This Sunday, May 20, I'll be co-leading a bicycle tour of Somerville parks with the Somerville Bicycle Committee and Somerville Historic Preservation Commission. We'll meet at 2 pm at Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue, departing promptly at 2:15. Please bring a $3 donation to support the Historic Preservation Commission.

Many Somerville parks used to be other things -- schools, a railroad tower, a train station, a water tower. Ride with us to learn more about our city's history.

Here's a map of our tour route, and our Facebook event. The 8.5-mile tour will go at an easy pace with several stops, and should be finished by around 4:30.

Our ride will be the last event of Bay State Bike Week.

Here is a rewarding way for you to "give back" to bicycling by volunteering at a fantastic charity ride benefiting kids! It is an excellent volunteer experience and are a good fit for solo volunteers or those who want to volunteer with friends or family. Please contact me if you're interested. We've had some volunteers cancel at the last minute and need people especially for a water stop and to help with registration.

Of course, you're welcome to skip volunteering and just sign up to be a participant!

About volunteering at the CYCLE Kids Breakaway Charity Ride:

Date: Sunday, May 20th, 7 AM to 4 PM (ride is from 8 AM to noon; post-ride celebration and lunch is from noon to 3 PM)
Location: deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA.
Volunteer needs (partial list): rider registration, rider support, rest stops, lunch preparation, and clean-up

We'd be thrilled for Breakaway volunteers to commit to work the whole day, but we will work with your schedule. Volunteers will receive a simple breakfast, a Breakaway t-shirt, and a catered box lunch in thanks for their important efforts!

You can learn more about our organization at cyclekids dot org
Contact me (Karin) about volunteering at karin at tugboat23 dot com. Thanks!

If you're looking for a night at the movies that will take you all over the word, you won't want to miss the 3rd Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival on Thursday May 17th.

It’s at the Regent Theatre in Arlington and is a benefit for Massbike. There’s a social hour starting at 6 PM and the films start at 7 PM.

With help from our sponsors Adventure Cycling Association, we scoured the globe for the best films and we have some amazing bike travel adventures on tap. The judging was very competitive and we only accepted a fraction of the films we received.

The 2012 festival includes a scenic journey from Mongolia to India, a humorous attempt to ride a rickshaw down the length of Vietnam, and an exploration of Egypt in the months after the Arab Spring. These films will make you want to drop everything and go ride your bike!

One lucky attendee will win a free trip from Ciclismo Classico ($2,600 value!)

We also have the Great Jersey Giveaway, a raffle for a wide array of donated bike jerseys. Plus, we’ll have cookies from all of Arlington’s best bakeries for nibbling during the films – and the Regent is now able to serve beer and wine (because what is better with cookies?)

Hope you’ll join us – more info and tickets (only $10 in advance!) at http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/filmfest

Here is a repost about a great local org...we are closer to the ride so I figured it'd be alright to ask again:

A fantastic charity ride benefiting kids is seeking volunteers! It is an excellent volunteer experience and are a good fit for solo volunteers or those who want to volunteer with friends or family. Please contact me (Karin) directly at karin AT tugboat23.com if you’re interested.

Of course, you’re welcome to skip volunteering and just sign up to be a participant!

About volunteering at the CYCLE Kids Breakaway Charity Ride:

Date: Sunday, May 20th, 7 AM to 4 PM (ride is from 8 AM to noon; post-ride celebration and lunch is from noon to 3 PM)
Location: deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA.
Volunteer needs (partial list): pre-ride preparation (publicity, office work), rider registration, rider support, rest stops, lunch preparation, and clean-up

We’d be thrilled for Breakaway volunteers to commit to work the whole day, but we will work with your schedule. Volunteers will receive a simple breakfast, a Breakaway t-shirt, and a catered box lunch in thanks for their important efforts!

For more info or to register for the ride, please visit http://conta.cc/breakaway-2012
And, thanks! Enjoy the beautiful day.

Somerville police will enforcing the laws for bicycles soon:

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/somerville/2012/04/somerville_police_to_focus_on.html

There is a link to the Somerville guide for bicylists there.

