Bike Jax

The Battle for the Fuller Warren Bridge Project

2014-02-10T11:05:00.003-05:00

I'm extremely crunched for time and will have to keep this short. Thankfully Metro Jacksonville has a great piece with all the details. Please take the the time to read it.

Bottom Line: If you want this between San Marco & Riverside,

I-95 Woodrow Wilson Bridge, VA

Please make effort to be here by 6:30 for public comment:

Riverside Park United Methodist Church

819 Park Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204

If you cannot make the meeting please email or call:

FDOT project manager Jim Knight

[email protected]" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #023551; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">[email protected]

800-749-2967, extension 7707.

Let him know you want a a physically separated multi-use PATH along the Fuller Warren Bridge.

Bikes On Skyway! Finally!

2013-10-03T21:35:00.000-04:00

Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has finally agreed to allow bicycles on the Skyway on a test basis. Starting Saturday October 5th through May of 2014 JTA will allow bikes on the trains every 1st Saturday of the month for Community First Saturday's.

New JTA Pilot Program Tests Bikes on the Skyway during Community First Saturdays

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – October 2, 2013 – With the growing number of bike riders in the community, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is pleased to announce that duringCommunity First Saturdays, the agency will permit bikes on its Skyway service.

Starting this Saturday, October 5, 2013 the JTA is encouraging customers to bring their bikes onto the Skyway during all Community First Saturdaysthroughout the season (October 2013 – May 2014).

“As we incorporate our Bikes on Buses (BOB) program, we’ve had many of our riders also request to bring their bikes on the Skyway as well,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr. “As an initial testing phase, we are offering our biking community the opportunity to load their bikes onto the Skyway during Community First Saturdays which fall on the following dates:

· Saturday, October 5, 2013

We are encouraging everyone to ride to a Skyway station and board with your bike. With this being a test period and JTA not placing restrictions during the test days, please be respectful to passengers without bikes so that we can keep this new found access.

Annual July 4th No Pants Ride

2013-07-02T18:49:00.002-04:00

Last month the more progressive cities in the United States took part in the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) along with other cities around the world. But here in Jacksonville in the depths of the bible belt we don't have the freedoms enjoyed by those outside of the South.

Having nothing to do the WNBR the Skidmrks, a local of group fun loving souls are not about to let a chance for some fun and games on bikes to pass them by. I think this is the 3rd year of the July 4th No Pants Ride and it's growing each year. If you are seeking a new way to enjoy this years fireworks while riding bikes with some great people visit the Facebook site for full information on ride.

Community Couriers; Taking Care of Your Shopping Needs.

2013-07-01T16:41:00.000-04:00

Despite Jacksonville being in the top 4 most dangerous cities to ride a bike or walk in, the bike scene continues to grow at a rapid pace. This holds more true within Jacksonville's urban core which is comprised of Downtown, Springfield to the north, Riverside/Avondale to the west, and San Marco on the southside of the St. John's River. One can live and work in any of these historic neighborhoods and enjoy a totally car-free life.

With this growth in the use of the bicycle, it was only a matter of time before folks in the area would start looking at their bikes as a source of income; one of those individuals is Ben Wilson (pictured above). Tired of working under flourescent lights and corporate structure, Ben decided to take his 12 years of management in the grocery industry and love for bicycling to start Community Couriers, a full service shopping and delivery experience.

We all know the insanity of trying to find parking around any of the shopping hubs in the urban core. Not only do you have to deal with finding parking, but then you have to deal with Florida weather, which at any moment is oppressive heat, tropical wind and rain, or a combination of all of the above. Using the Community Couriers service allows you stay home out of weather, and is very simple to use. Text or email in your shopping list or use an app to make your list, and they will take care of the shopping and delivery. The great thing is you're not just limited to purchases from major grocery chains, you can also request your items from local green/heath food sellers, as well as the Farmers Market. Ben's experience in the grocery business means he knows how to find you the best and freshest meats and produce.

What about those other errands you usually accomplish while out doing your grocery shopping? Community Couriers will handle those also. Just let them know and along with your groceries they will pick up that package or the dry cleaning.

Community Couriers is an exciting new addition to the urban core and I hope to see them succeed and grow.

Website: CommunityCouriersJax.com

Fernandina Beach Is Bike-Friendly!

2013-05-31T15:05:00.000-04:00

Thursday afternoon, under a cloudy sky with light rain, Mr. Tim Bustos, the Executive Director of the Florida Bicycle Association formally presented the League of American Bicyclists' Bronze-level Award to the City of Fernandina Beach. Mayor Sarah Pelican accepted the award on behalf of the City, and then bicyclists in attendance departed on a 12 mile community bicycle ride.

