June 1, 2009

Tour de Cure, THIS SUNDAY!

2008 Tour de Cure

2008 Tour de Cure


This Sunday, June 7th is the American Diabetes Association’s
annual Tour de Cure. The venue has moved from Stillwater to
Saratoga High School. If you haven’t done a fundraiser ride,
or want to ride in a well planned and supported group, this is
the ride for you! Mileage from 10 miles to 100 with plenty of
rest stops. If you are a ‘new or returning to cycling’ this is also
a must to add to your list. Albany Bicycle Coalition signed on as
a ‘Team’, so you can join ours, or another one, or form your own.
But again it’s this Sunday in Saratoga Springs. A great ride for a
great cause, that includes kids, tag-alongs, trailers, and club riders
and everyone in between. Visit www.diabetes.org for more info,
search under Tour de Cure, then by state. Hope to see you there!

May 28, 2009

How To Tune Up Your Bike

This site has a lot of great videos about tuning up your bike. Or you could check out the Troy Bike Rescue.

May 20, 2009

Ride of Silence

Word came today that a child was killed while riding his bike through a stop sign. In my neighborhood. You can read about it here.

Join cyclists nationwide in a silent slow-paced ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.

5/20: National Ride of Silence. 6PM. Start location: Corning Preserve Boat Launch, Albany. 12 mile route will pass ghost bikes commemorating the deaths of 3 local cyclists. For more details, visit www.rideofsilence.org or www.nybc.net .
Info for Albany
Contact: Claire Nolan cbnolou@yahoo.com
Distance: 12 Miles
Notes: Two Start Locations: 1) Meet at Corning Preserve Boat Launch Parking Area under the 787 Bridge.
OR
2) Meet at West Capital Park across from the State Education Building (to avoid riding up State Street Hill!)

Pls. arrive by 6:00 pm at the first meeting place to make sure we are all on the road by 7:00!

May 13, 2009

Thursday – One day away!

One day and one hour away! Hope to see everyone out tomorrow!

5:00 p.m. – The Commuter Contest, Starbucks to Starbucks (10 N. Pearl St., Albany to Stuyvesant Plaza, 1475 Western Ave.).

Even if you’re not going to do the ride, show up and support your cycling scene!

Afterwards, ride in with us to The Madison Theatre for our special showing of Veer. Two showings! 7:30 & 9:15 p.m.

Veer is a new documentary on the Portland, OR. cycling community, something a lot of us wish we had here! Come out, get ideas, be inspired.

The movie just finished showing in NYC and is still in the film festival circuit. This will be your one chance. Greg, the producer, it turns out was born in Glens Falls, NY. His wish is less about making money, hence the $5 ticket price, just a wish that people are able to see this movie. Jay, from the Madison Theatre has also accommodated the Albany Bicycle Coalition with this showing, and we thank our sponsors that have offset the costs, all local business we love!

Take time to fill out a free membership to ABC and help us in serving your cycling interests better, forms will be at the table, along with product donated by UrbanVelo.org. Troy Bicycle Rescue, NYBC, BikeAlbany, and RocBike.com are all present.

The theatre seats 149, the first show should sell out quick, so there’s the second showing – plan accordingly!

And bring a lock! You’re locking up on Madison Ave., no valet, but we’ll try to have someone checking on bikes.

Lastly, bring a little extra $ as ABC will be collecting funds to sponsor the Kona Africa Bike Program. Donations taken at the table!

Remember your cycling scene is only what you make it!

May 13, 2009

Five Tips For Bike To Work Day

Cyclelicious has a quick write up to help you out this Friday, which is Bike To Work Day. He writes:

  • ABC Quick Check! Air, brakes, cranks and quick releases
  • Follow the rules of the road
  • Ride defensively
  • It’s not a race
  • and he offers some tips on cleaning up

I would also like to add: smile.

May 7, 2009

Bike Parking For Tulip Fest

This weekend is Albany’s Tulip Festival in Washington Park. The roads through Washington Park will be closed to automobiles, making it pedestrian friendly. And word is

Bicycle parking is available at the Wellness Garden, near Willet and Madison Streets.

The bike racks will not be supervised or monitored, but hopefully the large crowds will deter would-be thieves. You should probably lock up your bike real good, just to be safe.

May 6, 2009

Group Ride To “Two Wheels Good”

As previously mentioned, this Friday, May 8th, The Sanctuary For Independent Media is showing the movie “Two Wheels Good” at 7pm.

Anybody from the Albany side of the river interested in a group ride to this event should meet at the boat launch on the trail, just north of the Corning Preserve. Gather up around 5:30, depart at 5:45. Should give us plenty of time.

Bring lights, because the ride home will be in the dark.

April 30, 2009

Newsflash: Bikes Belong in the Streets

It has become obvious that most people, drivers and cyclists alike, mistakenly believe that bikes do not belong in the streets. New York State traffic laws are very clear about this issue.

Section 1234. Riding on roadways, shoulders, bicycle or in-line skates lanes and bicycle or in-line skates paths.

(a) Upon all roadways, any bicycle or in-line skates shall be driven either on a usable bicycle or in-line skates lane or, if a usable bicycle or in-line skates lane has not been provided, near the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway or upon a usable right-hand shoulder in such a manner as to prevent undue interference with the flow of traffic except when preparing for a left turn or when reasonably necessary to avoid conditions that would make it unsafe to continue along near the right-hand curb or edge. Conditions to be taken into consideration include, but are not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, in-line skates, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards or traffic lanes too narrow for a bicycle or person on in-line skates and a vehicle to travel safely side-by-side within the lane.