Please share this with other lists.

Be safe and considerate of others!

best -len

Hi all - one more bike event to Save the Date for...there's also some fantastic volunteer opportunities available. Volunteers get to ride half time and work half time. Please contact me at karin AT tugboat23.com if you are interested.
Have a great weekend!

The Friendliest Ride in the East returns to the Berkshires this August

The 6th annual Mass BikePike Tour is a scenic bicycle tour of Western Massachusetts. Taking place from August 2nd to 5th, it is “The Friendliest Ride in the East” and is suitable for novice to experienced cyclists.

The Mass BikePike Tour offers two routes each day. The shorter route is between 25 and 45 miles and the longer route is between 45 and 70 miles. The longer route also includes optional challenges like a Mt. Greylock hillclimb or a scenic detour to Bennington, VT!

Each evening features a pre-dinner “social hour” for participants to mingle. The Mass BikePike Tour is affordably priced and proceeds go to the MassBike Coalition. For more information please visit www.massbikepike.org.

“This was our first tour--but definitely not our last. The staff of the Mass BikePike Tour consistently went above and beyond the call of duty.”

-John-Paul Ferguson, California resident on the 2011 ride

· One of Bicycling Magazine’s “Top ten multi-day tours”

· Named to spryliving.com’s “America’s best bike rides”

· Featured in Adventure Cycling Magazine, the Boston Globe, the Hartford Courant, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the Springfield Republican, and the Berkshire Eagle

Hi all,
Bike Week 2012 is coming! Save the date for this great event:

Bikes Can Beat Childhood Obesity – Join the CYCLE Kids Breakaway Charity Ride on May 20th
• Choose from a hilly 62-mile metric century (perfect for an early season challenge), a scenic 36-mile route, or a fun 5-mile family ride to nearby Codman Farm.
• After the ride, enjoy live music, lawn games, and a gourmet lunch under a tent at the beautiful deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA.
• Acclaimed Chef Paul O’Connell of Chez Henri will be grilling a fresh, savory lunch on site – we'll bet this is the best you’ll ever eat at a charity ride.
• You decide whether to fundraise or not, depending on which registration fee you choose – it’s up to you!

Celebrate Bike Week 2012 in a meaningful way – give the gift of bicycling to the next generation of CYCLE Kids!

For more information or to sign up today, please visit http://conta.cc/breakaway-2012

PS: we also offer a fantastic “Wellness Sponsor” program if your workplace would like to reward employees with free entries to the ride. Please contact us to learn more about this exciting employee benefit.

Get the reels and wheels moving - the film submission deadline is approaching for The World on Wheels: The 3rd Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival. It is the ONLY film festival in the USA that focuses specifically on bicycle travel.

The submission deadline is on April 1st - less than a month away! - so pedal your short (3-60 minutes) bike travel film on over to us. You could win a free Ciclismo Classico bike vacation! All the details are at www.ciclismoclassico.com/filmfest.

The festival itself is on May 17th the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA. In addition to the films, attendees will enjoy our famous Cookie Showcase, copious door prizes, and special guest Liz Roberts, CEO of Terry Bicycles. The Festival is a benefit for MassBike.

Last year's Somerville Illuminations Bicycle Tour was a great success, attracting over 50 riders. So we're going to do it again tomorrow night. We meet at 6 pm in front of Somerville High School, leaving promptly at 6:20. Our tour will visit most of the same houses as the trolley tour, but will use quieter, more bicycle-friendly roads to reach them.

Dress warmly -- temperatures will be in the low 30s. Your bike should have a working headlight and tail-light, but the more lights, the better, both for safety and in keeping with the theme.

Please bring a $5 donation to support the Somerville Arts Council. This event is jointly sponsored by the Arts Council and the Somerville Bicycle Committee.

Here's a map of tomorrow's bike tour. Edit (since the map was changed after I posted this): The red line shows the bike tour route. The blue pushpins are notably-lit houses that the tour passes by.

