Thursday, April 30, 2015

National Bike Month in Rochester, 2015



May is National Bike Month! Hop on your bike, enjoy the smell of fresh air and lilacs, and experience the freedom of exploring our community on two wheels. Help launch the 2015 summer biking season by participating in one of the many great rides or events planned all month long.

Biking in Rochester: General Information


Learn more about the city’s many efforts to become more bike-friendly here: www.cityofrochester.gov/bikerochester 

Click here for an online version of the Greater Rochester Area Bicycling Map, updated in 2014.


National Bike Month in Rochester, 2015: Rides and Events

Friday, May 1

·         First Friday Reception for Ride It: Art and Bicycles in Rochester (6-10pm)

  • At the Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo), 137 East Ave
  • A diverse exploration of bicycle culture, history, advocacy and creativity in the Rochester Region
  •  Includes photography, graphic artworks, paintings, historical displays, and short films
  • For more info see http://www.rochestercontemporary.org/ride_it.htmlhttp://www.rochestercontemporary.org/ride_it.html


Saturday, May 2

Shifting Clinic (3-4pm) 
  •  Free clinic at Full Moon Vista Bike & Sport (661 South Ave)
  •   If you’ve ever felt that your bicycle has a mind of its own when it comes to shifting, this clinic will teach you how to make every shift with precision and finesse. Come ready to learn about soft pedaling, chain ring engagement, chain alignment, and more! 
  • Contact: http://fullmoonvista.com/customer-clinics/#shift or 546-4030 


Sunday, May 3

·         Bicycle Tour of Public Art (1-3pm)


Wednesday, May 7 

National Bike to School Day (all day)

  • Several local schools have activities planned
  •  Find/register participating schools at http://walkbiketoschool.org/ 
  •  Or ask your child’s school if any events are planned


·         Drivetrain Maintenance Clinic (6:30-7:30pm)



Thursday, May 7

·         Kick-Off Event: 9am

  • Reading of our Bike Week 2015 proclamation

  • Meet at R Community Bikes,  226 Hudson Ave, at 9am
  • Bring your bike to celebrate Bike Month 2015
  • Contact: 311  


Saturday, May 9

Flat Tire Clinic (3-4pm) 
  • Free clinic at Full Moon Vista Bike & Sport (661 South Ave)
  • Learn everything you need to know about changing a flat tire and all the secrets – flat-resistant tires, quick release operation, v-brake, caliper release and disc brake operation, tools needed and appropriate tire pressure.
  • Contact: http://fullmoonvista.com/customer-clinics/#flat or 546-4030 

Sunday, May 10

·         Radical Roots History Ride (2-4pm) – a sociopolitical cyclo-tour of local historic points
  • Meet at Susan B Anthony Square at 2pm.
  • Flat ~10 mile route on city streets with stops for discussion
  • The tour will cover sites in and near Downtown Rochester that have been significant in US and local social movements and general history: feminism, abolitionism, labor, ecology, transportation, communication and economic development.
  •   Led by Jack Bradigan Spula, a four-season bicyclist, Highland Park Neighborhood resident, social activist, writer, musician and Rochesterian for nearly 50 years. 
  •   Contact: Jack Spula, jbspula@gmail.com

Monday, May 11

Friends of MS Rochester Bike Week Genesee Valley Park Ride (6-8pm)
  • Meet at Genesee Valley park west side at pool parking lot, 6pm
  • Bring a helmet and hydration.
  • Ride leader Carolyn Argust. For questions or to RSVP call 585-288-1687
  • Bring a helmet and hydration.
  • For more information, see www.BikeMSUpstate.org
Tuesday, May 12

The RochesterBicycle Film Festival presents Breaking Away (7-9pm) 
  • A true classic of bike cinema! 
  • Four friends face opposition from all corners as they dream of competitive cycling and one enters the local university's annual bicycle endurance race. (94% Rotten Tomatoes)
  • Screening at The Cinema Theater (957 S. Clinton Ave), doors open at 6:30pm
  • Tickets cost $7 advance , $8 at the door
  •  Get a dollar off if you ride your bike to the screening and show your helmet.
Wednesday, May 13


The RochesterBicycle Film Festival presents The Triplets of Bellville (7-9pm) 
  • An idie animated cult classic!
  • When her grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madame Souza and her beloved pooch Bruno team up with the Belleville Sisters – an aged song-and-dance team from the days of Fred Astaire – to rescue him.  (94% Rotten Tomatoes)
  • Screening at The Little Theater (240 East Ave #100), doors open at 6:30pm
  • Tickets cost $7 advance (purchase here), $8 at the door
  • Get a dollar off if you ride your bike to the screening and show your helmet.

