Category Archives: bicycle event

Silver Level Bike Friendly Community designation!

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Santa Monica moves up to Silver Level in Bike Friendly Communities
and named 5th Most Bikeable City in U.S

During all the celebrations of National Bike Month and to kick off Bike to Work Week, the League of American Bicyclists announced its latest round of Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC). The City of Santa Monica has been awarded national recognition of our local efforts by raising our ranking from Bronze to Silver level. At the same time Walk Score, a national organization devoted to promoting walkable neighborhoods, ranked Santa Monica at #5 on its Bike Score list of Top 100 most bikeable cities.

The Bicycle Friendly Community “Silver” award will be presented to Mayor Pam O’Connor by our own Jennifer Klausner, Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition on Wednesday, May 15th at 5pm in the courtyard behind Santa Monica City Hall, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica.  Before the award presentation you are invited to join us and SM City staff on a bicycle tour highlighting new bicycle facilities during Bike Week. Cyclists are invited to gather for the ride at 3:30pm in the courtyard behind City Hall.  We roll out at 4pm to return by 5pm for the award ceremony. After the ceremony you are in invited to join us for a Handlebar Happy Hour Celebration at West 4th & Jane.

“The Bicycle Friendly Community Silver award is presented only to communities with remarkable commitments to bicycling. You should be very proud of this accomplishment,” wrote Nicole Wynands, Program Manager for the League of American Bicyclists.

The City earned an impressive 83 Bike Score from Walk Score. This rating is derived from a data set that includes infrastructure, hilly terrain, numbers of bikers on streets and more.

“Santa Monica has embraced bicycling as one of the most important strategies to help achieve its environmental, economic and quality of life goals and adopted an award-winning Bike Action Plan in November 2011.  Since then, the City has invested heavily in bicycling, in both programs: education, events, awareness, enforcement, –and facilities: parking, lanes, sharrows, and signal detection” quoted the press release by Lucy Dyke, Planning & Community Development.

For more information on Bike Week Events and bicycling in Santa Monica:
Bike Month Santa Monica, SM Spoke
Bike Santa Monica, SM City

For more information on Bicycle Friendly Communities:
http://www.bikeleague.org/

For more information on Bike Score:
http://blog.walkscore.com/2013/05/bike-score-expands-to-100-cities/

Save the date: June 1st Santa Monica Festival

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Santa Monica Spoke’s 3rd Annual Bike Exhibition at the
Santa Monica Festival

Plus lots more – stay tuned for more info on our events at the festival.
Don’t miss the 22nd annual Santa Monica Festival! Experience an eclectic mix of live music and dance, DIY art workshops with recycled and repurposed materials, guilt-free shopping featuring earth-friendly artistic wares and local services offered by City, environmental and local non-profit organizations. The Festival is a celebration with a purpose, highlighting the dynamic connection between the City’s communities, businesses, art, culture and the environment while offering ideas and options for a greener, healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.

Supporting the Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy in Santa Monica.
SM Festival

Bike Night at the Hammer May 17th – group ride from Santa Monica with us!

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Ride with us to BIKE NIGHT at the HAMMER!

WE LOVE THIS EVENT!
Bike Night at the Hammer
Friday, May 17, 7-11pm
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! BRING YOUR BICYCLES!Bike Night Hammer 2013
Grab some friends and join us as we pedal on over for an evening celebrating all things bicyclistic!
Free festivities include bicycle portraits, a screening of the 1983 Australian action movie BMX Bandits (starring a young, not-yet-famous Nicole Kidman), bicycle-centric crafts, and free admission to LLYN FOULKES. Guest hosted by artist and bicycle enthusiast/activist Lisa Anne Auerbach.
Check out photos from last year’s Bike Night.

*Group Ride:
We will meet at the Santa Monica Bike Center (2nd & Colorado) at 6:30pm and roll out around 6:45pm. We will ride east on Broadway if you want to join us on route instead. It will be an easy paced ride. We can coordinate a time for folks who want to ride back as a group or – if need we can make route slips for folks that want to ride back on their own.
– Please wear your hemet and bring lights!

Cyclists should enter the museum via Lindbrook Drive and will then be able to sashay down the bicycle runway with their bikes for everyone to see. Once in and park your bike at guarded racks (but please bring a lock).

