Bike Night: From The Bikeway To The Runway is Friday, June 7th! But ticket sales end Tuesday, June 4th, and tickets will not be available at the door. Act right now to reserve your seat at Boston’s only cycling gala and fashion show! Support MassBike‘s statewide advocacy and education programs helping more people ride bikes more safely, and be part of the Massachusetts cycling community’s signature event:

• Free bike valet parking
• A personal professional photo of you in all your finery
• 2 free libations courtesy of Sam Adams, Bacardi, Grey Goose and Robert Mondavi
• Sumptuous hors d’oeuvres
• Divine 3-course dinner
• Our famous Cycling Fashion Show
• Dozens of raffle prizes
• Amazing silent auction items

Ticket sales absolutely end Tuesday or as soon as we sell out. Get your ticket now!

The month of May – Bike Month – is almost here. That means that Bay State Bike Week is just around the corner. We’ve already started getting events submitted for the upcoming week of bicycle celebrations (May 11-19). There is a Bike to School Day on the Cape, a Bike Rodeo in the Pioneer Valley, and a Bike Film Festival in Metro Boston, and the MassCommute Bicycle Challenge, to name only a few events.

Now is the time to submit your event to the calendar.

During the week of May 11-19, people across the state will be searching for events in their community or region – this calendar connects them up with your great event! Plus, registering your event for Bay State Bike Week also does the following:

• Makes your event eligible for Bay State Bike Week swag, such as t-shirts and reflective ankle straps.
• Provides branding materials for promotion of the event.
• Gives event attendees a chance to win great prizes in a drawing!

If you have already registered your event, but want to request materials for Bay State Bike Week, check out this page here. If you have any questions about submitting an event to the calendar, requesting materials, or anything else, please do not hesitate to email BayStateBikeWeek@MassBike.org.

Finally, if you haven’t yet planned an event but are interested in doing so, it’s not too late! There is still plenty of time to put together a bike ride, bike breakfast, or other event for your community. We have included both weekends to allow for more recreational events, and not just work commuting. Check out our Event Planning Resources for more information on how to plan an event.

Massachusetts has so much to offer – rolling hills, pastoral valleys, historic towns and cities. This year, we are offering an opportunity to see it all – by bike! Registration for the first-ever Berkshires to Boston Bicycle Tour opens March 28th.

The Berkshires to Boston Tour is a four-day, 240-mile bike ride which will showcase the best of Massachusetts cycling and will also help support MassBike’s advocacy efforts. Beginning in the scenic Berkshire hills along the New York border, the tour meanders through the Connecticut River Valley and spins though the historic communities of Lexington and Concord before arriving in Boston. Upon arrival in Boston, riders will join more than 5,000 cycling enthusiasts for Hub on Wheels, Boston’s annual cycling festival.

Registration starts at $295 for the full tour and $125 for the weekend. Register early and save money! Space is limited to 300 riders.

This is a wonderful opportunity at a great price, so be sure to reserve your spot today!

Call MassBike at (617) 542-2453 or visit the Berkshires to Boston site for more information.

Starting at 5:30, the MassBike Board of Directors will hold a brief business meeting where Executive Director David Watson will report on MassBike’s 2012 accomplishments and preview our 2013 plans, followed by Q&A. We’ll conclude the evening with a relaxed opportunity for people to get to know their fellow bike advocates. Be sure to stick around and play some pool, because Flat Top Johnny’s has generously donated four tables for our members. This is a great opportunity for you to meet others in the bicycling community working to make our rides safer and even more fun.

The event is free and open to the public, but a $5 donation is recommended. Not a member yet? Join at the event and save $5! You can RSVP to events@massbike.org so we can tell Flat Top Johnny’s how many people to expect. Even if you don’t RSVP, please come anyway!

Light appetizers will be provided, and we will have drink and/or meal specials for those who want dinner.

Bike Breakfast in the Pioneer Valley

It’s really impressive – we’ve already gotten some emails and phone calls from Bay State Bike Week organizers asking what the dates are for 2013, because they have already started planning their events.

This year, Bay State Bike Week will take place from May 11 – 19. And for the first time includes both weekends to extend the fun even more!

Last year, there were over 150 events around the state, ranging from bike breakfasts to bike rides to bike festivals – basically, if it was bike-related, it was on the calendar. On our end, we have already started meeting with our partners at MassDOT and MassRIDES to plan website updates, what kinds of goodies we will have for partner organizations, and how to support even more events in more communities.

The state has made two announcements this past year which make Bay State Bike Week even more relevant. First, the state released its draft GreenDOT Implementation Plan, MassDOT’s Sustainability Policy. Second, the state recently announced mode shift goals which centered on tripling biking, walking and transit by 2030. Events like Bay State Bike Week will be crucial in raising the profile of bicycling as a safe, fun, and convenient way to get around.

