Articles by Karly Coleman

Bikeology Festival is Edmonton’s premiere bicycle celebration, with dozens of free, public, bike-cultural events in and around our city throughout the month of June. Visit the Velofest table at Earth Day to find out what’s new for Bikeology Festival and Edmonton’s Bike Month 2013. We’re looking for pedal-powered volunteers who want to have fun and help spread the velo-love!

IF you are able to help with website updates, website design, event organization, come on down!

Edmonton Earth Day Mini-Festival Pop – Up Event
April 20,2013
Earth’s General Store and
Parking lot of Earth’s General Store (www.egs.ca) and Adara Hair & Body Studio, 9605 – 82nd Avenue (corner of 96th Street and 82nd Avenue).
Parking generously provided by Sai Baba Centre of Edmonton (http://www.saibabacentre-edmonton.ca/) 9619 – 82nd Avenue.
11-4pm
Twitter:@earthdayedm

Interested in finding your perfect bike for the cycling season?

HERE IS THE CYCLING EVENT FOR THE REST OF ALBERTA

If you just need to clear a path in the garage, or you need a better bike for a great cause; Alberta Bike Swap is THE event to sell and or buy a bike.

Alberta Bike Swap Ltd. is a registered non-profit that runs the bike swap as a one-day-bike-buy-and-sell event in Edmonton on May 11, 2013.  In 2012 there were over 4000 attendees.  Every good bike that is priced right will sell.

The Alberta Bike Swap offers quality bikes at reasonable prices.  While there are thousands of new economy bikes available from a number of outlets, these economy bikes are often referred to as Bicycle Shaped Objects (BSOs).  These BSOs are better to look at than to ride.  If you want that lime green ersatz mountain bike, we’ll see you next year…

The Alberta Bike Swap’s partner, Alberta Motor Assocation (AMA) is participating, and providing information about their road bike assist program at the swaps.  (And, AMA members get a deal to sell their bikes at the swap).

HOW DO YOU PARTICIPATE?

• Contact the Alberta Bike Swap for more details (see below) –  used-bike sellers get a safe and convenient venue for access to thousands of buyers (typically there are 10 buyers for every bike, ~90% of the bikes brought to the swaps sell).
• A basic safety check will be done on the bike.  The Alberta Bike Swap’s squad of volunteer bike techs, led by Mechanahands, perform a basic safety and mechanical check of each bike.  As a result, the bikes sold at the swap are safer than an online purchase, however, we ask that you get a more thorough check of the bike at Mechanahands or at a participating shop.

Why should you participate?

• For yourself – find that perfect bike you have been looking for, OR, help someone else find their perfect bike!
• For the community – the Alberta Bike Swap pledges $20 to any cyclist in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, any of the MS Tours, or the Branch Out Neurological Foundation rides, when they bring in a bike to sell.
• For your favourite cycling group – The Alberta Bike Swap donates half the proceeds from every swap to local cycling organizations and safe cycling causes.
• For your local economy – The Alberta Bike Swap does not compete with bike stores, every bike shop is asked to participate.  Participating shops are listed on the Alberta Bike Swap website http://albertabikeswap.ca
• For others – You can bring your bikes to the swap for donation.  The donor is offered the opportunity of donating the bike to the MS or Cancer Society, or donating the bike to a local charity.

The few bikes not sold are either returned to the owner, if requested, or donated to the following groups:

IN Calgary:

• Good Life Community Bike Shop
• Two Wheel View

IN Edmonton:

• Edmonton Bicycle Commuter Society.
• Bicycles4Humanity

Contact:

Alberta Bike Swap, Ltd (non-profit)

email:  albertabikeswap(at)gmail.com

telephone: 587 707 4250

NOTE: The Alberta Bike Swap records the serial numbers of the bikes,  with is logged with the National Bike Registry.  This process keeps stolen bikes at bay.

The Otesha Project is seeking open-minded volunteers to dig into issues like natural resource extraction, climate change, and food production.Along the route your team will explore the interplay of factors like policy,governance, ecology, and grassroots organizing, and will facilitate creative and interactive outreach in high schools, elementary schools, and community centres.

Oh – and did we mention you’ll do it all travelling by bicycle? But don’t worry – you needn’t start the tour an experienced cyclist – you may finish one, though!Training in bike maintenance and repair, touring, facilitation and presenting skills, and oh-so-much more, is provided.

Where: Alberta    When: May 11-June 20

How: Submit your online application by March 1; telephone interview to follow

For more information, check out www.otesha.ca.

YOU are invited to the Bikeology Volunteer Recognition Party, at Bohemia – 4-7 p.m. Sunday, October 21, 2012.  Particularly if you volunteered! We LOVE you and are so thankful for what you bring to our festival!  Please do come… Here’s the address:  10217 97 Street Northwest  Edmonton, AB T5J  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bohemia/158443797513825?fref=ts

Looking forward to seeing you there…

xoxo the VELO Team

Heyo folks… you thought that Bikeology events only happened in June… Well, you were right, up until tomorrow! We are hosting another Bikeology: Mocktails on the Bridge Wednesday, August 8, at Ezio Faraone Park from 4-6 p.m.  Join us for a smoothie…

We here at VELO are so grateful to our many sponsors, volunteers, donors, participants and other bikey folk.  We exist because of you, and for you.  Without you, Bikeology and Bike Month would be nothing.

Keep an eye on this space for an official Volunteer Party towards the end of July.  We’ll have one when we have all recovered from our various bikey vicissitudes of the past few weeks… We’ll also be sending invitations, so watch for them as well.

See you soon!

Don’t forget, the Bikeology crew are plotting ever more cycling events during the year, so stay tuned for those too….

Help improve the City of Edmonton’s bike map.

The City of Edmonton is currently collecting feedback to improve the City’s online and printed cycling maps. Your feedback will be used to help improve the maps. There are two ways to join the discussion:

1.  Take the online survey and provide input here

2.  Drop in to the bike map session at City Hall on July 24, from 4:30 – 8 p.m..  You can look at sample maps from a variety of areas and provide feedback on what you would like to see in Edmonton’s new bike map.

