| | Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter April 11, 2013 |
ACTION ITEM: Keep the Spring Street Bike Lane Green
It's no longer a rumor when it makes the LA Times, and we're sad to say it's true. After relentless lobbying by the film industry, the City is considering letting the green Spring Street bike lane fade away. This is despite LACBC's counts showing that the green lane greatly increased the number of women riding on Spring Street, which is critical if LA is to become a city in which "interested but concerned" people are willing to ride. Downtown has gone through an amazing transformation over the past decade. Unfortunately, the film industry has not kept up with the times. Instead of Hollywood's backlot, downtown is a neighborhood with 50,000 residents and 500,000 workers. Spring Street through the Historic Core (home to LACBC's HQ) is one of the most filmed streets in LA, standing in for cities all over the world. But unlike a film set, our streets change over time to meet the needs of the community. The green lane has paved the way for a streets renaissance with parklets and continental crosswalks following just this year. This has been good for residents, good for businesses, and good for the City's tax base. We are proud of our green lane and the message it sends that bicyclists matter on even our busiest streets. But ultimately it's a safety treatment. In high traffic areas, the green draws attention to bicyclists and helps keep drivers out of the bike lane. It makes people more comfortable riding through downtown, creating a positive feedback loop wherein having more bicyclists makes bicycling safer. Please let Mayor Villaraigosa and Councilman Huizar know that you support the green lane! Bcc: info@la-bike.org Subject: Keep Spring Street Green! Dear Mayor Villaraigosa and Councilmembers Huizar, LaBonge, and Garcetti, As cities from coast to coast add color to their streets, I'm disappointed to hear that LA is considering removing ours. I urge you to keep the Spring Street bike lane green so that it can continue to attract "interested but concerned" bicyclists to ride downtown. Our city streets shouldn't just be accessible to people at special events like CicLAvia. We need to use the best tools available to make riding our streets safe and welcoming every day. While Downtown LA is a stand-in for cities around the world, it is also a neighborhood for over 50,000 Angelenos. Other cities are competing for our creative talent that increasingly seeks out the urban lifestyle available in Downtown. We can't afford to be held back by an industry that refuses to adapt. The green bike lane, parklets, and continental crosswalks all contribute to a vibrant streetscape that makes Downtown worth living and working in. The ultimate irony is that our peers in New York, Chicago, and many other American cities are ahead of us in implementing these street projects, yet we are told that we can't improve our streets because then we wouldn't look like them on the silver screen. Please keep LA competitive as a bike-friendly city by keeping our most distinctive piece of infrastructure and giving it a fresh coat of paint. Sincerely, <your name> <your address> |
Vote to Make LA Businesses More Bike-Friendly by Next Wednesday
Thanks for all of you who have voted for our team's submission for the My LA2050 Initiative! If you were having difficulties voting before, please try voting again.
Green Octopus Consulting has teamed up with LACBC and Los Angeles Streetsblog on a proposal called What's the BF(B)D? Connecting Neighborhoods through Bicycle-Friendly Business Districts for the My LA2050 Challenge, which aims to shape the future of Los Angeles.
Our team's project has been hovering around the #27-32 range in rankings, and we want to make it to the Top 20! The top 10 voted-on submissions for each indicator (our team's project is at #5 for the Social Connectedness indicator) will be judged by the Good team, and we want to make sure we have a strong showing.
Voting closes on Wednesday, April 17th, at 12 noon. You can vote by creating a Good account or using your Facebook account. Also, spread the word to your friends, family, fellow bicyclists, and business owners through the Facebook event. |
LA River Ride: Become Top Fundraiser and Win a Bike Trip to Tuscany and Other Prizes
LACBC's biggest ride returns on Sunday, June 9th.