This award recognizes the City of Fernandina Beach as a "Bicycle Friendly Community". Placards depicting the recognition will be placed at key locations around town. You can read more about the award and the League of American Bicyclists at www.bikeleague.org , and read more about the Florida Bicycle Association at www.floridabicycle.org .

Below, Sallie McDonald and Len Kreger, key members of the Team that prepared the Bicycle Friendly application, pose with a Bicycle Friendly placard at Main Beach. Other Team members were Kelly Gibson, John Mandrake and David Bishop.

Shown below is part of the crowd at the ceremony. In front, from right to left are; Tim Bustos, Executive Director of the FBA; Charles Corbett, Commissioner; Sarah Pelican, Mayor; Arlene Filcoff, Commissioner; Sallie McDonald; Joe Gerrity, City Manager; and Mike Pikula.

Free Bike Valet For Jazz Festival

2013-05-23T17:41:00.000-04:00

We will be offering free, safe and secure bike parking for the 3 days of Jazz Fest this weekend. We will be located next Burrito Gallery on Adams. We will open 30 mins before opening and close 1 hour after closing each day.

As usual we need you. If you can provide even an hour of your time, it is a huge help. Email: [email protected]" target="_blank">HERE and let us know what times you can help out. There may even be some free beer for those who do.

Jazz Fest Line Up:

FRIDAY

5 p.m. Yellow Dog Jazz Band, Swingin’ Stage

5 p.m. Just Jazz Quartet, Breezin’ Stage

5 p.m. John Ricci Quartet, Groovin’ Stage

7 p.m. Doug Carn, Swingin’ Stage

7 p.m. Gary Starling, Breezin’ Stage

7 p.m. Von Barlow’s Jazz Journey, Groovin’ Stage

9 p.m. Jazz Jam Session, Breezin’ Stage

9 p.m. Elisha Parris, Groovin’ Stage

9:15 p.m. Najee, Swingin’ Stage

SATURDAY

1 p.m. Youth Talent Showcase, Groovin’ Stage

2 p.m. Piano Competition winner, Swingin’ Stage

2:30 p.m. Marcus Printup and the UNF Jazz Ensemble I, Breezin’ Stage

2:45 p.m. Youth Talent Showcase Finals, Groovin’ Stage

3 p.m. AMP Trio, Swingin’ Stage

4:30 p.m. St. Johns River City Big Band, Breezin’ Stage

4:30 p.m. Ya’Gozo, Groovin’ Stage

5 p.m. Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum and Norman Brown, Swingin’ Stage

6:30 p.m. The Katz Downstairs, Breezin’ Stage

6:30 p.m. Euge Groove, Groovin’ Stage

7 p.m. Rachel Ferrell with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Swingin’ Stage

8:30 p.m. Tropic of Cancer, Breezin’ Stage

8:30 p.m. Yellowjackets, Groovin’ Stage

9:30 p.m. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Swingin’ Stage

SUNDAY

2 p.m. Akia Uwanda, Breezin’ Stage

2 p.m. Linda Cole & the Joshua Bowlus Quartet, Groovin’ Stage

2:30 p.m. Firecracker Jazz Band, Swingin’ Stage

4 p.m. JB Scott’s Swingin’ Allstars, Breezin’ Stage

4 p.m. Freddy Cole, Groovin’ Stage

4:30 p.m. Gregory Porter, Swingin’ Stage

6 p.m. Noel Freidline, Breezin’ Stage

6 p.m. Poncho Sanchez, Groovin’ Stage

6:30 p.m. Gerald Albright, Swingin’ Stage

8:30 p.m. Trombone Shorty, Swingin’ Stage

Bike Month Continues - Ride of Silence & Bike Day

2013-05-14T16:47:00.000-04:00

We continue our Bike Month celebrations and remembrances.

Wednesday May 15th:

On May 15, 2013 at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn't aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

Ride leaves Lakeshore Bicycles at 7:00 PM.

Info: 904-388-0612

Saturday May 18th:

Bike Day at Riverside Arts Market (RAM) kicks off with the weekly RAM ride at 9:00 AM. This is

very family and kid friendly ride.

Meet at the Bike Valet.
Info: 904.219.9193

The day is just getting started with the RAM Ride...

Take an Historic Riverside-Avondale Bike Tour with e2ride Bike Tours. The approximate 3 hour tour will depart RAM at 2pm and is free for those with their own bike and helmet ($35 for those renting bikes). Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks for the 10 mile ride. RSVPs are required by calling 904-945-1571.

Safe Kids Northeast Florida will be celebrating Safe Kids Day with us. Bring your child’s helmet for a free inspection and correct fitting and they will receive a prize! Free helmets will be available while supplies last for children 14 and under whose own helmet may be too small, damaged or if they just don’t have one!

jax REcycle will be accepting donations of new helmets and used bicycles, parts and locks to be refurbished and given to The Sulzbacher Center for people who need them for transportation to work or school. What a great way to give back to those in need!

