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Bike to Work Day is tomorrow (Friday)!

Believe it or not, May is not too far off, and with it Bike to Work Day. Our addition to this year's May 16th Bike to Work Day programs will be promoting morning bike pools lead by experienced, knowledgable, respectful bike riders who are eager to share their commute to work. You all fit that description, right!? If you're interested in taking some potentially beginner bike riders along on your May 16th commute to work, sign your commute up as one of the community bike pools sign up by filling out this form . Pick a central location for the start up and finish. When filling out the form we ask that you include a little bit of information about your ride (when/if you'll be stopping, why you take the route, how the route has changed with experience, what are some highlights to the ride: points of interest, good views, quick coffee places, etc, etc, etc). You can share whatever you want. Keep in mind there will be 5 morning "Commuter Cafés that will have free food and coffee (Market Square, PNC Park, South Side Works, Friendship Park, Schenley Plaza). You can choose to stop there or not. Try to give an accurate estimate as to length of the ride, including any stops for food, coffee or photo ops. I'm looking forward to 5/16. Its always a fun day to be out riding a bike.
iamdan901
2014-04-08 17:12:25
That is when Dirtfest begins this year :(
stefb
2014-04-08 19:22:47
I'm very interested in doing this ever since I learned about the LA Bike Trains and I'd like to ask if anybody's interested in joining along the segment I have in mind, or if anybody would care to suggest an improved route. In general, I'd like to participate in a ride from Sewickley-Coraopolis into the Northside and Downtown. My concept route is: Sewickley Starbucks (origin), Sewickley Bridge, Coraopolis Park-n-ride (pickup point) Neville Island Hockey facility (pickup point) Neville Island, rejoin 51 in McKeesRocks, cross McKeesRocks bridge California Ave, Brighton Road, CCAC North (first stop) 6th Street Bridge, Market Square (second stop). That's kind of a long ride, but I figure maybe for just one day, it might snag some of the Cory-Sewickley bike guys. It's a 1+15 ride, figuring there's some low-time riders and we'll stop for red lights. I'm completely wide open on morning start times going into the city, and afternoon start times coming out of the city. Any advice? TIA. V. ps here's an example of one of the LA bike trains. It runs once a week, for people who might want to ride with the safety net of a group occasionally.
vannever
2014-04-08 20:49:11
I've had a massive turnout of zero every time I've scheduled it, but I'll put it out there anyway: * Meetup: West View Dunkin' Donuts * Time: 7:30 that morning * Route choices (depending on who shows up and what they're willing to do): * * A: Flat, level ride -- Center Ave toward Bellevue, Lincoln/Calif to Benton Ave, L Benton, R McClure, L Orchlee, R Shadeland, L Woodland, R Stayton, L Highwood, R Brighton, L West Ohio, then Merchant to Martindale to Tony Dorsett to Ft Duq Bridge ramp, through the park, then figure out where everyone's going * * B: Hike-the-steps ride -- Up the steps behind McDonalds, then Perry and Perrysville to Federal, around Allegheny Center, Federal, 6th St Bridge. * * C: Oakland-pointed -- Center to Township to Rochester to Babcock, through Millvale, over the 40th St Bridge, 40th St, L Liberty, R Bloomfield Bridge, L Bigelow, then whichever direction at Craig anyone's going.
stuinmccandless
2014-04-09 07:14:57
Stu, you should enter a ride! You're an awesome ride leader.
iamdan901
2014-04-09 10:39:13
And Vannevar, I agree that the weekly bike pools are a lovely idea. But, I second Stu's thought. I didn't get any traction when I tried weekly bike meet ups last summer. It just seems it requires a bigger effort, concentrating on providing an enormous amount of constant messaging. This is out attempt at folding that messaging into our Bike to Work Day push. Its the first time I've heard about LA's bike trains, thanks for information. I'll definitely look into it more. There are certainly elements we can "borrow".
iamdan901
2014-04-09 12:22:38
danny.yabs wrote:Keep in mind there will be 5 morning “Commuter Cafés that will have free food and coffee (Market Square, PNC Park, South Side Works, Friendship Park, Schenley Plaza).
