www.BIKEABQ.org PO BOX 4119 Albuquerque, NM 87196 (505) 265-2394 [email protected] APRIL 2005 -BIKEABQ your Burque bicycle advocates since 1998 The mission of BIKEABQ is to increase the number of bicyclists in Albuquerque for transportation, health, and recreation. We advocate for the rights of cyclists, provide education, and work to create and preserve safe biking environments. Effective Cycling Class (one class) Friday May 6 Session I 4- 7pm; Session II Saturday May 7 9am-12noon Basic Bicycle Mechanics Classes (two classes) Highlights from the 2004 BIKE SWAP. (Left) No Saturday April 23 3-6pm Dabs! Trials rider tocking on a platform after he Monday May 9 4-7pm gapped the flaming saw horses shown in the foreground. (Right) Chuck Malagodi offers advice to two bike buyers, just one out of the 100’s of bikes to be at this years swap! Bike ABQ Bike Swap May is Bike Month! maneuvering in traffic. This class covers Bike Swap takes place at not only vehicular cycling but also current Sport Systems on 1605 Here at BikeABQ we are in full swing to traffic laws, basic bicycle mechanics, Juan Tabo, on Juan Tabo encourage the community to get out and proper helmet and bicycle fit and much just south of Indian School. try riding a bicycle for transportation. If more. you don’t already use your bike to get To sell check in your gear around I challenge you to give it a try – 2. Sign up for a Bicycle Mechanics class on Friday May 13th from or get your friends, family and neighbors on either April 23rd or May 9th. Learn how 10am-6:30pm. to get out on a bicycle. Here are some to fix a flat, adjust brakes, tune derailleurs great ways to get started: and more. It’s all easy and you’ll never Bike Swap hours Saturday feel at ease on a bike if you’re at its May 14th 10am-4pm. 1. Sign up for the Effective Cycling class mercy. Being able to fix your bike will on May 6th and 7th. This is an incredible give you enormous confidence and Bike to Work Day class for someone new to bicycling – satisfaction, not to mention self- however it also has a lot to offer the sufficiency. Bike to Work Day is May 20 experienced cyclist. After spending my 6am to 1pm in Civic Plaza entire adult life commuting by bike I took 3. Get rid of an old bike or buy a new downtown. this class two years ago and it has one at the Bike Swap May 14th. This is completely changed the way I ride in our largest fundraising event. It gives Call 768-2680 for more traffic. It was the vehicular cycling us the support to advocate for bicyclist’s information or to sign up for component that I had the most to gain rights on a much larger scale than at the any of the classes. All from the class. Now when I ride local governing agency level. It also classes are free. motorists respect me much more and I helps us with our educational outreach have greatly improved my skills at and programs for children. This May is Bike Month!.....cont. Ask your City Councilor Deterrents to Cycling is a super-fun and very popular event. to commute on Bike-to- (From C•ase Study No. 1, Reasons Why Bicycling You can support your bicycle advocacy Work day. May 20th. And Walking Are And Are Not Being Used More organization and sell your gear or get a Extensively As Travel Modes, FHWA-PD-92-041) great deal all in one. District 1 Major barriers exist which deter the great Miguel A. Gómez 768-3106 majority of people, including active cyclists, 4. Bike to Work on May 20th! On this from using the bicycle as a regular means day bicycle commuters can stop by Civic District 2 of transportation. Many of these barriers Plaza from 6:00 am – 1:00 pm and pick Debbie O'Malley 768-3159 have been identified through numerous up a free breakfast, visit informational surveys over the last fifteen years; the data District 3 again and again point to the same concerns. booths and register to win a new Eric Griego 768-3159 Below are some of the major barriers mountain bike among other prizes. We identified across different surveys when all are partnering with Bernalillo County’s District 4 respondents are asked to name, or select Health and Wellness Fair on the plaza Brad Winter 768-3101 from a given list, the factors which influence this year and there will be a lot to come their decision not to bicycle: and check out from local bicycle shops District 5 % of All Respondents Citing Factor as and health food stores to representatives Michael J. Cadigan 768-3101 Influential in Decision Not To Cycle: from the commuter rail project. Boston, Gainesville, Portland ,Vancouver District 6 ======================================================================== Martin Heinrich 768-3152 Traffic safety: 53, 73, 55, 35 So please, put down your keys and give Adverse