You may also bring used bicycle parts to ‘swap’ for upgrades through our Cycle Swap Meet hosted by jaxREcycle and local bike shops.

The Jacksonville Bicycle Coalition and the Southern Off Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) will also be with us!

And of course we will be providing free bike valet.

There is still time and space if you'd like to get you shop or group involved. Contact [email protected]" target="_blank">Krysten at Riverside Arts Market.

Pedal to the Players

2013-05-10T21:57:00.000-04:00

Think bikes aren't taking ahold here in North Florida? Even at the highly suburban and car dependent Sawgrass, the lowly bicycle is the best and easiest way to get to and park for this weeks Players Championship.

Bike MS Cycle to the Shore is providing bike valet services. Corrina Steiger of Bike MS tells me, "We are parking thousands of bikes this weekend at Pedal to THE PLAYERS". She also says, "The number of bikes this year is really growing- it's our third year doing it and all proceeds benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society North Florida Chapter."

Bike Valet services available from 7:30 a.m. until end of play. Spectators can ride their bikes to the Couples Gate off of ATP Blvd. or to the Love III Gate located inside the Sawgrass Gates. MS Society volunteers will secure and monitor the bikes. A $5 donation per bike to the MS Society is appreciated.

The PGA Website just put out the following update for parking and suggest that the best option for arriving to The Players is by bus & bike:

May 10, 2013

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Due to record crowds, the general parking lot at THE PLAYERS Championship is now full, and traffic is being rerouted to Crosswater Community Church at Davis Park on Nocatee Parkway. All fans headed to TPC Sawgrass for today’s second round should proceed to this secondary location, where their parking passes will be honored.

Additionally, tournament officials are discontinuing parking pass sales for Saturday. Davis Park will be used as a secondary lot should the general lot at TPC Sawgrass overflow again. Fans are encouraged, as they have been all week, to carpool. As a reminder, cars with four or more passengers can park for free. Download the “Four for Free” parking voucher.

Other parking/travel options include:

Utilize shuttles from downtown provided by the City of Jacksonville. Shuttles from the Hyatt, Omni, and Crowne Plaza will be available to hotel guests, but also open for residents to “park and ride,” providing a convenient and cost-effective way for fans to get to and from the tournament. Shuttles will operate Thursday through Sunday, leaving the hotels at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Shuttles will return to the hotels each day leaving TPC Sawgrass at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Fans are encouraged to pedal to THE PLAYERS. The National MS Society will once again offer Bike Valet services from 7:30 a.m. until end of play. Spectators can ride their bikes to the Couples Gate off of ATP Blvd. or to the Love III Gate located inside the Sawgrass Gates. MS Society volunteers will secure and monitor the bikes. A $5 donation per bike to the MS Society is appreciated.
Utilize alternative, private pay-for-parking lots near TPC Sawgrass.

If you are planning on heading over to the tournament this weekend and use or see the bike valet locations, please post some pictures. The MS social media machine seems to be lacking. After 4 days of golf, the picture above is literally the only image I've found. Tag Bike Jax on Facebook, #bikejax on twitter and instagram, +bike Jax on Google Plus.

Join Team Bike Jax for the National Bike Challenge!

2013-04-30T18:18:00.000-04:00

The National Bike Challenge is a free online program, with a companion smartphone application, designed to encourage biking for transportation, fitness and recreation. The program allows participants to form or join teams with friends, family members or coworkers. The goal is to have 50,000 riders pedaling 20 million miles from May 1, 2013 until September 30, 2013. It is open and free to anyone who lives in the U.S. or works for an organization with U.S. employees.

The challenge allows participants to track miles traveled, calories burned, money saved and CO2 emissions kept out of the atmosphere. And win prizes!

After you register yourself for the Challenge, you will have an option to register your company, or to join it (if a coworker has already registered it). If you don’t sign up with your company when you initially register, you can do so later through the “edit profile” option. Want to pedal for your college or university? If you don’t sign up with your school when you initially register, you can do so later through the “edit profile” option. College/University teams consist of students, faculty, and staff members.

Have questions? The answers are here. Don’t want to start a new team? We’d be happy to have your riding for the Bike Jax team!

BIke Month Starts at Art Walk

2013-04-30T17:25:00.000-04:00

Starting with the May Art Walk we are happy to provide free safe and secure bike parking. We will be located at Hemming Plaza across from the library and JMOCA. Come out and join us.

Invest In Your Community - Crowd Sourced Funding For Bike Corrals

2013-04-16T16:02:00.001-04:00

For the next five days (April 17-21) you will have a chance to change the landscape of cycling infrastructure of Jacksonville. It maybe the most important vote you will make that will effect the fastest change for cycling in the history of the city.

