Author: RideCoordinator

Tree Planting by Bike

Posted on by RideCoordinator

Celebrate Oregon Arbor Week on bikes! Join Friends of Trees Eugene and plant native trees in Jefferson Park along the bike path through the Lane County Fairgrounds, and street and yard trees in nearby neighborhoods. Join us this Saturday, April 7, 10am-1pm, Amazon Path, near the Fairgrounds.

Event begins at 10am with a speech by Mayor Piercy and the City of Eugene receiving it’s Tree City USA award. Then we will break into teams and plant 25 trees in the park and another 40-60 street and yard trees in adjoining neighborhoods. We will have one or two teams planting neighborhood trees by bike, so let us know if you have bike trailers to bring and ride if you can. There will be a barbeque hosted by Northwest Natural with food and drinks for all after the trees are planted.

For more information, contact Erik Burke at ErikB@FriendsofTrees.org or 541-632-3683

A Portland Tree Planting by Bike- photo: Greg Raisman

 

GEARs Letter to Council Regarding Capstone Project

Posted on by RideCoordinator
The following letter was sent to City Council today as requested by the GEARs Board at their  March meeting:
The Honorable Mayor Piercy and City Councilors,
GEARs (Greater Eugene Area Riders) Cycling Club welcomes increased housing in Eugene’s downtown core, as proposed in the Capstone Student Housing Development–but we would like to ensure that Capstone’s transportation impact honors the City Council’s adopted Vision, Goals and Outcomes.  For this reason, we recommend the following conditions for approval of Capstone’s MUPTE application:
Require State-of-the-Art Bicycle Parking: For such a high-profile development in a city known nation-wide for its level of bike theft, we’d like to see not only the required number of bicycle racks, but rather a comprehensive bicycle parking system of a quality comparable to the structured auto parking planned.  An example of such bicycle parking is BikeStation, as described athttp://home.bikestation.com/what-is-bikestation
Require Separate Apartment Rent from Parking Space Rent: Provide students an incentive to save money by leaving their cars at home.  This will make the apartments more affordable, reduce the pollution and traffic associated with hundreds of students’ cars, and leave students more money to spend at downtown businesses.  Unused parking spaces might then be available to lease to others who live, work or shop downtown.
Reduce the Number of Parking Spaces: With the University within Capstone’s “20-Minute Neighborhood”, and excellent options for walking, bicycling and transit, there is no need for as much auto parking as Capstone has proposed.  Auto parking should be reduced to the minimum required by Capstone’s lender.
Improve bicycle access from UO: Well-designed bicycle infrastructure will encourage students not only to ride bikes, but to do so safely and legally.  Recent improvements on Alder Street provide an excellent example of the type of infrastructure that can “normalize” bicycle travel.  A similar design on 13th Avenue would serve Capstone residents and their neighbors well.
We encourage you to use this opportunity presented by Capstone to shape downtown Eugene’s transportation future in a way that meets the needs of current and future residents.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

—
Richard Hughes
President
Greater Eugene Area Riders Cycling Club (GEARs)

http://eugenegears.org/
PO Box 10244
Eugene, OR 97440
541-933-5542

GEARs Awards Local Groups $2,500 For Bike Education

Posted on by RideCoordinator

GEARs has awarded $2500 in mini-grants to promote bicycle education and safety.  Recipients of the 2012 mini-grants are Safe Routes to School, Nearby Nature, the University of Oregon Outdoor Program, the City of Eugene “Sunday Streets” program, and St. Vincent dePaul’s.

Applications for GEARs mini-grants totaled over $16,000, reflecting a huge need for bicycle safety in the Eugene area.  Mini-grant funds will be used to provide bicycle parts, lighting, and locks for students and low-income people, purchase bicycles for bike safety classes in the Bethel School District, and install a 24-hour “Bike Fixit” station on the University of Oregon campus.

GEARs also has offered free registration in its “Confident Cycling” classes to organizations that applied for mini-grants.  These classes provide both classroom instruction and on-the-bike practice in riding safely and legally on city streets.  For more information on GEARs Confident Cycling classes, see http://edu.eugenegears.org/classes.

