francisco Chronicle

If you're tired of dodging potholes every time you hit the streets on your bike, why not participate in this weekend's Monster Pothole Stenciling Project? Hosted by the S.F. Bike Coalition, the event is designed to send a message to the city that cyclists are in dire need of better pavement by sending riders throughout the city to identify and stencil as many potholes as possible. Materials will be provided. 1 -5 p.m. Sat. Meet at Civic Center Lawn (in front of City Hall), S.F. Make sure to stick around for the afterparty. (415) 431-2453, www.sfbike.org/?chain

Released April 15, 2008 by LACBC 

Hello Fellow Cyclists and Advocates,

As some of you may know, I have just recently started working at the LACBC as the Outreach Coordinator. I’m writing to alert you about an important county-wide planning process that needs your input immediately. Metro has issued a Long-Range Transportation plan draft (http://www.metro.net/projects_studies/lrtp.htm)

and is holding meetings to get community input. Dorothy and I have been going to meetings to make sure that Bicycles are included in their plan. They are encouraging us to give input into what we would like to see implemented.

They have indeed included a small percentage of the available funding to bicycle planning, but definitely not to the extent it should be. Right now only 2% of the budget is allocated to bicyclists and pedestrians.  I have encouraged Metro to double the budget allocated for bicycle ways, lanes and routes, and that bicycle facilities and lanes should be included in all of their transportation projects.
 
I have spoken to Carol Inge, planning director at Metro and she agrees with us that we need to change the way people think, and get them out of their cars in order to reduce congestion, reduce air pollution and reduce green house gas emissions. What she needs is to hear from us, so that they can include our ideas into the plan. We need to tell them what we would like to see.
 
That is where YOU come in. LACBC needs you to write a letter today   I have put together a couple main points that a few of us consider as key.  If we come together on these,  If enough of us speak up now, we will dramatically improve conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians today.


Here are some suggestions:

1) Increase the amount of money for bicycle and pedestrian projects in the strategic plan

*The budget allocated to bicycles should be at least $24 million a year.
*Metro should commit to funding bicycle  and pedestrian improvements every year- even using local sales tax monies if state monies are not available.
*In order to create safer streets for cyclists we need more bike lanes and more bicycle facilities throughout the city.
* Metro talks of  "changing the way people think". But you need to make it possible for people to change their behaviors. We need to encourage people to ride their bikes.   Designating specific parts of the road for bike use and shared use will encourage people to ride their bikes and incorporate the bicycle as a viable form of transportation.  It will also improve motorist behavior about cyclists and improve cyclist safety. 
* By encouraging people to ride their bikes, you are addressing Metro's vision of  creating a more "balanced transportation system", of reducing congestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions,  reducing our air pollution, and encouraging a healthier and better quality of life. Bikes are the solution.
* The rest of the nation has realized this, the rest of the world has realized this. Now it's time that Los Angeles realize this.  Metro can help make it happen. We would like to see at least $24 m/yr budgeted to making Los Angeles a cleaner and healthier city by increasing bicycle facilities and bicycle awareness throughout the city.

2) Every project initiated should include bicycle facilities, bike lanes, and bikeways to create alternatives to driving.

* This would actually help to reduce extra spending if these initiatives are incorporated during the initial phases, instead of regarding it as separate projects.
* Projects in all modal categories that include bicycle accommodations should be given more points in Metro's scoring criteria.  For example: an RSTI project that includes bike lanes should be given more points in that category. A pedestrian sidewalk improvement project that includes bike racks should be given additional points, etc.
* Include bikeways paralleling the Metro transit projects; include feeder projects; link public transportation hubs with bicycle lanes;
* This addresses the needs of under-served populations.
* Metro should provide funding for roadway resurfacing on regionally significant corridors. Poor road surface conditions create a larger hazard for cyclists than any other road user.

Email comments by April 25th to: 
metroplan@metro.net

I encourage you to cc an MTA Board member. These elected officials need to hear your suggestions.

You can go to http://www.metro.net/about_us/board/board_members.htm for a list of current Metro Board Members.

Mail comments to Attn: Robert Calix, Transportation program Manager
One Gateway Plaza
Mail stop:99-23-2
Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952

Thanks so much for taking the time to write, and for all of your support of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.  Please contact me if you have any questions, would like to get more involved or would like to become a member.

Aurisha Smolarski
aurisha@la-bike.org

Published April 16, 2008 by Bike Radar  

For most of us an emergency trip to a health facility is a matter of dialing 911 or having a family member drive us. However, for most rural Africans, a medical emergency is something altogether more serious. Many face long distances to health facilities. Family members are unlikely to own a bicycle, let alone a car. And public ambulance systems are virtually unheard of.

Imagine it's four o'clock in the morning and you or your wife goes into labour, but there is no transport to help you reach the hospital. Or you suffer from a chronic illness that requires you to make frequent trips to a distant hospital, but you have no way to get there and you keep missing your treatments, making the illness even more resistant to medication. Or you fall off your bike and break your leg and, again, no transport – you have to wait until someone can help you, and that might take a few days.

Namibia in Southwest Africa faces enormous healthcare challenges, especially among its largely rural population. Its national HIV/AIDS infection rate stands at around 20 percent, and maternal mortality rates have doubled in recent years. The need for locally managed medical transport is more pressing than ever.