How are you going to accomplish this substantial and monumental change? Its really simple, All you have to do is go to Be One Spark and register to vote. Then over the next five days place a vote for Bike Jax and Bike Corrals.

What are Bike Corrals?

A bike corral is simply replacing one or two car spaces with on street parking for 12 to 24 bicycles. We at Bike Jax have been working on this for a couple years. We were put off by the average cost of around $3000 per corral. So we set about designing and sourcing everything needed locally. By doing so not only are we able to produce a far superior product, but we have been able to cut the cost of a completed bike corral including installation in half. Let's not overlook that by also sourcing everything locally, we are keeping each and every penny in our local economy. Better product, half the cost and keeping it local equals a huge win across the board.

This would be just the first step in what we at Bike Jax plan for a complete overhaul of the city requirements of where bike racks are placed, along with what types are used. Death to the wheel benders!

Mobility Fee Round Two - Update, Possible Victory?

2013-03-12T12:59:00.000-04:00

After several City Council and special meetings regarding bill 2012-94 the past couple of weeks, it sounds as though voting on this bill is being taken off the table for now.

Last night during a special committee meeting, it was announced that any decision made on 2012-94 would be deferred for perhaps a year, and a couple of council members went on record saying they had some major problems with the way that this bill is written. The bill included a blanket 3-year moratorium on fees, as well as a loophole that would allow mobility fees to be waived after the three year period in certain circumstances.

I've heard suggestions from city planners that a compromise is brewing, but we won't really know what that means until we see an updated bill. We remain hopeful that any compromise stays true to the intentions of the Mobility Plan, in that sprawl is thwarted and smart infill development is supported. We'll keep you updated!

Just Ride by Grant Petersen

2013-03-06T12:37:00.000-05:00

Grant Petersen has strong opinions on all things bike-related, and is not shy about voicing them. For some people, it's an immediate turn-off. Personally, I research the heck out of everything (to the point where I'm sure it annoys close friends and family), and I greatly appreciate his thorough, straight to the point musings on all things bike. For the sake of full disclosure, I agree with much of GP's point of view, and would identify as a subscriber to Grant Petersen's "cult" or whatever more pleasant word you'd like to call it. I have forever valued function in addition to a very specific style aesthetic when it comes to my bikes. In fact, I own a Rivendell Atlantis, a bike I pined over for many years and recently acquired from Harris Cyclery, the ultimate candy store for practical, beautiful, bikes on the US of A's East Coast. But-- back to the book.

I ordered Just Ride from my favorite place to bike to in the Urban Core, the local book seller Chamblin's Uptown, and picked it up mere day or two after placing my order. The folks that work there are AMAZING, and the coffee and food at the Uptown location is tasty, local, and veggie friendly if that is your thing. Just Ride is also available at multiple branches of the Jacksonville Public Library; thank you for stocking cool books, JPL!

Just Ride covers the basics for anyone looking to get into riding a bike-- bike fit, maintenance, rules of the road, gear, and how to practically outfit your bike for camping, everyday transportation, or commuting. Peterson strips down the knowledge he's accumulated for years, and pours it into this book with vivid descriptions that don't go over newbies' heads. I appreciate this down-to-earth approach at explaining things, because it can be difficult to get just the facts from most places. Petersen explains why bike fit and bike maintenance are important, and that it's important that your bike can do what you need it to do (ie, carry library books or groceries home vs. competing in a peloton), but stresses that you needn't spend an arm and a leg on a bike in order to enjoy it thoroughly.

In much of Just Ride, GP refers to the "unracer," which at first was puzzling to me, but I think I know where Grant is coming from. I was once new to bicycling, and when I look back to that time, all I knew about bikes were that people raced them. It's what I noticed on TV and on the street. The impression that gives is that one needs an uncomfortable race bike, spandex shorts, and a ton of accessories to get into cycling, and the media and bike shops sometimes feed into that impression. I know now that the grand world of bicycles is vast and diverse, and I went through a heck of alot of bicycles figuring that out. Since much of the bikey-diversity isn't readily available in books, magazines, shops, or even on the street, I had no clue there were other options until I scratched underneath the surface of bicycling.

I'm thoroughly excited by the recent rash of books aimed at using a bike for transportation, and Just Ride is no disappointment. If you've read much on the Rivendell Blug, some of the info in Just Ride will be familiar to you-- but there is some new info in it, and if someone is just starting out on a bike, it's a great find! Petersen's book is aimed squarely at those who are new to the world of bicycles, and assures them that racing and all of the crap that goes along with it isn't necessary-- just throw a leg over your bike and have fun riding!

