It's Bike Week!

Greetings Bike Nighters!

This week there is a lot going on, and it all culminates on Saturday with Bicycle Longmont's 3rd Annual G'Knight Ride. Bicycle Longmont is extremely excited to bring this great event back this year. We are even more excited to have the start/finish at Roosevelt Park in beautiful Old Town Longmont.

If you have friends coming to ride, or your traveling here. I guarantee you'll have a great time rolling around our gorgeous shaded streets. Speaking of cruising, Wednesday night we'll be celebrating 3 years of G'Knight Ride awesomness.

The ride theme is: G'Bike Night! We will be celebrating by wearing green and/or white. The playlist will include the bands you will hear at the G'Knight Ride. Plus we're working on a surprise at Sunset Golf Course.

So come along with us on Wednesday. We meet at Roosevelt Park at 6:30pm and start rolling about 6:45pm. Our ride this week will be on the Westside of Old Town with a brief circle of the Historic East Side Neighborhood.

Come on out and Join US!

Other events going on in BIKEmont during Bike Week include:

Tuesday night the Tuesday Night Concerts in the Park start up again. Tomorrow night will be the Indulgers. A celtic rock band that is always entertaining.

Wednesday night - BIKE NIGHT - but of course you knew that. Last week we had 180 people join us. Come out and help us set a new record and wear green and/or white!

Thursday - Bicycle Longmont and our partners Twin Peaks Mall, Sanitas Sports, Whole Foods Market and Ideal Market are back with another week of fast paced action. Join us at the Twin Peaks Mall for crit racing. This is a fun and exciting family-friendly event to watch. Pick up a dinner and bring it along.

Friday - Is a great night to come to Longmont early. There are hotel deals at the Best Western Plaza.

We begin the G'Knight Ride celebration early with an open Bike Art reception at the Firehouse Art Gallery beginning after 6pm. The Firehouse Art Gallery is located at 4th Avenue and Coffman Street downtown Longmont.

Following the reception the Retro Sonics will take the stage at Longmont's weekly free downtown concert series.  The Retro Sonics play a great line up of 80's & 90's cover songs.


Saturday is the G'Knight Ride. The G'Knight Ride is a family friendly cruiser ride around Longmont. We bill it as Longmont's celebration of cycling! Every year this ride has grown bigger, better and awesomer!

This year we will have a 1 mile, 3 mile and a 10 mile ride. We will also have a great line-up of world class rock! Join us for Boulder County's own Wires Crossed. This up and coming band is sure to go places. They have a familiar pop feel and are awesome. We will also feature the regionally successful Last Men on Earth.

Last Men on Earth

Wendy Woo Band

Don't shave your mullet. You'll be right at home during this set. Last Men play the best 90's hair covers, ever. If hair metal is your guilty pleasure -you'll be joined by more than 3,000 other people in your support group. These guys rock!

Wendy Woo makes her return to the big stage this year. Wendy Woo was our first act at the first G'Knight Ride. Having Wendy back will be fantastic too. Her music is great rock that puts out an awesome vibe. Come on out and experience Denver's own Wendy Woo!

Family of the Year

Headlining is Family of the Year. Family of the Year is on the Lollapalooza tour this summer. Bicycle Longmont and KBCO are excited to welcome this great rockin' folk to our main stage. Family's sound is similar to Fun., Lumineers, Shins and Of Monsters and Men. They come to us on the heels of the their current chart hit - Hero.

Proposed Pedestrian and Bicycling Fund

Goodmorning, Everyone.

This morning, Saturday, check out the Times-Call's website they've put together a brief article explaining the proposed Pedestrian and Bicycling Fund we've been working on.

The Pedestrian and Bicycling fund is something Bicycle Longmont has put together in collaboration with City staff. Together, we think we can raise the bar for biking and walking in Longmont. See below for more details on our proposal.

If you believe in this, please join us Tuesday night at City Council at 7pm. Civic Center, 350 Kimbark Street.

The Pedestrian and Bicycling Fund - What is it?

Bicycle Longmont, together with City of Longmont staff, have been working together, collaboratively, to create a Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Fund.

The premise is: Cyclists and Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. And when motorists, cyclists and pedestrians make poor choices, often times there are accidents and injuries.

How do we correct this? By creating a Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety fund - Longmont will have the resources to provide a stable source to change behavior by funding pedestrian, bicycling and driver's education projects and programs. 

