Mountain Biking: Rubber side down- Time for a TurnaroundWell, my friends, things are finally looking up, and good timing, too, since I’m sure you’re all sick of me bitching. Recent bike build, including wheels… fun! In what feels like a fairly short time, I’ve come from sitting around … Continue reading → […]
- This Raised My PulseHey, baby… wanna ride? I may be injured, but I’m not dead yet. I can still have racy thoughts. Here’s more info. In other news, UBI was an awesome success! I had a blast. I highly recommend it. Overhaul day…. … Continue reading → […]
- Time for a Turnaround
- Edgy Veggie
Local bike collection drive
Do you have a bike that’s just sitting around? You’ve got two more hours and one more day to take it over to Platt Middle School and donate it to Community Cycles’ Bike Collection Drive.
Look at how much fun this little kid is having. Photo from falcon1961 on Flickr.
Here are the deets:
Where: Platt Middle School
When: Through April 29, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Why: The bikes you donate will help support programs like the Youth Earn-a-Bike and the Kids Holiday Bike Give-Away.
For more information, check out Community Cycles‘ website.
Traffic skills for bikers: a class this Sunday
Here’s an announcement from Community Cycles about a class this weekend that many folks might find very useful. If you’re thinking about getting into commuting by bike, there’s probably no better way to get your information. Without further ado, here’s the copy-and-pasted announcement from their site:
Announcing: The League of American Bicyclists course Smart Cycling: Traffic Skills 101 (formerly called Road I) takes place Sunday, September 26, 2010. This is a 9 hour class for all cyclists, novice to advanced. The class will be held in Boulder at Naropa University.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: Learn how to fix a flat tire; Learn the importance of the ABC Quick Check; Learn how to shift to the right gear for your ride; Learn how to safely avoid dangerous objects and potholes as you ride; Learn where to ride in traffic for the most safety and visibility; Learn how to easily make difficult maneuvers in traffic, such as a left turn across four lanes of traffic; Learn about riding in all kinds of weather, day or night; and more! Be a part of the movement to standardize cycling education for everyone.
Half the time will be instruction and discussion in a classroom setting and half the time will be given to cycling drills and on-road riding. You will need a bike with breaks and gears and a helmet to participate. If you will have trouble bringing a suitable bike please let us know so we can help you find one. Helmets are required. Course materials and workbook are provided. There will be a lunch break in the middle of the day so please bring a lunch or plan on making a quick run out to grab something.
Conducted by LAB Certified Cycling Instructor: Dan Adams LCI # 2801
For more information, contact: Dan Adams, email ductmonkey@gmail.com or call 978-760-2186
Title: Smart Cycling: Traffic Skills 101
Date: September 26, 2010
Time: 8am – 6pm with an hour break for lunch
Place: Naropa University, 2130 Arapahoe
Cost: $80.00
Register Now
Bike to work day 2010 in Boulder is June 23
Bikes on a Boulder bike rack| flickr user niehoff
It’s not too late to get into Boulder Walk and Bike to work Month: Bike to Work Day is June 23.
For those who have already pulled their bikes out of winter storage, or never put them away (or maybe you’re even a practitioner of Winter Bike to Work Day), June 23 is just another Wednesday. For everyone else it marks the day the excuses run out. Leave the car in the garage, pump up your tires and get out onto the many bike paths Boulder has to offer.
Bike to Work Day veterans, remember how great last year was?
Just past 6 a.m. on Wednesday, more than 40 Boulder businesses broke out bagels, fruit, organic breakfast bars and hot meals to serve the thousands of people who were participating in this year’s Bike to Work Day.
The annual event was expected to draw more than 35,000 across the state, with more than 6,300 registered to participate in Boulder.
Not a Bike to Work Day veteran? No worries. Whether or not you’re an experienced cyclist on Boulder’s bike paths and main roads, here’s everything needed to help make Boulder’s 34th annual Bike to Work Day the biggest one yet–and how to get as many perks as possible for your hard-earned sweat.