 

 

Celebrate St. Patty’s Day At Evviva

Posted on by RideCoordinator

GEARs General Meeting: March 17, 6-8pm
Evviva Training: 960 Charnelton, next door to Hutch’s

Luke DeMoe, Evviva’s manager, has invited GEARs members to an interactive evening that will be sure to make this St. Patty’s Day one of the most memorable!  We are invited to learn about and take part in several activities along with soft drinks and snacks.
•    Byron and Caitlin Gold will give us information on their
very popular Crossfit class
•    You are invited to bring your bicycle (700c tires) and participate in a session using the Computrainer, which is computer-generated training.
•    We will move over to Hutch’s to look at Retul, their Bike Fitting station.
•    We will find out about CycleSole, which are form fitted insoles that are made to fit you shoe and riding style.
•    Eric Taylor, Hutch’s manager, will be on hand to answer bike or accessory questions. You can make purchases using your GEARs Rewards Discount.
•    Soft drinks and snacks will be served.
We are most fortunate to have this unique opportunity. Please let us know if you would like to attend and if you would like to bring your bicycle and participate in the Computrainer.  RSVP to Garry Swanson garry@eugenegears.org or Call 541-218-5271

 

UO Bike Program To Install Five Self-service Bike Repair Stations

Posted on by RideCoordinator

It’s been so great to see the energy grow on the UO campus with both the LiveMove student group and the UO Bike Program continually pushing for positive changes to the campus area for cyclists. The latest news from the Bike Program involves some assistance from GEARs Education to help them purchase five self-service bike repair stations and to create educational material for the campus area. We look forward to continuing to work with these student groups to grow cycling in our community at large!

—–News Release—-

The University of Oregon Bike Program is leading a project to install a network of five self-service bike repair stations around the UO campus, to support and encourage bicycle transportation for our campus community.  The Bike Program has received $7,000 in support from the UO Sustainability Center’s Student Sustainability Fund, and $750 from the Greater Eugene Area Riders to pay for four stands and educational materials.  A fifth stand will be paid for with funds left over from a grant for another project from the Associated Students of the University of Oregon, which came in under budget.

The stands, which will be installed in central, high-visibility locations on campus, will provide bicycle users with air, tools, and a stable spot to hoist their bike for maintenance.  Each station will include an info panel with bike repair and safety information, as well as directions to our campus DIY repair shop in the Outdoor Program Barn.  Web resources will include new how-to-fix-your-bike videos produced by the UO Bike Program in partnership with Erb Memorial Union Marketing and the Oregon Daily Emerald.

“It will be great to see these repair stands around campus as reminders of the university’s commitment to sustainability and active transportation.  We all see reminders of our societal commitment to cars every day.  I think this project sends a strong message about our priorities as a community,” said Ted Sweeney, the student coordinator of the UO Bike Program. “People need to be able to trust their bicycles to get them where they need to go every day, and knowing that tools and air are always nearby might give some the confidence they need to start commuting by bike.”

The Bike Program is working with staff in the Department of Campus Planning and Real Estate to approve the final siting for the FixIt stands, and hopes to install the network by the end of spring quarter 2012.


More about the UO Bike Program: The University of Oregon Bike Program, a branch of the UO Outdoor Program, works to connect students with bicycles. Since 2008, the student-run program has offered low-cost bicycle loans, a free do-it-yourself bike maintenance shop, and related classes and events for the UO Community.

For more information, please contact Ted Sweeney, UO Bike Program Coordinator. bikes@uoregon.edu, (503) 737-4419

 

Upcoming Events This Week

Posted on by RideCoordinator

Besides the usual weekly rides there are some other items of interest coming up over the next week. As usual all these, and more, can be found on the Community Bike Calendar.