Bike Night at the HAMMER! This years program
Co-presented by UCLA Transportation, the UCLA Rec Center, the UCLA Bike Shop, and Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC).
Bike Night at the Hammer has received support from The David Bohnett Foundation.

NORTH COURTYARD:
PEDAL PROMENADE – Biking is just as much about fashion as function. Show off your bike-styles on the Pedal Promenade.
CASH BAR – Enjoy Fat Tire draft beer and food-on-the-go from Ammo Café.  A second bar is located on the Gallery Level.
INFO TABLES – Keep up with the latest information on the growing bike communities in Los Angeles from METRO, Los Angeles County Bike Coalition and HAMMER Student Association info tables.
INTERACTIVE MAP – Share your biking landmarks with your peers and tell us about your favorite bike shops, routes, collectives, and more. Map it, pin it, Post-It or draw it all directly onto the map yourself.
SCREENING – BMX Bandits. This 1983 Australian action film stars a young, not-yet-famous Nicole Kidman. In/out privileges, no tickets needed.  8:00PM in the Billy Wilder Theater. (92 minutes)

SOUTH COURTYARD:
BICYCLE REPAIR STATION – Pop a tire on the way over? The UCLA Bike Shop is offering free, basic bike maintenance.
BIKE PORTRAITS – Smile! Have your portrait taken with your trusty mount and we’ll upload it to the Hammer Flickr and project into the South Courtyard. To download your portrait visit facebook.com/HammerMuseum
BESPOKE SPOKES – This VIP parking area doubles as an exhibition of custom and art bikes for all to admire.
GOLDEN TICKETS – will be handed out at Hammer’s Lindbrook Entrance to select individuals with unique, outrageous or eye-catching rides.
THE SQUEAKY WHEEL – Rant and rave about all of your bad and good biking experiences in LA in our video booth.  Clips will be edited into a PSA-style documentary video for the LACBC. All night with LACBC in The Lab (pssst – it’s under the stairs to the Gallery Level).
GALLERY LEVEL:
CASH BAR – Enjoy Fat Tire draft beer and food-on-the-go from Ammo Café.  A second bar is located in the Hammer Courtyard.
D.I.Y. REFLECTORS – Combine fashion, fun and function by making your own custom reflectors and stickers. Located on the west side of the Lindbrook Terrace.
BALLOON SPRINTS – Like Goldsprints, but hopefully no puking. Race a friend to see who can fill and pop a balloon first using pedal power. Located on the west side of the Lindbrook Terrace.  People generating power, created by the clever folks at Metabolic Studios.
PARTY BIKE – Give it a spin! Everyone knows that pedal power makes you feel good; especially when you’re powering a bubble maker that’s raining down orbs of joy on your fellow Bike Nighters! Located on the west side of the Lindbrook Terrace. Good vibes, courtesy of the good folks at Metabolic Studios.
SILK-SCREENING – Choose from four unique artist designs to adorn your own tee, safety vest, back patch or hoodie. Screened and dried on-the-spot by the UCLA Transportation Department, friends to cyclists all around Westwood.
PING-PONG – Put some backspin into your backhand and return that loop with a lob. Skunks welcome on the tables tonight in light of all our other activities.

EXHIBITIONS –
Check out some art in the HAMMER’s galleries. All exhibitions are FREE and open till 10pm.
LLYN FOULKES is located in Galleries 1 & 2.
Cyprien Gaillard is located in Gallery 6.
More exhibitions on Gallery & Courtyard Levels and Wilshire Lobby.
MUSEUM STORE – Peruse or purchase a wide selection of art-related publications and gifts in our unique retail environment. Open till 10pm.

 

 

Thursday Bike to Work Day: Pit Stops and events

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Did you take the pledge? Pledge here to ride your bike on Bike to Work Day and you could win a new folding bike from REI and other great prizes!

If your ride is long or a full day at work makes it a challenge to pedal home, go multi-modal:
Big Blue Bus joins Metro (and other transit) to will offer FREE rides to bicyclists all day on May 16th  For other participating transit agencies all you need to ride for free is your bike or helmut   – however it seems you have to “print” a ticket for BBB? Find it here.

