Archivo de la categoría: News

October News and Events from WE Bike NYC!

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WE’re rolling into autumn with an October packed full of rides and get-togethers for savoring the crisper air, discovering the city, celebrating holidays, and even a workshop to help get you prepared for the cooler temperatures ahead. WE look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events!

ICYMI: Some recent conversations from our Female Bike Forum on Facebook
Where do you store your bike(s) in NYC?
Tips for riding the East Coast Greenway
Have you seen this stolen bike?

Get Ready to Bike to Work this Spring!

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By Joanna Giordano

If you have the goal to start bike commuting, start planning now! Let’s say you can ride, but you want to step it up from occasional rider to commuter. This is a great goal! You will ride more, save money, and get the wind in your hair!

Here is a rough guide ramping up to May 19th – National Bike to Work Day.

What to do now:
1. Get your bike ready to go. Got your bike and helmet? Bells, lights? Have you had your bike tuned-up at a local bike shop so you know you can depend on your trusty steed?

2. Map your route ahead of time! Be sure to plan for there AND back since you will probably follow different routes and traffic directions. Don’t forget to assess the mileage, bridges, elevation in case you need to work up to it!
Check out the route turn by turn on the Google map bike option:

  • Walk part of it while imagining you are riding
  • Bike part or all of it on a weekend. Hop off and walk if you are ever unsure or uncomfortable. Instant pedestrian!
  • Notice construction, pinch points, potholes, tough turns

3. Things to look for at your place of work:

  • Does your work have a bike room? How will you get there? If it’s in the basement, you may need to use an alternative entrance.
  • If you have to lock-up outside, scope out the area to assess security.
  • Thinking that you’ll take Citi Bike? Where are the nearest docks to your office? Have a back-up in case your preferred dock is full or empty during your commute time.
  • Can you change/shower at work? If not, is there a gym near your office you can use? Or maybe moistened wipes will work for you, or you’re okay with just sweating and glistening?

4. Review your street riding basics:

  • Always ride with traffic. Never on the sidewalk. Not with headphones (only 1 ear is legal).
  • Stop at lights and before the crosswalk. Not in or on it.
  • Review a pedestrian style turn.

April – Time for some dry runs

1. Practice, practice, practice

  • Ramp up your distance, if needed. Practice in the park or use your route to train when not commuting.
  • Practice dry runs (part/whole) until you feel comfortable with the route and distance

2. A true dry run

  • Dry run your entire commute round-trip.
  • Leave yourself plenty of time so that there’s no need to rush.
  • Note the approximate time taken. It will probably never take longer than that!

May – It’s go time!

Are you ready? How’s the temperature these days? How are those dry runs feeling The day before your first bike commute:

  • Plan what you will wear and how you will pack your stuff. Basket, pannier, messenger bag, backpack? Whatever you choose, don’t dangle your purse from your handlebars!
  • Check the weather forecast. Many people are all-weather cyclists but no need to be a hero if you don’t want to ride in the rain.
  • Will you wear workout clothes and change at work? Don’t forget your bra! It happens to the best of us.
  • Will you bike tres chic in your skirt and heels? This is certainly doable, but you may want to practice it a bit first.
  • Will you bike home too? You can always split it up and bike in, subway home one day and the next morning: subway in, bike home.

May 19 – Bike to Work Day has finally come!

  • Leave early. Bike to work!
  • Leave plenty of time since it is an event and the roads may be more crowded with other newly minted bike commuters, like yourself. Give everyone space!
  • Maybe you’ll have time to stop if there is a promotional handout – yum!
  • Celebrate your accomplishment!

Good luck and we hope to see you in the bike lanes!

Have any other commuting tips or tricks to share? Join in the conversation in our Facebook group!

Reminding Ourselves of the Power of WE

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By Maria Boustead, Editor and Casey Ashenhurst, Director of WE Bike NYC

WE Bike NYC aims to reflect the diversity of the cycling community in our city and considers inclusivity to be one of our founding values.

WE Bike NYC is an all-volunteer nonprofit, non-partisan organization. Generally, WE’re in favor of getting more women, female-identifying, non-binary, and gender non-conforming folks from all different backgrounds on bikes by breaking down barriers, building community, and supporting each other. WE believe it is central to our mission to approach this work through an intersectional lens, and do our part to make sure we’re working with awareness and care for all different facets of identity in addition to gender expression, including race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, caretaker status, immigrant status, and primary language spoken.

During this tumultuous time of national uncertainty, WE feel our work is needed now more than ever. In the coming months and years, WE are committed to keep doing what WE do best: offer free rides and workshops to all women, female identifying, and gender nonconforming people through our WE Ride, Moms on Wheels, and Mujeres en Movimiento programs. Everyone who attends our events is welcome regardless of race, religion, or cultural background. It’s always been that way and it always will.

WE will continue to be champions of inclusiveness and openness – no matter what you ride, or how you ride, you are enthusiastically and happily welcomed and encouraged to ride with us.

While WE Bike NYC focuses on programming for women, WE also collaborate with other organizations who share our belief that embracing diversity is necessary in building a bicycle community that feels home to everyone. Just last weekend, WE Bike NYC participated in the Bed-Stuy Bike Summit, a gathering of local bicycling community groups, clubs, and advocates, to discuss how WE could work together to affect positive change in bicycling in the neighborhood in 2017.

The topics discussed ranged from how to engage longterm residents of color in cycling, to improving bike infrastructure in the neighborhood, to educating residents on their rights as cyclists. WE look forward to collaborating with the community organizations like the Bed-Stuy Restoration Project, The Brown Bike Girl, and the Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op this year to help grow the community of women in Bed-Stuy.

Do you have ideas for how to improve cycling in your neighborhood or want to plan rides or workshops for your community? We’re always recruiting volunteers to help us plan and execute programs and we’d love to have you join us. Email us for more info!

Speaking of improving bike infrastructure, you may have noticed that Transportation Alternatives has been busy adding new protected lanes throughout the city (hello beautiful Chrystie St bike lane!). Below are potential projects for each borough for 2017 – make sure to sign the petitions on their website to move the ones forward that you could see making a difference in your neighborhood.

Bronx
Grand Concourse – a long, wide, and, frankly, terrifying street in the Bronx. 3 people were killed last year alone! Sign the petition.

Brooklyn
Flatbush between Empire Blvd and Grand Army Plaza, making it easier and safer to get to Prospect Park. Sign the petition.

Manhattan
Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Manhattan to make it safer to bike in the heart of Manhattan. Sign the petition.

Queens
Queens Blvd Phase III will be a big project in 2017, putting an end to the “Boulevard of Death”. Sign the petition.

Staten Island
Van Duzer Street to calm this residential area that cars have been speeding through to bypass major thoroughfares. Sign the petition.

Have an idea of a street that deserves a bike lane? Start your own petition here. Remember that WE have the power to change our city!