Whether you’re an event organizer, past event attendee, or just someone who likes to bike, be sure to mark your calendars. See you in May!

We’re happy to announce that they were such a big hit we decided to order some more. Same great quality, same great cause, and still locally made.

This second run is made possible thanks to Sam Adams (another great local company) graciously stepping up as the official sponsor of our jerseys. These beauties are now available just in time for the holidays in our online store and at the Sam Adams Brewery. All jersey proceeds from our online store go to making the biking safer and more enjoyable here in Massachusetts.  Members save $15 and can pick one up for only $70.

Do you need a gift for that picky cyclist in your family? Or maybe a friend who wants to buy locally-produced apparel that also supports bike advocacy, oh, and looks pretty good, too. Or are you starting to get multiple text messages from your mother to drop some “holiday hints”?

Relax. We’ve got it covered.

With a large inventory of t-shirts, cycling apparel and accessories we are your one stop shop for all your holiday gift needs.  As a special gift to you we are offering FREE shipping during the holiday season and 10% off maps with promo code HOLIDAY2012, in addition to the deep discount that members already get on all MassBike merchandise.  So check out the MassBike online store and be sure to pick up a water bottle, t-shirt, jersey, or map today!

Another great, tax-deductible gift option for the bike-loving person or family in your life is to purchase a MassBike Gift Membership. Membership costs just $35 and gives the recipient access to tons of special member benefits.

Still not sure what to give, think about giving the best gift of all – a better place for biking. Click here to make a donation to MassBike in honor of the cyclists in your life. Your contribution will help us to keep working hard to make the roads a little friendlier for you and your loved ones.

With Daylight Savings Time behind us, it getting dark a lot earlier. This means it’s that time again – our annual “Light up the Night” blog post! Even though we put out a riding at night post every year, I don’t want you to think that this post is pro-forma.  We write this annual post because being visible matters. A lot.

At the very least, use a front and rear light. Massachusetts law requires that you have a front light and rear reflector, but a rear light is even better. Usually lights come in pairs anyway. When picking out lights for your bike, it is 25% about seeing where you’re going and 75% about being seen by others on the road.

After dark, it’s important to make sure motorists can see you way before they get near you. I usually know to turn my lights on by the street lights coming on. As law states you must light up your bike no later than 30 minutes after sundown.

Lights are too expensive, you say? Well, if you are a MassBike Member, be sure to check out our bike shop partners who will give you a discount on bike gear.

Installing both a front and rear light is a great first step, but why stop there? When you go through an intersection, it’s equally important to be visible from the sides. Here are our suggestions for what else you need to light up the night:

1. Reflective or lighted ankle straps, or pedal reflectors: Some pedals come with reflectors. While both types of ankle straps do double duty by keeping your pants away from your dirty chain, lighted ones provide more visibility.
2. Reflective Clothing: Examples include bicycling-specific jackets with day-glo accents and or a construction worker-style vest. Both will provide the necessary sideways visibility with their neon colors and/or reflective striping.
3. Other Reflective Accessories: Wheel reflectors, reflective tires, and reflective tape and stickers that can go on almost any part of your bicycle are other options, especially if you might forget a vest or jacket at home. There are also great lights that can be added to your spokes or bike frame that are both a bit more fun and eye catching then traditional wheel reflectors.
4. Reflective, But Fashionable If you’re afraid of not being quite chic enough, then not to worry! There is a clear reflective spray paint that they produce that can make anything light up. Also check out some of these more “Cycle Chic” reflective options.

You wouldn’t drive a car after dark without lights, so why would you ride a bike that way? Remember, you don’t get extra points for being a bike ninja. Be seen and stay safe!

To help organize all the discounts we offer, we have developed an interactive map of MassBike member benefits statewide. Look around and see if there is a bike shop or coffee place near you that offers a discount. You’re already saving a chunk of change if you go by bike – why not save a little more for being a MassBike member? You can also check out this link to view the list of new member benefits (and access the interactive map).

Along with all the new discounts, these businesses are now also featured in a new iPhone app called GreenStack. This app allows you to combine (or stack) your member discounts to get the maximum discount at your favorite local businesses.

We are always looking for new member benefits; if you have a business interested in offering our members a discount, contact membership@massbike.org.

The incoming trend of fashionable neon color is especially good news for commuting cyclists as we head into the colder, darker months when it is more likely that you will be riding either to or from work in the dark. So next time someone makes a remark about your safety vest or other neon riding clothes be sure to let them know that you are just trying to follow the fashion trends!