13th Annual Los Angeles River Ride
When: Sunday, June 9, 2013
Where: Start at the Autry Center at 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park or Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
The Los Angeles River Ride is:
- 8 great rides for all ages and abilities! All rides are supported with volunteer ride marshals. We have:
- 100-mile Century Ride
- 70-mile Park-to-Playa Ride
- 70-mile Playa-to-Park Reverse Ride (starting and ending in Long Beach)
- 50-mile Half-Century Ride
- 36-mile Training Ride
- 25-mile Long Beach Loop Ride (starting and ending in Long Beach) - NEW this year
- 15-mile Family Ride
- Kids' Bike Rodeo
- A great way to explore the Los Angeles River and Los Angeles as a whole. This County is more connected than you think, and LA really does have a river. Learn more about what Los Angeles has to offer on this ride.
- LACBC's biggest fundraiser. Your registration fees help us work for a better, more bike-able LA County. Want to do more? Sign up for LACBC membership with your River Ride registration and get $10 off the regular membership price.
Registration is now open! Learn more about the River Ride at la-bike.org/riverride. Become the Top Fundraiser and Win a Bike Trip to Tuscany  Want to support the work of LACBC and our efforts to complete the LA River Bike and Pedestrian Path by the year 2020? Ask your friends, family, and acquaintances to support you as you ride the LA River Ride and become a River Ride Fundraiser. Thanks to our friends at VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, our top fundraiser will win a bike trip to Tuscany, Italy. We also have a prize for the fundraiser who gets the most people to donate to the cause: a bike from DTLA Bikes. Runner-up prizes include a New Belgium Brewing Cruiser Bike and signed copies of Where to Bike Los Angeles. Prizes are guaranteed for meeting fundraising minimums at the $100 (LACBC socks), $250 (River Ride jersey), $500 (entry to River Ride VIP tent and beer garden), $1000 (recognition at LACBC donor and supporter party), and $5000 (custom vintage cocktail mixology, tea ceremony, or dinner with our Executive Director and Board President) levels. Register to become a fundraiser here. Click on "Individuals: Click Here to build your personal fundraising page" on the right side to begin fundraising! Learn more about fundraising and the prizes, get tips, and more at la-bike.org/RRfundraising. Volunteer for the River Ride YOU make the LA River Ride possible! We need volunteers on the day of the ride for marshaling, registration, set-up, and more, but we'll also need your help before the event for things like the REI wristband pick-up and goody bag stuffing. Check out River Ride volunteer opportunities at la-bike.org/riverridevolunteer and email martin@la-bike.org to sign up. River Ride volunteers may have the opportunity to ride the River Ride for free. |
Climate Ride: Congratulations to our Laemmle Theatres Contest Grand Prize Winner
As part of Laemmle Theatres' commitment to green energy and sustainable transit, Laemmle created a contest to encourage more folks to join LACBC's Climate Ride Team by covering the Climate Ride registration fee and granting winners a Laemmle Theatres pass for the rest of 2013! The Grand Prize winner also has her or his fundraising minimum ($2,400) covered by Laemmle Theatres.
Contestants submitted why they wanted to ride with Greg Laemmle.