We all ride for one reason or another, and here are some of the fabulous reasons Edmontonians ride… wahoo!  Ride On…

Bike Month has ridden off into the sunset, and a fine, fine time was had by all.  The Bikeology: Festival organizers are sad to see the month over, have put our heads together and realized that there is no need to stop every event dead in it’s tracks just since June is over… Stay tuned for more events throughout the year, all geared to making cycling in Edmonton pleasurable, entertaining and easy…

Willie sure knew how to turn a phrase, although he probably didn’t know about bicycles, back then!

Join us at the launch of the 2012 Shakespeare in the Park Festival by riding with us from Ezio Faraone Park to Hawreluk Park. We’ll leave @ 7:15 for sufficient time to cycle there, park, and get a grand seat!

Edmonton’s inaugural Steampunk Ride is nigh.  Tomorrow in fact from noon to High Tea.  If you haven’t planned your Steam-y Punk-y costume out yet, there is still time, as Sanctuary will be open prior (at 11) to the ride (which is at noon).  You can find out more of the details here…

Not sure what is meant by Steampunk?  Check out Gigcity’s article.

Ha! the weather today is going to be fabulous for the Edmonton Famous Outdoor Ride in Movie at the Victoria Cricket Pitch… Where is that you ask… it’s on River Valley Road, just before the Victoria Golf Course.  Here’s the address for you folks more address inclined – 12130 River Valley Road Northwest.

Bring your own snacks, mozzie repellant, blankets and something warm and dry to sit on. Come at 8:30-ish p.m. for live music and games, then when it gets dark, enjoy the classic 1969 movie where bank/train robbers also use bikes…really…

Music, smoothies, repairs, things to see and do, dancing, races… all our cyclist-y dreams came true yesterday when the Bikeology: Festival Day took over Beaverhills House Park.  We rocked the square with the sweet sweet sounds of wheels spinning our energy into electricity, transforming electricity into sound and thence back into energy. Glory, glory, all hail the bicycle…

Perhaps you know that bikey love takes many forms, however this here link proves it.  We ask that you journey down this rabbit hole only if you are over 18, mind.

Saturday is going to be fabulous!  Velo love will abound from noon to four p.m. at BeaverHills House Park, on the corner of 105 Street and Jasper Avenue.  It is the Bikeology: Festival Day in all it’s bikey glory.  What’s that you ask! Well, every year since 2001, cyclists in Edmonton have been gathering to listen to music, make smoothies, look at displays that are bikey related, and generally bask in the glory of the invention of the bicycle.

Check out previous year’s festivals to get a sense of what is in store…

Cycling is always fraught with weather, and we here at the Velofest HQ recognize that cyclists are a hardy bunch.  We want to honour that hardiness, and, in the past have had no real chance to do so because we were lousy with fabulous weather at all our events…. Yup, good weather was thick on the ground for the first 10 years of our festival.

It’s only lately that the weather gods have looked down upon us and decided to mix things up a bit.  Like last year’s Bikeology: Festival Day, the Bikeology: Outdoor Bike In Movie and this year’s Bikeology: Mocktail Series.

What to do, what to do… Why, continue with the show of course… It’s all a matter of risk management and understanding your audience.

Risk management is clear – When the weather is too extreme or (as in the case of the Outdoor Bike In Movie) too wet from previous rain, making it uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time, we will cancel, and we will let you know via all our usual channels (here, Facebook, Twitter, word of mouth).

Our audience is equally clear – any one who rides a bicycle presently, desires to ride a bicycle, or has just started riding a bicycle… these people are our people. And it turns out they ride during all sorts of weather conditions, so do we.  No cookie cutter cyclists, no cookie cutter weather… so we’ll see YOU on the trails, out at the events, decked up in rain gear or not!  Promise.

Tonight we are watching the gorgeous 87 minute “The Kid With A Bike” followed by the make-up screening of the mountain bike film “Life Cycles” which is 47 minutes long… That will totally fill your evening and there’ll be popcorn and beer!

See you there…

Wee details

LIFE CYCLES - CANADA 2010, 47 MIN, DIGITAL, DIRS: DEREK FRANKOWSKI & RYAN GIBB - Life Cycles tells a spectacular, visually stunning story of the mountain bike, from its creation to its current world-wide popularity.

THE KID WITH A BIKE - BELGIUM 2011, 87 MIN, DIGITAL, DIRS: JEAN-PIERRE & LUC DARDENNE - Bikeology presents the Edmonton premiere of this 2011 Cannes Film Fest Winner. For more information, check out this program guide & it’s encore screenings of this film June 15-21.

If you are thinking about coming out to the Bikeology Art Project nights, delay no longer!    Our resident artist – Jan Przysiezniak of Jelly Parrot Trash Crafts – has worked in the bicycle art creation field for decades and can be trusted to help you develop an idea then see it to fruition over the remaining Bike Month weeks!  To get your creative juices flowing, here are some photos of snazzy art that has gone before you!

The Bikey Breakfast today was a relaxed affair,  with lovely weather and folks kicked back, enjoying Da Capo’s offerings.  What a wonderful day: slept in, tootled over, set up, hung out, visited with bikey peeps… ah, Fridays in June rock.

While many people have a favourite bike store (for various reasons, of which they may tell you about at length), I myself look upon local bike shops as though they were different types of candy.

Let me explain – like choosing between all the many flavour of candy that exist, there may be some that you go to for gear, another for clothing, another for bicycle parts, another for snooping ’round checking out what they have and for what you might start saving up.  Some specialize in tri-bikes, others in commuter bikes, still yet others feature a brand to which you may be loyal, others offer up a broad swath of general cycling accoutrements…

Today we celebrate each and every Local Bike Store.  Go to your local bike store and show them your love.  Go now.

