Quick Release 8/9/07

What’s MassBike Working On?

Bicyclist Safety Bill: Probably our most frequently asked question is, “What’s up with the Bicyclist Safety Bill?” Well, Sen. Resor’s office has submitted some minor technical changes to the Public Safety Committee, and asked them to move the bill along and report it favorably. And now we wait. If it looks like the bill is stalled, we’ll ask you to contact your legislators later. But we’re optimistic – after all, the bill passed last year (though it was vetoed) and we’re confident we can pass it again this time.

Kids Bike Education: Stay tuned for more news on this shortly, but in addition to our adult cycling skills classes, we’re also working on a children’s bicycling education campaign.

College Bike Education: We’re also working on getting bicycling safety information into college health and safety centers, new student orientations, and university police departments. We’ve gotten a great response from schools in the Boston Metro Area, and will shortly be expanding our outreach efforts from there.

Public Health: MassBike has joined an ad hoc coalition of public health and transportation advocates who aim to explore areas of overlapping interest between our own organizations and public agencies. We had a joint meeting with Judy Ann Bigby, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Bernard Cohen, Secretary of Transportation and Public Works, and are continuing to work with both Secretariats.

National Conference of State Legislatures Ride: The annual National Conference of State Legislatures was in Boston this year, and we had a great time showing some state legislators Boston by bike (though sadly none of our own state’s legislators rode). Urban AdvenTours provided bikes and a great route, and about 70 people enjoyed the morning.

MassBike Harpoon Social: Thanks again to the Harpoon Brewery, the Middle East Night Club and Restaurant, and everyone who came out to our MassBike Harpoon Social last week, making it a huge success! More people than ever attended, the beer was plentiful, the falafel was delicious, and we had a great time.

MassBike Collecting Bicycle Crash Info

It seems like cyclist tragedy in Massachusetts has reached a fever pitch. Just last week a cyclist was killed when a motorist speeding the wrong way down a one-way street hit him head on, making that at least the fifth cyclist death since April.

We've long debated at MassBike how to respond to cyclist injuries or deaths in a way that isn't crass or opportunistic, and while we still haven't reached consensus, we've finally decided that we at least have to track this information, because very few other people are.

Please let us know about any crashes or other incidents you're involved in on your bike or otherwise know about, anywhere in the state, in as much detail as you can. We'd also like to know about accidents due to poor road or trail conditions.

If you can spare a second, send an email to Nadav@massbike.org with any incidents you know about from the beginning of 2007 until now, including any relevant news links, even if you think we might already be aware of it.

Right now, data collection by state and local agencies is spotty at best. Tracking this information will go a long way towards convincing policy makers that there's a real problem, and that more and better data is needed.

Last Chance to Register for Mass BikePike Tour: August 16-19

Massachusetts has it all, and the goal of this annual multi-day ride across the state is to celebrate cycling in the Commonwealth. Join us for all the excitement as we explore Massachusetts, coasting through the beautiful countryside of rolling fields, majestic woods, and picturesque towns. This year, our trip begins in Concord, home to Walden Pond, Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, and the Shot Heard 'Round The World, and ends as we parade down Main Street in the bustling town of Northampton, a center of the region's thriving crafts and music scene. Proceeds from the Mass BikePike Tour benefit MassBike!

There are a few spots left, so if you’re interested, register ASAP!

For more info on registration, the route, ride planning, etc., click here.

Pre-register for the MassBike Festival & Pie Race: August 25

Registration for MassBike's 5th Annual Bike Festival & Pie Race is now OPEN, with early bird pricing until 8/18 (save $5)!

The festivities take place at Verrill Farm in Concord, MA, on August 25.

What’s in store? Rides from 6-62 miles, including the Lost Lake Metric Century, the Ice Cream Headache IV, the Canoeing Ride; of course, our one-of-a-kind Pie Race, with categories for serious racers and casual riders; a bike expo, a BBQ, and more!

All proceeds benefit better bicycling in Massachusetts.

Join MassBike for a day of late summer fun. From serious cyclists to families to pie-loving weekend warriors, there’s something for everyone and fun rides (and pies!) to suit all tastes.

We are so psyched!

Click here for more details and pre-registration.

Other Rides

Discover Hartford Bicycling and Walking Tour: September 8

Join thousands of cyclists on Saturday, September 8th as they Discover Hartford! 25-mile and 10-mile bicycling options and a 2-hour walking tour option! More than 45 Hartford, CT, community partners! A great family friendly event with deeply discounted early registration and reduced registration for youth riders.

This event is organized by the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance. For six years the CCBA has been involved in local Bike to Work programs. In 2005 the CCBA organized as an official charity in order to advocate for better bicycling and pedestrian facilities. The CCBA still runs Bike to Work, but has substantially expanded its activities to include bicycle advocacy in general with both regional and statewide impact. This bike tour is a major outreach event for the CCBA and will increase exposure of cycling in the Connecticut Capital while putting more bikes on the streets and multi-use paths.

This is an anti-sprawl, pro-fun, pro-sustainable city, anti-pollution, anti-couch potato, pro-bicycle, pro-pedestrian event!

Click here for more info.

Autumn Escape Bike Trek: September 14-16

The 23rd annual Autumn Escape Bike Trek is presented by the American Lung Association of Massachusetts. Key sponsors include Kindred Healthcare and New England Data Services.