I am still a novice bike commuter myself but are all bikers welcome to this food/coffee?
rgrasmus
2014-04-10 15:27:02
The trouble with bikepools, biketrains, etc. is that one of the biggest benefits of biking is freedom from schedules and as a rider, just being able to kind of go into a zone, you and the road. Now, there's a startup period everyone has where they're not there and being in a pack is reassuring. I think, frankly, bike-pgh ought to do a bike-buddy bike mentor system, commute oriented, not, or ideally both, to get people over that hump. Don't require a message board post, just put it on the top menu. That's essentially what this is, it's just oriented around a particular day. I think something continuously available is even better.
byogman
2014-04-10 15:59:29
I hear you byogman, but we've got to get it started somewhere. Hopefully this will be it. @ rgrasmus, oh heck yeah! Thats what the day is all about, building the community of people who bike to work; and connecting over food is the best way to do it!
iamdan901
2014-04-10 17:29:36
@rgrasmus, some of us have been known to group up and bike a route that hits all of the food stops that day - a tour-de-breakfast or some such. Look for details as we get closer to the date.
marko82
2014-04-10 18:12:40
UPDATE: BikePGH needs your help! So far we have only a handful of riders signed up for Bike Trains. If you ride your bike to work and read this forum we need you to help a new rider out and ride your bike into town. If you are here reading this we know you like riding bikes. We don't care if you decide to go to work. All you need to do is ride your bike, why not help us out while you are at it. ... Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bKUmKJxJ7aS6_aRDIjraVr7z2D-hi5FtIsh-S92k__c/viewform?usp=send_form Thanks, Mike
unicyclemike
2014-05-07 15:32:13
Tour de Breakfast! Yes!
cpollack
2014-05-08 17:45:29
Van and Stu have my route covered, in multiple options. I've ridden/co-lead with Stu a couple of times. No one ever showed. I wonder if designated "stations" such as Vannevar has proposed would help? But other than the top of Brighton, I can't think of many that are worthy of mention. Unless we did one from as close in as West Park or something.....
swalfoort
2014-05-09 08:17:13
Trains can also leave from the same spot and ride in at different times.
unicyclemike
2014-05-09 11:05:40
We still need a few more people to lead bike trains this Friday, especially if you're coming from the following spots. Please sign up with this form. Thanks! - East End Food Coop (starting in Regent Square/Wilkinsburg/Homestead-area) - Squirrel Hill/Greenfield-area - Homestead/Waterfront/Munhall-area - Bellevue-area - Brentwood-area - Crafton/West End-area
iamdan901
2014-05-12 13:03:09
Just a reminder that tomorrow is Bike to Work Day! Hereis information on the morning Commuter Cafe stops and more. I'll be at the Friendship Park station so swing by if it's on your way in!
beccameadow
2014-05-15 18:24:26
Thank you to Bike Pittsburgh, East End Food Coop, and AeroTech for making this morning's event in Market Square well worth the stop. Great people, great energy, despite the weather! Thanks for making it happen.
swalfoort
2014-05-16 08:29:31
First time in a few years I did not ride to work on this day. :(
edmonds59
2014-05-16 09:11:10
BTWD 2008 was the first one I recall participating in, and later that year we had a conversation on this board that culminated in forming the bike trains. I'm pleased to report that today, for the first time, I got someone to ride in with me whom I did not know. As expected, I got zero interest in West View, but there was one rider at the Bellevue CVS, so we rode in together. When I last was in earshot, it sounded like he was joining BikePgh as a member. *warm fuzzies*
stuinmccandless
2014-05-16 09:51:07
Didn't get up early enough to participate in any fun stuff before biking to work today, but it was awesome to see so many people riding today! Every day ought to be bike to work day! It was so nice to have lots of company on the streets. The biking scene is my favorite thing about Pittsburgh. So many warm fuzzies today.
parvipica
2014-05-16 19:49:44