What’s this you say? A song about a river featured predominantly on a bicycle festival blog?  Indeedy do… Check out this event – the  Rolling Down the River Healthy People, Healthy Communities, Healthy Watershed Tour.  The Tour Objective:  To collectively ride 1 km for each km of tributary feeding the Battle River (7500km)… If you want to participate, contact the tour organizers at the Battle River Watershed

Tour Dates:  Sunday June 17th- Thursday June 21st

Tour Summary:

• Distance Travelled: 541km
• Elevation change (west to east):  951 to 533 m decrease
• Max hours in the saddle: 36 hours
• Cycling calories burned: 32,400 (equals 81 cinnamon buns or 60 Papa Burgers)
• Bagels eaten: Too many
• Times crossed Battle River: 7
• Litres of water consumed: 54 litres (some in the form of beer)
• Memories for a lifetime; Many, many, many

It was a damp lot of cyclists, LRT riders and car drivers that competed for the most efficient and the fastest mode of transport today at the Bikeology: Commuter Race, I’ll tell the world.

The fastest cyclist, Daniel, came in at 9 minutes and 1 second, for a bagel unit per person of .501.  In fact we were barely set up before he arrived!  Clearly fast and efficient… Daniel also informed us that he spent a good two minutes looking for the finish, so it was good we arrived when we did…

The second most efficient cyclist/LRT rider was Andreas Hengst, whose bike riding time was 7 minutes and LRT riding time was 15 minutes… Seems odd to be the second most efficient contestant, however THERE WERE 500 PEOPLE ON the LRT this morning, reducing Hengst’s bagel units/person to .604.

Here are the results for all the riders:

results of race

Sweet… This race is a clever indicator that whether you go multi-modal or by bike, you are more efficient and faster (or as fast) than if you were travelling by automobile, even one as efficient as a VW diesel…

RAPID FIRE THEATRE PRESENTS:
THE IMPROVAGANZA MUSCLE BEACH AND BOYS BIKINI BIKE WASH!
JUNE 9, 2012
WILBERT MCINTYRE PARK
8331 104 STREET

We may live in Edmonton, but on June 9th Rapid Fire Theatre is kicking it California-style with the first annual IMPROVAGANZA Muscle Beach and Boys Bikini Bike Wash.

Pedal on down to Wilbert McIntyre Park on June 9th at 12pm to have your bicycle buffed by the bikini-clad boys of Rapid Fire Theatre. While your wait for your wheels to dry, kill some time watching the fantastic RFT ladies pump iron like nobody’s business – seriously these gals are ripped!

This sweaty soapy velo rubdown comes in preparation for the launch of the 12th annual IMPROVAGANZA Festival which runs in Old Strathcona from June 13-23.

IMPROVAGANZA is Edmonton’s premiere alternative comedy festival, and we’re pulling out all the stops to bring you a star-studded line up of performers from around the world including Maria Bamford and The School of Night form London, UK.

however the Bikeology: Salon was only from 3-5 and if you missed it, you missed Adrian Pearce’s fabulous chat about what to take when you are going out into the wide world o’camping by bike in the backcountry… You can find Adrian at this here website, where he talks about cycle touring and adventure travel…If you aren’t inspired to go out cycle touring, well, we can’t help you then…

In the great 19th Century tradition, a salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine the taste and increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation… yup, that’s right.  A gathering of folks, indulging in bevies, maybe a snack participating in that age old communication thang face to face.  No internet searches that end in frustrated howls, no plaintiff laments to the twitter feed asking what for people’s thoughts on various topics, no skulking in dark alleys trying to meet up with someone who knows…

Our Bikeology: Bikey Salons are held at Credo Café – 10134 – 104 Street – every Sunday from 3-5 p.m. (after your morning ride) and we have a range of topics to pique your interest.

Today (Sunday June 3) we will be talking about Bike Packing, the essentials you need for getting where you want to go with the stuff you need to take with you.  What do you take for a tour? What gear do you use for commuting? How do you pack it? Where do you put your laundry? Your food? Your shoes? Is is feasible to take a computer?  Find out this or share what you know

Sunday, June 10 we’ll be chatting up…whoops, chatting ABOUT Gender and Cycling.  The bicycle was introduced (in it’s present state) to the world around 100 years ago and was a vehicle of liberation for women.  Clothing standards changed, conventions changed, women started voting… Why, if it was such a spectacular motivator of societal change do very few women cycle?  Why are women considered an indicator species for whether a community is not only bike friendly but safe overall?  Tell us your thoughts

Sunday, June 17, finds us venturing into a contemplation of winter cycling and all that it might entail.  And what is that?  How do you dress for it? Why would you? Where do you? What’s the appeal? What about ice and snow and other potential hazards?  Tell us your thoughts…

Sunday, June 24, is our final Salon, all about Advocacy.  We’ve come a long way baby, but the stereotype still prevails that if you are an adult on a bicycle, you are either a) poor, b) unable to get your driver’s license, c) lost said license in a drunken binge…  As well, if you ride a bicycle, you are subject to close calls, random undecipherable yells, getting cut off, bike lanes ending inconveniently thereby punching you into traffic.  How do you envision this changing? What can you do to help? Find out today and get involved…

Awash in the glow of the bikey love, we drink coffee and eat cinnamon buns from the FABULOUS Sugarbowl Cafe… Yes, that’s what I said, Sugarbowl Cafe cinnamon buns… FREE, FREE, FREE… for you, you, you… why? Cause it is June which is Bike Month… Cause we love you… Cause you love cycling…

And the day was glorious… 200 cyclists, 200 spanky bikes, tunes, sunshine, all our peeps…

oh, and if you had your photo taken with our “I bike because…” sign, drop us a line and we’ll get you a copy…you can reach us at info[at]bikeology[dot]com

NEXT BREAKFAST – Da Capo Lifestyle Caffe, just a titch south of the bottleneck, STARTING AT 9 A.M. as that Da Capo only opens at 9 now… so be patient….