Mobility Fee Moratorium... Round Two

2013-02-20T11:19:00.000-05:00

Well folks, it looks like City Council is in bed with developers... again.

To give you a quick run-down of what's going on right now, here's a quick history of the Mobility Plan and the fee this post is talking about:

In 2009, Jacksonville adopted the 2030 Mobility Plan which would make developers pay a nominal, specific transportation fee when developing land away from our city center, with more fees being charged the farther they develop from the urban core. When adopted, the plan was hailed for being a smart way for our sprawl-laden city to move forward and encourage positive, more dense growth. The Mobility Fees go toward pedestrian, bike, and mass transit development-- sidewalks, bus stops, bike lanes, and the like. Included in the 2030 Mobility Plan are specific bike/ped/mass transit projects that would be funded with these moneys by 2030, if fees are collected as expected.
Mobility fees were put on hold with a Mobility Fee Moratorium in September of 2011, with a bill passed by City Council. The logic here was that the fees assessed for Mobility put too much of a strain on, and spurred development and job growth. The introduction of this Moratorium was sudden, and didn't give the public much time for input.
The Mobility Fee Moratorium ended in October 2012, and much rejoicing occurred among bike/ped/mass transit activists all around!

Now, it's only been four months since the moratorium ended, and Councilman Richard Clark is sponsoring a new legislation (bill number 2012-94) which would essentially place a three-year moratorium on fees. Three years without the collection of these funds would push back some much needed, community-linking projects. I'll list out why we believe this legislation should be shut down ASAP.

A few City Council members have expressed during council meetings that they believe that imposing a fee on developers spurs economic and job growth.

There is no study in existence that shows that the Mobility Fee Moratorium created economic growth or jobs. If I am wrong, and there is one, please let me know!
Pedestrian and bicycle related improvements create MORE jobs than road projects. According to a study titled Estimating the Employments of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure "pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure projects create 11-14 jobs per $1 million of spending while road infrastructure projects create approximately 7 jobs per $1 million of expenditures." If we can get the mobility fee into effect and start working on backed up bike/ped/mass transit projects, more people will get jobs.

Despite the fact that Jacksonville is the epitome of sprawl, there is a growing amount of interest in getting around by walking, biking, or by bus- and the interest is not just because of gas prices.

As evidenced by the number of people who spoke at last week's city council meeting, there is a great amount of local interest in moving about the city by ANY OTHER MEANS than in a car. Studies show that fewer of todays young people in the US are obtaining drivers licenses, and more are interested in living in high density urban neighborhoods that are walkable and bike-able. Ridership of our Skyway is up. JTA bus ridership continues to grow as well.

We have many empty shopping centers and dwellings that could be put to use, yet it's argued by developers that it's cheaper to build on undeveloped land away from the urban core. In a time when our city is turning off streetlights to save money, it might be a good time to investigate reusing some of our older, empty buildings that have existing city services attached-- water, electric, street lights (people!), as well as sidewalks and bus stops. The Mobility Fee is meant to encourage infill development, which is what Jacksonville's wallet (not to mention, Florida's precious, beautiful land) needs right now.

The US is experiencing a sea-change in values in and finally those changes are being seen in our backyard. A majority of Americans are tired of traffic and spending long commutes alone in cars. If you're a Jacksonville resident and want to help defeat this new Mobility Fee Moratorium, here's what you can do:

Write to your city council member and let them know you are opposed to the 3-year mobility fee moratorium.
Come to the next City Council meeting on February 26th at 5:00PM, 117 W. Duval St. Jacksonville, FL 32202. Feel free to fill out a comment card stating you're opposed to the 3-year mobility fee moratorium or prepare a short, to the point 3-minute or less speech.

For More information on what the Mobility Fee is and is not, take a look at this post from Metro Jacksonville.

Time to Get Your Voice Heard

2013-01-16T14:16:00.000-05:00

Please a take few minutes and fill out this survey. Also keep in mind that the TPO encompasses not only Duval but the 4 surrounding counties and also assume that no one at the TPO actually uses a bicycle as transportation and would have no idea what issues we face on a day to day basis. Be as detailed and constructive as you can when describing what and where transportational bicycle infrastructure needs are. As with all survey style queries not all questions are the right ones. Example, no where in the survey does it ask or inquire about the biggest issue facing connectivity in Jacksonville. That being the lack of bicycle/ped bridges over the St. Johns or the Intracoastal.

Last Call for Regional Bike/Ped Plan Input

Posted on January 09 2013 in Transportation Planning

The North Florida TPO is developing a Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and needs citizens in Clay, Duval, Nassau and St Johns Counties to complete a short survey. This input will help planners understand the current levels of bicycling and walking, attitudes about cycling and walking, and opinions about barriers that currently exist. The deadline to respond is Jan. 31.

