the Kry Fund - for a young Brooklyn cyclist/bike mechanic/artist

Joe Nocella, owner of 718 Cyclery, sent out the following message about their bike shop mechanic, Krys Blakemore:

On March 15th, Krys was hit by a car here in Brooklyn. After major surgery, she is unable to walk, work or ride her bike. Her rehab period will be extensive, but a full recovery is planned.

Krys was 718 Cyclery's first employee, and is the kind of person who would help others at a moment's notice. She is also the kind of person who would never dream of asking for help... I am not that kind of person...please donate what you can to help offset the costs of her not being able to work.

It is incredibly hard for me to hear when someone is hit by a car while biking. And of course, very sad to know that this young woman has a difficult rehabiliatiion ahead of her.

If you've ever visited 718 Cyclery you know what a wonderful and caring bike shop this is -- so naturally they have set up:
this DONATION PAGE where you can safely give any amount to go to Kry's relief fund.

I hope you can join me in helping out Krys during her recovery.

illustration by Krys from her website

daylight savings, baby!

Kimberly of the NYC Bike Train commuting home north bound this week

THIS SUNDAY is Daylight Savings!!! (Yeah, have to pitch myself to believe it.) What a delight it will be to start putting dark evening commutes to rest!

In the meantime, I've recently found a network of fellow commuters (#nycbiketrain) who meet up to commute by bike together as far north as Inwood. This has been a great resource to me for the past couple weeks since I've been getting to know my new commute - which spans almost the entire length of the west side - and can't say I've always felt comfortable at night riding along some of the desolate and poorly lit northern portions of the Greenway alone + its been a super nice way to connect with other riders. Plans are in the works to spread the word about the NYC Bike Train... so stay tuned at the Get Biking! Facebook group.

Taken at 6:30PM yesterday looking westward -- can't wait for an even brighter evening skyline next week!

Prospect Park West: showing support

It was so nice to see how many of last night's Community Board 6's Public Hearing on Safety Improvements to Prospect Park West attendees wore the brightly coloured stickers in support of keeping the current PPW (Class I) bike lanes. Transportation Alternatives, thanks for making and distributing them!

The hearing's format allowed attendees to give 3 minute testimonies and the two groups who have filed a lawsuit against the city to have the street return PPW to a three-lane road without bike lane, Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes and Seniors for Safety, took there turn to speak. I can't say that every single point they made was not valid but most of it was absurd. (That said the only points I personally agree with is simply better signage and light placements for both peds and cyclists - but more on that later.) Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes feels that "the historic character of the street is being threatened" with the inclusion "historically inaccurate traffic signals and streets signs" and such safety improvements as the white/reflective buffers placed near Grand Army Plaza and pedestrian crossings. Umm, what about the "historic character" of having Fresh Direct trucks parked idling their engines and the fact that we don't ride around on horses anymore -- as their flyer at the event depicts. Don't get me wrong, how lovely would it be to have cobblestone streets without cars all together - but is not a city a constantly evolving and growing nebulous of people and activity? Supports cited how bike lanes improve the liveablity and quality of life for all residents while the fantastic NYC Councilmember Brad Lander made the point of how the bike lanes "extends the park". And what a wonderful addition that is indeed.

Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes flyer at hearing
- click to enlarge -

I found it impossible not to notice was how many young families (with babies and kids in tow - esp. during an evening time slot) showed up in support of the lanes. This might very well be a sign of Park Slope's youthful renaissance.

