Articles

Primary tabs

The 5BBC Guide to Safe Biking

Submitted by David Meltzer on Mon, Aug 11, 2014

Whether on a club ride, or traveling around town on your own, the 5BBC seeks to be a proponent of safe cycling. The City of New York has embarked on an ambitious plan to eliminate pedestrian and cyclist injuries and death. This quest is called Vision Zero. Here is what we can due to make this goal a reality.

I. Your Bike

Motor vehicles have to have their vehicles inspected once a year. Cyclists should inspect our bicycles every time we hit the road.

There are certain items that have to be on your bicycle BY LAW. You need to have a bell so as to be able to warn pedestrians. You also need to have a light in front and a light in the rear, if you are riding more than 30 minutes after sunset. Other items such as helmet lights, wheel lights, additional reflectors serve to make you more visible.

At the start of every 5BBC ride, we perform the “Two Minute Bike Check.” This brief inspection should be done before every ride that you do. In short, we check out the tires, braking systems, seat and cranks to make sure that the bike is in proper mechanical order. For the full “Two Minute Bike Check”, visit our web site.

Regular Maintenance is also important. Some maintenance can be performed by you without any mechanical skills. Every couple of rides, clean and lube your chain. Take a brush and remove the built up grit from the derailleurs. Make sure that your tires are properly inflated [see the inflation guide which is on the side of every bike tire.] Once a year, take your bike into your local bike shop for a more rigorous tune up.

II. Yourself

Are you ready to ride?

Are you in good physical shape for the ride? If you are on a group ride, this means knowing the mileage and the pace, and making sure that you are comfortable with both.

Many riders have medical conditions that need to be addressed before going out on the road. Is there any medication that you need to take along[inhalers, epi pens, prescriptions and the like]? If you do have a medical condition, many riders have a wristband that provides others with information about your medical conditions and/or allergies.

Are you wearing the right clothing? Your clothing has to fit the weather conditions, so dress appropriately. Weather often changes throughout the ride, so layering is often a good idea. Although not a rule, many riders prefer to dress in bright colors so as to be better seen on the road. And of course, make sure that you are wearing a properly adjusted helmet.

If you are intoxicated, if you are bonking, or if you feel in any other way physically compromised – DO NOT BIKE.

III. On the Road

So, your bike is in good shape. You are in good shape. You are now ready to ride. Here are some tips for doing so safely.

First, take along items that you may need. Items that should be brought along include spare tubes, tire levers and a pump. More skilled mechanics often take a multi-tool with them. Other useful items include: bungie cords, sun screen, maps of the area, charged cell phone, snacks, and a lock. Remember that water is important, so have at least one water bottle or filled hydration pack.

Follow the rules of the road. Like any other vehicle, cyclists must stop at red lights. Cyclists must also signal all turns and stops. When you do stop, make sure that you are not blocking the cross-walk. Do not ride the wrong way against traffic [salmon].

In some places [like various towns that we ride through in New Jersey] riding in single file is the law. In New York, it is not the law, but unless the road is free of traffic, it is usually a safer practice. When in a group, riding across the entire roadway is unacceptable behavior. Remember to always stay away from the door zone when riding along parked vehicles – Give the Door Four.

Be alert. It is illegal in New York to ride with headphones in both ears. Constantly scan the road ahead for pedestrians, cars and road hazards. If you are in a group and see a hazard – call it out so the other cyclists are aware of the issue. “GLASS” “HOLE” “DOOR UP” “CAR BACK.” Know where the motor vehicles are, especially when you are turning.

Be predictable. Let the cars and other cyclists know what you are doing, making sure to signal your turns and when you are stopping. Even when you signal – make eye contact with the driver if you can. Avoid swerving or sudden stops or starts. Maintain a proper speed for the traffic and pedestrian conditions.

Accidents can happen to even the most careful cyclists. Know what to do in case of an accident. If you have a cell phone, take a photo of the vehicle license plate or the road hazard that caused the condition. If the accident involved a motor vehicle, get the driver's information. Do not get back on the bike if either the bike or your physical ability has been compromised.

