we heart our bikes

long-term indoor bike parking

2009-04-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Department of City Planning (DCP) is proposing a text amendment to the Zoning Resolution to require indoor, secure, long-term bicycle parking in new multi-family residential, community facility, and commercial buildings. The proposed text amendment would provide for bicycle parking and storage both at home and in the workplace, with standards that serve the needs of cyclists while providing flexibility to accommodate the needs of development.

See the article here.

bike garages

2009-04-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

The following garages allow you to park your bike indoors. Remember to bring a lock. Parking is free, unless otherwise indicated. Please note that locations that are privately owned may change their rates or may change the availability of bicycle parking.

Manhattan
105 Essex Street (north of Delancey Street)345 Park Avenue (at 52nd Street) $2.50 a day - privately owned
30 Park Avenue (at 36th Street) $2.50 a day - privately owned211 E. 71st Street (east of 3rd Avenue) $1.00 a day - privately owned
112 W. 25th Street (at 6th Ave) - privately owned80 Pine St. $2.50 a day - privately owned

Bronx
Jerome Avenue at 190th StreetStreet Jerome Avenue at Gun Hill Road

Queens
Court Square (near Jackson Avenue)
90th Avenue (between Parsons Blvd. and 160th Street) - privately owned
Queens Borough Hall

City Employees Indoor Bike Parking
Indoor parking is free of charge for all City employees in the area, not just those who work in the listed buildings.
1. 280 Broadway, Manhattan (corner of Broadway and Chambers)Location: In the atrium behind the elevators.Instructions: Use the Broadway entrance.
2. 100 Gold Street, Manhattan (between Spruce St. and Frankfort St.)Location: 1st floor, north side.Instructions: Use the Frankfort St. entrance.
HoursWeekdays (except holidays), from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.To retrieve a bicycle after 7:00 pm, request assistance from lobby security.
Rules-- Cyclists must show their City I.D. to use the room.-- Cyclists must bring locks to secure their bicycles.-- Bicycles and locks should be taken home at the end of each workday.-- The City is not responsible for stolen or damaged property.-- As a courtesy, please park your bicycle to maximize available space for other cyclists.

facts & figures

2008-11-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

bike thefts in Tucson

Facts & Figures the who/what/why/when/where/how of bikers.

Commuter Bike Design competition

2008-11-03T13:20:00.000-08:00

! what a great idea: check it out at Bicycle Design or TreeHugger

There is a shiny new Cannondale as a prize. Here is the brief in brief:

Do you have an idea for a bicycle that might persuade the average person, with no prior interest in cycling, to park the car and pedal to work? That is the main idea behind this competition. The scope is up to you- choose to come up with a whole new form factor for a pedal powered machine, or focus on specific details that you consider key to accomplishing the goal of getting the average non-cyclist to consider riding a bike for transportation. Don’t be constrained by products that are currently on the market, but do make sure that your concepts are based in reality (don’t break the laws of physics, etc) and that they are manufacturable using existing technology.

Bicycle Commuter Tax Provision

2008-11-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

Bicycle Commuter Tax Provision:

financial reimbursement from biking. Get details here.

Accor Services USA is the leading provider of tax-free commuter benefit solutions in the U.S., and we have made it our mission to make tax-free commuter benefits a staple in employee benefits packages throughout the American workplace to help protect the environment.

See more on the Bike commuter Act.

Register your bike

2008-10-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

Since 1984, the National Bike Registry (NBR®) has been working with law enforcement to return stolen bikes to their rightful owners. A bike registered with NBR, the only true national database, can be identified by police and returned to you instead of being sold at an auction.

Register your bike here

$10 will cover a bike for 10 years.
$25 will cover a bike for 30 years.
When you replace your current bike, contact NBR for a new label and certificate, limit one bike at a time.
$25 Family Registration will cover up to 5 bikes at a single address. Each bike is registered for 10 years.
99cent Stolen Bike Registry.
You can register a bike AFTER it has been stolen. In the event that one of our participating law enforcement agencies finds it, it can be returned! (This registration is for one bike, for six months, and does not include a decal or certificate).