I cycle because… riding a bike gives me great joy

I cycle because… I can eat or drink anything I want with impunity

I cycle because… it is the best way to get around my community

Why do you cycle?  We want to know.  We want you to tell us and the world.  To that end we made lovely laminated posters that you can fill out, wave around…

Get your photograph taken with it, frame that there photograph and you have a permanent reminder of why you ride as incentive on those low energy days…it may be the prod you needed to get out and ride…

Here are some of the results of our project!

A local school also came on board, as each year they celebrate the Safe, Healthy, Active People Everywhere (SHAPE)’s campaign “Wheel to Wherever”.  Above you’ll find the reasons the kids at that school wheel to wherever! Yay!

Sunny summer mornings, the smell of fresh baking on the air… yes, that is what is in store for you for Friday morning at the Bicycle Bottleneck, June 1, 7-9 a.m.  There will be coffee, a mechanic, some tunes, and a chance to check out bikey things to do in Edmonton for the rest of June…

yes, yes, they do, however that doesn’t stop Bikeology and Bike Month planning.  We have some lovely events for you to plan your June riding around.  They include, but are not limited to….

• Breakfasts – yummy, yummy food to keep you going on your bikey way
• Art Projects – haute bike culture at its finest
• Movie Mondays – ahhhh, cycling movies, feeding our need to fill our lives with bikey love
• Salons – harkening back to the 19th century, we’re going to do something crazy… we are going to talk to each other… face to face… for real
• Mocktails – pedal powered smoothies at the end of a long day of whatever keeps you occupied
• Festival Day – oh, yeah, an afternoon dedicated to our very favourite,  most efficient mode of recreation and transport, hooyah…
• Outdoor ride in movie – music, games, movies, picnics… with a pre-and post event ride to get there and back –  all the elements of a glorious time packed into a few great hours

The month also includes events for which you can pay, to which you can ride…  These lovely events include, but again are not limited to…

• Bike to the Symphony – June 8
• Ninja Circus Film Fest – June 10
• Shakespeare in the Park – June 26 to July 22

Interested?  Intrigued?  We hope so!  See you there…

Ah, the weather might be a bit crappy today, but we have spectacular things lined up for the coming month, and you should get on board!

If you want to volunteer for Bikeology, please let us know at info[at]bikeology and we’ll hook you up with fun things to do for the month… trust us…If you want to plan an event for Bike Month and get our help in getting the word out, again, you know the drill… drop us an email.  Just wanna attend? well, there’s that too!  Come on out….

See you out there…

Wheesht, sorry for the delay folks, we have been working in the background to get Bikeology and Bike Month up and running with all your old favourites, sprinkled with new and exciting bikey things to do…

What’s coming back?  Let us tempt you with this smattering of return events…

• Bikey Breakfasts (of course) – each and every Friday between 7 and 9 .m.  in June, stop by at a location near you for a coffee and a snack, then wend your way into your day…
• Salons (try, try again) – we have moved these events to Sundays at 3 to see if a change of time/date will perk them up.  Join us for a lovely intimate chat about our beloved bicycles and the various things to which they can be put to use.
• Mocktails on the Bridge  - a perennial favourite for a Wednesday afternoon from 4-6 p.m.; meet us at the High Level Bridge near Ezio Faraone Park where the Handlebar is always open!
• THE FESTIVAL DAY – woot woot… an afternoon of bikey fun, brought to you by Edmontonians and their bicycles… We’ll see you at Beaver Hills House Park on the 16th of June from noon to 4 p.m.
• Monday Night Movies at the Metro – yup, the return of the velo-love movies… every Monday, with a 7 p.m. start, at the new Metro space on 109 Street you can watch velo-oriented movies for FREE, yes FREE I tell you…
• Jewelry and craft sessions – dust off your  creative thinking cap, because Thursdays in June you can pick your parts then create your art (or craft) then wear it proudly the rest of the year…
• the Outdoor Ride In Movie – barring bad weather, we’ll be down in the park at the Victoria Cricket Pitch the night of June 23rd with a film, popcorn and music to get the ball rolling beforehand..

What’s new?  Well, we have some ideas (below), but really, you tell us! Want to host a bikey event, let us know the deets and we can help get the word out…

• Bikereel.com – Velofest Edmonton League and Organization (VELO) is delighted to join forces with BikeReel, a group presenting both local and international independent short films, Wednesday May 9, 7 p.m. at Metro again… Bike Reel Filmfest is a showcase of local, national and international talent both behind and in front of the camera. These bikey films give us a glimpse into bicycle culture and our complex relationships with bicycles, weaving together a tapestry of beauty, laughter, sorrow, wonder and adrenaline.
• Steam Punk Ride – dress up and join Bikewriter’s Blog author on Edmonton’s first ever Steam Punk ride, deets to follow
• The Edmonton Bike Swap – May 12 at the Edmonton Sportsdome, 10104-32 Ave. This is the place to safely sell your old bike and / or to buy a bike. The goal is to have all bikes in the swap able to be safely ridden away, so they are all tech checked for safety. Sellers pay a rack fee to get into the event and then a percentage when their bike sells. Bikes are taken in from 8:00 AM-11:30 PM. The swap runs from 12:00 – 4:00 PM. There is $2 admission for adults, while kids 12 and under are free.

Note that a few of these events are happening fairly soon!

There’ll be plenty more things to do with your bike in June, so check here often for updates!

Heyo cyclists, ssooooooooooo, technically, Bikeology and Bike Month is over, and WE believe it was a glorious month of velo-love; however, we want you to tell us how YOU think it went!

Everything will help us improve the month, so dig deep and let us know about your Bikeology and Bike Month experience.  Tell us a story. Suggest some changes. Compliment our effort.  Propose some events.  Volunteer your opinion… We want to know… REally..

We can be reached at info[at]bikeology.ca

Perhaps you know that Edmonton offers great cycling year around.  Perhaps you know that Edmonton has a robust cycling community.  Perhaps you know that Edmonton’s river valley is the longest and biggest parkland found in city limits in North America.