The Somerville Bicycle Committee and Somerville Arts Council will lead the second annual Illuminations bike tour on Saturday, December 17, 2011 (the same night as the Arts Council's Illuminations Trolley Tour).

This is a fairly slow ride that goes by some of the most well lit houses in the city. The tour is about an hour long with many stops to chat and see the lights.

Details:

Meet Location: Somerville High School
Meet Time: 6:00pm
Departure: 6:20pm
Required: warm clothes & bike lights
Recommended: holiday lights, costumes & good cheer
Suggested Donation to the Somerville Arts Council: $5
Afterwards: Hot drinks & treats at City Hall

Hope to see you all there.

( See our poster behind this cut )

(I know it seems early, but seeing as I'm receiving holiday party evites like crazy this week - tis the season)

Put some antlers on your helmet, tie some jingle bells to your two-wheeled friend, and join fellow holiday merrymakers at the 15th annual Ciclismo Classico Jingle Ride.

On Sunday, December 11th, a grand parade of cyclists, many in holiday costumes, will meet in Arlington for a leisurely bike excursion to Boston and back. This 22 mile ride rolls through Harvard Square, the Esplanade, Boston Common, and Newbury Street. The group makes occasional stops to sing carols for passersby, and enjoys bringing some unexpected holiday cheer to all who witness the group.

The ride concludes with a party in Ciclismo Classico CEO Lauren Hefferon’s Arlington home – complete with food, hot drinks, and a roaring fire.

NEW for 2011 – ride includes “picnic” lunch in Boston, and we are encouraging more people to ride as a team or group. There will be new prizes for best-dressed team (of 4 or more riders), and biggest team. We’ve also streamlined the riding route.

Jingle with Ciclismo Classico!
Date: Sunday December 11, 2011 (rain/snow date Sunday, December 18th)
Time: 11 AM to 2:30 PM
Distance: 22 mile leisurely loop from Arlington to Boston and back
Starting point: Jam N’ Java, 594 Mass. Ave in Arlington Center
Cost: Suggested donation of $25 (children under 18 are free if accompanied by an adult). Includes an on-the-go lunch. All proceeds go to CYCLE Kids.
Fun stuff: Prizes for best costume, best decorated bike, and (NEW FOR 2011) best-dressed team of four or more riders, and biggest riding team.
More info: http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/jingleride2011

Note: Whether you are a tin soldier or “Olive, the Other Reindeer”, there needs to be a helmet on your head!

RSVP is required – contact MJ Keeler at 781-646-3377 or mj@ciclismoclassico.com
(x post to DSLJ)

On October 15, the Somerville Bicycle Committee led a bike tour of places throughout Somerville where art is produced, exhibited, or performed. If you didn't ride with us last week, you can take a self-guided tour anytime with our maps and pamphlet:

http://somervillebikes.org/documents/TourMap.pdf - the entire bike tour route
http://somervillebikes.org/documents/Squares.pdf - inset maps for Davis and Union squares
http://somervillebikes.org/documents/ArtsInTheVille2011.pdf - a tour guide, with detailed descriptions and live web links for 68 art-related sites in Somerville
http://goo.gl/NpP19 - Google map of the tour

The maps indicate each site by number, and the tour guide describes each site and includes clickable URLs for most of them.

Please comment with any additions or corrections. Eventually I'd like to turn this project over to the Arts Council to include on their website.

This Saturday, I'll be leading the Somerville Bicycle Committee's annual Tour de Somerville. Our theme this year is "Arts in the 'Ville"; we'll be visiting places throughout the city where art is made, exhibited, or performed. We'll meet at 10 am at Seven Hills Park (behind the MBTA station on Holland Street), leaving promptly at 10:15.

Our stops will include the new Artisan's Asylum (home base to the local art-bike gang SCUL), the new Mudflat pottery studio, Fringe in Olive Square, and the artist studio buildings at Brickbottom, Joy Street, Vernon Street, and Washington Street Art Center.

If you're interested in local art, bicycles, or both, please join us!

