photos: velojoy
velojoy street scenes
We spotted these related bicycling themes on the same day at the West 72nd Street transverse (top) and in the West Village in Manhattan.
Coming Events:
Friday, January 13 – Sunday, January 15 – Second Annual Youth Bike Summit
Read our post about an event that’s engaging a new generation in cycling and advocacy, and sign up!
Saturday, January 14 – Market to Market Social Ride
Winter blues? Shake ‘em off with a social ride to the flea markets of Brooklyn. Hosted by experienced city riders Kim Burgas, Liz Patek and Kimberly Kinchen, this relaxed event is a great way to connect with fellow cyclists. The ride begins at Union Square in Manhattan and makes a stop at McCarren Park before continuing on to the Brooklyn Flea and Artists & Fleas to prospect for vintage treasures.
noon – 5 pm
RSVP and updates here.
Tuesday, January 17 – Lottery Registration for TD Five Boro Bike Tour
This annual 40-mile ride on traffic-free streets through the five boroughs, produced by Bike New York, has become so popular in recent years — 32,000 spots sold out in less than 24 hours last year – that it’s switching to a lottery system for 2012 registration. The period to enter online for the May 6 event opens January 17 at 10 a.m. and runs to February 7 at 5 p.m. (VIP and charity ride entries are not subject to the lottery.) Click here to read all the details of how to enter. Read more…
velojoy street scene:
Photo above: An increasingly popular hotel amenity that we love to see: A sweet fleet of city bikes is parked outside The Standard, East Village (formerly the Cooper Square Hotel) in Manhattan for guests to explore the neighborhood. Just to the south, the Bowery Hotel’s rack is filled with red bikes.
Coming events:
Tuesday, January 10 – Unsung Benefits of Bicycling Beyond 2012
The New York Cycle Club hosts Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, the advocacy organization for cycling, walking and public transit. Learn about the coming year’s agenda to promote bicycling, improve public spaces and make the streets safer for all New Yorkers. You don’t have to be an NYCC member to attend, but there is a charge for dinner.
Dinner: 6 pm
Program: 7:30 pm
Annie Moore’s Bar and Restaurant (downstairs), 50 East 43rd Street
Information.
Tuesday, January 10 – Winter Biking 101
Winter temperatures dropping? There’s no need to quit riding. This popular, free presentation by Bike New York will give you all the tips, tools and techniques you need to ride safely and comfortably throughout the cold-weather months. We’ve attended and recommend it!
6:30 – 8 pm
Bicycle Habitat – Manhattan, 244 Lafayette St.
Information.
Wednesday, January 11 – NYC Bike Share Exhibition Opening
Join the NYC Department of Transportation and Alta Bike Share at the opening of an exhibition at the Center for Architecture. Hear details of the plan for NYC’s own bike share system in a conversation with NYC DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Alta Bike Share president Alison Cohen.
6 – 8 p.m.
536 LaGuardia, between West 3rd and Bleeker
Information.
Friday, January 13 – Sunday, January 15 – Second Annual Youth Bike Summit
Youth, bicycles, education and advocacy come together at the Second Annual Youth Bike Summit, a three-day intergenerational conference that explores how to involve the next generation in cycling and advocacy. The full agenda of discussions and workshops, which draws participants from around the nation, is geared to develop ideas as well as practical tools. The keynote speaker will be Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez.
Click here for the agenda and to register.
Saturday, January 14 – Market to Market Ride – Winter Edition
It’s January. Cabin fever may be setting in. It’s time to get out on your bike for a weekend social ride. Kim Burgas (creator of the Get Fancy bike rides) has joined with Liz Patek and Kimberly Kinchen to organize an easy-going and social winter ride to shop locally and sustainably. Meet at Union Square and pedal to Brooklyn for multiple stops, including McCarren Park, Artists & Fleas and the Brooklyn Flea.
Noon – 5 pm
Information and registration.
