Pictures and Video from Bike to Work Day

We had a great time dressing up people’s bikes with flowers and bud vases at Bike to Work Day last week. Here’s a video David recorded to give you a sense of the morning. We taped a lot of handlebars. =) Great to see so many riders out!

And here are some of the pictures David took (thanks David!):

Thanks again to our friends from Alchemy Goods for joining the fun and for providing the inner tubes we used to make the bud vases. And thanks to all the bicycle riders who stopped by on their commute to say hello and grab a flower.

Have a great rest of your Bike Month! Remember to join us for the Ballard Street Party on May 31st to celebrate another great bike month, and to show off your personal cycle style at the Share Your Style informal fashion show. It’s open to all, and there are prizes for participants!

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Bike Share programs around the world spark ideas for Seattle’s

B-cycle bike share in boulder

Boulder’s B-cycle bike share, which I used last year to get the last 2.5 miles from a bus stop to my destination. It was fantastic!

I highly recommend this excellent article from Grist on bike sharing. It cites numerous examples from around the world (here’s a handy map of them all), which spark several ideas for shaping the Puget Sound program (already in the works):

  • One bike share in Germany uses “station-less” bikes that are parked anywhere and located by smartphone. Sound familiar? The increasingly popular Car2Go program in Seattle uses the same model. I already tweeted @Car2Go asking why not start Bike2Go, if not in Seattle, then in other cities they service. Feel free to do the same! =) 
  • Clear Channel started the well-known and highly successful program in Paris called Vélib’. Seattle has no shortage of potential “anchor” corporations that could do the same or at least take a supportive role, yet according to this PSBJ article, Puget Sound Bike Share is still seeking sponsorship. Looks like Microsoft, UW, and REI are already in on the action, or are at least offering statements of support. Anyone from Boeing, Amazon, Safeco, Nordstrom, Alaska Air, Costco, Nintendo, Raleigh USA, etc., etc. reading this? Seems like a golden business opportunity.
  • A program in Hangzhou, China, integrates its bike sharing with other local transit options like bus and subway. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if Seattleites could use their ORCA card to access bike share?

What features would you like to see in our local bike share program?

I really like the article’s concluding statement: “Having bikes ready to go on the streets encourages more people to try out biking, and once they experience its convenience, speed, and lower cost, they then advocate for further improvements to cycling infrastructure — like bike lanes, paths, and parking — making it even easier for more riders to join in. This “virtuous cycle” means that it is increasingly likely that bike sharing could soon show up in a city near you.”

What a fantastic way to increase ridership, and what an extraordinary opportunity for Seattle.

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Join us for breakfast

As mentioned in our recent newsletter, we’re celebrating the birthday of Hub and Bespoke’s muse with a breakfast meetup… at Tiffany’s of course.

breakfast-at-tiffanys

On the morning of Saturday, May 4th, we’re hopping on our bikes and riding downtown to Belle Epicurean, a café and bakery, to grab breakfast. Then we’re riding to Tiffany’s to enjoy said breakfast. Want to join us?

When & Where: May 4th, 8:30 a.m. at Belle Epicurean; 9:15 at Tiffany’s.

What to wear: Your best Audrey or George attire. Please dress to impress! Gifts for those who participate.

Why: Lots of reasons. Such as…

1) Audrey was an icon of style and elegance who also happened to enjoy riding a bike. This is our way of celebrating her.

2) We really liked “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

3) We live in a beautiful city and we’re excited to dress up and start our weekend with a lovely breakfast downtown with you.

Images to inspire your outfit:

More inspiration at this GlamAmor blog post. See you for breakfast on the 4th!

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Pedaler’s Fair this weekend

Pedaler's Fair 2013 BannerIn case you missed our recent newsletter, the second annual Pedaler’s Fair is this weekend! Pedaler’s Fair is a “bicycle marketplace for Washington’s bicycle-inspired makers,” offering bikes, bags, clothing, gifts, artwork and more, all made by local producers.

Hub and Bespoke will be joining the fun, showing our new women’s riding coat. We’ll be accepting preorders with estimated delivery in the next few weeks. (We’re excited!)

If you’re in the market for some locally produced bike goods, or if you just like bikes and want to join fellow bicycle-loving friends at a fun event, swing by Pedaler’s Fair this weekend in Belltown.

Details:
Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Underground Events Center, 2407 1st Ave, Seattle
Free and open to the public

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A story about going to the park alone, and getting more people on the playground

The other afternoon during one of our recent stretches of beautiful weather, I walked to Green Lake with a frisbee in my hand… and nobody to throw it to. I thought, “Whatever, I’ll just find someone there and see if they want to toss the disc with me.” I’m not usually this forward, but it was so nice out, and I really wanted to throw the frisbee.

