thephoenix.com/bikebible | the boston phoenix | may 11, 2012 27
Bicycle 2 01 2
BiBle
Simon Kercz
Life in Czar Time HuBway Nicole Freedman’s legacy | p 29
Bike Haiku
!
Odes to Stupid Bikes | p 36
thephoenix.com/bikebible | the boston phoenix | may 11, 2012 29
EvErybody GEts a bikE
Nicole FreedmaN’s legacy _B y a N dr ew m c F a r l a N d
city officials, the public were all working together to fulfill a common vision.
Boston Bikes is aBout to unveil the Bicycle netWork plan, Which Will outline a city-Wide agenda for neW Bike lanes and trails. one of the plan components you’ve discussed is something called “neighBorWays.” Would you explain What those are? The goal
is to create a network that’s welcoming to all levels of cyclists. That would include people who haven’t biked in 30 years, families, kids, and senior citizens. The concept for “neighborways,” which are also called “bike boulevards,” takes a street that tends to be low-volume in terms of car traffic, and makes it function as a very safe street for cyclists. It’d be a road anybody would feel comfortable biking on.
Which streets could Become neighBorWays? There are a lot. One of the
daNiel ca llaH aN
difficult things is that we’re not planned on a grid system like other cities, so it’s more complex. Shawmut Avenue in the South End would be a good candidate.
fruits of her laBors Nicole Freedman oversaw the implementation of the Hubway bike-share program.
When you started With Boston Bikes in 2007, the city had mayBe a mile of Bike lane. looking Back, What did you think your Biggest oBstacle Was going to Be? I think the mayor was very clear when he launched the [Boston Bikes] program — he wanted to make Boston into a world-class biking city. He recognized the fact that we were the worst cycling city in the country and acknowledged
that we could turn this around. We needed to hit the ground running and get bike lanes on the ground to prove to the public that we could make it happen.
at the fourth annual Boston Bikes update this feBruary, it seemed like you guys Were deButing the next iphone or something — the Boston puBlic liBrary auditorium Was packed, everyone Was really excited and engaged. i think it Was the first time that i saW such a positive and enthusiastic croWd at a puBlic meeting for the city. That meeting was really special. It was a celebration of what the whole community had done together. We’ve become one of the best biking cities in the country, and every person in that room contributed to everything that’s taken place.
do you think that What Boston Bikes did could Be a Blueprint for getting people more involved and engaged in city government? It was a very successful model
with the community working with the city. We were all aligned. The mayor, the
aNd rew m c Farla Nd
After a five-year reign as Boston’s first unofficial “Bike Czar,” Boston Bikes director Nicole Freedman will be abdicating her throne to direct Maine’s Huts and Trails program. She leaves behind some impressive accomplishments: Boston now boasts 50 miles of bike lanes (up from less than one in 2007), not to mention the Hubway bike-share program, and a bike training initiative that’s introduced more than 8000 Boston public-school students to the joys of cycling. City Hall has yet to find a permanent replacement for Freedman, but whoever it is, they’ll have some big shoes to fill.
F
Boston Bikes has piloted some successful community outreach efforts, too, particularly the “roll it forWard” Bike-donation program, and the youth cycling program, Which teaches students hoW to ride Bikes. Why Were these priorities for you and your colleague, John BilderBeck? Biking is for every single
person in Boston. The “Roll It Forward” program gave away over 1000 bikes to lowincome residents. They got used, and they got used a lot. When you were at one of those events, and you see kids with their parents riding bikes, it’s very powerful. It’s good for everyone in the city. One of the things I’ve enjoyed is going through the city after work and seeing the bikes that we’ve donated roll by.
in terms of cycling, Where Would you like to see Boston in 10 years? Having
‘WhEn you sEE kids With thEir parEnts ridinG bikEs, it’s vEry poWErful. it’s Good for EvEryonE.’
