Bikeosphere and Cycling in the City

Posted by Anna
Filed in Events
July 16, 2008

Cycling is growing in Vancouver, and that is excellent. Well, it would be excellent if there was also support in terms of infrastructure and funding to accommodate the growing ridership. There is also a community around biking, and events such as Bike to Work Week and Critical Mass help it grow. While hanging out at Calhoun's the other day, I grabbed my first copy of Momentum, which is North America's self-described "urban cycling culture magazine."

The ladies who run Momentum are putting on an event called Bikeosphere on Friday night, so if you get a chance to drop by the Centre A Gallery, you'll enjoy a whole mishmash of stuff aimed at highlighting city cycling as a lifestyle choice. There will be music, art, a fashion show, refreshments, and valet bike parking! It's only $5, and proceeds will go to the artists and to the magazine. If you can't attend, make sure to look out for Momentum (it's free), or subscribe to it.

While I'm on the bike thing... check out this Vancouver cyclists' map. I just found out about it, and I'm pretty sure that it's going to be my Bible.

Bikeosphere goes from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. on Friday, July 18th. It will be held at the Centre A Gallery (23 West Pender St.).
For more information, call 604-669-9850.
Image courtesy of the folks over at Momentum.

Reader Reviews and Comments

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The map is amazing. It suggests a slightly different route than I take to work, although I persist in not using it. Love that thing.

Sadly out of town this weekend, otherwise I'd attend Bikeosphere. Not sadly...I'm visiting relatives, but it sounds like I'll miss a fun event.

Tour de Gastown tonight was a hoot.

Posted by: Darcy McGee at July 16, 2008 10:09 PM | Quote Comment

That map just blew my mind.

Posted by: jz at July 17, 2008 8:28 AM | Quote Comment

I've seen a rather large motorcycle cop handing out "no helmet" tickets in Strathcona lately.
He's got a quota me thinks.

Posted by: I ride at July 17, 2008 8:31 AM | Quote Comment

Good for the cop.

They should be ticketing for lights too. I've long though they should stake out bike routes in the winter and issue ticket to cyclists without lights, then hand them a coupon for a light from a bike store.

$8.75 for light that never needs batteries.
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302692895&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442621992

much cheaper than a $60 ticket.

Posted by: Darcy McGee at July 17, 2008 9:54 AM | Quote Comment

Yeah, and how about write a few tickets for cars that race up and down bike paths too?!

Posted by: No one at July 17, 2008 10:07 AM | Quote Comment

why wouldn't you wear a helmet. do you argue against seatbelt laws too?

i don't know about this bike map. what's it basing things on? from strathcona to granville island it's saying i have to go through downtown and over a bridge, adding a good 1-2 km to my ride. weird.

Posted by: skeptic at July 17, 2008 10:47 AM | Quote Comment

The City of Vancouver's bike advisory committe puts out really great bike route maps for Vancouver and they're all small and pocket-sized, so good for taking in your bag. Rhizome has a basket full of them at the front door.

Also, this helmet crackdown is bullshit. The city's resources would be much better spent on a public awareness campaign about biking safely instead of pretending that helmets are the surefire route to being safe on a bike--ther are a lot of other safe-riding strategies (riding in such a way that cars don't have to react to you in order for you to be safe, etc) that will be much more helpful to people than just punishing them for not wearing a helmet.

Posted by: wacqueline at July 17, 2008 3:48 PM | Quote Comment

Wacqueline, your points are good and valid.

They have nothing to do with whether people should or should not wear helmets though.

Helmets are a protection of last resort. Avoiding accidents is obviously the first step, but helmets save lives. By your logic, an motorcyclist who successfully completes the BC Safety Council's training course wouldn't need a helmet.

If you can't afford one, let me know, I'll buy you one. I'm luck to be alive despite the fact that I wasn't wearing one, and I can't leave the house without one.

Posted by: Darcy McGee at July 20, 2008 9:37 PM | Quote Comment

The weakest link in the chain is always where it breaks.

In Vancouver, that weak link is the ability to securely store your bike at destination. Like sooo many people I know, I must constantly agonize over whether my bike will be safe, and end up driving cuz I know it won't. Until the bike theft/storage issue is addressed here, we won't see serious adoption of cycling as transport, especially outside the good-weather months. Very shortsighted ...

Posted by: JudyB at August 13, 2008 7:11 AM | Quote Comment