Did you know this? Edmonton holds an annual, National-level mountain bike race attracting international acclaim and world-ranked top talent from all across Canada. It’s the Edmonton Canada Cup…As a Canada Cup Series venue, Edmonton offers something truly unique, treating racers and spectators to the only stop on the Canada Cup circuit with a centralized urban course, perfect for both racers and spectators, right in the heart of the Edmonton River Valley.

Join the gang, as either a participant or a spectator, at the Kinsmen Field House on July 23rd, starting at 9 a.m. when the elite racing begins and continuing throughout the day!  There is something for everyone, whether you want to show case your wheelie popping talents, your single speed cunning, or simply want to hang with folks.  It’s going to be grand and we’ll see you there!

Bike Month as bounded by the month of June is, for all intents and purposes over.  However Bikeology has drifted past the boundaries on either side of June and we are pleased to let you know there are still MORE things we have arranged for cyclists in Edmonton over the summer…

These include:

Rides to the Pay-What-You-Will nights and matinees for the Shakespeare in the Park festival –   Pay-What-You-Will performances are on Tuesday evenings (8PM) and Saturday matinees (2PM).  ALL matinee performances are Twelfth Night. If you want to volunteer to host a ride or just want to participate in the ride, contact us at info[at]bikeology.ca for more information!

Cars and Capitalism – July 3, 7-9 p.m., Hear co-author Yves Engler discuss how the automobile’s ascendance is inextricably linked to capitalism and involved corporate malfeasance, political intrigue, backroom payoffs, media manipulation, racism, academic corruption, third world coups, secret armies, environmental destruction and war. Ride your bike!

An Edmonton Bike Month event sponsored by the Council of Canadians-U of A Chapter and Edmonton Bicycle Commuters.

Event Location: Room 201A, Law Centre, University of Alberta
Event Admission: Free
Contact for More Info: 780-433-BIKE (2453) or info@edmontonbikes.ca
Event webpage/website: http://stopsigns.fairtrademedia.com andhttp://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156535557750564

Rescheduled Ride In Movie – meh! the weather was so miserable on the 25th of June, we cancelled and are intending to reschedule for another, more convivial day… Stay tuned… We hope to have all the same folks show up to entertain you, including the Triplets!

The final two days of Bikeology and Bike Month are here and they are SUNNY!… which is handy since all the upcoming events are out-of-doors…  Not got your calendar handy?  welllllllll, here’s what’s going down:

Wednesday (today) June 29 - Bikeology: Mocktails on the Bridge – the Handlebar is open, stop by for a pedal powered smoothy, catch some tunes, hang with your peeps…

Thursday (tomorrow) June 30 - Bikeology: Fare thee Well – 6:30 ride to Hawrelak Park to take in the inaugural night of the Shakespeare in the Park Festival.  There are a few free tickets left (just a few) so if you want to get in on that, email us at info[at]bikeology.ca to scoop them!  Otherwise, join us at BeaverHills House Park for the ride down.  There’ll be prizes for cyclists, including a grand finale prize of a bicycle from Mountain Equipment Coop, throughout the festival run… see you at the park!

The original program for the Bikeology movies has been altered quite a bit. We’re improvising too. It’s a video jam. I promise to introduce you to some people who are serving up a remarkable new menu of locally produced bike movies. We have glimpses into this bike-cultural phenomenon, with never-before-seen Edmonton bike movies and previews. Want to be a bike-movie maker? Come down tonight and hear the first official call-out for Edmonton bike movies for Bikeology 2012. And that’s all I’ve got for now.

Historical perspective:
Tonight is Metro Cinema’s last screening in their long-term home in the Citadel Theatre. I intend to celebrate by having a good time thinking about all the good times. RBCC has found a screen for some of our most important movie events in that theatre – Bikeology, Tooker Gomberg Memorial, Made-in-Alberta – Green Monday pilot, to name a few. There’s been hot popcorn, hotter conversations, and warm seats to put bums in. Knowledge of where we’ve been shines a light on the future. Thank you, Citadel Theatre and to all of you who keep that facility going!

Viewer guidance:
There may be a quick swear or two this evening, but nothing that should deter bringing children. My main bit of guidance is that some viewers appreciate this sort of creative anarchy more than others.

Hope to see you tonight. Admission is free, and there’s door prizes!

Barb Allard,
Bikeology Movie Director

Sex up our barren bike racks in Edmonton by helping out the Yarnbombers create lovely covers for them at every Bikeology: Monday Movie.  What is yarnbombing you ask? Well, check it out… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn_bombing

Don’t knit but want to learn?  The Yarnbombers will help get you up and perling like yer grandma… Just show up ahead of the event and learn which way is up with a set of needles!

It’s the penultimate opportunity for free movies, tonight!  Check out the Bikeology: Movies, tonight – June 20 at 7:00 PM – at Metro Cinema, at Zeidler Hall in the Citadel.  Please remember that the south entrance is under construction, so access is only from the west off 100 street or from the north off 102 Avenue.

Our feature tonight is “Veer,” a documentary about community bicycle activism in North America. Just as with “Where Are You Go?” last week, we are screening a high-definition tape for a viewing experience that is not only meaningful but beautiful too. Ride on down to Metro Cinema in the Citadel Theatre  and get connected.

NOTE: Due to a time restriction, I have to move the opening feature, the screening of the Alberta cyclocross documentary, “Cowbell,” to next week, Monday, June 27. This way, there will be lots of time for door prizes tonight.

Viewer guidance:
Unfortunately, I was not able to get viewer guidance info for “Veer” so I can’t say whether there is swearing, violence or nudity. The movie promises an accurate rendition of life as a community bicycle activist. Life experience tells me to expect – anything  It does have the Bikeology: Movie three bike rating indicating that lots of bikey-love is present in the movie!

For the full program of Bikeology Movies in June click http://www.bikeology.ca/bikeology-information/bikeology-monday-movies-at-metro

Barb Allard,
Bikeology Movie Director

The Bikeology: Festival Day is over and the original plan was to meet up at Credo after the event and ride over to the SNAP Gallery fundraiser – Love Those Clothes: Riding Pretty – HOWEVER!