(b) Persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast. Persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon a shoulder, bicycle or in-line skates lane, or bicycle or in-line skates path, intended for the use of bicycles or in-line skates may ride two or more abreast if sufficient space is available, except that when passing a vehicle, bicycle or person on in-line skates, or pedestrian, standing or proceeding along such shoulder, lane or path, persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates shall ride, skate, or glide single file. Persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon a roadway shall ride, skate, or glide single file when being overtaken by a vehicle.

(c) Any person operating a bicycle or skating or gliding on in-line skates who is entering the roadway from a private road, driveway, alley or over a curb shall come to a full stop before entering the roadway.

http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/bike-vt.htm
http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/dmvfaqs.htm#bikes
http://www.safeny.com/bike-ndx.htm

Let’s spread the word.

April 21, 2009

MAY IS BIKE MONTH (actually EVERY month is)

To assist with your planning, here you go!

Friday, May 1st – FIRST FRIDAY Ride
UAG ‘Grand Tour’ opening night with bicycle themed
work displayed @ The Downtube (Friday night only).
Show runs through May @ UAG.

Friday, May 8th – ‘Two Wheels Good’
Bicycle film festival @ The Sanctuary for
Independent Media, Troy. 7 pm. Possible group
ride from Albany to Troy.

Friday, May 8th – Sunday, May 10th – TULIP FESTIVAL

Tuesday, May 12th – ‘Red Light Go’ movie @ UAG

Thursday, May 14th – Commuter Contest. Starbucks to Starbucks.
Car vs. Bike vs. Bus

Thursday, May 14th – ABC presents VEER the movie

@ The Madison Theatre!!! TWO SHOWINGS!!!

 7:30pm AND 9:15pm!!! Now enough seats for everyone.

Group ride from the Commuter Contest. $6 or $5 if you’re an ABC member. Membership is free and you can sign up at the door. ABC will also be collecting donations ($) for the KONA AFRICA BIKE PROGRAM.

VEER is a new documentary of the Portland, OR.
cycling community. Feature length, and showing
at festivals and the Lincoln Center May 5th. The
producers are giving Albany a special screening.
Theatre rental is sponsored by: CK Cycles, Steiner’s
Sports, The Downtube, The Dead Presidents Lounge,
and Bomber’s Burritos. Approx. 130 seats for this one
time event!

*UrbanVelo.org has provided  a big box of goodies to be handed out! And the RedBull girls will have, well, free RedBulls!

 *Lark Tavern and 518prints.com have also signed on to sponsor this event!

Friday, May 15th – BIKE TO WORK DAY.

Saturday, May 16th – KESSEL RUN. ALBANY to TROY to ALBANY, 20 miles, 2pm. at the Monument.

Wednesday, May 20th – RIDE OF SILENCE. Meet at Corning Preserve, 6pm

Tuesday, May 26th – ‘The Pope’s Toilet’ @ UAG 6:30pm

Thursday, May 28th – ABC meeting @ Muddy Cup 7pm.

Friday, May 29th – Critical Mass. Washington Park, 5:15pm.

Sunday, June 7th – Tour de Cure, Saratoga Springs.
ABC has a team formed if you’re planning on doing this ride. Your choice of mileage.

Tuesday, June 9th – ‘Contested Streets’ @ UAG 6:30pm

April 21, 2009

Bike Locks 101

Albany has serious problems with bike theft. Here are some things you can do to protect your bike.

Buy a U-lock. They are harder to cut through.

Put your lock through your back wheel and the frame. Because most bikes have quick release wheels, locking just a wheel is not very secure because somebody could just take the wheel off and walk away with the rest of your bike. Locking the wheel AND the frame makes it harder to do this. Locking the rear wheel and the frame also means it isn’t going to roll, making it harder to ride away with the bike.

Lock your bike to something secure. You don’t want something that is movable or breakable. Things make of wood are not so good, unless they are trees. Also, be sure no one can just lift your bike, lock and all, over whatever you’ve locked it to. You want to put your lock THROUGH something, not just around it.

Also, you should have photos of your bike and the serial number written down somewhere. If your bike is stolen, this information can help you get your bike back. You can find your bike’s serial number on the bottom bracket, which is the part where the axle for the pedals goes through.

There are some other things to think about. You can use a chain lock in addition to your U-lock. Having two different kinds of locks makes it harder to steal, because it takes longer to cut both of them. Be aware of other removable things on your bike that can be stolen. Like your seat, your headlight, or your panniers.

Some people suggest making your bike “not worth stealing.” The theory is that a bike thief is more interested in swiping a really expensive looking bike than a rusty beater. In my opinion, bike thieves in Albany don’t know the difference and don’t care either. They are looking for something they can ride away and sell somewhere else. Similarly is the theory that if your bike is unique and widely known, if someone else was riding it, it would be obvious that it was stolen. This isn’t always the case either, as we’ve seen locally. The famous Pink Bike was stolen. Trikes ridden by disabled people have also been stolen. All this means is that bike thieves in Albany will steal anything that rolls.

They are also aggressive about it. Do not assume that your bike will be safe in the backyard. We’ve heard reports of thieves taking bikes out of garages while their owners were in the backyard. Keep your bikes locked up and out of sight.