Read more…
photo: velojoy
In this seatpost:
- September Rides
- Gran Fondo New York Registration
- New Cycling Feature at HopStop.com
- Bicycle Beauty on the Go
- An Otherworldly Bicycle Helmet
Bike Rides to Savor on September Weekends
It’s looking as though Hurricane Irene may keep us all indoors this weekend, so why not look ahead and register for some of the amazing annual cycling events to enjoy in the month ahead. Signing up early usually yields savings on entry fees. And, beyond the fun and the great scenery, each event offers the opportunity to ride for a good cause. Read more…
The Bird Wheel Launches Sunday Bike Ride Series
Ever wanted to take a day ride on your road bike, but weren’t sure who to join in with? The Bird Wheel, the women’s collaborative blog and website, has launched a series of summer Sunday rides. Up this weekend, a social ride to City Island rolling from Zen Bikes, 134 Est 24th Street in Chelsea at 11 a.m. Ride through parks, over bridges, enjoy a lobster roll and work on your tan at Orchard Beach, “The Riviera of the Bronx.” Don’t forget a lock, pocket money and your fancy beach togs. Information.
Smile! Pose for a Free Bicycle Portrait During Summer Streets
Summer Streets, which closes Park Avenue and connecting streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, continues Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. So if you missed it last weekend, you’ve still got August 13 and 20 to enjoy the truly unique experience of riding your bicycle (strolling and running, too) on car-free Manhattan streets.
A weekend highlight: Bicycle Habitat, which is situated along the Summer Streets route at 244 and 250 Lafayette, will team up with the acclaimed bicycle portrait photographer Dmitry Gudkov, to offer free portraits between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Read more…
Summer Streets and the Living is Easy
Summer Streets returns for its fourth season this weekend, closing Park Avenue and connecting streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. for three consecutive Saturdays (Aug. 6, 13, 20). There’ll be no dumpster pools this year, but those with a yen for the beach can check out sandboxes and sand-castle building by Matt Long of Sand Masters at Foley Square. Presented by the New York City Department of Transportation in partnership with other city agencies and private sponsors, Summer Streets offers activities for participants of all ages. But the biggest attraction is cycling, walking and running on New York City streets free of automobile congestion, noise and fumes. Read my post about last year’s ride. Information and map.
Cyclists’ Happy Hour with Let’s Go Ride a Bike – Thursday Night!
Let’s Go Ride a Bike is one of my favorite blogs about city cycling for transportation, recreation and flat-out fun. Meet the talented duo behind LGRAB, Dottie (based in Chicago) and Trisha (Nashville), at a Cyclists’ Happy Hour tonight from 6 – 7:30 p.m. hosted by Adeline Adeline, 147 Reade Street in Manhattan. Toast city cycling, enjoy a bite to eat and take a test ride around the block on a beautiful city bike. Read more…
Third Annual Brooklyn Waterfront Epic Ride on Saturday
You’ll have earned your visit to Rockaway Taco after enjoying a 40-mile ride along Brooklyn’s entire waterfront and Jamaica Bay. The Third Annual Brooklyn Waterfront Epic Ride on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. begins at Manhattan Avenue at Newtown Creek in Greenpoint (second pick-up point in Bay Ridge), proceeds along the waterfront, and concludes at the food vendors at the Rockaway Beach Club. Chill at the shore or travel back independently by bike along Flatbush Avenue, or via public transportation. Register before 3 p.m. on Friday.
The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway will eventually include a 14-mile route for recreation and transportation, running from Greenpoint to Sunset Park. Unable to ride this time? Learn more about the Greenway and download a free map here.
Thanks to the London Cyclist!
A hearty hat-tip to Andreas, who writes the terrific blog London Cyclist, for his welcome and overview of the London cycling scene on my recent visit. Check out his post this week, “5 Things to Know When a Cycling Friend Visits London” which includes mention of a certain NYC blogger. Read more…
Sweet Combo: Bakeries and Bike-Riding on Saturday
What could be better than eating cookies while riding a bike? Kim Burgas’s Get Fancy Cookie Bike Ride Saturday from 4 – 7 p.m. includes stops at three Manhattan bakeries. Step off at 4 p.m. from Babycakes Vegan Cupcakes, 248 Broome Street, and travel north to Central Park. As always, dress in finery — and bring your favorite cookie recipes. Kim’s putting them up post-ride at www.getbikingny.com.
By the way, Kim currently appears on the cover of a Dutch cycling magazine. The shot is by New York City-based Dmitry Gudkov, whose remarkable portfolio of portraits of NYC cyclists can be viewed here.
Thank you to the Huffington Post for including last week’s velojoy Seatpost in its weekly culture round-up!
Check Out My First Article for Momentum Magazine!
