July 2011 Newsletter
Between the group rides, the bike-to-work breakfasts, the pedal-powered smoothies, the bikey movies and the pirate ship bikes, I discovered something about Edmonton during Bike Month (June). Among the many thousands of kilometers of roadways and cars, there is a swarm of people on their bikes buzzing around the city. Have you tried counting how many cyclists you pass on your ride lately? It's hard to keep up! I've started to wave to cyclists I don't know just to let them know how great it is that they're riding. During these sunny (or rainy) days, you'd be crazy not to.
Anna Vesala
Executive Director
an...@edmontonbikes.ca
Kudos to Karly and Barb, two of the hard working organizers of Bike Month and Bikeology Festival!
Advocacy
Bike routes (old & new) need maintenance
The excitement about the new bike routes being installed in Edmonton this summer has been dampened by the poor condition of the roads and the lack of education about how to use the new infrastructure. Bike lanes and sharrows are not familiar things for many motorists or cyclists, so it is no surprise that the first ones installed have received some backlash in the media.
A distinction must be made between spending money to paint lines on roads with potholes and debris-- an obviously poor decision-- versus fulfilling the commitment to build the Bicycle Transportation Plan infrastructure to make cycling easier and safer-- an obviously wise decision.
Please voice your support for well-designed, well-maintained cycling infrastructure to the Mayor and City Council. Cyclists need to speak up or risk losing to the vocal motorist majority. Copy in...@edmontonbikes.ca on any emails or letters so we can follow up on comments and commitments Council make.
Here are some photos to give some context.
New sharrow on 97 St between 83 Ave and 76 Ave.
New sharrow on 97 St between 76 Ave and 63 Ave. Sharrows are in the middle of the road to allow for parking on both sides of the street (cars and bicycles ride in "single file"). Very confusing and inappropriate lane position for cyclist if there are no parked vehicles.
97 St dedicated bike lane between 63 Ave and 34 Ave.
97 St road debris, potholes and uneven pavement along new sharrow route. Please call 311 every time you experience poor bike road conditions to get road maintenance crews out to clean, repair, repaint, or repave them.
97 St sharrow route blocked. Call 311 or the Edmonton Police complaint line 423-4567 to report blocked bike routes. Take a photo and share it with EBC if possible.
Education
On-road cycling courses
This summer, EBC is offering urban cycling courses for a range of skills and experience levels, from beginner to advanced. The courses are scheduled throughout the summer but we are looking to run additional courses through partnerships with community groups, workplaces, clubs, schools, etc. If you are interested in offering a cycling course in your community or at your workplace, please contact Michael at cou...@edmontonbikes.ca with your booking request.
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Learn to Ride - A two hour course for new or beginner cyclists. Topics include balancing, steering, and bicycle safety.
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Bicycle Family - A two-hour course designed for families to learn together. Topics include cycling etiquette, bicycle safety, and on-road cycling.
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Urban Commuting - A four hour program covering traffic interaction, commuter-oriented cycling skills, and route planning. Ideal for organizations wanting to encourage employees to cycle to work and for cyclists looking to improve their skills and their commute. Next course: July 27.
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CAN-BIKE 2 - The only nationally-certified commuter cycling program in Canada. CAN-BIKE 2 is a 16 hour course for experienced cyclists to improve their skills and for professional cyclists to become certified. Topics include cycling theory and a progression of on-road riding, from side streets to main arterials and advanced traffic situations. Next course: July 12.
Course dates and registration info here.
Art Nights
Leila and Kim, EBC's team of Artists in Residence, are holding Art Nights open to everyone in which people can come and make bicycle-themed art, art made of reused bicycles parts, or just spend time in the shop around people making stuff. We will have supplies available and will be sharing different art-making techniques.
Art Nights will be on every other Sunday from 6 pm - 9 pm at BikeWorks: July 10, July 24, Aug 7, Aug 21, Sept 4.
Please check out our updates on our blog and also be in touch via email: art...@edmontonbikes.ca.
BikeWorks patron satisfaction survey
Alex, our trusty BikeWorks Coordinator, has crafted a survey to help us evaluate the services provided at BikeWorks. Please fill it out to help us understand what the community needs from our shop.
Recycling!
While most salvagable bike parts are removed from donated bike and reused in repairs, BikeWorks recycles all unusable metal. As of last week, BikeWorks has recycled over 6,500 lbs of scrap metal in 2011! That's the equivalent of 13.5 tigers! Meowzers.
Bike rentals
Do you have friends coming to visit from out of town? Want to take them on a bike ride? EBC's bike rentals are only $15 per day or $50 per month!
EBC Volunteers Needed
Sign up for our volunteer email list to get upcoming volunteer opportunities for new and experienced volunteers. Volunteer opportunities include EBC display/tabling, bike parking attendants, mechanics for bike tunes-ups, commuter cycling course assistants, and more.
July 14: Outreach Committee
Help EBC make partnerships with local businesses and community organizations to get member discounts. More info here.
July 16: Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers family recreation event
2 bike orientation volunteers needed from 11am-1pm. More info here.
July 30-August 1: EBC at Heritage Festival
2 bike parking volunteers needed for all festival hours (great for new volunteers!) + 2 mechanics needed noon-4pm each day. More info here.
Upcoming Events
July 15: Brakes - Advanced Course
More info here.
July 16: Volunteer Appreciation Night
BBQ, friendly sports, karaoke and dancing. More info here.
July 16, 23, 30: Volunteer Skill-Building Workshops
EBC volunteers can build up their technical knowledge every Saturday 11am-1pm. Topics addressed will reflect participant's requests so come with questions!
July 19: EBC Volunteer Orientation
Become a volunteer at BikeWorks or for EBC's summer bike events. Sign up here.
July 22: Gearing & Drivetrains - Advanced Course
More info here.
July 27: Urban Commuting Course
Have you had a near-miss with a vehicle? Do pedestrians and motorists yell at you? Do you want a more peaceful, efficient commute? Refine your skills with this 4 hour course. More info here.
August 11, 13, 18 & 20: CAN-BIKE 2 Course
Do you feel comfortable cycling in traffic? This course is the equivalent of Driver's Ed for cyclists. Learn how to be a defensive cyclist in this fun and hans-on course. More info here.
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In this issue
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Advocacy
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Education
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BikeWorks
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EBC Volunteers Needed
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Upcoming Events
Stay connected
EBC website events calendar
 EBC Facebook group
 twitter.com/edmontonbicycle
 EBC Google Calendar can integrate into your iCal
BikeWorks
Visit Edmonton's only volunteer-run community bike shop and we'll help you to fix your bike.
10047-80 Avenue, entrance is through the back alley only.
Summer hours:
Mondays: 6 pm - 9 pm
Tuesdays: closed for bike building
Wednesdays: 1pm - 9 pm
Thursdays: 6 pm - 9 pm
Fridays: closed
Saturdays: 1pm - 5 pm
Sundays (1st, 3rd, 5th of the month): Women & Transgendered Only 1pm - 5 pm
Sundays (2nd, 4th of the month): 1pm - 5 pm
Support EBC
Cyclists unite! Become a member to support EBC's services and programs which make cycling in Edmonton more enjoyable.
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