In a recent assessment of the link between transport and healthcare, the Bicycling Empowerment Network Namibia (BEN Namibia) found that people living with HIV/AIDS are hit hard by the lack of transport. Patients either miss their treatment because no transport is available, or spend most of their income (up to US$8 per month) on paying for lifts in private vehicles, leaving little money to pay for the food that is an essential part of their treatment. The situation worsens in an emergency, when rural dwellers may pay up to US$66 to reach the nearest hospital.

In order to change this picture, in October 2006, BEN Namibia launched a bicycle ambulance manufacturing plant in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek. Bicycle ambulances are ‘stretchers on wheels’ that attach to normal bicycles and tow a sick person or pregnant woman to a hospital or clinic where no other transport is available. In other African countries where bicycle ambulances are in use, there have been marked declines in infant and maternal mortality rates.

BEN Namibia has distributed 54 ambulances, and more are planned for 2008. The ambulances are delivered to community-based organisations in the rural North of the country. Healthcare volunteers receive training in use, maintenance and reporting on the performance of the ambulance. A management discussion also helps partners address issues like storage, access and covering costs of maintenance. Volunteers report that the ambulances have been very useful for their work, enabling them to take clients to hospitals, clinics, or even to the nearest road where they can take a lift if the health facility is too far.

The bicycle ambulance is not intended to replace motorised ambulances, but to fill a gap where no services are provided. Indeed, for most of Namibia, there is no public emergency ambulance system, and people often die because they can not afford to pay for private transport. Until Government is able to develop adequate policies and procedures on emergency medical transport, it seems that bicycle ambulances will have a role to play.

Individuals can support the delivery of more bicycle ambulances. BEN Namibia’s US partner, ITDP, can issue tax receipts for all US donations. For every US$480 raised, an ambulance can be delivered to a Namibian community, along with tools, training and ongoing field support.

Donations can be made through BEN Namibia’s website at www.benbikes.org.za/namibia.

Published April 15, 2008 by Marin Independent Journal 

CALTRANS NEEDS to embrace the future and stop fighting efforts to allow bicycle and pedestrian access to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.

The Marin County Bicycle Coalition points out that there is legal bike access approaching both sides of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and that there is limited space for cyclists and their bikes on buses crossing the bridge. Bike commuters say buses often are full or don't stop for waiting bike riders.

The 4.5-mile bridge also has been part of the San Francisco Bay Trail project for years.

Adding a third lane solely for cars and trucks flies in the face of climate change concerns and the need to encourage forms of transportation that don't require getting behind the wheel of a car.

We urge Caltrans to come up with a way to allow bicyclists and pedestrians to safely use the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.

Published October 6, 2006  by C.I.C.L.E.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaks about his efforts to make Los Angeles "the greenest and cleanest city in America", yet his vision for a sustainable Los Angeles continues to neglect an emphasis on walking and bicycling as being part of this future.

Cities such as Portland, OR and San Francisco have quickly risen to the top of the list as the nation's most sustainable cities. These cities have made significant efforts to encourage both bicycling and walking as clean and viable modes of transportation. C.I.C.L.E. believes that if Los Angeles is to become the "greenest and cleanest" city in the nation, then we too need to be incorporating strategies that encourage bicycling and walking as part of a sustainable solution for our transportation needs.

Lets send a message to the Mayor asking him to include bicycling and walking as part of his vision of a clean and green L.A. Print out our pre-addressed postcard and send it to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today.

Postcards are available 4 to an 8.5"x 11" sheet. Print each side back to back on card stock.

We will be distributing these postcards within the L.A. area, but you can help us circulate these postcards too. Forward this page to your friends, or print out several postcards and leave them at cafes or on bulletin boards around Los Angeles.

Thanks for helping to make Los Angeles a healthier and more sustainable city!

Downloads

Postcard Front:

Postcard Back L.A. Resident:

Postcard Back Visitor to L.A.:

Postcard text reads as follows: (if you are not a resident, but a frequent visitor to L.A. please download visitor version)

Dear Honorable Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,

As a resident of Los Angeles, I applaud your
efforts to increase public transportation and
create transit villages in the city of Los Angeles.  

However, this is just not enough. I would like
to encourage you to consider a BROADER
vision of what sustainable transportation
means in our city by investing in and promoting
more BICYCLE and PEDESTRIAN friendly
transportation alternatives.

Sincerely___________________________

Published October 17, 2006 by C.I.C.L.E.

As most of us dedicated urban bicycle commuters already know, we bikers are entitled to the use of the existing roadways (most freeways excluded), and have all of the same rights and responsibilities as that of a motorist. Yet most motorists and many beginning bicyclists are not informed about the vehicle code as it pertains to bicyclists. This frequently leads to misunderstandings, hostile relations, and sometimes collisions between bicyclists and motorists.

In an attempt to address this problem, we’ve drafted up a little easy-to-read motorist tips card designed to educate motorists about some of our basic rights and needs as bicyclists, while also identifying some of the most common misunderstandings about bicyclists on the roadway. This is in no way a complete and comprehensive text on the issue -- rather, this simply focuses on some key areas that seem to be common sources of conflict on the road.

We will be distributing these cards within the Los Angeles area. But we really encourage you to get involved. Help us print and distribute these cards, as this will greatly broaden the reach of this awareness campaign, and reduce our costs too.

Downloads

These cards are available as pdf -- 3 to an 8.5” x 11” sheet.

Print or copy each side back to back, making sure that the columns are aligned. Cut them into 3 parts, trimming the excess on the sides.

Front: (English)

Back: (English)

En Español

For a more comprehensive understanding of the vehicle code as it pertains to bicycles, please read:

California Vehicle Code (as it pertains to bicycles)