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Stay warm folks
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January 2009
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Reach thousands of bicyclists in and around the city by advertising with Bike Pittsburgh. Contact info@bike-pgh.org for rates.
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City Council unanimously passes Mayor Ravenstahl's new bicycle rack ordinance
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Write your Councilperson and thank them for supporting this needed legislation
 With City Council's resounding "yea" vote*, the City of Pittsburgh now
has bike rack installation rules similar to other cities with bike
friendly status.
Mayor Ravenstahl and the new Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator Steve Patchan introduced this important piece of legislation that will allow property and business owners to install bike racks in the public right of way through a simple and expedited process. The permit fee, regardless of the number of proposed racks, shall be only $25.
"We're seeing more and more people riding bikes in Pittsburgh than ever
before." says Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "It's important that we show residents and our bicycle community
that we are serious about Pittsburgh's role as a bike-friendly and
green City."
We urge you to contact your Councilperson and tell them how much you appreciate their support of the cycling community.
Read more about this important legislation here
*Council members Motznik, Payne, and Shields were not present for the vote.
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Take home a "Membership in a Bottle" today
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Fun new way to become a member
 Thanks to participating bike shops, it is even easier to become a member, or renew your membership. With our new "Membership in a Bottle" Program, go to your favorite bike shop and simply purchase the membership kit to become a card-carrying member on the spot. You can then begin to take advantage of your member benefits immediately.
Even if you are a renewing member, you can still take advantage of this program.
Our "Membership-in-a-Bottle" makes a great gift as well.
If you just want the black and gold water bottle sans membership, you can purchase it at participating shops, or order it here. These attractive bottles are made with #2 food grade plastic, so there is no gross plastic taste to your water.
Did we mention they're black and gold?
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Over The Bar Bicycle Cafe's Grand Opening this weekend
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New bicycle-themed cafe opens its doors in the South Side
This weekend marks the Grand Opening of a new bicycle themed bar and restaurant, the Over the Bar Bicycle Cafe. As reported by Pop City, owner Mike Kotyk "speaks passionately about Pittsburgh's
sustainable bike and pedestrian developments and hopes to establish an
OTB bike club and historic ride." Local cycling groups have already
started using the space for meetings and hanging out.
The creative and fun atmosphere includes bicycle murals, sculptures
and decorations from re-used bike parts, many of which came from Free Ride.
Even the toilet paper dispensers are made from old bike parts. Bike
Pittsburgh also added some wall decorations, providing the OTB with BikeFest posters and wall worthy version of the Pittsburgh Bike Map.
The menu includes appetizers, burgers, and wraps, including
vegetarian-friendly fare such as seitan wings and black bean burgers.
Kotyk, an ardent supporter of cycling in Pittsburgh, even named a burger after BikePGH, called "the Bicycle Advocate."
Join the OTB Bicycle Cafe this weekend for their Grand Opening celebration!
The event includes complimentary Hors d'oeuvres from 6-8 and all-night draft beer specials.
When: Friday and Saturday, January 30 and 31
Where: OTB Bicycle Cafe, 2518 East Carson St (near SouthSide Works) [map]
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What's your experience with the Bicycle Commuter Act?
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Congressman Earl Blumenauer's (D-OR) bill allows bicycle commuters a $20 per month reimbursement
 The Federal Bicycle Commuter Act is now in full effect.
The tax provision will allow employers to set up a reimbursement program for their employees (up to $20 per month), or let their employees put away $20 per month tax-free from their paychecks towards bike commuting costs.
What's been your experience in taking advantage of this program? Click here to join the conversation or share your experience on our Messageboard.
To make it as easy as possible for employers and employees to participate, Accor Services runs a program called Commuter Check. According to their website, "once you sign up with your employer to get the benefit, take the
voucher you receive to any dedicated bicycle shop...to redeem your value."
These vouchers will be able to be used for the purchase of bicycles,
bicycle accessories, maintenance, and storage.
Also, the League of American Bicyclists, a DC-based national bicycle advocacy organization, is doing the groundwork to make sure this gets implemented in a clear way.
They also have the most up-to-date and comprehensive information and FAQ on the subject.
Click here to see how to take advantage of this incentive
or Check out Representative Blumenauer's site
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Transformation for America needs you to sign an important petition
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Urge congress to make smart transportation investments
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Become a Member of Bike Pittsburgh
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We need your support!
 Not only is membership our most important source of income, it shows we have strength in numbers. Bike maps, bike lanes, and events would not exist without the support of our members.
Imagine Pittsburgh as a city where the choice to ride a bike is an easy
one. A vibrant city where the roads are less congested, the air is
cleaner, and folks are healthier. Bike Pittsburgh works every day on
behalf of our members to make this vision a reality. Invest in
your community and help transform Pittsburgh into a bike friendly city - become a member today!
And if you're already a member, get a friend to join!
Click here to find out more about membership and benefits
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Stay Current on the Latest Cycling News
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 news, events, action alerts and more
We use our blog to post cool videos, cycling news, action alerts, and stories to inform and inspire you. If you haven't checked it out yet, please do. We think you'll be surprised at the wealth and depth of information covered. Feel free to sign up for an account and start commenting!
Like most other blogs we make it easy to share our posts via email, Facebook, Del.icio.us, StumbleUpon and others. Have a Facebook account? Become a fan of Bike Pittsburgh or join our cause and stay up-to-date that way.
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Get All of Your Bike Questions Answered
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Visit our new and improved online forums and ask away
Need to find a bike? How about figure out a route? Ever want to know how how to fix a few things on your bike? Or maybe you just want to show off some photos of your sweet-looking bike. Join in the fun in our online forums. New features include private messaging, being able to subscribe to threads via RSS, marking "favorite" threads, an updated profile page, and an easier search function.
Find out about fun Pittsburgh cycling events, meet other cyclists, peddle your wares, ask questions, or just hang out and have a laugh on our message board.
It's FREE, fun, and a great way to get involved.
Click here to get connected today!
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Pittsburgh Cycling Calendar
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All Things Cycling and More!
 Click here
to view the Pittsburgh Cycling Events Calendar For
details click on the individual events. If you have a Google Calendar you can easily subscribe to our events listing.
If you have a
bike event or ride you'd like to submit, simply contact us. Be sure to answer all the typical questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how much.
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Bike Pittsburgh gratefully acknowledges the
Richard King Mellon Foundation, Heinz Endowments, The Sprout Fund, The Benter Foundation and our members for their generous support.
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