A route map is at http://goo.gl/NpP19 , and a ride poster at http://goo.gl/Cgr5R .

We don't expect any rain on Saturday, but if that happens, we'll try again on Sunday, same time and starting location.

The Somerville Bicycle Committee invites you to ride our 19th Annual Tour de Somerville.  This year's theme is "Arts in the 'Ville".

We'll meet at 10 am on Saturday, October 15 in Seven Hills Park, behind the Holland Street MBTA entrance in Davis Square. We will depart promptly at 10:15.

The tour will ride by places throughout Somerville where art is produced, exhibited, or performed.  We'll get off our bikes to visit the new Artisan's Asylum (home base to Somerville's SCUL art-bike gang), the new Mudflat, and Fringe at Olive Square.  We'll also briefly stop by several artists' studio buildings where Open Studios will occur later this fall: Brickbottom, Joy Street, Vernon Street, and Washington Street Art Center.

More information will be available at http://SomervilleBikes.org/events.html .  

A tentative route map, showing all* of the Somerville art-related places we're aware of, is at http://goo.gl/NpP19 . 

A ride poster is at http://goo.gl/Cgr5R (PDF) or  http://goo.gl/dP8fC (JPG)

If there is steady rain on Saturday, we'll postpone the ride to Sunday, October 16, same starting place and time.

(* We think that our map lists every Somerville art-related place that isn't a private residence.  If we've overlooked something important, please comment on this post and tell us what we've left out.)

from Medford Historical Society event page:

Historic Bicycle Tour: The Great Women of Medford

Saturday, September 24, 2011, starts at 10 AM (rain date: Sunday, September 25)

Learn about the history of Medford's famous and infamous women and explore some of the city's hidden corners. Meet at Whole Foods in Medford (2151 Mystic Valley Parkway, just north of Boston Ave.) at 10:00 AM for refreshments. The tour itself will begin at 10:30 AM and include discussions of Amelia Earhart, Belinda Royall, Fannie Farmer, Sarah Bradlee Fulton and Judge Shirley Jackson.

We will cover about 7 miles and finish at 12:30 PM at the West Medford Community Center (111 Arlington Street) for a lunch supplied by Whole Foods. Cyclists at all levels are welcome. Helmets are required.

A suggested donation of $5 will help support Medford Historical Society's public programming.

I rescued my parents old Motobecane road bikes from a garage where they'd been collecting dust for 30 years. The tires are rotten, but the other moving parts look pretty good. They were purchased in 1980, I think for about 500 bucks each.

I gather from skimming Cranky Bike Snob WebForums that these bikes can be a little frustrating because they use some non-standard measurements. My initial enthusiasm that I could trade these valuable treasures in for a windfall at a grateful bike shop has dissipated. Now I just want to get them to somewhere where they will be appreciated, and maybe a 50 dollar gift card to donate to my upcoming charity silent auction.

Where would these best be received? Am I likely to get anything in return for them? Should I just leave them outside of Bikes not Bombs, ring the doorbell and run?

Redbones is holding its annual Bike Party and Benefit tonight on Chester Street, from 5 to 9 pm. $15 gets you food & drink, bicycle valet parking, and a raffle ticket. Additional raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5. Raffle drawing is at 7:30 pm.

Full information is here.

Hi all - I posted a few months ago but I hope you'll forgive me for posting again since it is more bike-happy weather out and I'm thinking about SUMMER!

Join us for the 5th annual MassBike Pike, a four-day cycling tour from August 11th through 14th. This year's "friendliest ride in the East" explores the quiet back roads of scenic Western Massachusetts and the Berkshires.

The Mass BikePike Tour welcomes a wide range of cyclists of all abilities, offering shorter and longer riding options for the day - leaving plenty of time to enjoy the many tourist attractions of the area, or just to have an ice cream break.

Proceeds from the ride benefit the Mass Bike Coalition. For more information or to sign up, please visit www.massbikepike.org.

This Sunday, May 22, the Somerville Bicycle Committee and Somerville Historic Preservation Commission will lead our 10th Annual Somerville History Bicycle Tour. Riders will assemble at 1:30 pm at Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Ave., leaving promptly at 1:45 pm.