Congratulations to our Grand Prize Winner: John Cork! We'll reveal the Second Prize Winners and have more information on all of the contest winners next week! Thanks to Laemmle Theatres and all who participated. How Climate Ride works: Climate Ride California (May 19-23, 2013) is a 5-day, fully-supported bicycle ride from Fortuna to San Francisco under towering redwoods, through the Russian River Wine Country, and along the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route - one of the most scenic coastlines in the world. First you register, reach the fundraising minimum and train for the ride, then come along and for an amazing riding, epic scenery, and great speakers for a remarkable experience. There is still time to join the LACBC team and/or make a donation to our team. |
| Bike Updates from around the County: Show Rowena Businesses that Bikes Mean Business Bikes Mean Business on Rowena When: Sunday, April 14; Meet at 11:00 AM, ride at 11:30 AM More info: Visit the ride's Facebook Event or email Alek Bartrosouf at alek@la-bike.org. |
$3 Billion Street Bond Goes on the Road
Councilman Joe Buscaino (CD15) announced last week that he is taking his Public Works Committee on a series of hearings around the City to gather public feedback on his proposal for a $3 billion general obligation bond to reconstruct the 8,700 lane-miles of streets that are in failed or near failed condition. When the idea was first floated in January, LA Walks and LACBC, along with over 20 other advocates and organizations, responded swiftly, calling for any new revenue to be put toward complete streets, not just rebuilding our 20th century infrastructure. The downtown one of this new series of hearings was last night and LA Walks and LACBC were again represented, reminding Councilmember Buscaino of our recommendations to incorporate complete streets, sidewalks, and multimodal performance measures into the program. Now it's your turn to call for complete streets when the hearings reach your neighborhood. You can read our policy brief or jump straight to some talking points to use at your local hearing. Please email eric@la-bike.org for more information. Public Works Committee Special Meeting Schedule Valley When: Tuesday, April 16; 6 PM
Where: Van Nuys City Hall - 14410 Sylvan St., Van Nuys, 91401 West When: Tuesday, April 23; 6 PM
Where: West Los Angeles Municipal Bldg. - 1645 Corinth Ave., Los Angeles, 90025 South When: Thursday, April 25; 6 PM
Where: Constituent Services Center - 8475 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, 90044 East When: Tuesday, April 30; 6 PM
Where: Location TBD
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| Thank You to WeHoBC for Hosting the Sharrows Ride this Sunday Funday  Thank you to local chapter West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition for inviting us Sunday Funday riders on the Fountain Ave. Sharrows Ride. Check out photos on the WeHoBC Facebook page from Tess Lotta. Our next Sunday Funday Ride will be on Sunday, May 5th. |
CicLAvia - To the Sea Is Coming
Get ready for 15 miles of open road that will connect downtown Los Angeles to the beach through Venice Boulevard's transformation into a car-free, linear park for strolling, biking, playing, and exploring the city from a new perspective.
Free of charge and open to everyone, we hope you come and invite your friends. You can find LACBC at the Culver City Hub, so stop on by!
CicLAvia - To the Sea When: Sunday, April 21; 10 AM to 3 PM Where: Venice, Mar Vista, Culver City, Mid-City, MacArthur Park, Downtown Los Angeles ( map) Volunteer for CicLAvia LACBC is once again coordinating volunteer efforts for CicLAvia. If you'd like to help with pre-production or during the event, please email CicLAviaVolunteer@gmail.com. |
| LACBC and Bicycle Coalition at UCLA on Bike Talk this Saturday Morning When: Saturday, April 13; 10 AM to 12 Noon
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This Week's Tip: Check Your Bike Before CicLAvia (and any time you ride)  CicLAvia is about a week away. Now is the time to get your bike checked by a mechanic if something isn't working correctly. You can visit a local co-op, like Bici Libre, or you can take it to a shop - remember that LACBC members get discounts at participating shops. If your bike is working, you should still do an "ABC Quick Check" (courtesy of the League of American Bicyclists) before you ride, to make certain it's in good working condition and to prevent a mechanical problem that could result in a crash. Do this before every ride, not just for CicLAvia. As the name implies, this should be a quick exercise that you can make a habit of doing. A is for air - Inflate tires to rated pressure as listed on the sidewall of the tire
- Use a pressure gauge to insure proper pressure
- Check for damage to tire tread and sidewall; replace if damaged
B is for brakes - Inspect pads for wear; replace is there is less than ¼" of pad left
- Check pad adjustment; make sure they do not rub tire or dive into spokes
- Check brake level travel; at least 1" between bar and lever when applied
C is for cranks, chain and cassette - Make sure that your crank bolts are tight; lube the threads only, nothing else
- Check your chain for wear; make sure your chain is lubed
- If your chain skips, you might need a new one or just an adjustment
Quick is for quick releases - Hubs need to be tight in the frame; your quick release should engage at 90°
- Your hub quick release should point back to insure that nothing catches on it
- Inspect brake quick releases to insure that they have been re-engaged
Check is for check it over - Take a quick ride to check if derailleurs and brakes are working properly
- Inspect the bike for loose or broken parts; tighten, replace or fix them
- Pay extra attention to your bike during the first few miles of the ride
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What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Dreaming of the "Pedal-Powered Popemobile"
When Pope Francis was announced as the new Pope, much attention was paid to his tendency to ride the bus to work instead of taking the offered limousine. Planetizen even used this bit of information for an April Fool's headline where the Pope opts for a "Pope Bus" instead of the Popemobile.