Over 300 cyclists will take part in the fun, 3-day, 160-mile "at your own pace" tour along Cape Cod. There is a 2-day, 105-mile option available as well. The rides start in Plymouth and goes to Sandwich where overnight accommodations are at Camp Burgess. From Sandwich, riders will head to Brewster where overnight accommodations are at Cape Cod Sea Camps. Here, riders can participate in a cyclocross clinic and will enjoy a lobster dinner and the annual Autumn Escape Bike Trek ceremonies, sure to bring lots of laughs and great memories and maybe even a few tears. After breakfast, riders will head to Provincetown, where the ride concludes.

We provide SAG support, hands on medical support, luggage and bike transportation, and police details. We also provide air-conditioned transportation back to both starting points. Join the Autumn Escape Bike Trek and ride for someone who cannot. Ride for someone affected by lung disease such as COPD, lung cancer, or asthma. Or just ride for yourself and enjoy the beautiful scenery while making some new friends.

The registration fee for 3 day $75
The registration fee for 3 day $55
Fundraising minimum $500

Winner's Circle - minimum fundraising donation $1,500. Special perks include an invitation to the Winner's Circle Dinner held in October sponsored by Redbones BBQ in Somerville.

This ride donates $1 per rider to support MassBike.

For more information, please call Elise Kerrigan at 781-890-4262 x210 or visit our website at http://www.lungma.org/ and click on the Autumn Escape Bike Trek logo.  

Hub On Wheels: Sunday, September 23

For one day in September Storrow Drive becomes a bike path:
Hub On Wheels
Citywide bike ride & festival
Sunday, September 23, 2007

Join us for Boston’s only citywide bike ride and festival. Hub On Wheels lets you tour Boston like you’ve never done before – on your bike with no cars around to get in your way – and you help Boston Public School students get the technology and the skills they need to succeed in today’s world. A great cause. A fabulous time.

Sign up now and get free goodies!

The first 100 people to register will receive free Hub on Wheels T-Shirts. And, if you join one of our "featured" teams you can receive additional goodies. "Featured" teams are open to everyone, but sign up early, because the goodies go fast.

• First 100 to register onto Team WHOLE FOODS MARKET get a $25 gift card to Whole Foods Market.
• First 30 to register onto Team VOLVO receive a free Volvo cycling jersey.
• First 25 to register onto Team WHEELWORKS receive a free cycling cap.
• First 50 to register onto Team REI receive a free OXT quick dry REI T-shirt.
• First 10 to register onto Team BOSTON GLOBE get $150 donated on their behalf to the Boston Digital Bridge Foundation.

For more information and to register online, click here.

Rubel Boston Bike Maps are BACK!

The wait is over, they’re finally here! More anticipated than Harry Potter! The brand new 9 th Edition of the much sought after Rubel Boston Bike Map is back in stock and in the MassBike store now.

This map shows the greater Boston area with detailed road information, recommended roads for cycling, bicycle paths, bike shops, hills (contour lines), parks, and John Allen's detailed article How to Ride in Boston Traffic. Shows the entire Minuteman Bikeway including access points. Other features include guides to bicycling books, organizations, theft prevention, pothole "hotlines", and regional access maps.

As an added bonus, we now have the slick, waterproof versions of the Boston and Cape Cod maps, available through our online shop soon!

To purchase your copy, click here.

MassBike 30 th Anniversary T-Shirts and Polo Shirts!

That’s right, it’s hard to believe we’ve been around for that long, but 2007 marks 30 years of bicycling advocacy in Massachusetts. To commemorate the occasion, we’ve got spiffy new MassBike T-shirts and polo shirts. These puppies are sweet.

The T’s are available in crisp, classic white, or stylish charcoal gray. To order a T-shirt, click here!

The polo’s are available in black, gray, or white, and in a wide range of sizes, and both men's and women's cuts. Great for showing your support for MassBike on business-casual days! To pre-order a polo shirt, click here! We’ll be putting the order in at the end of this month.

To see our full range of apparel, click here.

Call for Entries for the Third Annual Boston Bike Film Festival

Organizers for the Third Annual Boston Bike Film Festival ask filmmakers with a cycling habit to submit their work to be shown October 19-20, 2007at venues in and around Boston. Among the benefits available to acclaimed and amateur filmmakers alike, the Festival offers a chance to get your film in front of audiences who are intrigued and influential to the quality of cycling nationwide.

Film concepts from last year's festival ranged from learning how to become a bike commuter in Boston to a documentary that exposed the backlash against cyclists in the aftermath of arrests after the Republican National Convention held in New York City in August 2004. The Harvard-Smithsonian-funded feature "POV Me" engaged audiences with a scientific look at the machinations of Human Powered Vehicle speed.

Types of films shown at the BBFF include animated shorts, digitally enhanced clips, and feature length documentaries.

Submissions for preview should be either VHS or DVD. Early-bird submissions must be postmarked by August 17, 2007. All submissions must be received by September 21, 2007. Signed Submission and Release forms should accompany each entry.

Submission form
Release form

For more festival information and submission details, click here.

Join MassBike!

If you ride a bike in Massachusetts, you should be a MassBike member. Whether you’re a commuter, tourist, racer, recreational rider, mountain biker, messenger, or unicyclist, MassBike’s advocacy efforts help make riding safer and better for you. Please join our growing membership and support better bicycling. We truly appreciate it, and to show our appreciation we’re working hard to expand our member benefits: discounts at more bike shops, B&B’s, and other services; discounts on car insurance and Zipcar; and a free subscription to BikeCulture magazine.

Click here to join and make your mama proud!