Kansas Cyclist - Kansas Bicycle Guide and Reference

Here’s a great story from Boulder, Colorado about mountain bike clinics for kids:

Six-year-old George Williams can throw down some totally sick tricks on his tiny Gary Fisher bike. And he just got his training wheels off this spring.

That’s because when kids go to mountain bike clinics over school breaks at Boulder Indoor Cycling — like George and his twin sister Mia have since this summer — they leave knowing how to ride down steps and roll over a rock, even if it’s on a pedal-less Strider scoot-bike.

“He can pop a wheelie, and he can stand on the frame while it’s rolling,” said George and Mia’s mom, Elizabeth Williams. “He’s passionate about it — it’s just his favorite thing.”

In the holiday camps, for children ages 5 to 10, kids learn skills indoors on the ramps, logs and see-saw obstacles that fill the inside of the velodrome’s track. The obstacles — built by BIC owner Rodrigo Garcia and his father — are arranged in routes, called pump tracks, that are rated green through double black for difficulty, like ski runs.

Aside from learning balance, turning and standing on the bike pedals, coaches also teach safety and even bike mechanics.

Isn’t that neat? Wish that was available when I was a kid — it looks so fun! Here are some more photos:

Learn more at Colorado Daily: Boulder class proves mountain biking not just for pros

Bicycle Colorado is introducing a new education campaign for safer roads – the 3-2-1 Courtesy Code:

The three precepts are:

• 3 feet to pass
• 2 abreast when clear
• 1 single file to allow passing

Courtesy. It’s a really simple concept. Just treat others as you’d have them treat you.

If you’re driving a car, give cyclists plenty of room when you pass.

If you’re riding a bike, give motorists as much room as you can safely offer.

This is of particular relevance in Colorado, where there is often friction between motorists and cyclists as they negotiate to share narrow and curvy mountain roads. But it applies to all roadway users, everywhere.

Yes, in most places, the law says that a cyclist is entitled to the full use of the lane, and when the lane is not wide enough to share, they do not need to ride as far to the right as practicable. And many cyclists take that to mean that they don’t have to give an inch.

And yes, even with cyclists queuing up into single file on a narrow road with no shoulders, a motorist will still need to cross the center line to safely pass cyclists.

And no, I don’t think they’re advocating riding the white line. Whether you’re riding alone or with a single-file group, proper lane positioning puts your tire approximately three feet from the inner edge of the white line. The idea here is to give yourself some room to work with, while encouraging the motorist to give you plenty of passing room.

In most circumstances, moving from 2-abreast to single file doesn’t impact your safety, and it doesn’t lessen the motorist’s responsibilities to drive safely.

But it does send a powerful signal. It tells the motorist that you know they’re back there, and that you’re doing your best to share the road.

Courtesy. Respect. Cooperation. Those principles apply to everyone.

As Bicycle Colorado says, the purpose here is to “seek goodwill and positive sharing of the road with motorists; safety is the ultimate goal.”

There’s plenty of road for everyone. We all just need to share.

Learn more at Bicycle Colorado, or sign their online pledge form.

On August 5th, a new law went into effect in Colorado. The Bicycle Safety Act was a hard-won victory for Colorado bicyclists, and this common-sense bill should do much to improve bicycling on Colorado roadways. Here’s a quick summary of the bill:

• The law requires drivers to give cyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing or risk a $110 ticket.
• Motorists are allowed to cross the centerline, when it’s safe to do so, in order to pass bicyclists.
• Bicyclists may ride up to two abreast when not impeding the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.
• Bicyclists are to ride as far to the right of the roadway as is safe.
• The bill makes throwing an object towards a bicyclist a class 2 misdemeanor and driving towards a bicyclist in a dangerous manner a careless driving offense.
• The bill also makes it a class 1 petty offense for anyone to throw an object at or against any vehicle.