Well now pedal-powered enthusiasts have imagined a new kind of Popemobile for Pope Francis! Designed by the Environmental Transportation Agency in the United Kingdom, this Popemobile features bulletproof windows, blast-proof body panels, solar panels for an electric boost, lighting, and built-in oxygen supply. It is more economical and environmentally friendly than the typical Popemobile. Maybe we'll see him riding in one soon!
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| | Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities Dale Bros. Social with PVBC When: Friday, April 12; 5 PM tp 9 PM Where: Dale Bros. - 2120 Porterfield Way, Upland, 91786 Come join local chapter Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition at Dale Bros. Brewery to raise funds (and beer glasses) for Bike Month in May. Dos Chinos food truck will be the main food attraction. There will be prizes, raffles and bikes! Coates Cyclery has generously offered to buy the first 30 drinks for the first 30 PVBC/LACBC members who show up. See Facebook Event. Tour de Carson When: Saturday, April 13; 9 AM to 1 PM Where: Carson City Hall - 701 E. Carson St., Carson You're invited to Tour de Carson, a bike tour and festival hosted by the City of Carson, in partnership with LACBC. The event includes a bike tour guided by Ride Marshals for beginner, intermediate, and expert bicyclists, educational bicycle safety and maintenance sessions, a children's health fair, opportunities to view and comment on the City's Draft Master Plan of Bikeways, and more. Please RSVP here for free by Wednesday, April 10, and spread the word via the Facebook event. Touring LA County with LACBC & Where to Bike: LA Roubaix When: Sunday, April 14; Meet at 8:30 AM; ride at 9:00 AM Where: The Trails Cafe - 2333 Fern Dell Drive, Los Angeles Join LACBC and Where to Bike for a 35-mile LA Roubaix, the Los Angeles equivalent of Paris Roubaix (pronounced 'ru-BAY' and a springtime, Easter tradition in France). The ride will take us into car-free, backcountry areas of Griffith Park, to Silver Lake, through the city's second-largest park, Elysian Park, and swing past Echo Park Lake. We'll finish our loop at The Trails Cafe, where we can dig into well-deserved treats like fresh-squeezed lemonade, great coffee, home-baked quiches, apple pie and cookies, plus amazing avocado sandwiches. More info. Bikes Mean Business on Rowena When: Sunday, April 14; Meet at 11 AM, Ride at 11:30 More info in newsletter. CicLAvia - To the Sea When: Sunday, April 21; 10 AM to 3 PM Streetsblog Fundraiser When: Saturday, April 27; 6:30 to 9 PM Where: Silver Lake Join Los Angeles Streetsblog at the Silver Lake home of Deborah Murphy for a 5th birthday party and a celebration of the 2012 Streetsie Award winners. More info. Bike to Work Week When: Monday, May 13 through Friday, May 17 Where: throughout LA County Save the date for Bike to Work Week! 13th Annual Los Angeles River RideWhen: Sunday, June 9More info in newsletter. |
| | | | Join LACBC or Renew The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is a member-supported organization that works for you to build a better, more bike-able L.A. County.
Members are the backbone of LACBC! Help keep LACBC strong by becoming an LACBC member (or renewing your membership) and be part of the change! |
Contact Information
Carol Feucht
Membership & Communications Director
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
carol@la-bike.org |
Let's be friends! Connect with LACBC: www.la-bike.org      |
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