the percentage of bike trips at 10 percent and expanding Hubway dramatically — more stations in Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Charlestown, East Boston, and Mattapan. We have about 50 bikefriendly businesses in the city. We want that to grow so that every business in Boston will want to be bike-friendly. People look at Copenhagen, and they say, “Whatever, that’s Europe,” but Copenhagen started where Boston started. Over 30 years, they kept going, and now they’re at 30 percent of trips made by bike. We don’t need 30 years. I think the mayor can do it faster than that, and we’re off to a fantastic start. ^
andrew mcfarland can be reached at andrewpmcfarland@gmail.com
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BiCyCle Bill's
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internAtionAl BiCyCle Centers 89 Brighton Ave Boston, MA
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JAson & FisCher Attorneys At lAw 47 Winter St. Boston, MA
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lAndry's BiKe
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celeBRating 25 yeaRS of BaRBecue & BeeR
16th AnnuAl Bike PArty & Benefit Place: Redbones, 55 chester
Street, Davis Square, Somerville
Date: Monday, June 4
12
Rain Date: Monday, June 11 6
tiMe: 5 - 9 pm, drawing at 7:30
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live MuSic: the Second line Social 9
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aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band
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entRy: $15.00 includes
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aDDitional Raffle ticketS: 1 @ $2.00 & 3 for $5.00
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32 may 11, 2012 | the boston phoenix | thephoenix.com/bikebible
Two-wheeled JusTice Josh Zisson fights for your bike rights _b y L iZ P e L L y Bike lawyer Josh Zisson started printing up pocket-size “Bicyclist’s Accident Report” cards last October in Cambridge. Each card contains a form where bikers can fill out necessary legal information in the event of an accident. On the flip side, the card contains a basic “Bicyclist’s Bill of Rights.” Zisson’s goal for the cards initially was to “educate bikers on their rights and responsibilities under the law.” The idea caught on in Boston, and now he’s printing up cards for over 18 cities. He’s recently partnered with a national bike-accessory retailer and advocacy group Planet Bike, who are helping him to expand his local “Bike Safe Boston” initiative into “Bike Safe Nation,” with city-specific Web sites for learning about bike law nationwide.
F
I’m an attorney. I was laid off from the law firm I was working at in November 2010, and I decided I wanted to do something with bike law — which is a thing that I made up. I love riding my bike, and I found out that Massachusetts has some of the best bike laws in the country. They’ve changed since 2009, it’s a very recent thing, but the bike laws here are fantastic, and I realized I could build a practice on that.
What do you mean When you say the Bike laWs are “fantastic”? They’re incredibly comprehensive. They protect cyclists in a number of ways. There aren’t any antiquated laws, like other states that have laws that are holdovers from when cyclists weren’t treated like cars.
Josh Zisso n
What led you to start Bike safe Boston?
riding By the Book Avid cyclist and attorney Josh Zisson started printing up his pocket-size “bicyclist’s Accident report” this past fall, to inform and protect other two-wheelers on the road. the project has since spread to 18 cities. What gave you the idea to print these cards? A few clients came to me and said
can you give me an example of an antiquated Bike laW? Laws about hand
signals, for instance. There are some states where they’re necessary. In Massachusetts, you don’t legally have to use a hand signal if it would be unsafe. In some states, it’s [legally mandated for] hand signals to be done with your left hand. If you’re making a right turn, you use your left hand to make a right angle . . . States like Iowa, Minnesota, and New Jersey still have this on the books. If you get hit and aren’t complying, you’re held at fault.
What sorts of initiatives are you Working on right noW With Bike safe Boston? Right now I’m working on getting the cards into other states. We just announced that we’ve partnered with Planet Bike, who makes pumps, lights, and fenders [and donate 25 percent of profits to cycling advocacy projects]. They’ve partnered with us to pay for the printing costs. So far we’re in 18 different cities with the cards. I think over 80,000 of them have been printed. It is going pretty well. I first got them in October.
BosTon drivers already haTe us for The mosT parT. you mighT have an alTercaTion.
things like, “I got doored, but the cop told the car to leave. Is there anything you can do?” And I had to say, “Well, no, because I don’t have any of the driver’s information, so I can’t go after their insurance company to pay for your medical bills.” What I realized is that, the time of an accident is a confusing time. In a car accident, there’s at least a protocol: you exchange insurance-company information, phone numbers, etc. With a bike accident, it’s very different. Boston drivers already sort of hate us for the most part. You might have an altercation. I wanted to make it easy. You fill in the blanks, and you’ll be all set.
What’s the Biggest misconception Bikers have aBout their legal rights on the road? Or the most common mistake bik-
ers make, from a legal standpoint? The biggest deal I’ve made on my Web site is stopping at red lights. I’ve written about it fairly extensively. Not only is it the law that we have to obey, but it’s important as a PR move for all of cycling. When everyone sees you running a red light, all of those drivers and pedestrians out there are going to see cyclists that way, as
people who don’t care about the law. We need every person on the road to see us as members of traffic, really. That’s the only way we will get laws that take us into account.