So thrilled to be a contributor to the July/August Momentum, the bicycling lifestyle magazine. Check out my article on the hottest new (bike-friendly) boutique hotel in the Hamptons: Ruschmeyer’s. They’ve got a pretty fleet of custom Republic bikes for guests to ride to the beach. Bonus: An online guide to bicycling in Montauk, with the funnest sights, restaurants and shopping. Read more…
photo: for the love of bikes
If Only Finding a Date Were This Easy…
The Meet Your (bike) Match and Garden Party comes to Brooklyn this Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. In a reprise of its popular try-before-you-buy event in Manhattan, The Bird Wheel, the women’s collaborative cycling website, teams up with 718 Cyclery, 461 7th Avenue, for a casual get-together where you can “meet” the bicycle best suited to your individual needs and riding style. Also enjoy refreshments, a raffle and free maintenance classes, and have a photo portrait made with your bike. More information here.
Thanks as always go to cycling wear designer Nona Varnado for organizing The Bird Wheel slate of events for women cyclists. If you’re feeling crafty, check out Nona’s DYI video, shot last Monday at Etsy Labs, on how to add reflective safety features to your clothing and accessories.
Time for the Climbs: Tour de France Viewing Party
Fans of the Tour de France can gather in Brooklyn on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon to watch Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador duke it out in Stage 14 in the Pyrenees. The Community Bookstore, 143 Seventh Avenue, hosts a viewing party of the live telecast with free coffee and, of course, croissants. Co-sponsored by Bicycle Habitat. Learn more here.
And here’s a related tidbit: For the month of July, in celebration of the Tour de France, Jetblue is waving its $50 fee for transporting a bike on the airline. Learn more here.
Read more…
Tour de Queens This Sunday
Take a break from viewing that other Tour on TV, and get on your bike this weekend. Sunday’s Tour de Queens, sponsored by Transportation Alternatives, pushes off at 9 a.m. from Flushing Meadows Park near the Queens Museum of Art. This is a good one for the whole family: The leisurely, mostly flat, 20-mile ride wends through the parks and neighborhoods of eastern and northern Queens. Sign up here, or limited registration will be available on the day of the event, starting at 8 a.m.
Also, check out a special offer on Cycle to Citi Field Day, for the Mets versus Milwaukee Brewers game on August 21.
New York Times Focuses on Female Cyclists
The must-read article of the week is Christine Haughney’s report in the Times on the continuing gender gap between male and female cyclists:
Despite the city’s efforts to become more bike friendly, male cyclists in New York continue to outnumber female cyclists three to one, just as they have steadily over the past two decades.
But there’s reason for optimism, too. Cycling among women in New York City is up. The Department of Transportation website reports that the gender gap narrowed between 2001 and 2008. Further, Department of City Planning data shows that the number of women riding bikes in on-street lanes in Manhattan is increasing faster than male riders. (Read more in “Demystifying NYC’s Cycling Gender Gap” on Streetsblog.)
This points to substantial potential for building female ridership in the future. The key barrier cited by the Times and well-documented elsewhere: Women need to feel safe on the streets. Read more…
Dutch Tourist Returns for Skirt-Solidarity Ride
Jasmijn Rijcken will be returning to New York City next week — and this time she’ll be riding with a posse of cyclists who’ll be celebrating freedom and fashion.
Rijcken, a 31-year-old Dutch citizen made news when she said she had been stopped in Soho by a New York City police officer for wearing a short skirt while riding a bicycle. The officer reportedly told Rijcken that her skirt was a distraction to motorists and that she should put on pants.
The New Amsterdam Bicycle Show, which Rijcken had been in town visiting, has teamed up with Hudson Urban Bicycles to sponsor Skirts on Bikes from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 30. The skirt-solidarity ride through Greenwich Village, Soho and Tribeca ends back at HUB with refreshments. To join in, RSVP here.
Bike Trade-In This Weekend
When you trade in your old ride for a new one at Bicycle Habitat’s recently-opened Brooklyn store this Sunday, June 26, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., you can save on bikes and accessories.
Trade-in participants will receive a voucher for $50 – $100 off a new bike, or 20 percent off a bike accessory (valid through July 31). The promotion also may be combined with summer savings on certain Trek models, according to Bicycle Habitat. Check out the details here.
The shop will donate the used bicycles to Recycle-A-Bicycle, a not-for-profit that works with youth to repair and restore bikes and also promotes environmental stewardship. Read more…