2008-10-23T11:15:00.001-07:00

Genentech
Ranked on Fortune best 50 companies, unusual perks: (this is GREAT!)

Best Companies rank: 5

Forget the morning drive. Come to work by bicycle, on foot, via public transportation, or in a carpool and you get a subsidy of $4 a day.

locking tips.

2008-10-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

I spoke to someone who runs a bike shop - maybe you all know these things, but here are some pointers on locking your bike:
do not lock bikes to scaffolding (very easy to undo the bars), nor outside of movies if you are going in (thieves know they have time), always lock in the triangle part of the bike and back wheel, do not lock to jiggly bike signs or those w/out a sign post on top (can be hoisted up), & one of the best locks is the U Kryptonite lock. (Perhaps we can engage them in some conversation about designing a new lock?!)

make it & they will come...

2008-10-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

more on the infrastructure:

If your boss encourages alternative forms of transportation and the place of business provides a shower, then commuting on a bike becomes a reasonable option.

Pedal Power: The Quiet Rise of the Bicycle in American Public Life, by J. Harry Wray. Dr. Wray is a professor at DePaul University in Chicago, and teaches a class devoted entirely to the subject of cycling and politics.

A safe place to park my bike is ultimately the most important factor to me. Bike lanes are just alright with me as they imply that roads without them are unsafe or off limits.

points

2008-10-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

good points raised by Toronto article:
bike sharing - Bikes don’t require quite as much room as cars to park, but when they are popular parking still is a challenge.

The beauty of the ring and post is that you can park right in front of your destination.

Bikes are widely available and treated as a semi-disposable household item; and they need to have it at their own home every morning, and leave it at their station all day long.

Who is selling these “hot bikes”?

Parking lots for bikes can also be found in many places in Denmark (”Cykelparkering”), Switzerland (”Velostation”) and Germany (”Radstation”).

Another option: bike lockers

2008-10-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

Bike Lockers (click for article)

LIRR:
Bike lockers managed by Long Island Transportation Management, 877-4COMMUTE (877-426-6688) are available at Bridgehampton, Central Islip, Cold Spring Harbor, Copiague, Farmingdale, Greenlawn, Greenport, Hicksville, Huntington, Massapequa, Northport, Oakdale, Patchogue, Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, Sayville, Stony Brook, and Wantagh Stations.

Metro-North
Bike lockers at Cortlandt, Dover Plains, Patterson, Tenmile River, and Wassaic Stations and are managed by Allright Parking, 888-682-7275.
Bike lockers at Pawling Station are managed by the Village of Pawling, 845-855-1122.

Tokyo Bike Parking Tower

2008-10-08T13:33:00.001-07:00

thanks Marc for introducing this to me! The Tokyo Bike Parking Tower.

Does anyone speak Japanese that can translate this to me?

The demand exists: here's one person, and another, and another

Washington Post Write up (author Blaine Harden) on bike options.

Today, I left messages for: Blaine Harden, the MTA bike department, Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of Department of Transportation, and Bruce Ehrmann (from the downtown express write up).

design competition!

2008-10-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

need: an industrial design engineer to design a bike rack that locks both wheels. idea: have design competition with pratt & other such institutes in the city. best design(s) get financials for having it produced.

thanks johanna for introducing this idea!

NYC design competition...

Bike links, articles, & blogs, NYC

2008-10-02T23:08:00.000-07:00

Bicycle City
Bicycle City is the largest planned car-free communities project in the United States.

Bike Lane
A great resource of everything having to do with bikes.

Bike New York
Bike New York's mission is to promote and encourage bicycling and bicycle safety through education, public events, and collaboration with community and government organizations.

Community Bike Organizations (by state)

5 Borough Bicycle Club
Now in its 17th year, the 5BBC is New York's friendliest bike club. Our philosophy is to promote both the physical challenge and the social benefits of life on two wheels.

New York Bicycle Coalition
NYBC's Mission is to provide a coherent, credible voice for the interests of all bicyclists in the state, on- or off-road, recreational or racer. We achieve this by working with existing cycling clubs in New York and interested individuals.