What are your future plans for Bike safe Boston? I just announced Bike Safe
Nation yesterday on my Web site. The plan for the cards in other states is to have a card for each city or state refer people to the Web address of their city’s Bike Safe website. You go to that Web site and there’s a full [explanation] of all bike laws for that state or city. You can get a plain English explanation of what they are, and bikers can educate themselves. At the same time, it will show you some of the really great laws that other states have passed. For example, in Pennsylvania there’s a four-foot passing rule. Cars need to give you four feet of passing room. The Web site will show you, here’s the organization in your state that’s trying to bring that law to your town. So hopefully it will get people who wouldn’t normally get involved in advocacy involved in the groups in their town that are working to improve their biking rights. ^
liz pelly can be reached at lpelly@phx.com.
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thephoenix.com/bikebible | the boston phoenix | may 11, 2012 35
The Pedi cure Save a Car, ride a PediCab _b y e ug en i a w i l l i am Son
Before this assignment, I had never even considered riding in pedicab, even though I work in the pedicab mecca of Kenmore Square. I always thought there was something extremely icky about making someone sweat while I sit there like a pasha. I revealed this trepidation to the driver of my first-ever pedicab ride. He asked that we not use his real name; let’s call him Hugo. There’s something about Hugo that makes me want to open up to him. He’s a charmer, this Hugo. The guilt starts in almost as soon as we pull away from the curb. Hugo tells me pedicabs weigh about 160 pounds. They’re attached to 21-speed cruiser bikes with the same hydraulic disc brakes found on motorcycles. Pedaling one is a lot of work. I ask Hugo if we should stop and get coffee or something, and he declines. “What do they say about marathon runners and training?” he asks, pumping his shapely calves. “They should be able to carry on a normal conversation when they’re going slowly.” An EMT by day and a self-described history buff, Hugo peppers his fares with historical factoids as he pedals them down the Freedom Trail. To be a good pedicab driver, you have to be part athlete, part huckster. Hugo has a shtick. When he sees someone walking down the street smoking a cigarette, he calls out, “I’m the only smoking cab in town!” Another favorite: “We’ve got wheels for the heels!” Worse still: “Where are you going? I’m going that way, too!” Hugo and his cohort — there are 35 pedicabs in Boston — don’t make an hourly wage. He rents his cab from his company — one of two pedicab outfits in town — for a flat daily fee that’s higher on the weekends. He makes all his income on tips. Because of that, he has, over the course of three years in the business, worked on some lines to get cheapskates to pony up. His favored method: shame. “So a guy hands me a couple bucks for a long ride. I hand it back to him and say, ‘Look here, buddy, you obviously need this more than me. Why don’t you use it to take your girlfriend to McDonald’s?” More often than not, this works. Some of the pedicab mantras Hugo has developed over the years seem ripped from a sales manual circa 1952. “It’s all about the attitude”; “Work smarter, not harder”; “You’ve got to have thick skin.” Sometimes Hugo’s decisions seem counterintuitive. Picking up drunk people, for instance Although drunk guys often tip the best, he gets a lot of pukers. One time a guy dumped his catatonically drunk friend in the back of Hugo’s cab, handed him a few bills and a piece of paper with the drunk guy’s address, and ran off. But even worse than the pukers are the pigs.
k bon ami
F
“We’ve got Wheels for the heels!” To be a good pedicab driver, you have to be part athlete, part huckster.
hugo’s mosT hearTfelT advice for Pedicab drivers is simPle and inTuiTive: “don’T hoTdog iT.”