We have barely enough energy to get ourselves there, so how about we meet you there, instead of at Credo?  See you there, kind folks..

Oh my heavens, what a fabulous day.. We had a grand (albeit damp) time pedalling to power the music, rocking out to tunes all afternoon, drinking pedal powered smoothies and indulging in velo-love…

Thank you to everyone who put up tents, cycled gear to the event, participated, donated, sponsored, volunteered, displayed their goods, wrenched, expostulated, plinked, plunked, pedalled, demonstrated, trialled and balanced, cycled over, dropped by painted, was crafty, decanted, powered, mastered the music, celebrated, informed and photographed our event!  It’s because of you our events are so fabulous, and it’s because of you we do this… so once again…

thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou….

It appears that the weather has set in, however that is not going to deter us.  The 10th Annual Bikeology Festival is a go!  This is recognizing, of course, that perhaps only a few hardy souls will venture out to hang out with us…

We’ll be ready for you!  We have very large tents, we have music, we have poetry… and best of all, we’ll have bicycles.

EVERYTHING

That’s right… all the Bikeology: Festival events are free.  We will always gratefully accept donations, however any event put on by VELOFest Edmonton League and Organization will be free

If you come across an event that has a cost, it is because we have partnered with them in some way, and some aspect of the event is free (as example: a ride to the Society of Northern Alberta Print Artists Fundraiser, although their event is $25, or you come to a Bikeology: Bikey Breakfast and decide to upgrade your coffee from what is offered to, say, a cappuccino)

Otherwise, come one, come all to the various FREE, fun cycling events put on during Bikeology: Festival and Bike Month.

Hi folks – our feature tonight is “Where are You Go? – Cairo to Capetown by Bicycle”. One of Canada’s premiere bike-movie-makers, Benny Zenga, takes you on the ride of a lifetime along the 7000-mile route of the Tour d’Afrique.

Technical difficulties last week interrupted the world’s most fabulous DVD mini-compilation, “Edmonton’s Bike Shorts 2011”. So I’ve decided to screen it again tonight, rather than the archival Barb’s Bike Shorts I had planned. Check those out on-line on the Rainbow Bridge web site instead. (It is all so good!)

Click here for directions and the full Bikeology Movie program:
http://www.bikeology.ca/bikeology-information/bikeology-monday-movies-at-metro

Viewer Guidance Message:
Unfortunately Benny Zenga is currently in a remote part of the world, and so we were not able to get any viewer guidance info for the documentary feature. I would wager it is safe to bring your teenagers, but I can’t promise there is no violence, nudity or swearing. TheEdmonton’s Bike Shorts DVD is sweet as pie and good as gold.

See you tonight.

Barb Allard,
Producer, http://RBCC.ca
Bikeology Movie Director

Summer days, espresso, cycling, fine discussions about building community by cycling versus driving, cycle touring, mocktails on the bridge, movies, rides, jewelry, bike repairs… if you haven’t found something to do in Bikeology and Bike Month… well… it’s time to bring your event to the table and we’ll see if we can stick it onto the calendar so you can get other like minded folk involved!

Here are a few images from recent events…

Yup, you heard it here first!  Dacapo Lifestyle Caffe generously hosting the second Bikeology Breakfast of the month, so be sure and stop by to say hello to Tony and his crew!  A big thanks to DaCapo for coming on board with Bikeology! XOXO – the Bikeology Gears

What do town bike Miss “Pashley Princess Sovereign” and racing bike Ms. “Hakkalugi” have in common? They both appear in a a scintillating new movie compilation, entitled Edmonton Bike Shorts, screening this evening, Monday, June 6 at 7:00 PM at Metro Cinema, Citadel Theatre.

And then it’s the Edmonton premiere of “Small Changes Add Up”, the RBCC documentary depicting the LocalMotion: Parkallen 2009 community-based, eco-mobility program… a truly global-to-local partnership featuring the Global Alliance for Eco-mobility (also ICLEI), Transport Canada, City of Edmonton (multi-departments) and the Community of Parkallen.

Viewer Guidance Message: smooth sailing. Bring anyone of any age by any transportation mode.

We have door prizes! We have inspiration like maybe you haven’t felt in a long time.
Click here for the full Bikeology Movie program for June:
http://www.bikeology.ca/bikeology-information/bikeology-monday-movies-at-metro/

Some more references about LocalMotion and eco-mobility:
Local Motion, City of Edmonton http://edmonton.ca/localmotion
Parkallen Community League http://parkallen.ca
Global Alliance for Eco-mobility http://www.ecomobility.org
ICLEI: http://www.iclei.org
Transport Canada, eco-Transport (scroll down to find ecoMobility) http://www.ecoaction.gc.ca/ecotransport

This morning’s Bikeology: Commuter Race was practically a photo finish between several cyclists, one of whom cycled all the way from the West End to the starting location on 109 street and 71 Avenue to participate…  The very scientific ISO9000

approved method of calculating bagel units is based on the 90 calories you gain from eating a bagel.  Once you know

how much energy it takes to propel a bicycle, or a single occupant vehicle or a longboard, or a LRT/bike trip or a bus or a hybrid vehicle (based on our best guesstimates taken from the web) we do some fancy math and figure out that the bicycle is by far the most efficient vehicle, unless of course you have a tandem…

We enjoyed eating our bagel units per minute at the end of the race, as well… yummy cream cheese and jam bagels…

You wake up to bird song, you hop on your bicycle and tootle down to the Downtown Farmers’ Market at 104 Street and 102 Avenue.  Pick up all your comestibles for the week to come and at noon meander over to  join the festivities at Beaverhills House Park.  Here’s the Bikeology: Festival Day Itinerary:

• 11:45   Welcome and thank you, with directions to the Pedal-powered smoothies, and safety check of bicycle
• 12:00  The music of  Paula Kirman
• 12:20  Chat with Edmonton Bicycle Commuters’ Society, then find the bus rack demo area for the upcoming race.. you decide to meander over to the Park(ed) Day on 102 Avenue and 104 Street, heading east… but you come back for
• 12:30  The music of  Jesikah Holtby and Jesse Cunningham
• 12:50  The City of Edmonton’s Bicycle Racks on Buses – Display & Time Trials Race
• 1:10    The music of Escola De Samba De Edmonton
• 1:30    Description of displays and audience participation telling bicycle stories
• 1:40    The music of Owls By Nature
• 2:00    Helmet fitting and displays of BMXers and Trials riders (fingers crossed)
• 2:10    The music of Paul Bellows
• 2:30    Bicycle loading on Bus racks demonstration and race
• 2:55    Anna Marie – Bike Nic Poet Extraordinaire
• 3:35    The music of Locution Revolution
• 3:40   Announcement of scavenger hunt winner, Big “Thank You”s and reminders about the rest of the Bike Month activities

Check it out bicycle lovers!

If you didn’t go to Bohemia Variety Venue last night to watch RAD, you missed meeting a member of the original cast, “Captain” Kurk Bihun and some friends.  Turns out “Captain” Kurt heard about the screening and attended the film!  That’s right, there was a movie star at the Bohemia screening!!!!!

“Captain” Kurk and his crew setup a bmx bicycle display complete with uniforms AND then held a meet and greet aftewards… We were simply agog at the sheer coincidence of it all and how all the bikey love comes together in such a glorious way!…

The Bohemian Variety Venue had such a good time they added another movie screening to the Bike Month roster and are offering up BMX Bandits on June 23.  Check the calendar for details.

The scent of coffee wafting on the air, fresh fruit and muffins, a hint of rain… The first Bikeology: Bikey Breakfast was marvellously mellow.  Rain before and rain after, but dry as a bone in the desert during!

Turns out after seven years of power bars, we were… well, in a bit of a rut…

We also realized that we were catering strictly to those cyclists whose route went north or south, over the High Level Bridge.. It is by far the most famous Edmontonian pinch point for cyclists in the city, however we were missing out on a demographic that travels east/west for their commute… What to do what to do…

Well, we contacted Elm Cafe, one of our favourite local haunts and asked Nate if he’d be interested and, glory be, he was…Nate and his team put on a fine spread for Bikeology: Bikey Breakfasts and we are proud to partner with them on the new face of Bikeology: Bikey Breakfasts.  Nate provided a lovely spread for the cyclists that dropped by and we are already planning next year’s session…

Enough of next year… what of next Friday?  stay tuned and check back often…

Bikeology and Bike Month is formally launched!

CAUTION:  SUPERLATIVES FOLLOW…

It was the first Waving Wednesday, which was very convivial.

Early in the day it was Wheel to Wherever for all the school children – scuttlebutt is that it appears to have gone very well – check out this post at: http://ravingbikefiend.com

The flash mob at noon was a hit with 30 or so people coming and going and parking their bikes in the parking stall grabbing a coffee from Credo, then lingering to visit over lunch or tootling off to see the world from the seat of their bike.

The Ride to the Symphony was spectacular – the weather held, the Da Capo Caffe espresso was very fine and the actual Symphony was extraordinary.

And the backstage tour afterwards…well, all we can say is a huge “THANK YOU Gerald”, what a wonderful space and your knowledge of all it’s nooks and crannies is tremendous and you were very generous in sharing it!  Let’s do it again next year…

For those of you who missed out last night, check out other upcoming events on our google calendar, and be sure to register for the things that require pre-registration…

We’ll see you on the trails, or the roads, or at the venues, and as always, on your bike!

On my way home yesterday I spotted these workers!  It’s official….. JUNE is Bike Month…..

check out the June is Bike Month sign installation

the medium is the message!

Bikeology and Bike Month starts NEXT WEEK!  Do you have your tickets to the various events? There are so many, and you can find out about them here.

Do you have your routes mapped out for the maximum breakfast enjoyment?  Breakfasts have changed you know, and you can find out about that here.

We’ve added several really delightful velo-love events, and have brought back (by popular demand) the Commuter Race,which you can find out about here.

Wanna volunteer?  Not sure about what’s involved?  Check out our handy google document here, and be sure to indicate whether you can come to the Volunteer Dance Party on July 1

AND, if you have ever wondered why Bikeology and Bike Month… well, we thought about it and provided these reasons…

Remember, Waving Wednesdays are the easiest way to participate, so if you are out and about on your bike on any Wednesday in June, wave at the cyclists you see… try it today!

The fabulous Bikeology: Festival Day is nigh and we are looking for velo-oriented folks to come out to show us their goods made of or by bicycle… or maybe you have bicycles you want to display… either way this is the place for you…

June 18 we will once again be at our beloved BeaverHills House Park between noon and 4 p.m.  and you could be there too!

If you are interested, please contact the VELO team at info@bikeology.ca

Bikeology Movie Mondays at Metro celebrate the bicycle as a people-powered, culture-jamming, nature-loving, technological marvel. Juxtaposed against the post-industrial bleakness of the auto-matic world, the bicycle is a vehicle for the imagination. Each evening is co-hosted by a local bicycle organization, and we give out lots of cool door prizes. Join us. Bring your imagination. Bring your kids. We are introducing a new rating system to help you pick the right evening for a bicycle-oriented family evening out.

New This Year – Made-in-Edmonton Bike Movies!

We are offering an unprecedented amount of new, local content all month long. Two documentaries and one comedic feature film are made-in-Edmonton premieres. We are off to a racing start with a brand new mini-festival called “Edmonton’s Bike Shorts” on June 7. Ride on down and help us grow this emerging bike-cultural event!

June 6 – 7:00 to 9:00 PM

“Small Changes Add Up” – a made-in-Edmonton documentary premiere!
Director: Barb Allard
Released 2011
TRT: 55 minutes
Country: Canada

The challenge: how many people from one Edmonton neighbourhood can leave their personal automobiles at home and get eco-mobile for the month of June 2009? Several City of Edmonton departments partnered with the Parkallen community in order to find out. “Small Changes Add Up” documents the trials and triumphs of the people involved in this groundbreaking, successful eco-mobility project, which received worldwide attention when the ICLEI congress rolled through town.