Bike Willamette Campaign
Friday, February 24th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm, Agate Alley Laboratory Restaurant banquet room, 2645 Willamette Street

After three steering group meetings (join these meetings if you want to!) we have settled on six areas that merit our most immediate attention:
– Identifying and collecting contact information for supporters of the campaign
– Identifying and collecting contact information for business and property owners along south Willamette St.
– Identifying and collecting contact information for the existing organizations which will support our goal
– Developing our key messages for letting people know what we are about and gaining their support
– Establishing our resource library of information, documents, published articles that relate to this project
– Planning some fun events for our group and for Willamette Street

We will spend significant time in small groups working on the above tasks.
There will be a sign-up sheet for speaking to city council at one of 8 city council meeting in the next few months. We’ll re-cap a couple of meetings with Eugene Planning staff that occurred this week.
News: Both the Amazon and the Friendly Area Neighborhood Association Boards have sent letter to the city staff supporting the inclusion of bike lanes on any new design for Willamette St.
Join the Bike Willamette Campaign Google Groups email list for inter-group communications. Head to this web address and join the Bike Willamette Google Group – you’ll be able to send email to and receive email from the whole group. <http://groups.google.com/group/bikewillamette>

Paul Moore for Bike Willamette Campaign: 541-954-3843
P.S. We’re still meeting at 9:05 am on Saturdays in front of Arriving By Bike to cruise on Willamette St. and then converse over a hot drink or food along Willamette.

Bike Industry Job Fair hosted by Collins Cycle Shop
Sunday, February 26th, 12-5pm.

Collins Cycle Shop will host a job fair for those interested in a career in the ever growing cycling industry. Employment opportunities include working in a bicycle shop, manufacturing, shipping and receiving, warehousing, mechanic school, independent sales representative, fabrication, design and more.

The purpose of this event is to create a network for those interested in working in the cycling industry. Although there may not be immediate openings available, we will share resumes with employers seeking qualified help. The following employers have expressed interested in attending this event: Specialized Bicycles, Morgan Hill CA, Giant Bicycles, Newbury Park CA, Cyclone Bicycle Supply, Portland OR, Seattle Bicycle Supply, Seattle, WA, City of Eugene, Bicycle Transportation Program, Castelli Cycling Clothing, Portland, OR and Garmin, Olathe, Kansas. Those interested in job opportunities are encouraged to submit their resume to onsite HR staff.
Music provided, courtesy of Skip Jones.
Bicycles and other merchandise will be relocated temporarily in order to accommodate space for this event at Collins Cycle Shop, 60 E. 11th Avenue, Eugene. Sales will resume on February 27.

City Council Meeting- Public Input on Ped/Bike Master Plan
Monday, Feb. 27th, 7:30 p.m. City Council Chambers
This is the last meeting before the Ped/Bike Master Plan goes in front of the Council for approval on March 12th so this is the last chance to comment in support of the Plan. This is also a good time to make comments about the Street Repair Review Panel and recommend that the next “pothole bond measure”  match mode share and provide better funding to active transportation projects (expand funding for path repair and in the right-of-way bike/pedestrian improvements)
Bicycle Appreciation Day (BAD)
Thursday, March 1, 11am-3pm, 13th & Kincaid, Lillis Business School, UO Campus
Time to get your bike ready for spring riding! Bring your bike, as volunteers and Bike Program mechanics will be doing minor repairs and adjustments for free. Co-sponsored by the UO Bike Program and UO LiveMove. FREE!

 

Foot and Pedal: The Relationship Between Oregon’s Land Use Laws and Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Planning
Friday, March 2, 2:30-3:45, Walnut Room of the Erb Memorial Union (EMU), University of Oregon
The panelists will discuss the importance of creating robust systems of bicycle and pedestrian networks in our cities, and how Oregon’s land use laws help local governments create those systems. They will also identify changes that could be made to current laws in order to make bicycle and pedestrian transportation planning easier. Finally, they will explore the difficulties that economic realities can cause, even despite perfect planning.
Panelists:  Shane MacRhodes, Program Manager, Safe Routes to School – Eugene School District 4J; Emily Jerome, Deputy City Attorney, City of Eugene; Reed Dunbar, Associate Transportation Planner, City of Eugene Public Works; Mia Nelson, Willamette Valley Advocate, 1000 Friends of Oregon.