weather: 86, 90, 52, 51 bicycle commuting a try! Convince Inadequate parking: 65, 22, 29, 23, District 7 Too slow: N/A ,45, 35, N/A others to give it a try! We are offering Sally Mayer 768-3136 Road conditions: 52, N/A , 36, 24 you classes, great deals on bikes and breakfast! Get a friend to come along. District 8 Not unexpectedly, the concerns surround Craig Loy 768-3106 perceived physical limitations of the bicycle We will even give you great reasons to and the inadequacy of facilities. These are convince you and others to ride. You District 9 the most common complaints among can appeal to vanity. Tell a friend that bicyclists in general. But when active Tina Cummins 768-3136 you know a way to loose weight, never bicyclists are asked specifically about go to the gym, eat all you want and save bicycle commuting, some new elements emerge. Several surveys asked money… Yes! It is true! Just ride your respondents why they don’t ride a bicycle bike. Ride to work, ride to school, run to work. your errands on your bike. Or perhaps % Active Bicyclists Citing Following you have socially and environmentally Reasons For Not Bicycle Commuting conscious friends. Get them out on a Phoenix, Seattle, Portland, Orange County bike. What better way to help the air, ======================================================================== water, community and probably the Too far to ride: 31, 41, 21, 45, Too dangerous: 19, 22, 12, N/A world? Lack of facilities: 17, 15, 12, N/A Find your councilor! Need car for work: 14, 8, N/A, 7 -Julie Luna Inconvenient: 6, 8, 17, 4 Weather: N/A ,11, 7, N/A Asking directly about barriers to bicycle Get your updated commuting as opposed to bicycling in bike map, with FREE BIKE MAP! general brings out a new — and crucial - enlargements of factor: distance. Faced with riding a fixed the University area distance, under time constraints and work and Downtown. requirements, with road conditions far from ideal for the majority, most riders opt out of bicycle commuting. The above survey Contact Jim responses by no means comprise a Arrowsmith, 768- complete catalogue of all factors cited in the 2526 or by email- various surveys, but they are the most [email protected] common by far. The February GABAC meeting was canceled MULTI-USE TRAILS GABAC UPDATE Existing due to the impending blizzard that closed I-40 Greater Albuquerque Bicycling Albuquerque 66.2 Advisory Committee for a couple of days. Metro area 40.4 Total Metro area 106.6 GABAC is a citizens advisory committee that Since this is the first GABAC article maybe some meets monthly to review and comment on on- boring statistics will establish where we are. Proposed street projects with respect to on-street Albuquerque 66.1 bicycling. GABAC, its membership, its ALBUQUERQUE AND METRO AREA Metro Area 74.2 membership duties and terms are defined by BIKEWAY MILEAGES (centerline miles) Total Metro area 140.3 city ordnance. Besides citizen volunteers, Mileages per MRCOG 3/05 as illustrated on Long BIKE ROUTES there are representatives from city planning, Range Bikeway System Map (provided by Jim Arrowsmith, CABQ) Existing NMDOT, county planning, and the city EPC. Albuquerque 70.8 Citizens are welcome to come to the meeting Road Network Albuquerque Metro Area 38.9 and address the committee about on-street (principal, minor, collector, interstate)............ 415.5 Total Metro area 109.7 bicycling issues. Currently, there are two Road Network Metro area vacancies on the board if anyone is interested. (principal, minor, collector, interstate)............ 299.2 Proposed In the past, the upcoming agenda is posted Total Road Network Albuquerque 68.6 on the Albuquerque website at http:// (Albuquerque plus Metro area)...................... 714.7 Metro Area 45.2 Total Metro area 113.8 www.cabq.gov. Usually, you look in the calendar for upcoming meetings and agendas. BIKE LANES Future columns will summarize meeting There isn’t a fixed page for GABAC or GARTC. Existing Albuquerque 98.3 minutes. Metro area 25.0 Off-street cycling projects (bike paths) are Total Metro area 123.3 Eric Russell, Chairman, GABAC reviewed by the Greater Albuquerque Recreational Trails Committee (GARTC). In Proposed addition to cyclists, GARTC has Albuquerque 184.8 GABAC meets the second monday of every month representatives from equestrian and walking Metro area 66.6 on the 3rd floor of 1 Civic Plaza. For more info call citizens. Total Metro area 251.4 the City's Bicycle Planner at 768-2526 Useful YES! I want to increase ridership! Phone Member Donations: Mail this reply form and we will bill you, please rank the following program Numbers! or enclose it in an envelope with your areas according to ho much effort contribution.