Take the Survey

Everyday Bicycling by Elly Blue

2012-12-30T12:16:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered Elly Blue's first full-length book entitled Everyday Bicycling. I then proceeded to consume its words in less than two days. I already wrote a review of this book on Amazon, but neglected to relate how useless this book is to my hamster who already knows how to roll around in his ball just fine, thanks, and scoffed at the idea of attaching panniers to his exercise wheel (hah!). So, I thought this book really needed a proper review on the Bike Jax blog, as I believe this book will be helpful for people living a city like mine, with a relatively young bike scene.

When I first started riding my bike for transportation, I wanted to find as much information on biking as humanly possible. I mostly found bike maintenance advice (Sheldon Brown's site is The Place for this), but most of what I was really looking for was located, well... here, there, and everywhere. I found a ton of great local info from Bike Jax, lots of advocacy inspiration from Mia Birk, Copenhagenize and Taking the Lane, and fashion inspiration from Cycle Chic. Living in Jacksonville, I didn't have many bicycling role models, but I started following good examples through blogs like Girls & Bicycles, Lovely Bicycle, and Knitting Lemonade. In these blogs, I saw positive examples of people who integrated bicycling into their normal lives, refusing to be grouped into a fringe category.

Blue's Everyday Bicycling effectively puts together in one source, all of the information on using a bicycle for transportation, information that took me hours and weeks to find on the internet, and months and years to figure out through experience. Furthermore, Blue suggests point by point, that if one wants to effectively adopt bicycling as a form of transportation, that it's possible to integrate it into your life without having to buy a fancy-schmancy bike, or change what kind of clothes you wear.

Through my years of research on bike-related matters, I've stumbled across more than enough cycling lit that is highly opinionated without offering fact-based data to prove points, and some writers tend to use a tone that talks down to women or novices. Blue does none of that, and the tone of the book is quite welcoming, while maintaining a down to earth approach of explaining things that newbies won't know, like the pros and cons of different styles of cargo bike, or that it's OK to ride a bike with your normal, everyday clothes. Blue also touches on a few musts, and stresses that following rules of the road in your community and having lights at night are essential survival tools. She touches on helmets for half of a page, offering some facts, mentions that she wears one, and then leaves the reader to do some research on their own, which is a wonderful way for anyone to formulate their own opinion on a topic that is heavily debated, and typically fueled by more emotion than fact.

Everyday Bicycling might not make a good kickstand, and it does not come with a bike, but is a treasure trove of information that will help anyone kick the car habit by integrating the bike into every day life in a practical way. It's a must for adults who haven't been on a bike for a long time, anyone who wants to start commuting, and anyone who wants to start riding bikes with their family.

Everyday Bicycling can be purchased here, and will soon be located in the Main Library downtown on Laura Street.

Moving On - Saying So Long to a Friend

2012-12-27T14:30:00.001-05:00

I started Bike Jax in February of 2008, I had planned on it being a source for cycling happenings through out Jacksonville and North Florida. It didn't take long for Bike Jax to morph into an advocacy/transportation orientated blog. Bike Jax picked up followers, fans and supports faster than a coon dog on the scent. One of those followers was this weird Indian guy living in the heart of the suburban Indian community know as Baymeadows.

Whatever I posted I could count on a comment and/or email from this guy. Once I finally met that weird Indian guy, I realized that he wasn't so much weird as he was lost. Not so much lost, as trying to find himself in a new job in a new country, in a historically unsociable city. That guy, +Abhishek Mukherjee quickly went from follower of Bike Jax to supporter, to member of team Bike Jax where he gave way more then he took and more importantly he became my friend. I watched as this lost guy not only found himself within the very friendly and sociable urban core, but grew into a valued member of not only the cycling community, but the community as a whole.

As the new year starts Abhishek will be leaving Jacksonville for a new job in the Bronze Level bicycle city of Lakeland. Our loss is Lakeland's gain and I really don't have the writing skills or vocabulary to properly say how much his friendship to me and to the success of Bike Jax has meant. I do have pictures however, Enjoy a retrospective of some Abhishek's adventures on and off the bike.

Bicycle Culture by Design: Mikael Colville-Andersen

2012-12-04T11:28:00.001-05:00

Growing up I never fell into the whole super hero mentality that was so prominent thru comics and television. I have also never been one to swoon over athletes or film and television actors as if they were somehow better or superior to us normal working folks.

I have always been grounded in the reality that some people have developed the necessary knowledge and skills that allow them to succeed at their chosen sport, medium, or craft. I have had and continue to have much respect for those people who have excelled at their profession.

