Volume 4, Issue 9 – October 27, 2005

“A Newsletter Published by Bike Pittsburgh to establish Pittsburgh as a city that is increasingly safe, accessible, and friendly to bicycle transportation.”

In This Issue:

* REI Bike Valet Nets $4,900 For Bike PGH!
* Free Ride Donates Bikes To Katrina Victims
* MapHub Update – Cool New Features
* Pittsburgh Major Taylor Cycling Club
* Report: Andy Singer Speaking Event
* Great Information About Parking Your Bike At Pitt
* Gas Prices Push U.S. Bike Sales To Near-Historic Peak
* Upcoming Events

REI BIKE VALET NETS $4,900 FOR BIKE PGH!

Nearly 500 bicyclists pedaled their way down to the new REI store in the South Side Works on October 7th, 8th, and 9th, despite rain, dropping temperatures. For each bicyclist that rode down and had Bike PGH valet park their bike, REI donated $10 to Bike PGH.

“It was amazing,” said Scott Bricker, Executive Director of Bike PGH. “This event far exceeded our expectations. On all three days, we nearly ran out of room to park the bikes, and we had a 30 by 50 foot area!”

Bike PGH wishes to thank everyone involved – from REI (http://www.rei.com) or (http://www.rei.com/pittsburgh) who provided the space, tent, and marketing, to the volunteers who braved less-than-desirable weather for hours on end, to every person who rode their bike down to the event.

Your support is helping to turn Pittsburgh in to a great place to ride your bike. Thank you all.

FREE RIDE DONATES BIKES TO KATRINA VICTIMS

Free Ride! – Pittsburgh’s own Community Recycled Bicycle Program (http://www.freeridepgh.org) recently donated dozens of bicycles to Plan B Bikes (http://www.bikeproject.org/planb) in New Orleans, LA. The bikes will go to victims of Hurricane Katrina. These bikes are greatly needed, as many of the Hurricane victims currently have no form of transportation; bicycles will allow them to ride for work, shopping, and general transportation.

More information on Plan B Bikes may be found at: (http://www.bikeproject.org/planb).

MAPHUB UPDATE – COOL NEW FEATURES

Last month, Bike PGH launched a new free service in collaboration with MapHub (http://www.maphub.org). This service uses an interactive mapping system to show the locations of important bicycling amenities as well as bicycle crashes in Pittsburgh. Since the launch, the service has been upgraded to work on more web browsers, and is faster.

Check it out! We think this will continue to grow into an indispensable took for bicyclists in Pittsburgh. MapHub is free for everyone to use, and it only takes a moment to sign up. For more information, visit the Bike PGH website at: http://www.bike-pgh.org or MapHub at: http://www.maphub.org .

PITTSBURGH MAJOR TAYLOR CYCLING CLUB

Who was Major Taylor, and why is there a Pittsburgh bicycling club named after him? The Center for Minority Health at the University of Pittsburgh (http://www.cmh.pitt.edu) wants you to find out.

In the late 1890’s bicycle races drew crowds that filled Madison Square Garden; the biggest draw of all was Marshall W. “Major” Taylor. Having become the undisputed black champion of America, Taylor overcame racial segregation and intolerance to become the one-mile sprint world champion in 1898, and by the end of 1899 held seven world cycling records!

The University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Minority Health (http://www.cmh.pitt.edu) and Adventure Cycling Association (http://www.adv-cycling.org) share the goal of encouraging people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds, including African Americans, to explore the landscapes and history of America by bicycle. That is why these two organizations are committed to creating an Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. Throughout history black people have used bicycles as a mode of transportation. Both Major Taylor and the Underground Railroad represent the struggle to freedom from slavery and the challenge to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities.

The Pittsburgh Major Taylor Cycling Club meets at 8:30am every Sunday morning at the Kingsley Association (6435 Frankstown Avenue, Pgh, PA 15206). Rides are free, as is membership in the cycling club. To sign up, and for more information, visit the Bike PGH home page, or (http://www.cmh.pitt.edu/Surveys/registration_cycling.htm).