“I hate these misogynistic assholes,” he says, referring to extremely drunk men who board his cab and spend the ride catcalling women on the sidewalk. “I’ve lost my shit on them. I just hate them,” he says. “But I try to keep my mouth shut and just get through it, because those guys are some of the best tippers.” Once, a drunk guy gave Hugo twenty bucks to do a drive-by mooning of a bar in Alston. “He really going for it, slapping his ass and everything,” Hugo said. In fact, the most money he ever made was off a drunk guy. One night, Hugo was cruising around the North End. It was pretty late. A guy and his girlfriend flagged him down. The guy asked if Hugo could take him to Andrew Square. Hugo declined. “Then he got out a roll of twenties, and I was like, Okay, man.” Halfway through the journey, the guy told Hugo to stop at a 7-11 so he could go to the ATM to get Hugo more money. Hugo stopped. The girlfriend stayed in the cab. “He was taking forever, and his girlfriend was like, you better go in there and grab him. He gets distracted. So I went in, and he was buying things for everybody at the 7-11.” Hugo’s being coy about his pedicab profits, but he does assure me that, on a good night, he makes what he used to in a week as a bike messenger. “Saturdays are madness,” he says, overtaking a Segway. On other nights, “it’s a roll of the dice,” he says. Like regular cabbies, Hugo has to deal with the cost of fuel. During a typical shift,
he burns an average of 6000 calories. On a night that’s especially arduous or hot, he can burn as many as 10,000. So Hugo ends up spending tons of money every shift on street food. He tries to be healthy, and often brings a bag of vegetables with him, but that’s not enough food to keep up his strength. One word of advice to novices: plan your meals. But Hugo’s most heartfelt advice for pedicab drivers is simple and intuitive: “Don’t hot dog it.” One night a couple of months ago, he on a bridge with a brigade of cabs cycling two by two. It was dark. This kid, a college kid with a $2000 racing bike, was weaving between cars. “No helmet! No lights!” Hugo only noticed the kid when he zipped in between him and his neighbor. The traffic light turned yellow; the kid sped up even more. Before Hugo could call out and tell him to be careful, the kid hit a bump, went flying over the hood of a car, and landed, head to concrete. Traffic stopped. A crowd gathered. Hugo asked himself, “Did I just see that?” He ran over to the kid — out cold on the ground bleeding from a massive head wound — who was getting poked by gawkers trying to wake him up. “Don’t touch him!” Hugo said, pushing the people away. “I’m an EMT. You can’t move him.” He stayed with the kid until the ambulance arrived. “I’ll never forget that,” he said. ^
eugenia Williamson can be reached at ewilliamson@phx.com.
36 may 11, 2012 | the boston phoenix | thephoenix.com/bikebible
ODES TO STUPID BIkES _By EugE n ia W il l ia m s o n | i l l u s t r a t i o n s By t hom glick
F
Some people are just too goddamn special to ride a two-wheeler. Instead of inconspicuousness, they favor showboating in fanciful creations they think are totally awesome but annoy the shit out of everyone else on the road. Instead of getting angry, I’ve decided to celebrate them in verse.
lImErIck fOr THaT gUy On a UnIcyclE There once was a bike with one wheel Whose rider said, “Here’s how I feel: Two wheels would be great, but still I need a date and my conversational and social skills are unfortunately substandard.”
Tall BIkE acrOSTIc Trying to imagine what it’s like for you to hover Above us plebes on our regular-size bikes. Do you feel Like a bird or Like a colossus? Was it worth the hours it took to Build such a contraption, or would they have been better spent Imagining ways to stop world hunger, or to put an end to the Killing in the Sudan? I expect not, just as I Expect you’re looking down my shirt. Cut it out.
SOnnET fOr a rEcUmBEnT BIkE
ElEcTrIc BIkE HaIkU no need to pedal please get out of the bike lane dude, you look stupid
Shall I address thee now, recumbent guy? Thou art more horizontal than a fixie. The traffic up ahead thou cannot spy And navigating it seems rather tricksy. Methinks thou art much braver than us all, Though often I cannot help but begrudge thee — Especially when traffic’s at a crawl: Because thine eyes are level with thine asscheeks. But if by chance a truck should mow thee down, Please don’t think thou shalt ever be forgotten. We’ll mourn thee with a few tears and a frown And we shall curse that driver — he is rotten! So long as foolish men can ride supine, We reserve the right to roll our eyen. Eugenia Williamson can be reached at ewilliamson@phx.com.