We'll explore Prospect Hill, East Somerville, Winter Hill, Magoun Square, West Somerville, and Spring Hill before finishing at the Somerville Museum, where we'll arrive just in time for the opening reception of their new Small Obsession exhibit.

Please bring a $3 donation to help support the Historic Preservation Commission's activities.

Google map of the route, with pushpins indicating historic places we'll go by or stop at
Google Docs TIFF format map, easily printable, with letters indicating stops along the way
Turn-by-turn cue sheet
 

Bike to the Sea Day, June 12

The 19th annual Bike to the Sea Day ride will be held on Sunday, June 12, 2011 beginning at 9 am. Meet at the Dockside Restaurant, 229 Centre St. in Malden.

A 10 mile family ride will reach Vitale Park in Saugus and an 18 mile adult ride will reach Nahant Beach before returning to Malden (distances are round-trip). Children must be 8 or over, under 16 accompanied by an adult. Helmets must be worn by all. The $25 family of four fee and the $15 individual rider fee also covers T-shirts, pizza and door prizes after the ride back at the Dockside.

Volunteers are needed for registration tables and to serve as marshals out on the course. To volunteer or for a ride registration form, call 781-397-6893 or you may pre-register at Active.com.  Riders may also register outside the Dockside on the day of the ride from 8 until 8:30 am.

Bike to the Sea, Inc. is a Malden-based, non-profit organization that works for bicycle safety and safe places to ride. Bike to the Sea's main focus has been the development of the Northern Strand Community Trail, a multi-use trail that will extend from Everett through Malden, Saugus, Revere to the Lynn waterfront. http://www.biketothesea.com

Constructions has begun and several miles of trail will be complete by the end of the summer. Members and volunteers are very much needed as the dream of the Northern Strand becomes a reality.

Pre-register at:
http://www.active.com/cycling/malden-ma/bike-to-the-sea-day-9-am-june-12-2011
or
http://bit.ly/iIRXwS

Event flyer/registration form:
http://www.biketothesea.com/regform2011.pdf

Follow us:
http://www.facebook.com/biketothesea
http://www.twitter.com/biketothesea

Hi all,
As we wait for the weather to get warmer, I thought I'd mention a really fun ride I'm working on for this summer:


Join us for the 5th annual MassBike Pike, a four-day cycling tour from August 11th to 14th. This year's "friendliest ride in the East" explores the quiet back roads of scenic Western Massachusetts and the Berkshires.

The Mass BikePike Tour welcomes a wide range of cyclists of all abilities, offering shorter and longer riding options for the day - leaving plenty of time to enjoy the many tourist attractions of the area, or just to have an ice cream break. Riders of all types have been very happy in previous editions of the ride – it’s also good for families or friends who travel at different speeds – and this year’s route promises to be the best yet!

Proceeds from the ride benefit the Mass Bike Coalition. To sign up or find out more, please visit www.massbikepike.org We only have 125 spots, so sign up ASAP!

Please join the Somerville Bicycle Committee on Saturday evening, Dec 18, to celebrate the coming of winter and year round cycling. We will enjoy a casual bike tour to see some of the city's homes warmly lit for the holidays.

We will meet at the Somerville High School entrance at 6:50pm, departing promptly at 7:15 pm.
We will tour the city in coordination with the Somerville Arts Council's long-established Illuminations Holiday Trolley Tour.

This is a winter evening ride, so please dress warmly and use bike lights.

The Somerville Bicycle Committee's Tour de Somerville will take place tomorrow - Saturday, October 16. We'll explore off-road paths in Somerville and neighboring towns, especially along Alewife Brook and the Mystic River.

We'll meet at 10 am at Seven Hills Park, behind the Holland Street MBTA entrance in Davis Square. The ride will leave promptly at 10:15. A map of the route is at http://tinyurl.com/TourSomerville2010 . A little more information is at http://SomervilleBikes.org/Events.html .

