Tag Archives: Bike clinic

Bike Pic – Aug. 19, Bike MN

To the left, CJ Lindor, Education Specialist for BikeMN (Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota) working with volunteers to share safe tips and procedures in their booth and on the obstacle course, at the Minneapolis Open Streets on  Franklin Ave. last weekend.

See more about Open Streets Minneapolis here.

Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day at HaveFunBiking, hope you enjoy the photo!

Now, rolling into our 10th year as a bicycle media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As we search and post more fun photos worth a grin, scroll through the information and stories we have posted to help you find your next adventure. Then, if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, next to the route you regularly commute, or at an event you plan to attend with your bike, be prepared to smile. You never know where camera will be and what we will posted next!

Do you have a fun photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us publish? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be at least 620 pixels wide for us to post. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please reference our blog and the annual bike guide to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated, at-a-glance information, and maps we are known for in the Destination section of our website. Now, as the Bike/Hike Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of bicycle tourism information available for mobile device. Plus, beginning September 2015, this year’s e-version of the Guide will move to quarterly editions where you may see some additional bike pics posted.

 Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in a pic to post!

 

 

Minnesota’s Safe and Reliable Bikes For Bike Education 

by CJ Lindor, BikeMN Education Specialist

Meet the Fleet!  As the Bicycle Alliance of MN (BikeMN) prepares to roll out for its first full summer of usage, we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight some of the efforts BikeMN and partners are now able to realize, as well as some possibilities for others to utilize this awesome new resource. Last summer, we began to acquire 40 size-adjustable bikes from Bike Friday, which were designed specifically for use with Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs. They are stored and transported in our large van (pictured above) and trailer. The main purpose of this fleet is to provide communities and organizations access to safe and reliable bikes for bike education and encouragement events.

The fleet has been and will be used by a variety of groups and events across the state, we’re glad to work with anybody interested in providing bike education in their community! The types of events include Walk! Bike! Fun! trainings, bike rodeos, Open Streets events, activity fairs and of course classroom instruction. Priority is given to those who are implementing WBF lessons or who commit to completing this training and bringing this curriculum to their community. The fleet is also available for rental when it is not otherwise scheduled.

It’s worth mentioning with gratitude that much of this work is made possible thanks to contracts we have with the Minnesota Department of Transportation as part of the SRTS program. We believe this is an important investment for the future health, safety and vitality of our whole state and want to thank all the advocates who have worked to make this a funding priority. We hope that you share this belief and let our leaders know how much you value their support!

For more information go to BikeMN.org.

Gain Confidence Riding Your Bike

Need a little help feeling comfortable riding your bike when you are with friends, going up hills or shifting gears?

Join Anna Luckow every Monday evening at 5:45 p.m. for the “Riding a Bike Can Be Easy” Clinic. Perfect for beginning cyclists who know the basics of riding but are looking to explore road cycling and group riding techniques to gain added confidence having fun on their bikes. These weekly sessions, with a ride to practice what you have learned, are offered free courtesy of OneTen Cycles – Located at 1040 W. Dakota Drive, Mendota Heights, MN 55120. [Map]

Anna,, front left with more of her “Riding a Bike Can Be Easy” students.

Anna,, front left with more of her “Riding a Bike Can Be Easy” students.

Over the course of the summer, each weekly session will cover the basics of a bicycle and how to best utilize it for fun and to stay healthy.

 Topics that will be covered include learning:

  • The ABC of a bike: Proper air inflation can make riding easier with less flat tires; inspection of the brakes for better control; and making sure your chain and gears are aligned and lubed for a fun ride
  • Riding etiquette on the trail and road: The best practice approach you should use when calling out (by voice or hand signals) your turns and obstacles that may be ahead of you
  • The rules of the road: Learning to drive your bike as if you were operating a car
  • Hill climbing techniques: Using your gears to make riding easy
  • Proper braking/bike control: Learning which brake to use first, back and the front, then feathering or lightly applying the brakes as you prepare to slow down or come to a stop
  • Pace lining skills: A race technique that will make it safer and more enjoyable to ride with a friend or two or in a group

With the above skills you perfect, you will discover that riding a bike can relieve some of the stress in your daily routine. Then, every time you are out on your bike for twenty minutes or more you will feel better about riding to the library, a store, or exploring a new neighborhood with the skills you have picked up in the clinic.

At each weekly “Riding a Bike Can be Easy” clinic, no one will be dropped from the ride. To participate you are required to bring a road bike and a helmet with you. Hope to see you there!

Anna Luckow has been cycling competitively for nine years and this is the second year she has been running this cycling clinic at OneTen Cycles. She has raced in criteriums, road races and time trials. As the captain of the St. Olaf cycling team, she promotes cycling and helps new riders learn to love the sport. Before graduating, Anna represented St. Olaf in the USA Cycling Collegiate Nationals in Richmond, Virginia this last spring. She hopes to continue racing, riding and helping others as long as possible.