In the world of bicycle advocacy, no list should start anyone other than Mikael Colville-Anderson. No one has been more effective worldwide at promoting the bicycle as a common sense alternative to the automobile. While not a hero by my standards, I have much respect what this guys has to say.

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Bicycle Culture by Design: Mikael Colville-Andersen at TEDxZurich

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Happenings This Weekend

2012-11-30T17:06:00.002-05:00

Here are few bike related things to fill your weekend:

Saturday:

10 am to 4 pm
Community First Saturdays
Free Bike Valet along with,

We have started our WJCT sponsorships which have been running nonstop during drive time. This along with the value adds from Community First robust marketing efforts, we have really heated up the marketing of the event. Plus we are giving away a bike this time. Should be fun.

· Our Tai Chi kicks us off again but at 10am – get set up early so you can participate!

· Bike Tour (Springfield) departs at 10:30

· Zumba at 11am

· Spin Class Noon to 2

· Santa Noon to 2

· Void Magazine Bike Fixed Gear Bike Demo at 2

· Art and Craft Activities for the kiddos all day in the Community First area

· The Jax Zoo and Jax Symphony reps will be on hand as well as many of our repeat friends

Sunday:

11am to 5pm

ZenCog's Bike Swap

Basically, I am inviting all of you bike fanatics, shade tree mechanics, and anyone who wants to come to bring all of your old parts and try to sell or swap them. Bring a table,tent or whatever you want. I will not be charging table or space rental, instead I would like donations made to JAX RECYCLE (http://www.jaxrecycle.org/). JAX RECYCLE will be also doing a bike repair day that day. Lets have fun, get rid of you unneeded bike parts, and help out a non profit. we will have some refreshments(free beer) and the store will be open all day.

Things You Can Do With a Bike.

2012-11-29T18:43:00.000-05:00

A couple really nice short films.

thiNgS YoU cAn Do wItH a biKe from Daniel Bolda on Vimeo.

Bicycle Sounds

Winner of Bike Short Film Festival Spring 2012 in NYC

Bicycle Sounds from Stephen Meierding on Vimeo.

I95 Overland Bridge Project Planned... with no bike facilities

2012-11-05T16:50:00.000-05:00

If you live near the urban core of Jacksonville and drive an automobile, you likely know that the highways near downtown are pretty much a mess to navigate through. Although things are much better for automotive traffic in this area than it was when I was a kid (when I95 crossed the St. Johns River with a draw bridge), the area where I95 floats above the Southbank is just a mess, at best. Finally, this part of I95 is getting a facelift, which is great for motorists. What does all of this have to do with bicycles? It appears that bicycle connectivity was not thought of at all when re-designing the in-town roads underneath the highway.

As always, Ennis Davis of Metro Jacksonville breaks the project down in an easy to digest manner here. Bottom line is this: travel by bicycle should have been considered in these plans, but was not.

The Overland Bridge Project is expected to fix highway issues in this particular area on the Southbank for the next 50 years or so (according to an engineer I spoke with at a BPAC meeting last week), and if we want bicycles to be included in the plans, the time to act is now because there may not be the physical room to add bike lanes later on. This area is a major artery between a few different parts of town, and to ignore bicycle needs in this area would be a great disservice to the bicycling community.

Here's how you can help:

Please take a moment of your time to write to the project manager of the Overland Bridge project and let him know that you want bicycling infrastructure included in his plans. Encourage your friends or anyone else who gives a damn, to write in as well. Deadline for comments is Friday, November 9, 2012. All interested persons are encouraged to contact or send an email to Craig Teal, P.E. at the Florida Department of Transportation.

Craig Teal, P.E., Project Manager
Florida Department of Transportation
1109 s Marion Avenue, MS 2002
Lake City, Fl 32025-5874
(386) 961.7703 or (800)749.2967
[email protected]">[email protected]

Bike Jax Visits Boston

2012-10-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hello, it's Koula here. I love the Northeast, and my guy and I have friends and family scattered around Boston, so we visit every chance we get. This time, we flew in and spent 7 days with friends near Brighton. We mostly took the bus and train to wherever we needed to go, aside from one short bike ride and couple of car rides. In this post, I'll share my thoughts on traveling around Boston, and how I think some of their transportation solutions would benefit Jacksonville.

The T.

During this visit to Boston, taking the bus and train were by far the easiest ways to get from the 'burbs into the city. The freedom I feel in riding my bike for transportation is similar to the freedom I felt in Boston upon using a well thought-out public transit system. In a nutshell, it felt- dare I say- luxurious to be able to hop on a bus or the train, and not have to worry about where to park a car, or how much said parking was going to cost. I'm also a chronic worrier when parking a bike, as I've been a victim of bike theft much like everyone else who rides. I didn't really want to mess with taking my friend's bike into the city and risk losing it to theft, so riding the bus and train ended up being great. We were able to hop onto a bus a few houses away from our friends' place into the city, and could walk or transfer to the train to get to our destination.