IV. Conclusion

We are not alone on the road. There are pedestrians, motor vehicles, and other cyclists all vying for the same patch of asphalt. Following the above guidelines will not only keep you safer, but it will also serve to further the cause of better cycling in New York. Ride Smart. Ride Safe. Have Fun.

Bike Path Cruise Rides in Partnership with Bike New York

Submitted by Allan Friedman on Fri, Aug 8, 2014

In partnership with Bike New York (BNY), Bob Castro who liaisons between the 5BBC and them (among other things), we are trying to drive new membership and new riders in NYC, by supporting the "Bike Path Cruise Rides". The idea here is to lead really easy rides ( a la Happy Face only perhaps even easier) to help people who are nervous about riding the streets of New York overcome their fears and develop the confidence. I have quite a few friends who, when they hear the riding I do around the city with the club - seem to be in shock and awe! I am sure many of you know such people too. Let's get behind these rides and help more people get comfortable and confident riding!

Here are some out-takes from an e-mail Bob sent recently to our leadership promoting the rides. I am copying it here so all members can think of people they know who may be interested and encourage them to try one of these rides. Watch for them on our and BNY's web site! Interested in more information? Write to us at communications@5bbc.org

From: Bob Castro
Subject: Cruise Ride Leader Notes

Here are some notes on what you can expect when joining a Bike Path Cruise Ride:

THE RIDERS

Riders are generally adult novices. That means you should be able to start, ride a fairly straight line, make turns and stop as needed, but that’s not always the case. If the abilities of the novices covers too wide a range we will split the group in two and have the less skilled riders stay behind to practice remedial drills, such as starting, balancing and braking.

Besides the novice riders, experienced Bike New York (BNY) volunteers may also show up to help. We use them as outriders or as remedial instructors as needed.

 

THE BIKES

Some novices will bring their own bike and helmet but those without can use gear that’s provided by BNY. The gear is kept in a storage unit at the ride’s start location. Arrive at least ½ hour before the start time to take out the required gear and check it out.

THE RIDE

Rides will start from the following locations. Click on the URL for a map and directions:

East River Park / On Bikeway near East 6th Street

http://goo.gl/a3m9bN

Flushing Meadow Park / South corner of Corona Park Aquatic Center

http://goo.gl/2l5O5Z

Randall’s Island / South end of Icahn Stadium

http://goo.gl/c7RA5P

Van Cortlandt Park / Near Van Cortlandt Park South, between Broadway & Major Deegan Expressway

http://goo.gl/Iil4W7

 

The purpose of the ride is to prepare the novices for riding in traffic by having them practice safe riding techniques: hand signals, scanning over one’s shoulder and so forth. Before the ride starts, we will review the basics with them and give them copies of a “Ride Etiquette” handout to take home.

All riders are taken through the 5BBC’s Two-Minute-Bike-Check, with a little extra emphasis on brakes and derailleurs. Some novices are familiar only with single-speed bikes with coaster brakes.

Cue sheets and route maps are not used on these rides. Given the wide range of novice abilities, you may want to use the Point-Drop-Sweep system.

The ride series is formally advertised as “Bike Path Cruise Rides” so riders can rest assured that we stay on the bike paths, especially in East River Park and Van Cortlandt Park.

Flushing Meadow Park and Randall’s Island offer possible exceptions to the bike path rule. Some roadways in those parks usually have light traffic unless an event is going on. If traffic is light, and we feel that all novices are ready and, most important, if they all feel comfortable doing so, then and only then do we take them out on the road in these two parks.

 

PAPERWORK

Riders can sign up until the day before the ride so that BNY can send our leaders an email with the ride roster attached. All riders sign must sign a Bike New York Waiver Form.

 

RIDE CANCELLATION

If it’s getting near class time and you’re wondering if it’s cancelled, call Bike New York’s Education Weather Hotline at 212-870-2080, ext. 2 for the most up-to-the-minute information

 

Thanks,

Bob

Tenure coming to a close

Submitted by Liz Baum on Sun, Aug 3, 2014

As my many years of being a member of the board come to a close by choice, I wish all the present members of the board great success. We are always looking for and need more help. We need more of you to become leaders, more of you to write blurbs, take pictures and read our website.