New York Bike Messenger Association
The NYBMA is a worker’s alliance of the messenger, by the messenger, and for the messenger. Our mission is to unite, represent and advocate for the bike couriers of New York City.”

NY Bike Share
Imagine walking to a sidewalk corner and finding a public bicycle. With a cellphone call or swipe of a card, you unlock it from its bike rack and ride it across town. Once at your destination, you steer to the closest bike rack and, with one more call or card swipe, return the bike to the public network. You pay less than $.50 for the trip, and the bike is once again available for the taking.

NYC Bike Shops
List of Bike Shops in the NYC area.

New York City Mountain Bike Association
The New York City Mountain Bike Association builds and maintains trails in the five boroughs of New York City, advocates locally and regionally for the sport of mountain biking, and fosters a community of mountain bikers in NYC.

Recycle-A-Bicycle
Recycle-A-Bicycle promotes everyday bicycle use, and it is a great place to learn bicycle mechanics, interact with positive, forward-thinking NYC youth. Our retail shops are the place to find that city bike you need.

Time's UP!
TIME'S UP! is a grassroots environmental group that uses educational outreach and direct action to promote a more sustainable, less toxic city. For more than 15 years, TIME'S UP! has worked to educate people about the environmental impacts of everyday decisions, from the food we buy to the means of transportation we use.

Transportation Alternatives
Our Mission is to reclaim New York City's streets from the automobile, and to advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit as the best transportation alternatives.

Articles:
Installment Bike Art
Experimental installation work is his bag. Earlier this year, Byrne took over the Battery Maritime Building, a century-old ferry terminal in Manhattan and converted the entire structure into a giant musical instrument. He hooked up every element of the building – pipes, radiators, columns, walls – to an old pipe organ and called the installation ‘Playing the Building’. Visitors could tap the walls and run their hands over the radiators and as the title suggests, play the building.

'PICKING' THE LOCK CITY REVEALS FINALISTS IN BIKE-RACK CONTEST

T.A. Investigates NYC Bike Theft
One major reason for not cycling in the city is fear of theft

For City Commuters, Same Old Story for Another Vehicle: Parking Is Scarce

Lock it up: best bike locks

New York and Chicago Groups Receive $15,000 REI Grants to Improve Bicycling

Actor Matthew Modine brings Bike for a Day event to NYC

Bicycle Friendly Community Status Awarded to NYC

Bike Blogs:
Bike Snob NYC
Bicycle Blog

Biking Sites: focus on Oregon & national programs

2008-10-02T22:48:00.001-07:00

a portland, oregon site
bicycle transportation alliance (oregon)

SITES OF INTEREST: (heavily focused from NW part of the US) (italicized are national)

Adventure Cycling
Since 1973, our mission has been to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle for fitness, fun, and self-discovery. Founded in 1973 as Bikecentennial, Adventure Cycling Association is America's premier nonprofit organization dedicated to bicycle travel, with over 42,000 members nationwide.
150 East Pine Street
PO Box 8308
Missoula, MT 59802
800.755.2453
info@adventurecycling.org

America Bikes
America Bikes is a collaborative effort of leaders of the bicycle community to advocate for positive outcomes for bicycling in the next federal transportation funding bill. America Bikes is a non-profit corporation.
America Bikes Campaign
1612 K Street, NW Suite 800
Washington DC, 20006
202.833.8080
info@americabikes.org

Bicycle Alliance of Washington
The Bicycle Alliance of Washington is a non-profit bicycle advocacy and education organization in Washington State working to develop local advocacy groups and provide information and support to those groups. It also lobbies for cyclists’ interests at the Washington State legislature.
PO Box 2904
Seattle, WA 98111
206.224.9252
info@bicyclealliance.org

b.i.k.e. (Bicycles and Ideas for Kids Empowerment)
b.i.k.e. is a non-profit organization that facilitates the development of values and life skills essential for productive citizenship in inner-city youth through bicycling, tutoring, year-round mentoring, and leadership training.
1532 SE Pine Street
Portland, OR 97214
503.234.8454
john@kidsofbike.org

