Because poor Betty Foy needs a tune-up desperately, I rode the Civia Twin City that I’ll be reviewing soon.  For the haul, I swapped in my personal Brooks saddle and slipped on padded bike shorts under my skirt.

Although I enjoy going for long bike rides, I usually need a destination to motivate me.  My daily 9 miles of commuting prepares me pretty well for longer hauls, but I admit that my legs were tired while finishing the ride in a strong headwind.  That’s when you really know you’re alive, right?  :)

Have any of you commuters broken free for a long ride lately?

Roundtrip Bike Ride to Woodlawn is a post from Let's Go Ride a Bike and is only authorized to appear in our personal RSS feed.
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This week’s Roll Model is Karen from She Rides a Bike.  In 2008, Karen began bicycling for transportation in Flagstaff, Arizona and now blogs about her move toward a simpler and more satisfying lifestyle.

Describe your bicycling style in three words. In 3 words, my bicycling style would be responsible, assertive and well-organized. I wish I could say stylish but it’s more of an aspiration. [ed: way stylish!]

How long have you been riding a bike? I’ve been a committed transportation cyclist for 4 years.

How does bicycling fit into and shape your life? I’ve worked bicycling into most aspects of my life. If I can’t get someplace on my bike (with the exception of necessary air travel) I start questioning whether or not it’s even someplace I need to go. I still use a car from time to time but I’m more deliberate about when, where and why. I think bicycling has inspired me to reassess my relationship with “stuff” and motivated me to pursue simpler living that places value on experiences over possessions. I still like nice things but prefer quality over quantity.

What inspires you to keep bicycling? I’m inspired to keep bicycling by the way I feel (and sometimes don’t feel) when I’m pedaling. I love the feeling of strength, liberation, and openness that I experience moving in space. Bicycling is something I can do so why would I stop? Why give up my power? I’m also inspired by the other women cycling bloggers that I follow and their choice to also do something that is still a bit outside the mainstream.

As women, we are often rewarded for accommodating the expectations of the larger culture regardless of whether or not doing so is in our best interests. I love seeing women (and men for that matter) challenging expectations that serve no other purpose than to perpetuate a not always helpful status quo.

In your experience, does the general bicycling world – shops, outreach, group rides, etc. – feel welcoming for you as a woman? I think that I’ve been pretty lucky that the LBS in Flagstaff are super helpful and supportive of women cyclists regardless of what kind of cycling they do. A few of them sponsor clinics on bike maintenance and offer group rides. Flagstaff has a great urban trail system and many bike lanes so I can get around almost anywhere by bike. Flagstaff Bicycling Organization does a whole week of Bike to Work Week activities, as well as trail repair days and safety clinics. Women cyclists are viewed as important. The downtown bars and restaurants have also welcomed Tweed Rides since they bring people downtown who will spend money without taking up parking.

What is your take on the “gender gap” in cycling, including media attention on how to get more women to bicycle? I don’t see that big a gender gap in Flagstaff. It’s an outdoorsy community so women are doing all sorts of activities once considered daring. If there is a gap it might be more between moms and not-moms. I’m not a mom so I have considerable time and freedom that moms don’t necessarily have since I don’t have to worry about balancing a work schedule and a child schedule. Moms might have more safety concerns than I have. Flagstaff is bike friendly but some of its residents and visitors view the road as meant for cars and trucks only. Few cities enjoy the kind of bike culture as Portland.

I see an ongoing debate in the media about the cycle chic movement that strikes me as rather odd. There’s nothing prurient, in my opinion, about the cycle chic movement. I like to look nice at all times, including when I’m on my bike. As a new cyclist I appreciated cycle chic blogs that showed me how it was done. I’m 49 and have no desire to be confused as a bike-riding Hooters girl, and I don’t think cycle chic promotes that anyway. I just want to dress to please myself. If I had to wear gender neutral, asexual bike apparel or lycra, I wouldn’t have given bike commuting a shot.