The new law brings Colorado up to par with at least 25 other states around the nation, including, in our region, Arkansas and Oklahoma, who already have 3-foot passing laws on the books. Alas, Kansas is lagging in this regard (as is Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska).

The bill was a bipartisan effort on the part of state lawmakers to clarify the law regarding bicycling on public roadways. Despite a contentious debate, and the opposition of some members of law enforcement, who maintained that it may be difficult to enforce, the bill passed the Colorado house and senate earlier this year, and was signed into law by governor Bill Ritter in May.

One of the sponsors of the bill, Rep. Michael Merrifield of Colorado Springs, said “The bill codifies the common-sense behavior most drivers already show by giving cyclists a bit of room.”

John Crandall, owner of Old Town Bike Shop in Colorado Springs, said “It will be impossible to perfectly enforce, but my hope is that it will create awareness among drivers that we are part of the mix, that we deserve a place on the road. Anything we can do to improve awareness, I’ll be very grateful for.”

Dan Grunig, the executive director of Bicycle Colorado, said “We’re very excited to have the law go into effect. We believe it will make Colorado’s roads safer for all users – whether they’re bicyclists or motorists.”

Congratulations to Colorado!

You can read additional coverage of the new law at Bicycle Colorado, TheDenverChannel, The Durango Telegraph, KKTV, Road.cc, Daily Camera. You can also read the full text of the bill here (PDF).

Two of our neighboring states have recently seen disturbing initiatives to ban bicycles on some roads.

In Colorado, county commissioners in Jefferson County are asking the state legislature to draft a law that would allow counties to ban bicyclists from county roads. State law already gives cities that authority, but the law is unclear when it comes to counties. If the proposed legislation goes through, this would put a huge number of routes at risk, so Bicycle Colorado, the statewide bicycling advocacy organization there, is putting together a campaign to fight this dangerous proposal. Here’s their take on the issue:

Legislation to expand bike ban authority is a losing proposition for Colorado tourism, charity fundraising events, efforts to reduce congestion, and promotion of healthy bicycle travel.

There are many, many options for counties to improve road safety within existing state motor vehicle and bicycle vehicle laws. Creating county-by-county, one-of-a-kind traffic laws is a danger for everyone on the road. We need consistency, not a patchwork of rules that change at every county line or every time you exit from a state or U.S. highway.

In Iowa, a group called the “Citizens for Safety Coalition of Iowa” has created on online petition called “No Shared Farm-to-Market Roadways in Iowa”:

We the undersigned are Iowa residents who urge our Legislature to support a ballot initiative for the November 2010 election which will prohibit bicyclists from using state and county defined farm-to-market roads.

A farm-to-market road is a state or county road which serves to connect rural or agricultural areas to market towns.

Over the past ten years the number of bicyclists using these farm-to-market roads for recreational purposes has increased dramatically as have the number of preventable accidents and fatalities.

Rural commerce and citizens are significantly impacted when forced to share the farm-to-market roadways with bicyclists. Because of the growth of today’s commerce and agricultural business, shared roadways are no longer safe or practical in today’s society.

Though the proposal is pretty obviously the work of a group of crackpots, the Iowa Bicycle Coalition is taking the threat seriously, as they should:

Bike bans would have an extreme economic impact. A recent economic impact study of RAGBRAI showed $24 million during the week-long bike ride. Bicycle tourism, including charity fundraisers, are estimated to generate as much or more than RAGBRAI during the other weeks of the year.

Bicycle bans would have an extreme impact on the health of Iowans. Recent studies by the Alliance for Bicycling and Walking have shown relationships between states with high rates of bicycling have a healthier population including lower rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.

The Iowa Bicycle Coalition remains firm that we don’t need bicycle bans, but we do need to increase safety. Safety may be increased through better roadway design, better enforcement, more education and awareness programs. Increasing safety for bicyclists and motorists can make a bigger impact on Iowa’s economy and health.