Screens with “Edmonton’s Bike Shorts” mini-festival!
Director: various
TRT: 20 min

Edmonton bike shorts arise from the experiences of the people who ride bicycles in Northern Alberta. Meaningful, exciting and inspiring, they cycle from art to sport to education. In compilation, they represent the cultural leading edge of our transportation transformation. Check back often for updates on selected shorts.

Psst, June is Bike Month and the Bikeology: Festival is ramping up, so check out our calendar and be sure to come out to all the fabulous events… We have something for everyone, promise…

We want to know:

Do you have a project that involves cycling?  We invite you to come out and feature it at the Bikeology: Festival Day.

Do you have an idea about what else could be done during the month (AND are willing to help make it come to be!) be sure to contact us…We can be reached at info[at]bikeology.ca (be sure to remove the square brackets…)

Do you want to volunteer for Edmonton’s premiere cycling festival?  Again, contact us, we’d love your assistance and we look forward to hearing from you!

Oh my oh my oh my… Spring is so close you can see it in the rabbit hair, and the bare pavement, laced round with ice of course, but bare nonetheless…and that means a couple of things, cycling is becoming less of a dream for those who stow their ride in the winter AND becoming easier for those that do not…

Something else that is coming closer is Bikeology and Bike Month! Harooooo! We have a great month planned… All the usual favourites, a few of them with some new twists, and a few lovely additions to the whole mix.

Do you remember your favourite event from last year?  Was there something that you missed from years past? Tell us what it was, we’d love to know..

the Bikeology Gears

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of EBC and the 10th Anniversary of Bikeology

My, my, time whizzes past like a yellow jersey breaking free of the peleton when you are biking about creating velo-love.  30 years for Edmonton Bicycle Commuters’ Society and 10 years of Bikeology… Amazing.  EBC has grown from a wee glint in someone’s eye to be North America’s oldest volunteer bike shop and the festival has transformed from a one-day pedal-infested bacchanalia with a strong eco-consciousness to a month of give or take 27 bikey events luring people away from their auto-centric lives.  Glorious… but more importantly what does that mean for you?  IT MEANS A BIKEY PARTY!

If you have a hankering for decorating your home with all things bikey, this is the event for you.

This fundraiser celebration will directly support bicycle love in Edmonton.  Indulge in the amazing, locally-made bike art showcasing over 25 artists.  Bid on original prints, sculptures, tshirts, posters, handmade bike accessories and more!

As well there will be music,  powered by Music is a Weapon and their contingent of 10 bike-powered generators of electrical wizardry that will energize live music, literally!  Join a team of friends to ride for a 15 minutes shift of no-snow winter biking.

Allez! Allez! Allez!

We are looking for you!  You love bikes, we love bikes.  You want to promote cycling culture in Edmonton, we want to promote cycling culture in Edmonton.  You think there should be more things to do during June that revolve around bikes, we too think so…

Come out to the Dish on January 31, at 7 p.m. to find out where in the planning process we are with our festival and our events…Help us make cycling in Edmonton a sweet sweet ride!

Details:

Location:  The Dish Bistro, 12417 Stony Plain Road

Time:  7 p.m. onwards

Agenda:

• Updates
• Celebrations
• Movies (previews)
• Future plans
• How you can help

Your VELO gears

The second Bikeology Movie Monday features “Pedal”, a fast-paced documentary of cycle messengers in New York City. The opener is an eclectic 20 mins of Barb’s Bike Shorts, with medics on bikes, punk rockers and a crazy (even for Barb bicycle training film for kids. It’s an evening of fall-down, near misses – without even spilling your popcorn. (Bike movies are in the Rice Theatre this year, downstairs in the Citadel.) Tuesday, Credo Café is the scene of a moderated Bikeology Dialogue about bicycle touring. On Wednesday, there’s a new event: Blue Sky’s BBQ & Bicycle Show and Shine. Enjoy the classic film “Bicycle Thief” and live, local music. On Friday from 7 – 9 AM the mobile Bike2Work Breakfast is at the north end of the High Level Bridge. Get your bike tuned up while you drink coffee and eat muffins. Saturday, June 19, is the big one. Bikeology Festival Day is at Beaver Hills “Bike” Park from noon to four, and this is the exact same time as the City of Edmonton’s Park(ed) , MEC BikeFest, the Downtown Farmers Market and Rock the Square. Leave the car at home. All five events will be linked by a car-free network along 102 avenue. Check out the Google Calendar onhttp://bikeology.ca for addresses and times. Read event blogs on the home page.

and pancakes… so too are 200 other folks who joined us in the Square this morning for vegan pancakes, coffee, fruit and fruit juices.  Yummy…  As well, we had four mechanic stands – count them 4 – that rocked out all morning long, ensuring that everyone that came by was able to cycle away secure in the knowledge that their ride would get them where they were going…

The day was made possible by the astounding dedication of our volunteers, relatives and friends.  It’s always cool to see a community come together to put on bikey endeavours even if they have to get up at 5 a.m. and haul 300 pounds of ceramic plates (or coffee, or tools, or … you get the picture) to the site, by bike…. good effort everyone.

Well, folks, another successful Bike jewelry session wrapped up on Thursday evening.  Dylan led 12 people through the various steps to making their own marvellous jewelry from old bike parts.  In addition to marvy reflector bling broaches and rings, we saw pendants, earrings, bracelets, and many more lovely, innovative pieces.  Dylan and his brother photographed those pieces the creators agreed to share and they will be featured here, and on Dylan’s blog.  I’ll find and post it presently.

In other news, Dylan agreed to host another Bikeology Jewelry session on Thursday, June 24, same time and location.  If you didn’t get registered the first time, or are hearing about it for the first time, don’t hesitate… email info[at]bikeology.ca to register today