If you could magically change one thing to improve bicycling in your city, what would it be? I think bicycling is still viewed by the movers and shakers as a recreational activity not as a serious transportation option. The town motto seems to be “Poverty with a view.” People joke about it but the high cost of car ownership is not funny. We sold one car and started bike commuting to help economize and it’s made a big difference in making ends meet and being able to save for retirement. Flag is small enough for bike commuting to be a very workable option for most residents but some still view investments in bike paths and other bike infrastructure as frivilous. Luckily, the bike community is pretty vocal.

Do you feel optimistic about the future of bicycling? I’m not by nature an optimist but I think the cycle chic movement has mainstreamed transportation cycling just a little bit. Framing bikes as sexy and fashionable might be the honey that makes the bitter medicine of changing how we get around go down a little easier. Ten years ago nobody could have told me I would be biking to work or the doctor or my hair stylist! It was a decision I made out of necessity. Nationally, times are changing. I think the days of mega houses and cars for every member of the household are coming an end. And that’s not such a bad thing.

Any advice for people, especially women, who want to start cycling? Give yourself permission to start slow and learn. Being a newbie at anything requires a learning curve and a period of clumsiness. With time, it all becomes second nature. Visit plenty of bikes shops, ride lots of bikes, and check out all the biking blogs out there because they are packed with experiences, ideas, images and real people who can give you lots of wisdom. Whatever your barrier to bike riding, someone has come up with a way to overcome it.

Final words? I just appreciate being asked to particiapate in this post. I think most bloggers do so because they have something in their lives that they want to share. I’m always amazed when I meet someone who tells me I helped motivate them to try bike commuting but if I hadn’t stumbled upon LGRAB and other lady-biker oriented blogs, I wouldn’t have had the courage to get started myself.

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Thanks so much to Karen for sharing her story and insight with us!  So many good points!

Visit Karen at She Rides a Bike and follow her on Twitter.

“Roll Model” Karen of She Rides a Bike is a post from Let's Go Ride a Bike and is only authorized to appear in our personal RSS feed.
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First, tonight there is a Jamaican-themed dinner buffet at Wild Cow to benefit Walk/Bike Nashville. Vegetarian and guaranteed delicious!

Tomorrow, the Ride of Silence will depart from the main Centennial Park entrance at 7 pm sharp (cyclists should arrive at 6:45). The ride is 7 miles, and riders must wear helmets—more details here. The Chicago ride is also on Wednesday and you can get info about that here.

Friday is Nashville’s Bike to Work Day. It’s definitely going to be our biggest one yet—we already have 171 people signed up on Facebook (Chicago peeps, stop your sniggering, this is big for us). So grab your bike, check out our route map and join us (and the Mayor—he’s biking in too!) at the courthouse for donuts, bagels and coffee.

And of course Saturday is the biggest biking event of the year—the 2012 Tour de Nash! Come out for a sweeping tour of Nashville’s new Music City Bikeway. If you’ve never ridden on quiet city streets with hundreds of other elated cyclists—you don’t know what you’re missing. There’s child care available. Also, our T-shirt this year is the cutest one yet. Come out!

On a smaller note, I plan to reschedule my rained-out progressive dinner ride for later in the month, so stay tuned for news on that.

Hope to see you Nashvillians on a bike this week!

Nashville Bike Week 2012 is a post from Let's Go Ride a Bike and is only authorized to appear in our personal RSS feed.
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Why? 

After 3.5 years of sharing our personal stories, the time has come to expand beyond the traditional blog format. As the rate of transportation cycling continues to rise, we hope to be a resource and support system for bicyclists, new and experienced alike, with a focus on women (although men are definitely welcome and included!). We remain committed to demonstrating how life on two wheels can be simple, stylish, and fun. This new direction has energized us, and we hope it will energize you, too!

What?

• Daily updates, sometimes two or more per day
• Varied content
• Regular series
• How-to’s and practical information
• Longer articles focusing on advocacy issues
• Fun fashion and vintage inspiration
• Interviews with movers and shakers in the bike world
• Profiles of everyday cyclists and “Roll Models”
• Videos and podcasts
• Links to other interesting articles in the blog world
• Dynamic magazine-style layout allows us to present more content in a compact space—while keeping individual posts and RSS feeds the same
• Monthly newsletter (sign up here) featuring a sure-to-be-stunning monthly desktop calendar designed by Dottie

When? 