PPW bike lane being threatened w/ lawsuit

Do all good things really need to come to an end?
Is this happening elsewhere?

image from the NYTimes

The NYTimes published this article today about a civil suit being filed against the city to have the Department of Transportation remove the (less then one year old) Prospect Park West bike lane. The suit is backed by a small group of well connected people "with close ties to Iris Weinshall, the city’s transportation commissioner from 2000 to 2007 and the wife of Senator Charles E. Schumer". They argue that statistics of the benefits from the path are skewed in favor of pro-bike path community activists.  Sure, statistics can be tricky and difficult to distinguish from a grey lies but COME ON. I'd really like to know the if the opponents have:

• ever tried biking along 8th Avenue during rush hour - the alternative to the PPW path going north
• noticed the traffic Prospect Park West traffic flowing just fine -- amidst one less lane
• experienced Prospect Park West as a terrifying mess with speeding car, taxis, and Fresh Direct delivery trucks BEFORE the bike lanes were there
• notice how much calmer the traffic is with one less lane
• watched cyclists yield for pedestrians (though I do admit there is a learning curve, which seems natural)
• realized that many cyclists use the bike path daily - even in the heart of winter
• seen local parents bike their children to school using the path
• that a few less parking spots lost does not justify the removal of a world class protected bike lane in the heart of Brooklyn

Well, I have.

Prospect Park West, which was once impossible to bike along, runs along the corridor which one must crossed to enter the park from the residential Park Slope neighborhood. A protected two-way bike lane running along a park sounds completely reasonable if not completely necessary. If you also agree PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help save a vital NYC bike path by attending Community Board 6's Public Hearing on Safety Improvements to Prospect Park West

When: Thursday, March 10 @ 6:30PM
Where: John Jay Educational Campus Auditorium
237 7th Avenue, between 4th/5th Streets)
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Previous posts:
Save Prospect Park West,  19, October 2010
Rally to keep the lanes, 28, October 2010

(pre) valentine “token of love”

Yesterday morning my commute was filled with a surprising amount of bike love. Cheerful members of Time's Up were out in full force handing out chocolates and 'tokens of love' to cyclists making their way over the Manhattan Bridge. Pretty awesome way to start the day - thanks Time's Up!

Event press release...

“Token of Love” Ticketing Blitz 

NEW YORK, NY - On Monday, 1/31, at 9:00 a.m., members of Time’s Up! Environmental Group, dressed as officers of the New York Peace Department (N.Y.P.D.), will be on the Manhattan Bridge handing out “Token of Love” tickets with chocolate coins and chocolate kisses to cyclists, thanking them with appreciation hugs for braving the cold and continuing to commute through the winter.  This event is to counter NYPD’s ticketing blitz targeting cyclists, which has resulted in over 1400 tickets issued in the first 2 weeks of January.  Many of these tickets, with a fine of $250 or more, have been issued by untrained police officers who are unfamiliar with the traffic laws pertaining to cyclists.  On Monday morning, cyclists will be rewarded for the economic and environmental benefits they give back to the City, turning the bike backlash into bike loving. 

+ if you want to get in on the action {here} are details on Time's Up Valentine's LOVE YOUR LANE RIDE & AFTER PARTY on Friday, February 11th

be one in a million

Nice ad campaign by peopleforbikes.org - a non-profit dedicated to channeling that passion to improve the future of bicycling in the USofA. Their goal is to gather a million names of support, to speak with one, powerful voice—to make bicycling safer, more convenient and appealing for everyone. Check out their list of bike friendly resources + sign the pledge today!

rainbow road

via Still Dottie

A finalist for Design21's Power to the Pedal competition, Contrail brings all the colours of the rainbow to the road. Developed by Pepin Gelardi & Teresa Herrrmann - here is how they describe the concept...

As you ride, contrail leaves a faint chalk line behind your bike. The goal is to encourage a new cycle of biking participation by allowing the biking community to leave a unique mark on the road and to reclaim this crucial shared space.

The old cycle: More cars on the road → more perceived danger for bikers → fewer bikers on road → even more cars on the road.

The new cycle: A few bicyclists ride with contrail a couple times per week → faint lines on the road inspire curiosity and remind bikers where it's safe to ride → new bikers are encouraged to ride and use contrail → contrail lines get brighter as community grows.