Get started
If you’ve never biked to work mapping the best route can seem a daunting task. Even for experienced riders there is always a need to find the best way to get where you are going. To help with the task GO Boulder has a MapQuest-style Boulder bike route mapping website specifically designed to get you where you need to go, by bike — and Google Maps now has bike path information and streetview for some bike paths in Boulder.
With your route in hand, hit Boulder’s Bike to Work Day 2010 registration.
Why bother registering for Bike to Work Day? Well, GO Boulder is counting on you. Last year 7,132 people registered for Bike to Work Day, according to the Go Boulder Boulder Bike to Work Day 2009 Wrap Up. If you are not registered, you are not being counted–although you are still reducing the number of cars on the road.
No excuses
The bad weather seems to have finally passed–hopefully there won’t be any June snowstorms. A more likely weather deterrent in June is 90 degree heat. Allay your qualms about arriving with a smell by checking out Jenn Fields’ tips on how to bike to work and not stink, including:
Don’t just keep deodorant in your desk drawer — add a washcloth for warmer rides that require the bathroom-sink mini sponge bath. Also, witch hazel sprizted on the washcloth is a helpful de-funkifier. Ladies, do your make up once you get to work. This could apply to men, too. We don’t judge.
To help you make sure your bike is in working order there will be bike repair stations set up around Boulder. A few are listed below.
Boulder Cycle Sport, 4580 Broadway
Great Harvest Bread Company, 2525 Arapahoe, service provided by Performance Bikes
Whole Foods Market, 2905 Pearl, service provided by Bicycle Village
Don’t forget breakfast
June 23 many restaurants and businesses will be offering breakfast stations for participants. Whichever area of town you are coming from, or headed toward, there is an official breakfast station near you. Below are a few places around town that will be participating. For a complete list of participating businesses check the Community Cycles Website.
Half Fast Subs, 1215 13th Street
Moe’s Bagel on Arapahoe, 3075 Arapahoe
Moe’s Broadway Bagel, 2650 Broadway
Ozo Coffee, 5340 Arapahoe
Celestial Seasonings, 4600 Sleepytime Drive
Boulder Chamber of Commerce, 2440 Pearl
Get involved
Events on Bike to Work Day don’t end when you arrive at work. The CU Environmental Center, along with Community Cycles, is hosting the 4th annual Bike Shorts Film Festival at Old Main on CU’s Boulder campus.
Community Cycles and GO Boulder work year round to help more people find ways to make bicycling more convenient and possible for more people in Boulder and Colorado. To help keep Boulder moving check out volunteer opportunities and how to donate an old bike.
Show your Bike to Work Day pride with the official Walk and Bike to Work Month T-shirt.
Now that you’re in the know, see you on the streets!
-Mikaila Altenbern
Get paid to bike (& chat with folks) this summer
Like to bike? Like to talk to people? Have your weekends free? Need some extra cash? Being a Boulder bike ambassador could be your dream job.
Boulder’s Walk and Bike Month program and Community Cycles are joining together to hire two bike ambassadors to work from June through mid September. The work is $12 an hour for 12 to 15 hours per week.
From the job description:
BAs will work with the community at the Farmer’s Market, CC’s Rolling Bike Clinics, the Family Learning Center, CU and other community events, schools, recreation centers and worksites to teach specific skills that encourage safe and convenient use of Boulder’s roadways, paths and transit routes.
Read the full job description here.
Bike maintenance classes make your bike last longer
This bike is still going!
It was six decades ago that Owen Hook fell in love with the shining bicycle in his local department store window.
But today, the Raleigh push bike is still going strong.
Mr Hook, 72, who paid for the top-of-the-range, three-speed Raleigh bike in 36 monthly installments of just ten shillings (50p) 57 years ago, said yesterday that it showcased British craftsmanship at its best.
Pretty impressive, but surely it didn’t come without a little work. I’ve been tempted to take a class with Community Cycles for just that reason. The next six-week bike mechanics course starts March 3.