Santa Monica Bike to Work Pit Stops

Santa Monica Spoke & Co-Opportunity on 16th and Broadway to host a Bike to Work Pit Stop from 7am -9am.
You are also invited to join us for BIKE FROM WORK Handlebar Meet Up & Happy Hour, 5-9pm at Pono Burger, 829 Broadway.

City of Santa Monica, 6-9am, Santa Monica City Hall, 1685 Main Street, there will be giveaways, continental breakfast, hot and cold beverages and gift packs for bikers, also lots of bicycling information. Santa Monica Spoke will be here too!

Santa Monica Bike Center, 1555 2nd Street (corner of 2nd and Colorado) Bike commuters can order a handmade peanut butter sandwich with a wide range of toppings to go with crunchy or creamy peanut butter.  They are also giving away gift cards from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, REI, Co-op, and Trader Joes.
Collin Myers of ABUS will be there from 8am – Noon talking about bike security, he will be giving away two locks during his security clinic.
Mike Ryan will be there doing video interviews with commuters on the topic of why they Love Their Commute!

REI Santa Monica, 6-10am, 402 Santa Monica Blvd, REI Santa Monica will join the community in supporting local cyclists with a pit stop. They’ll have a tech on hand if your bike needs a check up, snacks to keep you fueled up for your ride, and a raffle giveaway. Pledge to ride at www.metro.net/bikeweek and you could win an REI Novara Bike!

Helens Cycles,  7:30-10AM, 2501 Broadway, Free Bike safety checks, coupons, information, snacks and giveaways

DTLA Bicycles 10am -7pm, 700 Wilshire Blvd. Free safety checks and 10% off there entire purchase by mentioning “I Ride LA”

Santa Monica College, 9-11am, 1744 Pearl Street, Check out the new bike parking corral, Free parfaits, bagels, and cream cheese! Swing on by and enjoy some breakfast!

Crossroads School, 6:30-8:30am, 1731 20th Street (just south of Olympic Blvd), Cool water and snack bars

Yahoo, 8-10am, 2400 Broadway, Drinks, energy bars, bike route maps

Equity Office,  8-10am, 2400 Broadway, Refreshments, raffle for prizes, and protein bars

Water Garden, 8-10am, 2450 Colorado (in front of Subway), water, snacks, and bike information

Art Institute of California, Los Angeles, 9-11am, 31st and Ocean Park Blvd, Continental breakfast, water, and giveaways

Bergamot Bike-In Luncheon, 11:30-1:30pm, Pennsylvania Ave & 26th Street, $5.00 off area food trucks for the first 300 attendees, Helen’s Cycles will there to display various commuter bike options and share bike commuting advice

Golden Pedal Awards

It’s time again for the Golden Pedal Awards, Metro’s annual bicycle story competition! Do you or someone you know have a great story to tell about your bicycle commute? What do you love about bicycling to school or work? Tell us about your victories—whether it be the hills you conquer every morning, bicycling to school with your children, or your clever shortcut that lets you zip past traffic.
Enter here by May 19, 2013. We will be awarding reflective safety vests, a box of Clif Bars, and one year of bicycle roadside assistance from Better World Club to up to thirty (30) winners!

Wednesday Events: Guided Ride and Special Recognition Ceremony :)

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Come see why bicycling is on the rise in Santa Monica since the City Council adopted its Bike IMG_0491-SQAction Plan in 2011. Enjoy a group ride on new facilities — green bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, signal detection and sharrows. Then participate in recognition ceremony as we receive our new BFC designation, Santa Monica is now Silver Level

Our ride will begin and end in the courtyard behind Santa Monica City Hall, 1685 Main Street. The event is co-hosted by Santa Monica Spoke and the City of Santa Monica.

Courtyard behind SM City Hall at 3:30 pm roll out at 4:00 pm.
Press event follows in front of City Hall
5:00pm

As if that was not enough after the ceremony you can take a tour of the Santa Monica Bike Center after which:
We invite you to join us for a Celebratory Handlebar Happy Hour Event

image
Location :    West 4th and Jane
Address:      1432A 4th Street (between Broadway & Santa Monica Blvd)
Time:           6:00 pm till ……when ever
Date:           May 15th

As always, please enjoy the event and ride responsibly

Bike to Work Week, May 13th-19th

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There are lots of events and rides planned for Bike Week sponsored by Metro here in Los Angeles County, and LOTS of special events planned here in Santa Monica!