Bikes Belong
Bikes Belong is a national coalition of bicycle suppliers and retailers working together - through national leadership, grassroots support, and promotion - to put more people on bicycles more often.
Bikes Belong Coalition, Ltd.
P.O. Box 2359
Boulder, CO 80306
303.449.4893
mail@bikesbelong.org

Cascade Bicycle Club
Cascade Bicycle Club, a non-profit organization based in Seattle, Washington, is active locally in advocacy and education and produces several major event rides during the year. The Cascade Bicycle Club aims to promote a more bicycle friendly environment and a more livable community.
PO Box 15165
Seattle, WA 98115
206.522.2407
info@cascade.org

Center for Appropriate Transport
The Center for Appropriate Transport (CAT) is a non-profit organization committed to community involvement in manufacturing, using, and advocating sustainable modes of transportation. CAT provides education and youth programs, community resources, various product lines, and publishes Oregon Cycling magazine.
455 W 1st Ave
Eugene, OR 97401
541.344.1197
cat@catoregon.org

City of Beaverton Bicycle Advisory Committee
This committee's duties include promoting bicycle use in and around the City of Beaverton; providing City staff with public review of proposed projects as they affect bicycles, evaluating the existing bikeway system and recommending development priorities for the Bikeway Capital Improvement Program.
PO Box 4755
Beaverton, OR 97076-4755
503.526.2424
mmiddleton@ci.beaverton.or.us

Clark County Bicycle Advisory Committee
The Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) provides direction on bicycle policy, bike related issues, development reviews and comments on road project impacts in Clark, County, Washington.
Staff: Ejaz Khan, Public Works
Phone: 360.397.6118 ext. 4914
Meeting times: Third Tuesday each month, 6 p.m., 1300 Franklin Street, 4th Floor, Vancouver, WA.

Coalition For a Livable Future
The Coalition for a Livable Future is a network of non-profit and community-based organizations working together to create a more equitable and sustainable Portland metropolitan region. The Coalition includes working groups on a number of topics, among them transportation reform, urban design, natural resources and economic vitality.
310 SW 4th Ave., Suite 612
Portland, OR 97204
503.294.2889
info@clfuture.org

Community Cycling Center
The Community Cycling Center runs riding and repair programs for kids 8 to 80. They repair bikes, sell used bikes, and hold several bike events throughout the year.
1700 NE Alberta
Portland, OR 97211
503.288.8864
info@communitycyclingcenter.org

Commute Options for Central Oregon
Commute Options promotes transportation choices that encourage healthy individuals, a clean environment, and a strong economy by educating citizens, businesses, and government about the value of carpooling, vanpooling, walking, bicycling, teleworking, and riding the bus. This organization hosts an annual Commute Options Week to recognize businesses and individuals using alternatives to driving alone.
856 NW Bond Street PO Box 2
Bend, OR 97701
541.330.2647
info@commuteoptions.org

Critical Mass
Critical Mass is a monthly bike ride held in over 100 cities worldwide. In Portland, cyclists meet on the last Friday of every month at 5:30 at NW Park and Couch, by the bronze elephant. From there, riders cycle through the evening traffic to various destinations around town. Sometimes there are just a handful of bikers - other times there are as many as 300.
rose-city-cm@riseup.net

Cycle Oregon
Cycle Oregon, a non-profit organization dedicated to bicycling enjoyment, safety and education, hosts nationally renowned cycling tours through rural Oregon. All proceeds from the ride go to the Cycle Oregon Fund at the Oregon Community Foundation, which helps preserve and protect the special places of Oregon and supports community development projects in the regions through which we ride.
2125 N. Flint Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
503.287.0405
Toll Free: 800.292.5367 (800-CycleOR)
info@cycleoregon.com

Easy Riders Recumbent Club (ERRC) Oregon
Recumbent merchandise and magazine.
PO Box 1688
North Plains, OR 97133
errcmagazine@hotmail.com