REPORT: ANDY SINGER SPEAKING EVENT

Nationally known cartoonist Andy Singer (http://www.andysinger.com) was in town on October 20th and 21st. Andy spoke about Transportation Politics; his cartoons largely deal with the social problems associated with “car culture”. A bike ride from the Carnegie Library in Oakland to Andy’s lecture on Friday, October 21st drew nearly 60 cyclists, and more than 100 cyclists attended in total over the course of several lectures.

Additionally, Andy and Bike PGH! Executive Director Scott Bricker were guests on “Heads Up”, a political radio show on WRCT that aired October 26th. More information on Andy Singer and his work may be found at: (http://www.andysinger.com).

GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT PARKING YOUR BIKE AT PITT

University of Pittsburgh bicycle racks are conveniently located near almost all campus buildings, and best of all, there is no charge for using the racks. Your bicycle represents a significant investment, so why not go a step further and register your bike? Registration is free, and may help to protect your bike from theft. If it is stolen, registration will greatly enhance your chances of recovering your bicycle.

You can register your bike by simply connecting to: (http://www.pts.pitt.edu/Rideshar/rideshar.htm) and sign up on-line, or fill out a registration form in the Parking Services Office at 204 Brackenridge Hall.

Bicycle lockers are available by the term for a small rental fee. You can store your bike and riding gear in the locker. For more information, visit the Pitt website or call: (412) 624-4034 and press 5 for a customer service representative.

GAS PRICES PUSH U.S. BIKE SALES TO NEAR-HISTORIC PEAK

The following story was forwarded to us; original sources for the article can be found at the bottom of the text.

Glory be: More bicycles than cars have been sold in the U.S. in the past 12 months. That’s about 19 million bicycles — nearing the 20 million sales peak during the early 1970s oil embargo — and roughly $5 billion to $6 billion in business, according to the trade organization Bikes Belong. Though concern for the environment may factor into the two-wheeler surge, one bike-shop owner pins the new jones for cycling primarily on spiking gas prices. Sales of some auto brands, however, are holding high despite rising fuel costs: Hummers are on track for a year of record sales, thanks in part to the introduction of the H3, barely more mileage-conscious than the H2. The military-inspired vehicles project power, freedom, “and being able to go where I damn please,” says auto industry researcher Wes Brown. “It’s not just ‘Let me by.’ It’s ‘Get out of my way!'” If you’re on one of those new bikes, watch out for Hummer-driving halfwits with a baseless sense of entitlement.

straight to the source: TerraDaily, Agence France-Presse, 02 Oct 2005

straight to the source: Houston Chronicle, David Kaplan, 01 Oct 2005

UPCOMING EVENTS

Here is a listing of upcoming cycling events in the Pittsburgh Region. For complete details, visit the Bike Pittsburgh website: www.Bike-Pgh.org and click on the “Events & Activities” section.

October 28th – Critical Mass (Critical Masquerade)
October 29th – Spirits of the Streets Alleycat
October 29th – 3rd Annual Haunted Bike Ride
November 6th – P.T.A.G. Trail Maintenance, Hartwood Acres
November 25th – Critical Mass

Join Pittsburgh’s fun and exciting bicycling community by becoming a member of Bike PGH! Meet cool people, find out about all bike-related happenings in town, and help us transform Pittsburgh into a better and more vibrant place to live, work, and ride by becoming a member starting at only $25 per year. With your tax-deductible donation you will receive a Membership Card good for discounts with participating bike shops and organizations, priority invitations and discounts to special Bike PGH-sponsored parties and events, and the satisfaction that you are making a difference for all of us. For details, go to the Bike PGH website: http://www.Bike-Pgh.org and click on Become A Member. Join us today!

Post the miles that you ride on the Bike Pittsburgh website in the Community & Classifieds area! Just send us your monthly mileage, and if you want your name to be available as an email link to: miles@Bike-Pgh.org

“The Bike Pittsburgh eMessenger” is an electronic newsletter published about once a month. Previous issues of “The eMessenger (formerly called The Leader)” can be found on the Bike Pittsburgh website in the section called “Newsletters”. Bike Pittsburgh, Inc. does not rent, sell, or make available any personal information, including email addresses, which you may send to Bike Pittsburgh. If you would like to be removed from the distribution list, simply email: remove@Bike-Pgh.org and request to be removed.