We love bicycling as a GREAT way to travel around our neighborhoods, Wether we are riding to work, school, run errands or recreation, it is a fun, healthier way to travel – especially with new bicycle lanes and paths appearing all across Los Angeles County.  Bike with us at as we lead the Bike Week events here in Santa Monica (and all others over LA County) this week and see how easy it can be!

Pledge here to ride your bike on Bike to Work Day and you could win a new bicycle from REI and other great prizes!

Click on the day of the week to see a list of local participants and events here in Santa Monica.

These pages will be updated as events are confirmed, added or sent in from you all to post.

National Bike to School Day & Bike it Walk it Week in Santa Monica

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National Bike to School Day, May 8th
Bike it Walk it Week here is Santa Monica, May 6-10th

Bike Campus Practice Skills, Saturday May 4th

Drop in on the Bike Campus to practice your skills on Saturday, May 4th from 12:30PM to 3PM.  bike-skillsSanta Monica Bike Campus is located at:
1 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405.

The City will provide free lemonade and help plan your bicycle route to school when you stop by to test your abilities at the bicycle skills course.

 

BIKE IT! WALK IT! WEEK, May 6-10th

Students, parents and staff from Santa Monica and Malibu schools are gearing up for Bike it! Walk it!2012-10-05-07-53-06-1 Week occurring May 6-10. All sixteen SMMUSD schools are expected to participate, with each picking a day during that week to provide rewards for school students who walk, bike, scoot, skate or take the bus to school car-free.

Check for your school’s participation and date and join in on the fun.

Tuesday May 7:  Roosevelt Elementary 
Wednesday May 8:  Lincoln Middle School, SMASH, John Muir ES,
Friday May 10:  John Adams MS, Franklin ES, Juan Cabrillo ES, Malibu HS, Olympic HS, Grant ES, McKinley Elementary, Edison Language Academy, Will Rogers ESHere are the SRTS pilot schools events -
-
Roosevelt  
Tuesday May 7
Walking School Buses
Departs: 4th and Montana at 8:00 am
Departs: 14th and California at 8:00 am
Departs: 4th and California at 8:00 am
Car Free Awards Presented at 8:30
-
Lincoln MS 
Wednesday May 8
Bike Train
Departs: Douglas Park Playground at 9:15 am
Car Free Awards Presented at Front Gate at 9:30
-
Will Rogers 
Friday May 10
Walking School Bus
Departs: 18th & Pico (in fornt of SMC) at 8:45
Car Free Awards Presented at Play Yard near 16th at 9:20
-
JAMS  
Friday May 10
Bike Train
Departs: Grant Elementary at 8:20 am
Car Free Awards Presented at new entrance at 8:50
-

We don’t want to leave without you.
Please contact Peter Dzewaltowski at Peter.Dzewaltowski@smgov.net or 310-458-8292 if you are planning to join one of these walking school buses or bike trains during Bike it! Walk it! Week. Reservations not required, but appreciated.

May is BIKE MONTH!

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Still basking in the afterglow of CicLAvia? While we wait for the next one in June …

May is National BIKE MONTH!!

TheLEAGUE-BikeMonth

Sponsored by the League of American Bicyclist, National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride. Whether you bike to work or school; to save money or time; to preserve your health or the environment; to explore your community or get to your destination, get involved in Bike Month in your city or state — and help get more people in your community out riding too!

 

We have a Bike Month Tab here on SM Spoke to keep you updated on the local events here in Santa Monica as well as in and around LA. There are lots of events and rides planned for Bike Week sponsored by Metro here in Los Angeles County, and LOTS of special events planned here in Santa Monica!

More on Bike Month Bingo and 2013 National Bike Challenge (join Santa Monica Bike Center team), and many more local events, links to resources and specials!
If you have an event let us know and we will post it.

Ride in – Veg out

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Get a free meal from Veggie Grill during Earth Week, April 17th-24th
If you haven’t been to Veggie Grill and sampled their delicious food this is a great time to give it a try! When you Bike in and buy a meal show them your bike/ bike helmet and get a FREE Entrée card redeemable on your next visit!

Our local Veggie Grill is at 2025 Wilshire Blvd. – but they have other locations too!
Click the image to go to their website for locations and more info.

Ride on!

Ride In Veg Out