DESIGNER BIKES: Kamdyn Moore & bike-friendly infrastructure

Bicycles are ubiquitous on college campuses - as is the case on Pratt Institutes' Brooklyn campus where students gravitate to being cost effective and self sufficient. As I was wrapping up my graduate thesis at Pratt (developing products for a growing community of urban cyclists) I crossed paths with Kamdyn Moore, a Urban Environmental Systems Management graduate student at Pratt.

Kamdyn Moore's own thesis culminated in the creation of Campus Area Biking (CAB) aimed to establish Pratt as a leader in the race to change the concept of alternative transportation on a local level. Kamdyn shares her thoughts with for the LOVE of bikes on developing bike-friendly infrastructure on a college campus, falling in love with a single speed in Italy, and biking through Utah...

What got you started on developing better biking systems for Pratt Institute?

There have been a few inspirations for my thesis project. My first day at Pratt, I saw a petition pinned to the wall by the elevator that read “Want more bike racks at Higgens Hall?” As a student commuting to campus by bike, I happily signed the petition. Higgens Hall is probably the building most frequented by cyclists and the bike storage there is horrible. A few weeks later, the petition was gone and I never heard anything more about it. I don’t know if anyone ever saw the petition, who it was delivered to (if it was even delivered), or even who wrote it. And it is no surprise that, Higgens Hall still lacks adequate bike storage.

In addition to the bike racks, there is a pretty large community of students and staff passionate about alternative transit modes, particularly biking, yet Pratt was doing nothing to bring these people together. If anything, I felt that the Institute was trying to pull them apart. There were rumors that administration wanted to close specific entrance gates to cyclists and possibly even ban bikes from being ridden on campus.

I saw no one advocating for the cyclists and felt the need to step up and do something about it. If anything, at least provide the opportunity—the space—for Pratt’s cycling community to come together and share ideas and projects and provide accessible information about the campus policies and other local resources.

What type of systems do you foresee Pratt Institute developing?

My goal has been to analyze how our existing conditions function (or don’t function) and, with the information I’ve gathered throughout my process, better understand how each thing—policy, bike rack, website, resource, campus administrator, student, etc. can be integrated in a much more comprehensive way that will not only improve the cycling experience but the whole campus experience. There has been a lot of push back from key administrators who I believe would rather there be no bikes allowed on campus at all. Fortunately, some progress has been made and I’ve received some really positive feedback from a few administrators that are much more focused on improving the campus community.

In the long term, I hope my project brings light to the fact that the Institute must take a much more holistic approach when working to improve the campus infrastructure as well as when developing policies. You can’t just plop down a bike rack or write a policy. Well, you can, that’s what has been done in the past however the root of the problem, whatever the problem may be, is never addressed.

What was the first bike you ever rode?

As a kid, the first bike I ever rode was, I think, a blue and pink Huffy I got it for my 7th birthday. No training wheels!

How has your interest evolved since then?

My brother and I biked to school together when I was in the third grade but I never thought much of it until I moved to Italy in 2003 and bought a single speed beauty for 20 Euro. I road it until the day I left. I fell in love with the view from the bike. My perspective of the city had completely changed. When I moved back to New York, I was living in the West Village and got a job on 21st St and 1st Ave. There was really no great way to get across town except to bike so -- I bought an old beater off of Craigslist.

What type of bike(s) do you currently commute on?

At the moment, I only have one bike--- a Trek road bike. I wanted something that I could use every day but, if I ever wanted to go on a long ride, I could use the same bike. Once I have a bit more storage space, I hope to get something a little more “chic”. I’ve fallen in love with the “cycle chic” style and feel the need to participate!

What has been your most memorable ride?