Eugene Bicycle Coalition
The Eugene Bicycle Coalition provides input on how new construction may impact cyclists, works with the city to fight bicycle theft, works for the extension of the East Bank section of the riverbank trail system; and promotes the use of bicycles for transportation as an alternative to motorized vehicles.
541.345.2110
bicycle@efn.org

League of American Bicyclists
The League of American Bicyclists’ mission is to promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. With a current membership of 300,000 affiliated cyclists, including 40,000 individuals and 600 affiliated organizations, the League works to bring better bicycling to communities around the United States.
1612 K Street NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006-2850
202.822.1333
bikeleague@bikeleague.org

Lloyd District Transportation Management Association
The Lloyd District Transportation Management Association (TMA) is a non-profit business association representing large and small employers in Portland’s Lloyd District.
825 NE Multnomah Street, Box 108
Portland, OR 97232
503.236.6441
mail@ldtma.com

National Center for Bicycling and Walking
The National Center for Bicycling & Walking (NCBW) is the major program of the Bicycle Federation of America, a national, nonprofit corporation established in 1977. Their mission is to create bicycle-friendly and walkable communities.
8120 Woodmont Ave, Suite 650
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.656.4220
info@bikewalk.org

ORBike.com
This comprehensive web site provides information and registration for bike rides and races in the Portland metro area.
P.O. Box 13511
Portland, OR 97213
503-549-5408
support@orbike.com

Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA)
Promoting better racing in Oregon and the Northwest.
P.O. Box 16355
Portland, OR 97292
503.667.6220

Oregon Human Powered Vehicle Association (OHPV)
OHPV is a group of recumbent bike and trike riders. They offer several escorted rides per month throughout the year, and hold monthly meetings at local bike shops.
3450 SE Alder
Portland, OR 97214
360.254.3736
president@ohpv.com

City of Portland Transportation Options Division
This city program creates opportunities for Portland area residents to get biking, walking, taking transit, carpooling, and car sharing.
1120 SW Fifth, Rm 800
Portland, OR 97204
503-823-7083
jeff.smith@pdxtrans.org
http://www.pdxtrans.org/programs/default.htm#Options

SHIFT - Bike Fun in Portland
SHIFT works to express Portland’s creative bike culture and highlight bicycling’s positive contributions to the community. SHIFT is a communications network open to everyone interested in all aspects of bicycling. SHIFT folks plan, execute, publicize, and otherwise have a hand in an ever-widening variety of bike-related events.
PO Box 786
Portland, OR 97207
503-542-6900
info@shifttobikes.org

Thunderhead Alliance
The Thunderhead Alliance is the national coalition of state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations working in unison to break down barriers to safe bicycling and walking in North American communities.
P.O. Box 3309
Prescott, AZ 86302
928.541.9841
info@thunderheadalliance.org

United Bicycle Institute
One of the nation's leading bicycle mechanic schools is right here in Ashland, Oregon.

Vancouver Bicycle Club
The VBC sponsors group rides throughout Vancouver and Clark County, and actively supports safe bicycling. Club rides are held throughout the week, as well as Time Trials and event rides.
7205 NW Dale Rd.
Vancouver, WA 98665
president@vancouverbicycleclub.com

Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition
WashCo BTC’s mission is to promote bicycle transportation, protect bicyclists’ rights, and to improve bicycling conditions throughout Washington County, Oregon.
PO Box 1144
Beaverton, OR 97075-1144
503.984.1761
bicyclist@comcast.net

Washington State Bicycle Association
Promoting better racing in Washington State and the Northwest.
1535 11th Ave, #300
Seattle, WA 98122
206.292.5141
rloftin@accessone.com

Amsterdam: bike articles & photos

2008-10-02T22:24:00.000-07:00

see here for 82 bike photos in 73 minutes
nicely, the photographer circled the various bike locks that are used. very heavy sturdy metal locks are most common.

INFRASTRUCTURE: First of a series of posts on bicycles and bike infrastructure in Amsterdam.

Bikes in Amsterdam: rules & locking

Bike Rental

in communication

2008-10-02T22:18:00.000-07:00

this is the starting line: from here, this can go anywhere...