thephoenix.com/bikebible | the boston phoenix | may 11, 2012 37
Get in Gear FREE ESPRESSO FOR BIKERS WITH HELMETS! | In celebration
of Bike Month, Trade will give out free in-house energy bars and shots of espresso to all cyclists who come in with a helmet during the month of May, offer good Mon-Fri | trade
[downtown], 540 Atlantic Ave, Boston | 617.451.1234 or trade-boston.com
Saturday, may 12
MASSBIKE SPINS TRAIN DAY RIDE |
To celebrate National Train Day Massbike is sponsoring a ride following the routes of parts of the Old Colony and New England Railroads south of Boston, stopping at historic railroad stations along the ride. Cyclists meet up at South Station | south station,
596 Atlantic Ave, Boston | massbike.org/ newsevents/ride-listings
Sunday, may 13
CHRISTINA CLARKE GENCO MOTHER’S DAY MEMORIAL RIDE |
Ride for charity kicks off at Newton City Hall. Funds raised go to supporting bike safety and affordable housing projects in partnership with Bike Newton, Bike and Build, and Habitat for Humanity |
newton city Hall, 100 comm Ave, newton center, mA | cgfoundation.org
monday, may 14
BOSTON BIKE WEEK 2012 | Seven
days of organized rides, demos, events, and more...all about bikes. The official Bike Week Celebration is
MASSACHUSETTS BIKE/WALK SUMMIT | Hosted by MassBike and
at City Hall Plaza on May 18 | | city Hall plaza, one city Hall plz, Boston | may 14-20| bostonbikes.org/events/bike-fridays/ boston-bike-week/
WalkBoston, this open forum on current bike/walk legislation will cover possible legislative bills including “Lowering Speed Limits on Local Roads,” “Senior Safety Zones,” and “Vulnerable Road Users” | massachusetts
RUSH HOUR RACE | Livable Streets
sponsors this race between man and machine. Cyclists will race against a bus and a train to see who can get from Davis Square to Kendall Square fastest. Kick-off party pre-race at Redbones. Post-race party and award show at Genzyme | redbones, 55 chester
state House, 24 Beacon st, Boston | livablestreets.info/event/massachusettsbikewalk-summit
friday, may 18
st, somerville| livablestreets.info/event/ rush-hour-race
“BIKE FRIDAYS” | Boston Bikes sponsors these guided convoys with experienced ride leaders every Friday that follow a fixed schedule and route and finish at City Hall Plaza. Today marks the first Friday, rides run through the end of the summer | city
wedneSday, may 16
2ND ANNUAL BIKE COMMUTER BREAKFAST | Breakfast provided by
Star Market and Petsi Pies, at which cyclists can mix and mingle with bike advocates and other bike commuters |
Hall plaza, one city Hall plz, Boston | bostonbikes.org
star market, 275 Beacon st, somerville | bostonbiker.org/files/2012/04/viewer1.png
BOSTON BIKE WEEK CELEBRATION |
“STRENGTH IN NUMBERS” BOSTON PREMIERE | Highland Mountain
Celebrating the end of Bike Week and kicking off the first of the summer’s “Ride Fridays” riders can choose nine group rides from different surrounding areas to Boston City Hall where they’ll have vendors, an expo area, free breakfast, and refreshments. Local shops will be on hand to examine bikes and give tips| city Hall plaza, one city Hall
Bike Park host the Boston Premier of documentary film Strength in Numbers. Mountain bike fans can upload their own 15 second clips of stunts at vimeo.com to be included in a movie compilation that will air before the premiere | Jerry remy’s sports Bar & grill,
1265 Boylston st, Boston| 617.236.7369 or jerryremys.com
plz, Boston | bostonbikes.org/events/bikefridays/boston-bike-week/
thurSday, may 17
Saturday, may 19
3RD ANNUAL CICLISMO CLASSICO BIKE TRAVEL FILM FESTIVAL | Films
about bike travel both nation and worldwide | regent theatre, 7 medford st,
Arlington | ciclismoclassico.com/filmfest
mAtt k Ai s e r
throuGh the end of may
Awesome upcoming Bike events, resources, And FestivAls
FRANKLIN PARK KITE & BIKE FESTIVAL | Boston Bikes will be
offering free bike rentals and helmets. Ride the park’s trails on your own,
Continued on p 38
38 may 11, 2012 | the boston phoenix | thephoenix.com/bikebible
Hall, 93 Highland Ave, somerville | somervillebikes.org/events.html
BiKeS on fiLm
Sunday, June 3
Holy spokes! It’s almost time for Bay State Bike Week. Ciclismo Classico, an adventure travel company that provides vacations combining bicycling, tourism, and cultural immersion, will present their annual “World on Wheels” bike travel film festival (ciclismoclassico.com/filmfest) at the Regent Theatre in Arlington on Thursday, May 17. “World on Wheels” features three films, including Asiemut (asiemut. com), a chronicle of FrenchCanadian filmmakers Mélanie Carrier and Olivier Higgins’ journey from Mongolia to India; tAke A seAt – egypt (encompassfilms.com/ take-a-seat-egypt-revolutionroad), a view of Egypt in the months following the Arab Asiemut Spring from the perspective of filmmaker Dominic Gill; and the CyClo DiAries (vimeo. com/37788221), which follows two Australian tour guides across Vietnam by cyclo, a type of pedicab thought to be unsuitable for long-distance trips. While you watch, get a sweet fix for your movie munchies at the festival’s “cookie showcase” of Arlington’s independent bakeries. And if free bike jerseys aren’t incentive enough to attend, perhaps the chance of winning a free space on Ciclismo Classico’s “More Miles for Less” tour, worth $2600, is. The festival benefits the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (massbike.org), a bicycling advocacy group working to promote a bicycle-friendly environment and encourage bicycling for fun, fitness, and transportation. Remember the Bicyclist Safety Law that passed in Massachusetts in 2009? You can thank MassBike for that.