The proposals hearken back to a similar threat that arose in Texas in 2001, in which a bill was introduced to the state legislature that would have effectively banned bicyclists from all farm-to-market roads in that state. The bill spurred the launch of the Texas Bicycle Coalition, which successfully defended cyclists access to Texas roadways.

Let’s hope cyclists in Colorado and Iowa are successful in their efforts as well. The proposals, as I see them, make very little sense. There’s plenty of road out there for all of us, all it takes is a little cooperation and patience on all sides.

More on these issues from: Des Moines Register, Bicycle Advocacy and Safety, CycleDog (he calls it “rural bigotry cunningly disguised as a petition”), Iowa counter-petition to ban motor vehicles from farm-to-market roads, Puncture Proof, Guitar Ted Productions, 303Cycling, Colorado Daily.

The Boulder Mountainbike Alliance, along with the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation and the International Mountain Biking Association, is planning a huge new multi-discipline cycling park to be located Boulder, Colorado.

Valmont Bike Park will consist of 40 acres containing a “vast array of trail networks, including epic single-track for the mountain biker, rhythmic pump tracks for BMX enthusiasts, and cyclocross circuits designed in the style of the best courses in Belgium.”

The park, which is currently in the design stage, is scheduled to begin construction later this year.

The park recently received a $50,000 grant from the Dalbey Foundation, which will be used to add educational features to the bike park, to help children and families learn how to ride safely.

According to Dalbey Foundation spokesperson Susannah Christy, “The opportunity to invest in Valmont Bike Park was a natural fit for the Dalbey family. The project promotes everything they care about – families and children, education, health and fitness – in this case, promoting health and fitness through cycling. We are so excited to be part of this project and the opportunity to collaborate with the city of Boulder.”

To date, the Boulder MountainBike Alliance has raised over $120,000 to help fund enhanced features and ongoing maintenance of the bike park.

Bikes Belong has also set up a $10,000 matching funds campaign. The drive runs through February 6th, and all personal and business donations made in that time will be matched up to $10,000.

“This is such an important project, and it will have a big impact on Boulder,” said Elizabeth Train, grants director for Bikes Belong. “And it’s a great model for folks to do this kind of thing nationally.”

In addition, the city has allocated $800,000 to the bike portions of the park, and in March, the Parks and Recreation department will apply for a $200,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado, a state trust that helps projects like these.

Read more from the Daily Camera, or follow progress at the Valmont Bike Park Blog.

Denver, Colorado is poised to become the first U.S. city to introduce a large-scale permanent bike share program. The program, with will be called “Denver B-Cycle”, will begin this summer, offering some 500 bikes at 30 to 40 stations around the city.

“The positive feedback we received from the bike sharing program during the 2008 Democratic National Convention was remarkable,” Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper said in a statement. “We are confident Denver B-Cycle will prove equally popular while improving our fitness levels and our environment. Our 358 miles of bike routes and trails combined with our 300 days of sunshine make Denver the perfect city in which to launch this citywide bike sharing system.”

At the program’s announcement on January 14th, the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee presented a $1 million check to Denver Bike Sharing, the nonprofit that will manage the citywide bike-sharing program. “On behalf of the Executive Committee, we are pleased to be able to support the launch of a citywide bike sharing program,” said Elbra Wedgeworth, president of the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee. “It’s an honor to help create such a meaningful legacy that will benefit the residents of Denver for many years to come.”

Denver B-Cycle “will focus initially on the downtown Denver business district, University of Denver campus and adjacent neighborhoods,” the release said. Stations will be in a 3- to 4-mile radius of downtown and integrated with current bus and light-rail routes.

Mayor Hickenlooper also launched the Denver B-Cycle City Employee Bike Loaner Program, which will serve as a pilot program to the citywide bike sharing system. The project allows city employees to check out bicycles for business or recreational use. Any City and County of Denver employee can view an online safety training presentation, sign a user agreement, and then check out a bike. Bikes must be returned to the same location by 10 a.m. the following business day.