We encourage all of you to buy our SWAG and when our new jerseys come out to help support out club by buying them and wearing them proudly to promote our club. We will soon be announcing election nominations and social locations , please come and support your club and your friends. I wish to thank WENDY for the great article that was published in the Daily News, and all her networking to promote the club, and Allan for the weekly club e-mail. A shout-out to Shawn for her many artistic and other contributions including with Amy for the work on the new website, our leadership Pair of Manny and Ed, our day rides pushers of Fritz and Geoff, Andrea for her minutes, Bill for being the treasure he is as a leader and as our treasurer and Dave as VP. Alfredo who never tires of photos and articles; Bob Castro, for his work with TA, Bike New York and our club; Phil - Bike 21 - who endlessly drops off bike cases to, and picks them up from, our members who travel far and wide. Ed Ravin , our historian, Peter Engel , our writer and event organizer. And finally, Ed Pino for his assistance with Bike New York, for meeting space. If I have forgotten anybody, please put your two cents in via an article.

THIS NOTE ADDED BY ALLAN: Thanks to you too Liz for your leadership over the years culminating in this one. While you are posting this now, I know we will continue to benefit from your leadership until the new board is elected and installed on December 1st as per the bylaws (which are available by the way for anyone to read on our web site here)!

News round-up July 27, 2014

Submitted by Shawn Carney on Sun, Jul 27, 2014

Congratulations to Vincenzo Nibali for his Tour de France win and to Marianne Vos for her La Course win! Now it's time to prepare for La Vuelta! In related news, the women's cycling team Specialized-lululemon has announced that the team’s two major sponsors will not renew their sponsorships for 2015, so they're launching a crowd funding campaign for part of their budget.

Wondering about those bleached white flags on the Brooklyn Bridge that mysteriously replaced the standard American flags normally up there? The @bicyclelobby Twitter account hilariously (and jokingly) took credit for it, stating, "Earlier today we hoisted two white flags to signal our complete surrender of the Brooklyn Bridge bicycle path to pedestrians." Unfortunately, some news reporters thought they were serious. 

Bike NYC still has a couple of bicycle maintenance 101 classes this year, so check them out here. 

Although pedestrian and cyclist injuries and deaths are down this year from the numbers we saw last year, The Weekly Carnage sums up the heart-breaking situation we continue to encounter. And unfortunately, to quote Streetsblogs, "Of 12 fatal crashes reported by Streetsblog and other outlets, no motorists were known to have been charged for causing a death. Historically, nearly half of motorists who kill a New York City pedestrian or cyclist do not receive so much as a citation for careless driving."

Frustrated with the police blocking your bike lanes? Here's an article from Streetsblogs on what you can do about it.

Is anyone interested in long, far out of town day trips?

Submitted by Adam Dluzniewski on Wed, Jul 16, 2014

Dear 5BBC'ers

I would like to offer a few rides out of town during the Summer and the Fall. Usually it would mean getting there by Metro North but some really nice and rural destinations are only reachable by a car. I have one ride scouted out and already scheduled for Saturday, August 9, 2014 in the Taconic/Harlem Valley area:

http://5bbc.org/rides-events/day-rides/three-states-ride

We haven't had many long getaways in a while but I can't organize weekend trips so rides like this would be the closest thing to a weekend trip. This particular location has a swimming pond, showers and picnic area so we could turn such a trip into a daylong outing. Such rides will be only available to registered members. The rides will be free though and run like any other typical 5BBC dayride: same rules and point-drop-sweep will be used. The only costs would be the meals and gas and tolls for driving up there. These will be moderate rides usually 65 miles long.

To get there by 9:00 a.m. you will need to leave NYC around 6:00 a.m. as it is a 2.5 hour drive. We'll get back to NYC as late as 8:00 p.m. or later. So it's a long drive and a long day but the area offers excellent possibilities for very pretty rides.

Another location that offers excellent riding, is only about an hour drive away but difficult to get to by train is the Harriman State Park (next to Bear Mountain).