Friday, May 15

Bike to Work Day (all day) 
The 15th Annual Ride for Missing Children (8am-6pm)

·         Light UP the Night Ride (8-10pm) – an illuminating post-sunset ride
  • o   Meet at 8pm at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex (131 Elmwood Ave) in Genesee Valley Park
  • Riders decorate themselves and their bicycles with as many lights as they can
  • ~ 8 mile route[gmap-pedometer.com] on trails and city streets
  • Riders “light up” the trails and streets as they journey up the Genesee River to the City Center, loop back into the South Wedge and over through Corn Hill Landing before returning to Genesee Valley Park. 
  • Bike Lights and Helmets required to participate.
  •   Ride led by Scott MacCrae, but for more info,  contact Fran Scira at fran-scira@urmc.rochester.edy or 698-8503

Saturday, May 16

Field Repair Clinic (3-4pm)
  • Free clinic at Full Moon Vista Bike & Sport (661 South Ave)
  • This clinic won’t make you a master mechanic, but it will arm you with the knowledge to diagnose minor problems and get you back on your bike. The clinic will be mostly classroom style but you’ll have opportunities for hands-on experience too.
  • Contact: http://fullmoonvista.com/customer-clinics/#field  or 546-4030 

Sunday, May 17

5th Annual Seersucker Social Ride and Cargo Bike Rally (10am-2pm)
  • Meet at Abundance Cooperative Market (62 Marshall St) at 10am, ride departs at 11am, followed by potluck picnic and prizes
  • Dress in stylish seersucker, linen, or cool summer fabrics to ride your bike in style – prizes awarded for Best Bike, Most Radiant and Most Dashing
  • 12-mile ride to tour gardens and scenic neighborhoods
  • Bring a blanket, picnic lunch, or bake a lasagna and potluck with friends on the lawn of Wadsworth Square. Abundance also has a small section of prepared food to supplement your picnic.
  • Please reply if you can bring a dart, bocce or croquet set, and we'll have lawn games.
  • New this year – Ride your tandem, a cargo bike, XtraCycle, or Surly, if you have one, for a cargo bike rally!
  • For more info, see https://www.facebook.com/events/1636094029961473/

Wednesday, May 20

·         Rochester’s 5th Annual Ride of Silence (6:30-7:30pm)
  • Meet at the Penfield Highway Department parking lot on Jackson Rd at 6:15pm
  • A flat 10mile route departs at 7pm
  • Slow ride so dress please warm, helmet required
  • Everyone – all abilities and cyclists are welcome. Racers, tourists, commuters, families, spouses, neighbors will share the road. Group rides in silence to honor people that have been injured or died while cycling.
  • RSVP is requested.
  • For more info, see: https://rbc.wildapricot.org/RoS
  • Contact: Andy Stewart,  onetenth@earthlink.net  

·         Flat Tire Repair & Intro to Tubeless Clinic (6:30-7:30pm)

Saturday, May 23

Preventive Maintenance Clinic (3-4pm)
  • Free clinic at Full Moon Vista Bike & Sport (661 South Ave)
  • A little regular maintenance can take your bike a long, long way.  This clinic will cover things you can do to maintain your bike, which parts of the bike will experience normal wear and tear, and what the life expectancies of these parts might be.
  • Contact: http://fullmoonvista.com/customer-clinics/#preventor 546-4030 

Wednesday, May 27

Bike to the public market for the May Food Truck Rodeo (5-9pm)
  • Enjoy the best possible parking, close to food trucks and live music.
  • Table with free information and resources about bicycling in Rochester and upcoming events
  • Show your helmet at the table to receive free giveaways (re-usable market bags) and be entered in a raffle for special prizes
  • Extra bike parking will be provided. Bike racks are also located outside the market office, near Zimmermans, and next to the Railroad Street parking lot, near the Railroad Street arch/gate. For more info on biking to the market, see: http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589946435
  • For more information, see http://www.cityofrochester.gov/foodtruckrodeo/

Saturday, May 30

Spokes & Ink Bike and Poster Fest (12-6pm)

  • A festival celebrating bike lovers and bike-inspired poster art
  • Crank up for summer fun – a mashup of cycling enthusiasts, local artists, cold beer, live music, unique vendors, and stuff for the kids
  • At the Genesee Center for the Arts, 713 Monroe Ave
  • For more info, see: http://www.geneseearts.org/spokesandink/

Shifting Clinic (3-4pm) 
  • Free clinic at Full Moon Vista Bike & Sport (661 South Ave)
  • Everything you ever wanted to know about shifting – learn about soft pedaling, chain ring engagement, chain alignment, and more!
  • Contact: www.fullmoonvista.com/clinics.html#shift or 546-4030