Utah was my first and biggest ride. One (slightly drunken) night I called my dad and asked him if he would bike across the US with me. After a (strong) coffee the next morning, I realized that this was a pretty ambitious idea for two people who were completely inexperienced with long distance cycling -- I didn’t even know what a “pannier” was. We whittled down our plans to “a long ride through a dramatic US landscape” and Utah seemed like a good place. I was able to convince my brother to join us on the ride and we hit the road. The scenery was incredible. To climb up a mountain road and then descend into a dessert plain. It was pretty breathtaking (those mountains are steep)! I would still like to bike across the US someday but for now, I’m sticking with riding through NYC. I think my favorite NYC ride was from the West Village up to Times Square. It wasn’t a long ride, but at 3am - pretty awesome.

In most American cities, including NYC, women make up less than half of bike commuters. Any ideas on ways to encourage more women to cycle?

For me, seeing other females advocating for cycling has really encouraged me to continue riding as well as advocating for better biking systems. I think women have an incredible ability to gauge whether or not something is safe – not to be too simplistic but, usually you can judge an area’s safety by how many women are populating the streets. Unfortunately, I think in most American cities, most women wouldn’t consider our city’s streets to be safe for cyclists. We’re working on it - especially in New York but, I think more women will ride more once they are confident that the routes are safe - or at least getting safer.

Parting words...

Ride safe and wear a helmet. I know I sound like an infomercial but, my dad works with people who’ve suffered from a brain injury and I’ve heard some pretty horrible stories. And lastly, keep advocating for your right to the road!

hearts + bikes unite

Bici Cooperative's 2nd annual Heartbrakes Prom
[Birmingham, Alabama]

Bike Friendly Oak Cliff's 1st Valentine's Day Ride
[Dallas, Texas]

via Bike Blog NYC

messenger service Cupid Courier Collective logo
[San Francisco]

love makes the world go round

The global cycle chic movement gets mapped out! The Santa Barbara bicycle style blog, Bike by the Sea, has created the (growing!!!) Bicycle Style Network map. Some new additions for your viewing pleasure:

Aix-en-Provence Cycle Chic
Bandung Cycle Chic [Indonesia]
Sheffield Cycle Chic
Buenos Aires Cycle Chic
Toruń Cycle Chic [Poland]

wanna rack

The Opening Planning Project has a website up, FixCity:Bike Racks, to take in your request for a NYC bike rack...

FixCity:Bike Racks, is a social mapping application designed to "crowdsource" community and government collaboration in the gathering, planning, and implementing new bike racks.

This application encourages residents and community organizations to suggest new bike racks, verify suggested locations, gather statements of support from the broader community, and finally submit a "shovel-ready" bulk order to the Department of Transportation.

FixCity includes a tips/tools to place your request (where the DOT will and won't install racks) and a map tracking requests that have been placed.

You can even Tweet your spot - if you so please!

nada to the max

A friend of mine is looking to get on the road with the bare essentials and came across...

Nada who is selling stripped down fixed or single speed frames for $100 (+ $45 shipping/handling). They come in three sizes and are unpainted - so you'll have to build it up and paint/seal the frame. A sweet little addition to the site is that each person who buys one is encouraged to create a member profile and personal link - putting a face to the frame.

Viva the (bike) revolution!

mustache on the go

via SwissMiss

There is a lot of mustache love out there these day- and now your bike can sport one too. Hand crafted bike badges by jeweler Laura Crawford and sold on Etsy

So, it turns out Laura is making these while on an "open-ended bicycle tour of the US and beyond"....

The Path Less Pedaled is an exploration of what it means to live outside the lines. In March 2009, Laura Crawford (an art jewelry maker) and Russ Roca (a photographer, writer and product durability tester) made the decision to drop out of the status quo and find others around the world who have done the same. Paring down their lives to just what will fit on two bicycles, Laura and Russ are embarking on an extended bike tour throughout the US and beyond – with the goal of connecting with and collecting the stories of people who followed a calling to live their lives in unique ways.