I got to the park and saw two groups of people with a disc. I thought, “Great! I’ll join them.” But when I got closer I saw that one of the groups was a couple and I didn’t want to interrupt them if they were on a date or something. And the other group was caught up in a game of some sort, so I got shy about interrupting them, too. I ended up casually curving my walk away from them, as if something on the other side of the park was slowly grabbing my attention.

But I really wanted to throw the frisbee! It was in my hand, just begging to be hucked back and forth across the field. I saw a guy walking away from the basketball courts. To his surprise I approached him and asked if he wanted to throw with me. He shook his head and mumbled something about it being margarita time. I kind of laughed and said, “Okay, that’s cool.”

Eventually I got up the nerve to go back to that group of people who were playing a game. They weren’t playing now, just hanging out talking, so I walked up to them. At this point my confidence was waning so I fibbed and said my frisbee partner ditched me and would they be interested in throwing around. They looked at me and at each other awkwardly before one gal said, “I think we’re gonna leave soon, but sure I’ll throw with you a little.” We exchanged about a dozen throws before it was clear her friends were devising a plan to get their friend away from this creepy lone frisbee guy (me), so I bowed out as gracefully as possible, meandered through the park a little while longer, and then headed home and put my disc away.

At this point you’re probably wondering, “Wow, Aldan, that’s a terrifically sad story about a boy no one would play frisbee with, but what does that have to do with biking around town?” I’m glad you asked! After this experience, I started thinking of all the people who probably want to ride bikes through Seattle to get from A to B, but who are nervous about traffic or don’t know the best routes or are concerned about the hills / weather / clothing / you-name-it. These folks may even already have what they need to get started: a bike, some gear, a helmet, etc., and would readily go out and ride, if only… if only they had a buddy. Someone who could show them the basics and get them over that first hill on the learning curve.

And I thought, what a bummer that must be. To really want to ride, but to be sort of stuck, like me with my frisbee, wishing for a partner or group of friends with whom to share the activity. And at the same time, what an opportunity! If you ride, do you know anyone who casts slightly envious glances at you when you walk into the office / apartment / café with your bike? Maybe you could offer to ride with them to work or the market one day to get them started.

Or maybe you’re the one who’s mentioned in the past how much you’d like to bike, but you haven’t gotten around to it. Would having an experienced buddy be helpful for you? If so, maybe ask one of your biking friends to ride with you, or be like me and approach total strangers: sound off in the comments section below. You may be shy about asking for help and interrupting someone’s good time, but I’ve found that many riders are happy to share their knowledge and demonstrate best practices with newcomers. 

Or maybe you’ve already tried these things. Leave a comment to let us know how it went.

Here’s to reaching out to those who want to play, and to the courage it takes to ask for help and start something new.

hub and bespoke biking with a buddy

Posted in Inspiration, Just for Fun | 8 Comments

Learn How to Organize a Bike Train to School

Don’t you love seeing the neighbors kids on their bikes heading to school?  I’ve always wondered what it took to get things organized and safe for kids to do this.

Here’s a chance to learn.

1008_school_ride

FREE from the folks at Cascade Bike Club and Bike Works.  Get “Bike Training”  for people who want to start a Bike Train at their kid’s school.

There are two planned for April.  One in the for the north-end of town and another for the south-end.

NORTH-END

  • WHEN:  April 7, from 1:30 to 4:30
  • WHERE :  the Cascade Bicycle Club office at Magnuson Park.
  • WHAT:  Learn the basics of recruiting others, planning the route, rules, and group riding skills with children.
  • WHO:  We’ll hear from Maya Jacobs, organizer of the Thornton Creek and Wedgwood bike trains.

Then you’ll roll onto the grounds with Morgan Scherer of Familybike for skills practice.  The session finishes with a ride around the neighborhood with parents role-playing as children, conductors and the caboose. Bring your bike and a helmet, dress for the weather and get onboard.

SOUTH-END

  • WHEN:  April 27, from 1:30 to 4:30.
  • WHERE:  Bike Works classroom and offices. 3715 S. Hudson Ave Suite #111 (Lower level) Seattle 98118
  • WHAT:  Morgan Scherer will be the lead engine with a session encompassing Maya’s work as well as the on-bike activities.

RSVP to robin.randels [at] cascadebicycleclub [dot] org

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30 Day Bike Pledge

The 30 Day Bike Pledge is a free, on-line, way to commit a community of your peers to get on your bike 30 consecutive days in April.30 days of biking

Yes, I am coming to this a little late.  It started yesterday.  I just learned about it from one of my Heels on Wheels cohort.  She said it motivated her last year to get started again after the winter season took her off her bike.  Last year she did 23 days.  This year she’s shooting for 25.

You take the pledge here.

There’s only one rule:  bike somewhere every day for 30 days – around the block, to work, whatever!

Just get your butt used to the saddle again.

 

 

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