The club cannot provide transportation for economic, legal and insurance reasons, can't organize carpooling and the listed ride leaders can't take any trippers with them. To keep these rides free and simple the trippers would have to organize carpooling among themselves. The meeting point will be at the Taconic State Park Copake Falls Area in Copake, Columbia County.

http://5bbc.org/rides-events/start-locations/taconic-state-park-copake-f...

There is no reason these rides can't eventually evolve into weekend rides, but for now I'd like to keep this simple.

But I need your feedback. Please use the contact form to tell me what you think:

http://5bbc.org/user/4546/contact

If you like it please register for this ride and start organizing carpooling:

http://5bbc.org/rides-events/day-rides/three-states-ride

Becoming a leader

Submitted by Adam Dluzniewski on Fri, Jul 4, 2014

I've just completed the 2014 5BBC leadership course. Successfully, I might add :) I wanted to share some things while the memories are still fresh.

I guess some people may just decide themselves to become a ride leader while some grow to it over time. I'm the later. I have been riding with 5BBC on and off for 10 years. Yup, 2014 is my 10th anniversary!

I always enjoyed helping others on the rides and looking out for them, both the trippers and the leaders as well. I liked the feeling that everyone on the ride was equally important, participated in the ride by being drops and the leaders always cared that everyone is safe, has fun and completes the ride. So I was always ready to be a drop, to fix a flat and always ready to give the leaders a hand when they needed it because, to have fun myself, it was important that others enjoyed the ride as well.

They key to a successful ride is that everybody has fun and feels safe. I have become a big fan of the point, drop, and sweep system as well. It is simple but brilliant: it keeps the rides together; helps ensure that nobody gets lost, allows for a wide range of paces and engages the trippers, makes them an integral and important part of the ride. There are times when I ride alone and I enjoy the solitude and navigating on my own, but there are times when I enjoy turning my brain off (well, partially) and just following the leaders and drops and enjoying the ride.

I quickly learned that many people felt like that too, that's why they would show up for these rides: they want to ride without worrying about the route, without having to plan and to navigate on their own, they trust that the club will provide a fun and safe experience. Not everybody has the time or the skills to discover and map out routes. They would like to ride with like-minded people, experience social cycling at its best and get to see new routes and places while knowing that they are safe and in good hands, that they won’t need to worry about getting lost or getting left behind and I think that is the essence of these rides.

I recognized what made these rides so great: the leaders. I quickly found my favorite leaders and always looked for rides by the leaders' names rather than by a location or by the distance. And I enjoyed helping them but I never felt like I could actually lead a ride myself. I never felt like the leader type and just didn't believe I had the skills to do so. Yes, I’m a technical person: I can fix bikes and I'm pretty good at maps and navigation but, being a partial introvert, I never thought I could lead organized rides. But some time along the way I realized that really enjoyed being on rides with these trippers. I opened up and found lots of fun, friendly and interesting people. Suddenly, the social aspects of the rides become more important to me. I was looking forward to meeting them again and again.

I also believe in cycling, both as means of transportation and recreation. I’d like to see more people ride and I’m happy to see that cycling in NYC and elsewhere is booming, but it can grow even more. And the best way to get people to ride is to provide them with simple, safe and free or inexpensive rides led by experienced and enthusiastic leaders so they can have a safe place to either get back to cycling after a long break or to learn from scratch. That’s why it’s important to have more rides at all skill levels and that’s why the club needs more leaders.

Somewhere along that road several leaders including Bill Mastro and Ed Pino approached me and asked me if I would like to become a leader and I agreed. Then I fell on some hard times with my health that made me disappear from the scene for many months at a time. I signed up twice for the training and I missed it. I almost gave up, but then along came others too: Fritz, David "Mel" Meltzer, Kathryn Baur and several others who encouraged me to go forward and I'm glad they did. I also met some new leaders and kind of got hooked on the idea of becoming a leader. The list of the people who influenced and inspired me is too long and you probably know who you are :)

So I was on my way! I started scouting new rides months before the class started and was anxious to share them and see people enjoy them. I somehow dropped my initial belief that I am not the leader type, mainly because of all the support and encouragement from others in the club. If you find something you believe in, something you like, something you'd want to share with others, something you're skilled at you can become a leader if you put your mind to work on it and if you're willing to learn and work towards it.