I absolutely had to visit two places while in Boston. The ICA is by far one of my favorite art museums. It was refreshing to see a giant installation by Swoon and some smaller pieces in the gallery and out on the town by twin street artists, Os Gemeos. Love seeing street art being appreciated!

Swoon

Os Gemeos

Harris Cyclery was also a must-visit place; I'd learned about Harris five or so years ago while researching bicycle maintenance articles published by the one and only Sheldon Brown. I had no idea what exactly to expect, but I knew I'd see some interesting bikes and bike accessories. The bike ride to the shop was a quick three miles from my friend's house, and the headwind definitely gave Chi-town a run for its money. The sales people and bike techs were super friendly and not even a hair condescending, an attitude that I've come to accept as being fairly typical at bike shops. This shop stocks so many quality bikes and accessories, and I definitely felt like a kid in a toy store! Harris sells a ton of Rivendell bikes- more than anyone except for Rivendell themselves- and it was really cool to see so many of their frames in person for the first time. I'd been eyeballing an Atlantis bike for quite awhile, and they had one in stock that was small enough for me, so I took it on a test ride. A friend asked if Riv. bikes were worth the hype-- they definitely are all that!

Two Pashleys with curved twin tubes

Rivendell frames, and the Atlantis' headbadge

What intrigues me about Boston is the fact that they went from being a pretty terrible city for bicycling, to being one of the best in the nation in the past five years. Knowing this, I also observed that a majority of cyclists appeared to be obeying traffic rules, and I'd love to see the same thing happen here in Jacksonville.


Green bike lanes, and well-used bike parking

One of the many well-used bike corrals around town

One thing I really wanted to do on this trip was to rent a Hubway bike to get around at least a couple of times, but I didn't get to do this. Bike Jax has been in discussions regarding implementing a bikeshare system in Jacksonville, and I mainly wanted to try out bikeshare in another city first. Hubway has been around since July 2011, and immediately after launch, use of the Hubway bicycles exceeded expectations. More stations are built each year, and membership and usage continues to increase, as Hubway is wedging its way into being a viable transportation option in the city. I noticed alot of people out and about on them; if I stood at a street corner in Back Bay for five minutes, I might see a dozen or more whiz by. My unfamiliarity of the Metro Boston area and my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants travel planning made it difficult to make plans around the Hubway stations in such a way as to make the Hubway bike a more convenient mode of transportation over the bus or T. Next time I'm in Boston, I will definitely use a Hubway bike.

I'm hoping Jacksonville can integrate painted bike lanes, bike boxes, bike corrals, and bike share into our public transportation plans in the future. The key with Jacksonville right now is to make our public transit connected, and I think these bicycling-related solutions can help make that happen.

Florida 17th in Bike Commuters - Number 1 in Deaths

2012-10-12T11:48:00.000-04:00

Click image to open interactive version (via BikeGuard).

Bike Jax Bike Art Show - Call for Artists

2012-10-11T14:24:00.001-04:00

Join us for the Bike Art Show at CoRK East Gallery. Opening is November 16th at 6pm. All mediums and sizes welcome. Artists will retain 80% of all sales.

The only restrictions are that all work must contain bicycles in part or whole.

Email: info at bikejax.org for more details or with any questions.

Submission deadline is Noon on day of show.

Non local artists welcomed and encouraged to submit work. Contact us to make arrangements for shipment of work.

Community First Saturdays / Calling All Volunteers!

2012-10-03T12:05:00.002-04:00

Bike Jax is happy to announce a additional bike valet on the First Saturday of every month starting in October. We'll be working with Jax Chamber and Community First Credit Union on their new event Community First Saturday.

What is it? Jax Chamber is hosting a gathering on the first Saturday of each month to showcase downtown and our beautiful North Bank Riverwalk and the St. Johns River. There are will be a bunch of different family friendly events going on, most of which are free. You should really check out their website for all the details.

Sounds pretty great, right? And, in our humble opinion, the best way to arrive to an event downtown is by bike. Bike Jax is pleased to participate in Community First Saturdays by providing a free bike valet service under the pavilion on the Riverwalk, at the end of Pearl Street.

Along with our usual location at Riverside Arts Market, we will have another location under the pavilion on the River Walk at the end of Pearl St.

Click Here For Full Size.

This means that we'll be running TWO bike valets on the first Saturday of each month. While we have a small core of dedicated volunteers and we have October covered, we are eventually going to need some more help. As a bike valet assistant, you will meet cool people and will get to see tons of awesome/beautiful/amazing bikes!

Please email [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering, or stop by the RAM bike valet any Saturday.