Category Archives: Article

Late Earth Day Treat

I hope everyone had a nice Earth Day/Good Friday.  I know I did with my free trade coffee from former Muddy Cup, I forgot what they changed their name too. It was the first time I had been in there since they changed there name and I have to say I like the changes he made to the place. With it’s expanded coffee area and live music it is now just a nice place to hang out. I have heard complaints before about the cost of the coffee not being conducive to staying there all day and getting work done, and I can’t attest to that either way because as I said before my coffee was free.

So trek recently announced that Trek, the company that introduced carbon fiber to bicycling, will now start recycling the material out of it’s plant in Waterloo, WI. It’s not huge news, but it is nice that bicycle companies are doing what they can to make our world a better place to live.

Written by Chris Belsole

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New Commuter Helmet From Bell

I was going over my rss feed that keeps me up on cycling news when I came across an interesting item from bell. The Bell Muni and lady’s Arella are two helmets new to bell’s lineup focusing on commuting. They have a few nice features that do not come standard to most helmets.

First of all they have mounts where you can put bike lights on the front, rear, and rear straps of the helmet. I have been searching for a while as to how I can get ligths on my helmet and so far I have not come up with any good options. This is the first helmet where I see that they took that into account when designing the life saving device.

Second there is a nice strap system that I know I would want for my next helmet. Have you ever had a day where it is raining or cold so you throw on a hat and have to adjust your helmet accordingly? Now with their “one step fit system” it is a lot easier since the back strap is made of velcro and the neck strap gives you more room either way to adjust the helmet for hat or non hat heads.

Here are some videos that will give you a nice look of the products:

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NYS BIKE SUMMIT 2011

NYS BIKE SUMMIT 2011

   APRIL 28, 2011   9-11 AM    

West Capital Park, Albany

(next to the State Capitol Building)

 REMINDER NOTICE:

Each year the NYS Bike Summit brings together bicycle advocates, coalition partners and allies to gather in the State Capital.  We demonstrate that bicycling is important for human health, for the environment for our economy and our communities!  We want investments to enable people of all ages and skill levels to ride safely on the road.   We will recognize Bike Champions – legislators and others.   We will be calling for passage of the crucial “Complete Streets Bill”.  If it rains we will gather in The Well of the Legislative Office Building (across the street from West Capital Park).

Much more information about the NYS Bike Summit is available at  www.nybc.net including;

  1. the EVENT AGENDA
  2. a PRESS RELEASE
  3. NYBC’s LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM

Contact Brian Kehoe    brian@nybc.net   518-436-0889

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Schedule For Bike Month

Albany Bicycle Coalition ~ Bike Month 2011
May 2011 (Runs from 4/29/11 to 6/12/11)

April 29 Fri 5:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Critical Mass/Comm. Ride (Apr) “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd., Albany”

May 1 Sun 9:00 AM  – 4:00 PM
“Bike Expo 2011 (Three rides – 10, 25, and 50 mile and events)” Corning Preserve – Boat Launch

May 2 Mon 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Movie #1 – AMERICA ON TWO WHEELS – Cross-Country Bicycle Trip (Slide Show) “Upstate Artists Guild, 247 Lark St., Donation”

May 3 Tue 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tune Up Your Bike Night 15 Trinity Place

May 4 Wed 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
ABC Community Bicycle Ride #1 “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd.”

May 6 Fri 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
1st Friday Gallery Spin “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd.”

May 7 Sat 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Blessing of Bicycles and Ride “Our Lady of the Americas, Central & Lake”

May 9 Mon 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
“Movie #2 – “”Ride The Divide””” “Upstate Artists Guild, 247 Lark St., Donation”

May 10 Tue 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tune Up Your Bike Night 15 Trinity Place

May 11 Wed 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
ABC Community Bicycle Ride #2 “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd.”

May 15 Sun 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Historic Mansion Tour Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center

May 16 Mon 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Movie Night #3 “Upstate Artists Guild, 247 Lark St., Donation”

May 17 Tue 8:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Moonlight Ride (Full moon – 5/17) “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd. and Corning Preserve Launch”

May 17 Tue 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tune Up Your Bike Night 15 Trinity Place

May 18 Wed 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Ride of Silence (National) Corning Preserve Launch and NYSED

May 20 Fri 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
ABC Community Bicycle Ride #3 (also National Bike-to-Work Day) “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd.”

May 21 Sat 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
PAL Bike Rodeo Corning Preserve – Boat Launch

May 24 Tue 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tune Up Your Bike Night 15 Trinity Place

May 25 Wed 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
ABC Community Bicycle Ride #4 “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd. ”

May 27 Fri 5:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Critical Mass/Comm. Ride (May) “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd.”

May 28 Sat 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Bike Month Alley Cat – Bike to China Charity “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd. $5 Entry”

May 30 Mon 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Movie Night #4 “Upstate Artists Guild, 247 Lark St., Donation”

May 31 Tue 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tune Up Your Bike Night 15 Trinity Place

June 3 Fri 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Camping – Day 1 Camping – Thompsons Lake State Park 1 (Reserve site by 5/1 at – reserveamerica.com)

June 4 Sat 12:01 AM – 12:00 AM
Camping – Day 2

June5 Sun 12:01 AM – 6:00 PM
Camping – Day 3

June 3 Fri 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
1st Friday Gallery Spin (June) “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd.”

June 12 Sun 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Geocaching Ride “Albany Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, Washington Park at State St. & Henry Johnson Blvd.”

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First Annual Bike Expo – Volunteers Needed

A letter to the abc membership:

In a little less than two weeks ABC will host a region wide bike expo, the first in our
area. It is a great opportunity to begin a process of cooperation with various local
organizations all promoting similar lifestyles. And to have some fun too.

We didnʼt anticipate the permit process would take so long, but it did. We submitted the
permit application on Jan 18 and received the permit by letter on April 7. It wasnʼt until
then that we could begin to secure the insurance policy, solicit sponsors, vendors,
donations, etc and consequently we have to scale back our expectations for the “event”
part of the expo. There are still three excellent rides being offered by the Mohawk
Hudson Cycling Club, the New York Bicycling Coalition and the ABC and we have the
Downtube Bike Shop offering help at the event. That is a TREMENDOUS BEGINNING
to hosting this inaugural bicycle event. I am appealing to anyone that wants to help build
on whatʼs already in place. If you would like to volunteer for any position listed below,
please call me.

WE NEED:
1) To post fliers around town. Call for specifics.
2) Help on the abc ride, “ride guides”, a sweep, rest stop personnel.
3) To come up with ideas for our info booth, membership drive?
4) Merchandise for giveaways or resale.
5) An ABC banner
6) We are also in need of a coffee/ snack vendor for morning, a lunch vendor for
afternoon although “The Barge” is scheduled to be open for business by April 29. Any
ideas would be gratefully accepted.

This is also a learning process, and mistakes and misunderstandings may occur.
Letʼs keep it positive and come out and enjoy an opportunity to ride and to socialize with
like-minded people and as our mission states “to bring together the Albany area
community for a family-friendly celebration of spring, the Hudson River waterfront and
bicycing.

Sincerely,
John Vendetti ABC
hardworkinjohn@aol.com
518-225-4209

Written by John Vendetti

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