What made it easier this year was that the training was held earlier in the year which meant longer days and slower time at work. The classes are fun and you will learn tons of useful stuff plus the nitty-gritty of the club's inner workings. You will get to know other prospective leaders as well as the senior leaders teaching the course, you will have homework to do and you will work as a team and all while actually having fun.

Certainly being a leader is not all a walk in the park, it means you will have to take on responsibilities and will have a duty to keep trippers safe by planning the rides carefully, scouting and putting effort towards organizing a ride but in the end it will be your satisfaction when people come up to you at the end of the ride and say those magic words:" thank you, it was fun!".

So, hopefully pretty soon I will have the pleasure to invite you on my rides and I will do my best to make sure you have fun and come back for more.

A moral dilemma arises on a 5bbc ride in Brooklyn

Submitted by Allan Friedman on Thu, Jul 3, 2014

Got your attention? 

Well, it’s really not that big a deal when all is said and done.

But I have to say, not only has being part of the leadership training in 5BBC helped me grow my cycling knowledge and abilities in many subtle and not-so-subtle ways, but riding in the Day-rides of the club over the past years has been fun, confidence-inspiring (I ride around NYC carefully and confidently because of the experience I have gained riding without pressure in this club over the last few years - by contrast to many people I meet socially who tell me they would be too afraid to venture out in city streets), and sometimes - thought provoking and intellectually stimulating as well.

Case in point, a situation that happened on a ride recently in Brooklyn that I would like to share with you here (protecting all parties other than myself via anonymity). Not that anyone needs protection, as nothing too serious happened.

We are all adults riding on these rides and are expected to follow the rules of the road and work out any issues that arise amongst ourselves. No one did anything terribly wrong and quite a few people did things that were quite right. For me, it was a great opportunity to learn about leadership not only as a group leader, but as a rider (“tripper” is what we are called in leadership training) and a witness to a situation that came up.

I was talking to someone I recently met in a different social setting and when I discovered they were into country cycling - I had encouraged them to come on their first ride with the 5BBC. They brought their Cannondale 6 high end road bike and were enjoying the ride (they had to be back in Jersey by 2, so were planning to leave early). At a stopping point where we were taking a bit longer because of a medical situation that had come up, and was being very well managed by the leaders on the ride, I was talking to this person when all of a sudden, someone passed with their bike at 90 degrees to ours and we heard a “pop” and “hiss” sound and our new tripper’s tire was instantly flattened.

As luck would have it, there was a bike shop next block over and not only was the tube flat, but the tire itself had been damaged. While I did not see what happened exactly, my peripheral vision had a strong sense that the cyclist who walked their bike at 90 degrees clipped the tire and caused the flat. There is really no other logical explanation and the first-time tripper felt their bike get pushed into them. Their bike was a gift from a very generous person, not one they could normally afford, same deal with the unexpected tire replacement cost - something similar to the one on the back but not identical - the whole transaction set them back $70.

The good news is that they chalked it up to the cost of riding in the big city (or anywhere for that matter, this could have happened) - and the person involved, once it was pointed out to them what had happened - made a contribution. But this did not happen without intervention by others - the new person was not shy, but did not want to make a fuss. The person who caused it, seemed oblivious to what had happened. I can tell you that not long later in that same stop, someone walked by and grazed my shin with the pedal on their bike - they did not notice that they had hit me and did not apologize… clearly, these things happen all the time – so no big deal.

However, what is our responsibility? As leaders or as riders/trippers?

Well, the reality is, and I am so glad for the wisdom of our leaders in the club, several of whom I had the opportunity to discuss this with since it happened. Bottom line, the volunteer leaders that make up this organization are responsible to lead us safely on fun rides. If things come up between riders, it is the responsibility of the adults involved to work them out with each other. The role of leaders is to lead rides, not become judge and jury on disputes that may arise (and luckily, I have rarely seen any that don’t resolve themselves fairly quickly). 