You can follow their adventures (and people they meet along the way) at pathlesspedaled.com + they have a 'Gear of the Week' feature on the site (!)

love from the ground up

Time's Up! love lane stencils in NYC

Toronto street stencils via Flickr

intervention of hearts by Vancouver Public Space Network

via Michael Mandiberg's Flickr

Lance + Nike + Art = STAGES

Catherine Opie - Untitled (Road)

Tom Sachs - Lance's Tequila Bike for Girls

Aaron Young - Burnout (Pour on the Colas)

Lance Armstrong and Nike launch STAGES... a global exhibition of design, photography, street art and fine art including Cai Guo-Qiang, Andreas Gursky, Sherpard Fairey and 20 other heavy hitters - inspired by Lance and LIVESTRONG to raise fund and awareness for the fight against cancer via the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The show was just in Paris and is now in NYC... then off to Art Basel Miami Beach in early December.

Park Avenue Armory (special preview) October 5 - 22, 2009

DEITCH Projects in NYC October 31 - November 21, 2009

Thanks, Ingrid

kindness of strangers?!

Sign warning cyclists at Grand Army Plaza.

While biking through the Plaza yesterday, an intersection infamous for its hazardous conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, I came across this little sign possibly posted by a fellow cyclist. While it was sweet to see, I hope we won't have to rely on handmade signs to help up navigate the choppy waters that make up NYC streets for much longer.

Makes me wonder when we are going to see some of the winning designs become reality from last year's Reinventing Grand Army Plaza organized by Design for Public Trust...

beautiful bike friendly business model

MORE love for the people that brought you the famed pretzel croissant. Ride your bicycle and show your helmet to receive a...
20% discount at The City Bakery

(3 West 18th Street, footsteps from 5th Avenue)
and 25% discount at their new spot Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery

(7th Avenue between 10th & Charles Street)

Is this not reason enough to start biking in NYC + wear your helmet?!?

David Byrne + poop scooping

A couple weeks ago, as part of his Bicycle Diaries book launch, David Byrne participated in a panel discussion "Cities, Bicycles and the Future of Getting Around"...

Byrne made a great (and funny) analogy. He recalled NYC in the 70's and how resistant people were to new "pooper scooper" regulations. However, now it is second nature for (the vast majority) of New Yorkers to pick up after their dogs. We have adopted this as a standard and can not imagine it otherwise.

New Yorkers now face a similar dilemma with the renaissance of the bicycle and bike friendly city planning; some skeptical people think we can not adapt to a lifestyle using the bicycle as a primary utility vehicle. As Byrne pointed out with the pooper scooper issue of the 70's "low and behold… people change their behavior when they realize it benefits others"

My signed copy.

take it easy

Slow movements have spread to all corners of our lives - as part of a cultural shift to slowing down and enjoying the many simple pleasures in life. It started with the slow food movement, as a reaction to fast food industry in the late 80's, then helped propel slow cities, slow homes, and ♥ slow design ♥.

Launched in 2008, in Denmark, there is a slow movement that I didn't know I was already a member of...

The Slow Bicycle Movement is a celebration of the bicycle. Not as a speed machine or a tool for tribal membership but merely as an enjoyable way to get around.

It's about the journey, not the destination. The destination is, invariably, a fixed geographical point which isn't going anywhere... [okay, sure, the tectonic plates are in constant movement but they are thankfully even slower than us]... so you're going to get there eventually and anyway.

It's about riding your bicycle. To work, to play. Casually, in a relaxed manner. With time to enjoy the self-propelled movement that you and you alone generate. And, of course, to look around and see the landscape - urban or not - that you pass by at your leisurely pace.

Kind of made my day!

5th Ave Bike Lane Love

This afternoon I joined the park(ing) spot in Park Slope coordinated by Transportation Alternatives volunteer, Martha. It was geared to rallying neighborhood support to keeping the 5th Avenue bike lane and sharrows as well as T.A.'s campaign to extend the bike lane south all the way to the water.

Thanks, Martha, for a lovely time under the sun!