Dear BIKES,

           

As the cold weather keeps holding on, we wanted to bring you some cycling warmth.  This issue contains some great articles and tidbits for your winter newsletters and websites:

 

·        Alternative Transportation

·        Cyclists’ Yellow Pages Update

·        A use for those old bikes

·        Icons for the web

 

 

Ride On!

 

Amy Corbin

Club Coordinator

 

 

CARPOOLING IN YOUR BIKE CLUB

 

How often do we throw our bike on the rack on our car, head off to a club ride and not think twice about it?  We have become so accustomed to getting around by car that we don’t always stop to consider the alternatives.  I noticed over the last few months, several clubs have suggested and highlighted the importance and practicality of carpooling and using transit in conjunction with your pedal power.  In many small to mid-size communities, carpooling can be a great option.  You are all headed to the same place at the same time, why not drive together?  Some clubs have even set up areas on their websites for members to find a carpool partner.  The Potomac Pedalers Touring Club, has a member’s-only forum on their website with a Car Pool/Ride Share section.  Their members can always post their desire for a ride or a passenger for any event or club ride. 

 

In other communities, local transit may provide another great option to get to and from a club ride.  Many transit systems provide bike racks or allow bikes to be brought on board at certain hours.  Check out your local service and spread the word to your fellow club members if you find it works really well for certain rides or areas of town.  Sometimes it just takes one person to take the first step to get everyone thinking in a new way. 

 

Finally, in many cases, you could just bike to the start of your ride.  It may add some time and miles to your ride, but isn’t that the point; to be on your bike.  You can even plan to meet up with other club members on the way.

 

However you get there, it pays to be conscious of the options you have and utilize them whenever you can.  Your club can even provide some sort of incentive for members that arrive at club events in any non-drive-alone capacity.  You could hand out free coffee cards donated by a local shop or a punch card that can be redeemed for a discount on a club jersey or membership.  Be creative and encourage your members to choose wisely for your next club event.

 

 

 

UPDATE YOUR LISTING IN THE CYCLISTS’ YELLOW PAGES

 

Each year, Adventure Cycling Association publishes The Cyclists’ Yellow Pages (CYP), a great resource for people planning their own bicycle adventures.  This print version is only available to Adventure Cycling members.  We also have more extensive listings in our CYP online and this resource is currently available to everyone.  The online version currently has over 4,000 listings for cycling-related organization, including government agencies, tour operators, map makers, book publishers, clubs, shops, websites and more.  It’s our goal to continue to make The CYP the best and most helpful trip-planning guide available, which is where you come in. 

 

Many of you currently have listings in the online CYP.  As we get ready to print the 2008 version, we would like to you go to www.adventurecycling.org/cyp and look over your listing to make sure it is correct and accurate.  If you don’t already have a listing, you can go to the same spot and click on “Submit New Listing” in the right-hand side bar.  You will just need to enter your club contact info and a brief description.  It will then be checked for accuracy before being added to the system. 

 

If you have questions about your listing or need help adding or editing a listing, email me at clubs@adventurecycling.org or call 1-800-755-2453 x 215. 

 

 

MAKING PROGRESS

Turning unwanted bicycles into jobs and opportunity

 

By Michael McCoy, Adventure Cycling Field Editor

           

“Every year, affluent Americans buy 2.2 million new bicycles and discard millions of old ones, abandoning many more unused in basements, sheds, and garages.  Most of these end up in our already overburdened landfills.  Meanwhile, poor people overseas need cheap, non-polluting transportation to get to jobs, markets, customers and schools.”  These statements come from Pedals for Progress, a High Bridge, New Jersey-based nonprofit organization that has received, processed and donated more than 108,000 bicycles – along with nearly 800 sewing machines – in more than two dozen countries during its 16 years in existence.  In doing so, the group has also generated jobs.  “Pedals for progress promotes bicycle-repair businesses in the developing world.  Typically, a community-owned nonprofit bike store will get the first containerized cargo shipment for free (about 450 bicycles), but that repair store then has to earn enough money selling the repaired bikes to pay for the next shipment.”  You can learn more about the organization at www.p4p.org or by calling (908) 638-4811.  There website also has information about setting up your own bicycle collection project to benefit the organization.  You can read all about it here:  http://www.p4p.org/collection.html.