The main lesson that I learned from this - is what are our responsibility as trippers? We gain the advantage (paid members or those riding for free) of the good will of these volunteer leaders and our peers riding with us. I will borrow from the New York City campaign “if you see something, say something”. As a witness to what happened - I was uniquely in a position to do something to make our first-time-rider feel a bit better about their financial loss and the overall hassle of having to deal with what was clearly an accident. I also was able to inform the person who caused it, to make them aware and let them do what was right. Had I not intervened, that opportunity would have been missed. I am not sharing this to pat myself on the back - because frankly, you will all think I am a nosey-body (which I am anyway, so you may as well know now J). But I guess it is more a question of doing unto others as I’d have them do unto me. In the same situation, I would appreciate someone who saw something stepping in to help make the outcome better for those involved - and not impacting the ride - but rather helping it continue expeditiously. The person who caused this inadvertently made a point of calling the affected party and apoligizing directly - more than was expected and a very nice gesture!

Oh, another lesson is: if you are at a stop and your chain is in the lower ring and your pedal is towards the back of the bike, your cassette becomes a very sharp weapon that can damage someone’s shin (mine was hit by a pedal so it was fine) or their tire - pretty severely. Be careful!

Happy Riding everyone! And Happy 4th!

Thanks to all those who heard me out on this and gave me useful feedback.

Allan

Cycling in Sevilla - Getting it Right.

Submitted by David Meltzer on Tue, Jun 24, 2014

Sevilla gets it! This beautiful, traditional, and historic city has gone all in with cycling. Between 2007 and 2010 the city constructed 120km of cycle track where virtually none existed before. Like Citibike, Sevilla has Sevici, which you see being pedaled all over the city. In NYC, cycling has been embraced by some NYC officials [Jeanette Sadik Khan] and either detested or ignored by others. Sevilla's authorities are all on board. Here is a quote from Seville's deputy mayor, Antonio Torrijos, "We're still far from other admirable examples, from which we continue to learn, but we're confident that we've established the basis for Seville to become a member of the club of cycling-friendly cities, making for happier citizens, and there's no going back." The Seville Town Council has monitored usage over the period of cycle path construction and says trips by bike have grown from 6,000 to 60,000 per day. Encouragingly, around 30 percent of those taking to two wheels said they would have gone by car previously .

My hotel gave out free bikes to its guests. After failing the two minute bike check [yeah - I do it even when not cycling with the 5BBC] - some minor repairs were made and I took off to explore. The first thing that one notices is the infrastructure. Lanes are all well marked with either green paint or raised discs embedded in the sidewalks. Where the lane turns, there is an arrow showing the way. Where there is a traffic light or driveway upcoming, these are also noted on the pavement. There are separate traffic lights for cyclists, that are for the most part followed. The lanes go all over the city and across the river to Triana, Seville's Brooklyn. Certain streets are only open to cyclists and closed to cars. Cycling is safe and comfortable.

It takes a while on the bike before you realize that there has been an easy peace established between cyclists, motorists and pedestrians. Motorists always give way to cyclists. They see you and just know to stop when you enter an intersection. One big difference between cycling in NYC and in Sevilla is that where there are no lanes, bikes are to ride on the wide sidewalks and not the street. Here, cyclists know to give way to pedestrians and uphold their right to walk unimpeded by bikers. The rights of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians seem to be respected without the finger pointing [usually the middle one] and name calling that often is encountered in NYC.

I decided to bike along the river as far as the trail would take me. Seville is quite flat, and the peddling was easy. The Guadalquivir is a beautiful river filled with kayaks and racing sculls. Palm trees, bright flowers and colorful old buildings line the sides of the river. I then left the river where the trail took me through residential neighborhoods and various parks. I had no specific route in mind and was just following whatever trail struck my fancy - generally moving east. When I got to the end of the trail - I looked up and saw the sign saying "SEVILLA". I had come to the city limits and it was time to turn it around.

I did not want to do a there and back; getting lost is part of the fun, so I took a meander along various other pathways. I collected three bridges bouncing back and forth across the river into Triana. The skies threatened, the rain came and went, I continued pressing westward. Hungry and thirsty, I stopped at an outdoor cafe for a bacon and egg sandwich and fresh squeezed OJ. I then found a nice park and took a little rest before heading back. I consulted both my map and a parks employee, "Donde esta la puente de Reyes Catolicos" for directions.