The new direction starts . . . now! If you are reading this through our RSS feed, we encourage you to click through to our actual site to see the redesign.

Your turn.

We’d love to know what you would to see more on LGRAB. Take our three-second survey.

Thank you for your continued interest in and support of Let’s Go Ride a Bike—and your patience during this transition. (We’re hoping you won’t need too much of it!) We remain dedicated to creating a community where all those who ride bikes for transportation will feel welcome, no matter the format. Your thoughts and comments are always appreciated.

Pedaling in a new direction is a post from Let's Go Ride a Bike and is only authorized to appear in our personal RSS feed.
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Overall, our group size was about 30 people, all at one long table.  Special thanks to our excellent waitress, Jessica, for taking such good care of us.

Molly and her husband Piet joined us while visiting Chicago from Ann Arbor, Michigan.  You may remember both of them from their Summer Games participation and especially Molly from her 2010 Roll Models profile. 

After brunch, we spent time outside – as always – talking about bikes.  I like how April strapped her Kate Spade bag to her front rack.

Alison took Jen’s bakfiets for a spin.  Love the look on her face.  :)

But she soon went back to her own cute orange ride.

The day was a little rainy and I saw lots of different rain coats.  I particularly like this teal one!

Jenny showed how casually stylish a skirt with sneakers can look.

And Megan wore cool red sneakers!

Saya and Laurie, her friend visiting from Boston, struck a pose for me.  :)

This is only a small sampling of the great group of women who came out.

If you’re a woman and in Chicago and you bike (or simply want to learn more about biking!), email me at LGRAB@letsgorideabike.com to be added to the list.  Our next brunch will be Sunday, June 3rd – a picnic on the lakefront.

May’s Women-Who-Bike Brunch is a post from Let's Go Ride a Bike and is only authorized to appear in our personal RSS feed.
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I have big weekend plans for me and the Twin City, including a trip to the farmer’s market.  Stay tuned for a full review next week.

Also, check back on Monday morning for an exciting announcement about the evolution of Let’s Go Ride a Bike!  You may have noticed our brand spanking new look (still working out the kinks!) – that’s only the beginning.  ;)

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I need to get working on spring cleaning, including taking Betty Foy in for a much-needed tune-up (am I the only one who totally destroys her bike during fall and winter??).  But, you know, whenever…

I hope everyone else is enjoying the spring, too!

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The market was jam-packed.

Sadly, so were the (two) parking lots, and the streets for about two blocks on either side.

I did see a few bikes, like this sweet Raleigh Sprite and its pal.

And of course, Kermit Allegra was there.

The dearth of bike parking could have been a factor, but it seems odd that more people—most of whom I assume live in the neighborhood, which is one of the city’s most walkable/bikeable—wouldn’t consider an alternate mode of transportation to a farmer’s market. Made me want to start quizzing people about how they got there and why they chose that method.

Is there a farmer’s market in your neck of the woods? How do you get there?

p.s. Sevier Park, where this market is held, is also the starting point for this Sunday’s progressive dinner ride. If you are in town, come and join us!

12South Farmer’s Market Ride is a post from Let's Go Ride a Bike and is only authorized to appear in our personal RSS feed.
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Many thanks to our fearless leader Ash, pictured first below.

We got rained on a little during the ride, but hail and lightening waited until we were safely at the restaurant and finished by the time we departed for our rides home.  The goddesses were on our side.

Join or keep up with Chicago’s Critical Lass Rides on Facebook.

May’s Critical Lass Ride is a post from Let's Go Ride a Bike and is only authorized to appear in our personal RSS feed.
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Bonus: high visibility! If anyone squashes me in this outfit, they clearly weren’t paying attention. Alas, with summer approaching I won’t be wearing pants on the bike much longer. Considering making these into shorts, since they’re likely to be a one-season trendy item anyway.

Happy Friday to all!

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