OA workshops have been back in action for a few weeks now and tonight we’re getting together at our usual time to discuss plans for Common Cycle’s upcoming project. Please join us at 7p.m. at the Outdoor Adventures Building!

Common Cycle is meeting this week with the AADL to develop our plan to place a fleet of restored bikes at the library for patrons to check out.

This past week we submitted an Idea to the GOOD 100 Challenge, which could provide $1000 to use as we restore the bikes this winter. The money would go towards cables, housing, brake pads, cassettes; anything we couldn’t scavenge from other bikes as our volunteers get the bikes into safe riding condition for the library.

The grant is awarded to the idea with the most votes. If you support this idea and know other who will, please vote for us and help us get the word out! Voting closes this Thursday, the 15th. Thanks for your support and your help!

Vote here!

The Common Cycle crew will be towing the Mobile Repair Stand to SELMA on Friday, August 13th.  You’ll find us at 722 Soule Blvd from 7:30am to 10:30am. Ride your bike and bring your bike repair questions and needs to us!

Last night I was listening in on a conversation about the dangers of cycling with cars and was kindof surprised by the range of opinions that were expressed about cycling safety. Ideas from hyper-defensive riding (assume all cars are trying to hit you), to reasoning with drivers a their windows, to mandatory transponders that inform drivers a squishy human is near, and every possible solution inbetween surfaced as a way to keep cyclists safe. All this got me thinking about scary things that keep people off their bikes (cars, thunderstorms, fear of bears in the woods), and it reminded me of a great article I’d just read about why people ride. Click here to read it.

One thing that really hit home in the article was the diversity of cyclists it discussed (commuters, racers, just-plain-crazies, etc), and how for every flavor of cyclist the bike was a freedom enabler.  Be it geographical exploration, self-expression, or just exercise, bikes let people do what they want, how they want.  Anyway, that’s enough analysis from me.  Check out the article, or go ride your bike!