There is no better way to see a city then on a bike. You do not just whiz by like you do in a car. You also can cover a lot of ground. It was great seeing how a more mature cycling city behaves - and realizing just how far Sevilla came in a short period of time.

David Meltzer

Give the gift of bicycling. It will cost you $0.

Submitted by Jim Zisfein on Sat, Jun 21, 2014

Know someone who would enjoy bicycling, but needs a little push?

 

We know you love bicycling. You probably have adult family members or friends who would enjoy bicycling as much as you, but they’re not riding because ... they don’t have a bike, or haven’t been on a bike in years, or are afraid to ride in traffic, or would ride with a group (like 5BBC!) but are unsure of their skills, or [insert excuse here].

 

Check out Bike New York’s Bike Path Cruise Rides. These are slow-paced, short distance, instructional rides on bike paths (no motor traffic to worry about), perfect for that someone who needs confidence-building to get back into bicycling. Participants don't even need to own a bike; they're provided by Bike New York. 

 

Bike Path Cruise Rides are led by 5BBC ride leaders who share their enthusiasm for bicycling by teaching group riding skills to novice cyclists. Best of all, the rides are free.

 

Jim Zisfein
5BBC ride leader (and Bike Path Cruise Ride leader)

 

 

5BBC Benefits - Overseas Edition

Submitted by David Meltzer on Thu, Jun 19, 2014

Lisbon is not a city designed for cyclists. It is composed of seven hills - steep hills. The streets are primarily cobblestones. And, there are electric trams that run all over the place liberally placing the tracks on the streets. Picture Red Hook or Dumbo at an 8% grade and you get the idea. And if the roads are not crazy enough - Portuguese drivers have the highest motor vehicle fatality rate in Europe. Of course, being a NYC Cyclist, none of this fazed me. So off I went to Bike Iberia for a tour. The tour was advertised as a three hour roll through Lisbon. When I arrived, I discovered that the Tour made our Happy Face Rides look like a quick spin. I gave him a 5BBC card and told him that I am a cyclist - and needed some steady riding. After a discussion with Jorge, the owner of the store, I opted out.

And then we got to talking. When George opened Bike Iberia in the then dodgy Cais do Sodre area, he was told by numerous people that he was insane. But the fortunes of that area of town, and the fortunes of cycling have taken an upturn. Lisbon is still in the process of getting its bike infrastructure together. There are a variety of trails that mostly run along the flat areas along the Tejo river. Although I did see a hearty rider or two in the Alfama district where I am staying. Most of the bikes that I have seen are of the mountain bike variety - no fancy carbon fiber road bikes need apply here. What Lisbon does not have is a bike map. Very soon, that is going to change.

Jorge is in the process of making the bike map on his own. He has spent thousands of Euros from his pocket - without any municipal support or interest. After the tour left, he spread out the prototype map like a proud poppa. He showed me how the map would work. Trails are laid out. Cobble stone streets are noted. Hills are indicated, and like the NYC map - suggested routes are also provided. I showed him my NYC Bike Map App as an example. He was also working on an English translation of the map - and I was enlisted as a proof reader.

At the end of our discussion, he gave me a bike - free of charge - and told me where he thought that I should ride. He called it an "advocate's discount." Jorge added a sturdy lock, threw in a helmet and water, and off I went. I opted for a flat route along the river towards the Vasco da Gama Bridge and beyond. It passed through older industrial areas that reminded me of a waterfront version of Review Avenue. Then, the trail widened at the beautiful Parque de Nacoes area. The trail itself was very well marked with either sharrows, signs or small discs embedded in the ground. Being Lisbon, the surface was a mix of pavement and cobblestones. There were also dirt areas and one or two boardwalk type places. Truck would have felt at home here. When I got to the end of the trail, I turned around and headed back for a further consultation with Jorge.

Cycling and politics is not confined to NYC. It is a world-wide effort, made stronger by men of vision like Jorge. He is literally putting his Euros where he mouth is, and providing a map for cyclists in this city where few would have given cycling a chance.

Pages