The fund's focus is to promote education through existing programs including driver's education, Bicycling safety classes, and by creating or reviving previous programs including a headlight/taillight program, helmet program, educational outreach, bike rodeo's, and funding community identified projects through the Safe Routes to School Programs. 

The fund will also help promote Longmont as a desirable place for active events and make these events safer.

Publicly permitted events concentrate pedestrians/runners and Cyclists on our streets. Event organizers will have the opportunity to apply to the fund. A portion of the fund will be set aside to offset or defray the costs associated with increasing the safety of these on-road events. These include safety barriers, cones, signage, and hiring off-duty police officers and emergency personnel.  

Who pays for this fund? Motorists AND Cyclists who cause accidents. 

This fund is not a tax. 

What is a surcharge?

A surcharge is an amount of money added to a ticket. The surcharge's purpose has to be related to the behavior that is ticketed.  

The fund, as proposed, would add a $10 surcharge to moving violations (tickets) that are written as a result of an accident. Cyclists as well as motorists would be required to pay the surcharge if ticketed. 

The fund would also add a $30 surcharge to tickets received in School Zones or occurring on course, during a publicly permitted event. School zone surcharges would help fund Safe Routes to School programs and to increase safety in School Zones. 

Is this program legal? More research is required. Previously we stated it was legal however after conversations with the City Attorney we've agreed more research is necessary. Having said that, Longmont added a surcharge to some violations to fund the Victim's Advocacy Program. The fund we're proposing uses the same groundwork to create the Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Fund. 

How much money could be raised for these purposes? 

Last year the City of Longmont Police Department wrote approximately 2,500 tickets that were the result of an accident.  If the $10 surcharge were in place in 2012 the fund would have generated $25,000 for Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety programs. 

Is this really a first for the USA?

Yes, Longmont would be the first city in the USA to fund Bicycling and Walking programs this way. The fund as proposed is based on Washington State's program. Washington has a surcharge added to violations occurring in School Zones. This surcharge is collected by the State and returned through grants (approximately $1 million/year) to municipalities and school districts to make school zones safer.

C'mon, this is Longmont. Is this really necessary?

Bicycle Longmont believes this fund is necessary. Increasingly there are more people riding and walking in Longmont. During recent City studies biking and walking continue to rank in the top 5 most popular ways people get around town. Also, each year a cyclist is killed because he or she was riding on the left (wrongside of the road) or because they didn't know the "rules of the road". We believe creating a fund that supports reaching out to road users, especially cyclists and pedestrians is important and supports the investment and taxes we, the citizens of Longmont, have paid to create our system of streets, bike lanes, trails and greenways. 

The full council communication can be found here: 
http://webapp.ci.longmont.co.us/cache/2/km5luxfwaizddu20morwfrrz/21936500531201303095718.PDF 

Hawaiian Shirt Night!

Aloha!
Tomorrow Bike Night’s theme will be: “Hawaiian Shirt Night!”  Join us for this colorful ride. If you don’t have a Hawaiian shirt wear the loudest patterned shirt you own.

Our route will take us back into West Old Town. We will have a great time trolling the streets, parks and alleys on our way up to Sunset Pool.

Looking forward, we’ll have another flash mob coming up on June 12^th. Last year we did the “Electric Slide” this year get ready for the “Chicken Dance!”. The theme will be “June-toberfest”. Come ride with us as we roll to the very best polka Spotify has to offer!

Also – the G’Knight Ride is coming up on June 15^th. We’re really pushing to get folks registered in advance. That way the day of the event will go much more smoothly and you won’t have to wait in line! Go to: www.gknightride.org to register.

See you tomorrow night at 6:30pm. Remember – no kids riding in the parking lot. If you get there early have your kids ride the Roosevelt loop.

Thanks!

Bike Night Sets New First Night Record!

Last week was probably one of the most fun Bike Nights I've been a part of. We had a record number of elementary kids on the ride, and they kept eachother in line! It was awesome!

Please parents, continue talking about bike safety with your kids! The kids were great last week. GOOD JOB!

Speaking of records, we had more than 213 people join us on the first Bike Night. The early rain came and went leaving us the opportunity to ride the streets of Old Town in style!

We had the first ride with the new audio rocket. We're making a few changes to it that will limit the disruption of audio goodness. Tomorrow night the good times will roll!

As for our route - we will hit up the East Side! We'll start at Roosevelt Park, creep down Pratt to 4th Avenue then into the new alley. From there we will meander east to Rocky Mountain School, then back west.