Somerville police will escort the ride, and Redbones will provide refreshments at a rest stop. Some of the paths we're exploring are unpaved dirt and may be challenging for bicycles with narrow tires.

Right now we think a rain postponement (to Sunday) is unlikely, but if it is necessary we'll announce it at http://SomervilleBikes.org/Events.html .

This Saturday, October 2, there will be a Historic Bicycle Tour of the Middlesex Canal, starting at 9 am at Sullivan Square station. The ride ends in Lowell in time to take the 5 pm train back to Boston. You can also bail out and take earlier trains at several stations along the way (Wilmington, North Billerica).

Sunday is the Cambridge Bow-Tie Ride, starting at 12:30 pm at Lechmere Canal Park, behind the Cambridgeside Galleria mall.

The Somerville Bicycle Committee will hold the 18th annual Tour de Somerville on Saturday, October 16. This year's theme is "Paths, Present and Future: A Mystic River Ramble".

This bike tour will explore current and proposed off-road paths in and near Somerville, especially those along Alewife Brook and the Mystic River.

Meet at 10 am at Seven Hills Park, behind the Holland Street MBTA entrance in Davis Square. We will depart promptly at 10:15.

The Somerville Police Department will help escort the ride, and Redbones will provide refreshments at a rest stop.

In case of steady rain, we'll try again on Sunday, October 17, same starting time and location.

More information will be available at http://SomervilleBikes.org/events.html . A tentative route map is at http://tinyurl.com/TourSomerville2010 .

(Note: Some of the off-road route is unpaved and may be difficult for bikes with very narrow tires.)

The Medford Historical Society is planning another historic bike tour of that city.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Starts at 10:00 AM, Whole Foods Market parking lot.
2151 Mystic Valley Parkway (Route 16 just north of Boston Ave), Medford, MA

Join a group of avid cyclists and historians for the second annual historical bike tour of Medford. This year we will focus on Medford’s rum and ship-building industries and explore some of the city’s hidden corners by bike. The tour will begin at Whole Foods Market in Medford, they will donate water and fruit bars at the start. It will last 8 miles (about 2 hours), and we will finish with a rum tasting and snacks.

Some stops on the Bike Tour will include: Mystic Riverbend Park , Forest Street Post Office, Isaac Royall House, and Historic Ship Street.

Helmets are required, all cycling levels welcome. Suggested donation of $5.00 will support future Medford Historical Society programming.

Information:
Kyna Hamill
Chair, Programming Committee
Medford Historical Society
kynahamill@yahoo.com

Anyone care to recommend a local shop (fsvo "local") that has SPD-compatible sandals in stock? Especially for guys with big feet?

REI has some Keen sandals but no longer has any size 12s in stock. I tried at a couple of LBSs today and neither of them carried cycling sandals at all. (The guy at Back Bay Bicycle, amusingly, said he'd never even heard of them and thought it sounded like a terrible idea.) I'd prefer to buy locally so I can try them on if possible (a wise move given how much I regret buying cheapo sandals from Nashbar last year), and I'd prefer to buy from an independent shop whenever possible.

HELMETS.
LIGHTS.
PAYING ATTENTION to the street and the cars on it - that all outweigh you by 1000 lbs at least.
If you're on your phone, you'd better fucking be on handsfree.
If you have a music player, you're NOT listening to it.

Oh, and if you're riding at night?
Light clothes would be good. Reflective things would be good.

All in all, not BEING A MOTHER-FUCKING IDIOT would be good.

Seemingly, though, this is too hard for many many cyclists around here. What the fucking FUCK, people?

Here's hoping the one who (seemingly) hit a moving car tonight on Broadway in Arlington survives their idiocy in reasonable shape.

Hi, everyone. Looking for opinions: If I assemble my bike using self-extracting crank bolts, and lock it up outside a bar in Cambridge/Boston, am I asking to get my crankset stolen? (I've never built a bike before, so I'm having trouble choosing some parts.)

Help support Bikes Not Bombs by riding your bike with other like-minded folks this Sunday. Details here.