MAy 6, 2013

Greetings! 

National Bike Month is off to a flying start with widespread media coverage of the latest Bicycle Friendly States ranking and growing buzz surrounding the National Bike Challenge. The excitement continues with National  Bike to School Day on Wednesday, the latest round of Bicycle Friendly Community awards -- which you do not want to miss -- on the 13th and Bike to Work Day on the 17th. Make sure you are part of this great celebration of bicycling. 

  

Sincerely,  

 


Andy Clarke
League President
 
 league news 
bicycle friendly state ranking announced!

For the sixth year in a row, Washington continues to lead the nation as the most bicycle-friendly state, with high performance in all categories. But up-and-coming states -- including Delaware, Illinois and Arizona -- charged up the ranking in 2013, shaking up the top 10.  Read more here.

National bike challenge speeding out of the gate
And we're off! The  National Bike Challenge kicked off May 1, and we're already shattering records from last year. We've heard from a fearless couple who have pedaled their tiny Michigan community to the top of the ranks, and an 88-year-old Wisconsin woman who's been bicycling ever since she bought a bike from her cousin's neighbor at age 16. Check our blog for the many stories of the Challenge, and if you haven't already, register today and make every mile count!
Bike Month 2013 has begun! 

National Bike Month got rolling on May 1, and if you haven't already joined in on the fun, we've got 10 ideas to grease the wheels. You can use our free posters to promote your local event, build buzz online with our social media toolkit, compete locally with our Bike Month bingo card, and much more!  Click here to read more about all the great things going on during Bike Month, and be sure to check out our materials -- like bingo -- here.

Magazine: Where will the ride take you this bike month?
The latest issue of American Bicyclist is hitting mailboxes now, and in this issue, we take a look at the many faces of Bike Month, the growing Cyclofemme movement, the uptick in bike commuting and so much more. Read the issue online, and, if you're not a member yet, join the League to make sure you get American Bicyclist delivered to your mailbox!  
bike to work day t-shirt benefits the league
Pedal Pushers Club has produced
Bike to Work Day t-shirts for Bike Month this year, and League members can purchase them at a discounted rate. The member discount is through coupon code "league." Additionally, $5 of each shirt sold in this limited edition design will be donated to the League. Celebrate May 17 in style; purchase your shirt today!
changing the world, one bicycle at a time
This Bike Month, we're looking at how bicycles are a tool for personal empowerment, social justice and community development. In our first "Where the Ride Takes Us" post, we heard from Ride for Reading, which transports books to low-income kids by bicycle. We also talked to Mario from Biking Public Project, which is uniting and elevating the voices of bike delivery workers in New York City. We'll be spotlighting efforts such as these every day this month, so be sure to check out our blog every day in the month of May! (Photo courtesy of Ride for Reading.)
a quick note to members
The League is switching over to a new membership service this week, so if you are experiencing issues logging into the membership portal please be patient with us as we go through the transition. If you are experiencing lingering problems, contact [email protected].
 
 advocacy
LEague at Bike Safety Summit: 'zero deaths on our streets'
League President Andy Clarke addressed the Minneapolis Bike Safety Summit last week, making a call to "achieve zero deaths on our streets." The Summit, hosted by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the U.S. Department of Transportation, brought national leaders together to discuss the pressing issue of bicyclists' safety on the road. Read Andy's full remarks here(League president, Andy Clarke, prepares to introduce Secretary Ray LaHood at the 2013 National Bike Summit. Photo by Brian Palmer.)
league welcomes nomination of anthony foxx
When U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced his departure, the bicycling community asked the White House to appoint a successor with a clear commitment to multi-modal solutions to local transportation challenges. Mayor Anthony Foxx, nominated last week, clearly checks those boxes. Read the League's statement on Foxx here.
summit attendees keep pressure on local lawmakers

During the National Bike Summit, advocates urged their elected officials on Capitol Hill to visit one of their district's bike projects. And late last month, we were delighted to hear that advocates in Indiana hosted Rep. Larry Bucshon (R) at a 10K bike ride and benefit. Darlene Wefel, of the Evansville Bicycle Club, invited Bucshon -- a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee -- to the recent Evansville Rockin' River City Ride. Read more about Wefel and other advocates' efforts here. (Photo: Wefel and Bucshon)

upcoming local and state bike summits

Things are about to heat up in the state legislature and advocates are gearing up to ensure that bicyclists have a voice in policy-making at all levels. Don't miss a state or local bike summit in your area:   

Are you attending or organizing a bike summit in your city or state? Email [email protected] so we can include your event in upcoming E-news! 

 
 resources
webinar Tomorrow: economic benefits of bike projects
Pedestrian and bicycle facilities don't just add new transportation or recreation options to a community, they bring economic value, too. Join a free webinar tomorrow, Tuesday, May 7, at 2 p.m. EDT, presented by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, to take a look at those benefits. League Policy Director, Darren Flusche, will be presenting.  
Bike Law university: 'where to ride' laws

Bicyclists have been fighting for good roads and the right to use them since before the League of American Bicyclists was founded in 1880. Where to Ride laws strike at the very heart of advocacy: Bicyclists' right to the road. When safety requires a bicyclist to take the lane, it is important that the law allows a bicyclist to do so.  In this edition of Bike Law University, we take a look at Where to Ride laws and how they have shaped bicyclists safety. Read more here.
webinar recording: social media as an advocacy tool
We hosted a social media webinar last month with the Alliance for Biking & Walking, which kept the conversation going after our packed social media panel at the 2013 National Bike Summit. Did you miss our talk on how to harness these tools as a means for advocacy? Catch up with our recording here.
 
 partner news
psu offers bicycle planning & design course in august
Portland State University's Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation is offering a comprehensive bicycle planning and design course from August 25-29 in Portland. It will cover the fundamentals of bikeway planning and design through an intensive week of interactive classroom and field experience. Transportation professionals are encouraged to attend. Learn more and register here.

 

 
 just for fun
celebrate stress awareness month -- on your bike!
In honor of National Stress Awareness Month, we highlighted how bicycling is both a stress-awareness and stress-fighting tool. So help us spread The Good Life from coast to coast this May. Bring friends and colleagues, start a team for the National Bike Challenge and get involved in National Bike Month!
 


Share this American Bicyclist Update with your cycling friends and fellow bike commuters. The generous support from the League's members make publications like this possible. Join the League today.

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org.
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