This route uses primarily neighborhood streets with a brief time on Longs Peak Avenue. If you're curious about the route, click on the tab above that shows all our routes.

Also - new this year. Feel free to post your favorite routes. The only rule is that the route has to be 6 - 8 miles, with a Roosevelt Park starting point.

See you tomorrow night!

Ryan

TONIGHT: Bike Night kicks off our 10th Season!

Bike Night 2011

Here it is the first day of our 10th season, and I'm filled with anticipation!

It's this time each year when I wonder - What will I say during the pre-bike night discussion - what minutia will I need to mention. What announcements will I need to make. What important detail will I forget? Do I really need to cover the rules of Bike Night - again? I pray no one gets hurt this year. What if no one shows up?

There is a crazy amount of insecurity that comes out the night before any big event. I remember feeling this way before I'd go off to a football game in high school, prior to a cross country race in Jr. High, or even the night before the Boulder Marathon. What if? What if? What if?

What I realized is that stuff will make you crazy. Bike Night is a great event and draws people from across Longmont and from the surrounding towns. Whether you've found this blog because you're looking for an alternative to Boulder's ride, because your child is finally able to hold their head up and is old enough for a bike trailer, or may be you've recently moved to Longmont and are yearning to get out and meet like-minded people.

Bike Night is that outlet. We're not a booze cruise - entirely. We usually work a brewery or two in to the ride a few times a season. What we are is a community of cyclists out having fun. We don't obey every street sign and every rule of the road, but we do make sure everyone is safe.

I sometimes get an earful from folks who get upset when we don't stop for every stop sign or yield when we're supposed to. I have to remind those folks - do they ALWAYS come to a complete stop when driving their car? Do they ever roll through stop signs, change lanes or turn without signaling, do they ALWAYS wear a seatbelt? Probably not.



Bike Night is intent on drawing the greatest number of people to the greatest ride in Longmont. We do that through making the ride as fun as possible while keeping the group as safe as possible. To that end we want you to be aware - training wheels are highly discouraged. Tricycles and scooters are not allowed. Parents should know their kid's abilities when riding on streets.

Older kids tend to find there way to the front of the pack. I'm usually upfront with all the kids. I'm cool with it, really. However, if your child insists on racing ahead, I will politely ask them to remain with the group. If they race ahead more than twice I will ask them to rejoin their parents in the group. If your child poses a risk to themselves or to the group - I will ask the parent to discuss the problem with their child. I view kids riding in the front of the group as a fun thing. However, if they aren't able to handle it, I will ask them to rejoin their parents. If the behavior persists I will ask the parents to address the issue and perhaps forgo one or two rides.

Having said that we typically hold one or two kids bike nights each year. These are times where we have a bicycling instructor work with Bike Night Kids to be safe and to ride with respect. These nights are a lot of fun and help to build confidence.

I hope you will join us tonight. Bike Night is a lot of fun and we always meet at 6:30p and start riding at about 6:40. We meet at Roosevelt Park in Old Town Longmont - 900 Longs Peak Avenue.

Ryan

Bike Night Advice: Be Safe, Well Lubed and Stylish

This week you get a two for one on the advice.

 Here. We. Go!

So far we’ve talked a little bit about safety and the Bike Night Rules. Please continue to remind your kids about safe cycling. Especially taking the time to talk safety with your family and what they can do to stay safe during Bike Night and on the road.

Now that you’re an expert with the safety and such, let’s look at your bike(s). Are your brakes working? Are your tires holding air? Is your chain rusty? Are your wheel bolts or skewers tight? If you have gears do they shift properly?

Like windex – grease or lubricant can fix a lot of woes. Make plans to go to one of Longmont’s bike shops and pick yourself up some chain lube, or if you’re cheap, like me, you can run over to your neighbor’s car and siphon out some motor oil, or, better yet, use your own from that `10-w40 quart sliding around in your trunk.

OK – now that you’re back from the store, your trunk, or the neighbor’s, apply a generous amount to your chain  while turning your crank. DO NOT APPLY LUBE directly to your derailleur (that thing dangling from your rear wheel). This could botch things up inside of the housing/mechanism.

Did you hear that? Your bike’s drivetrain just sighed with relief.

(BTW – you’re better off spending the money to buy chain lube – if you use motor oil, the oil will collect dust and ultimately you’ll need to “de-grease” your bike, which sucks).

Next – tires.