Read more from BikeDenver.

Image courtesy of sillygwailo, and is a photo of Vancouver’s Vancity Bikes.

From the Daily Camera comes this profile of Community Cycles, which provides re-cycled bikes and a welcoming space to learn about bicycle repair, maintenance and operation in Boulder, Colorado:

Community Cycles serves residents of Boulder County through a variety of educational and advocacy programs. We support low-income or higher-needs individuals to earn a bike through class participation; we support individuals trying to get back on their feet coming out of correctional settings by providing reliable transportation; we work with local teens to teach them the basics of bicycle safety and maintenance; we support businesses as they work to make their workplaces more bike-friendly; and we support all local residents by advocating for smart bicycle commuting policies.

All our programs work on generous donations of bikes, parts and accessories; we always need more bikes to keep our programming going. Another part of the equation is attracting reliable volunteers to support shop activities or classes, or help to work bike sales held twice annually. Strategic support is always welcome through participation in board meetings. Light bookkeeping support is sought also. Read more.

Community Cycles is fueled by a small staff and a committed group of volunteers who are making a difference. They receive an average of 75 bikes monthly. These bikes are refurbished and recycled for return to the community. Community Cycles also reaches out to businesses, schools, and civic groups in the community, and advocates for the rights of cyclists of all ages.

Community Cycles is currently looking for committed volunteers to help with bicycle repairs, bike ride leaders, event planners, bookkeeping, and fundraising. If you can help, please give them a call at 720-565-6019.

Will Handsfield has a recap of the first twelve months of A Year of Bike Commuting, a group blog from bicycle commuters in Denver, Colorado:

It has officially been a year since the start of this blog. We initially set out, under Brendan’s suggestion, to chronicle a year of bike commuting in Denver.

It turns out that there is a vast and growing network of bloggers, and we represented a distinct element of Denver’s blog community. As such we often felt a responsibility to address pertinent issues (helmets, parking in bike lanes, sharrows, police) and to inform our readers of current events (bike path is open, Maynard broke his leg).

The best surprise was how participatory this community has become; from our loyal readers and commentators, to the folks who volunteered for Freewheel!n’ and pedi-truck recycling shifts. There are a number of people with whom we’ve connected in a very positive way. Less frequent, but still interesting are the critics, who we certainly value for keeping us grounded (even you, Darryl).

So it’s been a blast, we’ve learned some things, we’ve communicated with people, and we’ve got a soapbox from which to rant, and once in a while we use it for productive means. All in all, a good year and a good project.

Will is moving to Washington, DC, but the remainder of the bloggers on the site plan to keep it going, and continue chronicling what it’s like to be a bicycle commuter in downtown Denver.

Check out A Year of Bike Commuting. It’s worth the visit!

In Fort Collins, Colorado, a 9-year-old girl has died of injuries she received when she was struck by an SUV while riding her bicycle home from school.

Erica Forney was struck about 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25th, when a 2003 Ford Expedition drifted into the bicycle lane and hit her head-on (Erica was riding the wrong way in the bike lane). She was taken to the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland and later flown to The Children’s Hospital in Aurora, where she died Thursday evening.

In a press release Fort Collins police said that alcohol was not involved in the crash, but they believe that Smith was talking on her cell phone just prior to the collision. Police and prosecutors in Fort Collins are expected to meet next week to determine what charges Smith should face.

Learn more from The Coloradoan and The Loveland Reporter-Herald.

Just senseless…

From Fort Collins, Colorado:

Fort Collins is creating a bicycle advisory committee to formally advise the city council and other leaders about the bike community’s needs. The Bicycle Advisory Committee will bring together community organizations to prioritize continual bicycle improvements in Fort Collins. The 15-member committee will also help implement the recommendations in the city’s bike plan.

Sounds like a positive step, but frankly, I would have thought a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community would have had one of these a long time ago…

Read more (and follow the strange comments) from The Coloradoan.