Hello Kimberly,

Thank you for your email regarding bike and pedestrian safety in New York City. We have forwarded your question to our Bicycle and Pedestrian Program for their response. Your interest in transportation issues which affect your community is greatly appreciated.

NYCDOT
Division of Customer Service

the goods...

2008-09-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

what exists so far, thanks to the DOT:

CityRacks Program

New York City's CITYRACKS program provides free sidewalk bicycle parking racks throughout the five boroughs.

How to suggest new or additional CITYRACKS or report a damaged rack

Due to high volumes of requests for CityRacks, NYCDOT will be prioritizing installation in areas that would benefit from clusters of bicycle parking. We will target installations in areas where we have received multiple requests and/or a “bulk” request from a Community Board, Business Improvement District, civic association or other group of community members. To suggest new or additional bike racks, complete our online request form. To report a damaged rack, use our online repair form

Sheltered Bike Parking

In response to the ever growing number of cyclists and to promote cycling as a healthy, environmentally-sustainable form of transportation, DOT will work with our Coordinated Street Furniture vendor, Cemusa, to install 37 Bicycle Parking Structures around the City by the end of the year. Each shelter will contain stainless steel bike racks for eight bikes. The design closely resembles the award-winning Bus Shelter, using the same high-quality materials. The ad panels will be used to display the annual NYC Cycling Map and the "Look" Public Service Campaign. These structures will do more than just provide parking - they send a message that the City encourages cycling.

The first five sheltered bike parking locations are:
* East 17th Street at Broadway, Manhattan
* East Kingsbridge Road at Briggs Avenue, Bronx
* Dekalb Avenue at Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn
* Jackson Avenue at 50th Street, Queens
* St. George Ferry Terminal, Staten Island (coming soon!) In addition to this program, the following garages allow you to park your bike indoors. Remember to bring a lock. Parking is free, unless otherwise indicated. Please note that locations that are privately owned may change their rates or may change the availability of bicycle parking.

Manhattan

105 Essex Street (north of Delancey Street)
345 Park Avenue (at 52nd Street) $2.50 a day - privately owned
30 Park Avenue (at 36th Street) $2.50 a day - privately owned
211 E. 71st Street (east of 3rd Avenue) $1.00 a day - privately owned
112 W. 25th Street (at 6th Ave) - privately owned
80 Pine St. $2.50 a day - privately owned

Bronx

Jerome Avenue at 190th Street
Street Jerome Avenue at Gun Hill Road

Queens

Court Square (near Jackson Avenue)
90th Avenue (between Parsons Blvd. and 160th Street) - privately owned
Queens Borough Hall

City Employees Indoor Bike Parking

Please note: Indoor parking is free of charge for all City employees in the area, not just those who work in the listed buildings. 1. 280 Broadway, Manhattan (corner of Broadway and Chambers)
Location: In the atrium behind the elevators.
Instructions: Use the Broadway entrance. 2. 100 Gold Street, Manhattan (between Spruce St. and Frankfort St.)
Location: 1st floor, north side.
Instructions: Use the Frankfort St. entrance.

Hours

Weekdays (except holidays), from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
To retrieve a bicycle after 7:00 pm, request assistance from lobby security.

Rules

-- Cyclists must show their City I.D. to use the room.
-- Cyclists must bring locks to secure their bicycles.
-- Bicycles and locks should be taken home at the end of each workday.
-- The City is not responsible for stolen or damaged property.
-- As a courtesy, please park your bicycle to maximize available space for other cyclists.

the starting line

2008-09-14T03:34:00.000-07:00

after seeing too many carcasses of bikes dangling on the sidewalk, i am beginning a community project. consider it a way to save our bikes from theft and damage...

i will organize meetings with bike enthusiasts, the transit authority, and various companies to get this off the ground. the focus: to give people in new york city a safe, eco-friendly option for health & well-being.

i encourage you to take pictures of vandalized bikes so we can get some backing on the impact of thefts and damage to bikes in our city. give some insight on how this issue impacts you.

if you have any ideas on possibilities of how we can take this on, i am all ears.
contact me: we.heart.our.bikes@gmail.com

Thank you ~