Like you (and me), your tires don’t like winter much, and like us if your tires aren’t used regularly they get flat and saggy. SO – grab your air pump and get busy. You’ve got miles to ride and there’s fun to be had!

Grab an air gauge and check your PSI. The proper tire pressure can be found on the sidewall of your tire. On 26inch cruiser and mountain bike tires, they usually clock in around 35 – 45psi. Road tires and 700c wheels often have much higher psi’s. BUT – I’m guessing if you have a road bike you might already know that.

There are two kinds of air valves – Presta & Shraeder. Shraeder valves are the ones everyone is accustomed too. They’re used on your car, on just about anything that requires air. So if you have shraeder valve stems you’re in business.

However, if you have PRESTA valves, well, you can do two things 1. Blame the French and 2. Buy a cheater. A cheater is a handy brass fitting available at any bike shop. A cheater converts your presta valve into a common shraeder valve. I highly recommend buying one for your bike(s).

Otherwise, with most cycling related pumps there are presta options and/or shraeder valve options. You shouldn’t have a problem finding a pump that has either or both.
Uh oh – you’ve got a hole in your tube. Good thing you went to the Bike shop and picked up that handy dandy patch kit, right? Patch kits are awesome, especially when they work. To find out the quick and easy way to change your tire and patch your tube – go to “You Tube” and search for changing a bike tube/tire fix a flat etc. There are a lot of great tutorials out there.

Now that you’ve successfully reinstalled, tightened, and aired your tires up, lubed your chain and things are shifting properly.  

Do you feel like something’s missing?

That’s right! A headlight, tail light and a bell. All three can be had at a bike shop or by going to any of the big box stores. However, the one headlight I like is one sold at Bike N Hike. It’s an LED light and has a rubber mount that stretches and fits any handlebar out there. It’s great for quickly swapping between bikes. I forget the name. But Dave or Rick will know what you’re describing.

Bells are great and I think they help you to make your bike your own. There are a lot of options and I’d search online and find one that fits your personality.

Speaking of customizing your ride – This week is all about that. Do yourself a favor and troll pinterest or google or whatever, and find some cool baskets, basket liners, stickers and helmets.

www.nirve.com has great accessories

www.electrabike.com is probably the cadilac of cruisers and they have a lot of really nice bike corture.

www.nutcasehelmets.com  AWESOME Helmets! 

You don't have to wear a helmet on Bike Night, but if your bike is a statement about you and who you are, why not have a helmet that says as much?

Right now much of the bike industry is scurrying to figure out what women want, and by-and-large- women are more likely to customize their bikes with items that are style driven and not-so-much functional.  So what I’m saying is there are a lot of cute things out there for your bike. 

This designer is local and her basket liners are awesome. Check em out.  Especially if you're into going to the Farmer's Market!

www.bettybasketliners.com/ 

Like a good little blogger I should have a ton of links for you – but I don’t. Except this one www.google.com . You can find just about anything there.

I hope this installment is helpful and you and yours will be safe, well lubed, and stylish. Bike Night is only 2 weeks away!

4 Weeks til BIKE NIGHT!

We are just four weeks until the new  10^th season of Bike Night begins. Between now and then I’ll be posting things you can do to get yourself AND your family ready for BIKE NIGHT!

This week focus on bike safety with your kids.

Make time at dinner, riding in the car, or waiting in line to talk about bike safety. Start by asking “What does it mean to be safe when biking?” Some answers can be, wear a helmet or ride on the correct (right) side of the road. Another question could be “When riding on the street should we ride in the bike lane or on the sidewalk?” The answer to this is we should always ride in the Bike Lane)  whenever one is available or on the street, with kids, staying to the right as is safe.

My favorite question is “What are the rules of Bike Night”?

1. Have fun!
2. Kids in the bike lane!
3. Is Bike Night a race? (NO!)
4. What do we say if there’s a car BEHIND US? (Car BACK!)
5. What do we say if there’s a car INFRONT of us? (CAR UP!)
6. If there is a car back, we MUST move over to the right and let the car pass.
7. If there is a car up, we MUST move over to our right and let the car pass.
8. Do we ride all over the road? (NO) We must stay in our lane and never cross the yellow or white lines.
9. Should we stop at stop signs? (YES!)
10. Should we ride on the sidewalk during Bike Night? (NO! Never, ever ride on the sidewalk).
11. The last rule of Bike Night – Tell your friends and neighbors to join us EVERY Wednesday!

Have fun and lets hope this snow melts, SOON!