BIKES NOT BOMBS BIKE-A-THON & GREEN ROOTS FESTIVAL | To ride
for social justice along one of four scenic routes through greater Boston, participants must raise at least $150. Following the ride, cyclists convene at the Green Roots Festival with free food, live music, activities, and more |
F
Massachusetts’s Maritime regions, Cycling through salt marsh, colonial farms, shorelines, and more |
JAc k i e s ti le s
newburyport, 82 state st, newburyport | greatfreedomadventures.com/newengland-bike-tours.html
monday, June 4
REDBONES BIKE PARTY | For Continued from p 37
O’Connell of Chez Henri | decordova
Redbones’ 25th Anniversary they’re throwing a bike party. Details coming soon. | redbones, 55 chester
or join a guided tour | Franklin
park, one Franklin park rd, Boston| franklinparkcoalition.org
sculpture park and museum, 51 sandy pond rd, lincoln| livablestreets.info/ event/cycle-kids-breakaway-charity-ride
st, somerville | 617.628.2200 or redbones.com
THE STRING THEORY BIKE TOUR | Liveable Streets presents a
HERRING RUN BIKE TOUR OF THE MYSTIC BASIN TRAIL NETWORK |
Saturday, June 30
Bay Boathouse, 32 shore dr, somerville | $10 donation | somervillebikes.org
of two or three cyclists race around the city, stopping at checkpoints to solve clues and complete challenges. Proceeds benefit local charity TBD| starting point tBA |
spring ride celebrating science in Cambridge. The route follows sites landmarking innovation throughout the city. Special presentation from the Museum of Science and food from the Maharaja Restaurant and Trader Joe’s post-ride | kendall
Ride through the Mystic Basin trails, riders meet up at the DCR Blessing of the Bay Boathouse | dcr Blessing of the
NORTH SHORE TOUR DE CURE |
Benefit ride for diabetes with four route options: 15-, 31-, 62-mile rides or the 100-mile Gran Fondo. All routes will have route marshals, SAG vehicles, mechanical support, and rest stops with hydration and snacks |
square, 300 Athenaeum st, cambridge| cambridgebikes.org/spring2012
Sunday, may 20
CYCLE KIDS BREAKAWAY CHARITY RIDE | Charity ride for
pingree school, 537 Highland st, Hamilton | diabetes.org/northshoretour
which riders can choose from a hilly 62-mile metric-century route, a scenic 36-mile route, or a fivemile family ride. Post-ride they’ll have live music, lawn games, and a gourmet lunch provided by chef Paul
SOMERVILLE HISTORY BIKE TOUR: SOMERVILLE PARKS, THEN AND NOW | Eight-mile bicycle tour of Somerville’s parks. Kicks off at Somerville City Hall | somerville city
3rd Edition
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8TH ANNUAL HUB ON WHEELS | Annual city-wide ride for which the city closes down its busiest streets. The ride starts and finishes on City Hall Plaza and cyclists can choose from with three different routes: 10, 30, or 50 miles | one city Hall
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Tickets are available for $10 online (regenttheatre.com), and $15 at the venue. Doors open at 6 pm, and films start at 7 pm.
MARITIME NEW ENGLAND BIKE TOUR | Six-day bike tour through
M
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stony Brook reservation Bike paths, Jamaica plain | bikesnotbombs.org/ bike-a-thon
or Transit Guide The ultimate guide to public transit in Greater Boston & New England.
Get ‘em at bike shops and book stores or see www.bikemaps.com
Rubel BikeMaps
www.bikemaps.com
thephoenix.com/bikebible | the boston phoenix | may 11, 2012 39
BiKe PathS & traiLS Arnold Arboretum bike PAths | Peters Hill is a robust ride up 200 feet to the summit and provides scenic panoramic views of the city. The Arboretum connects to the Stony Brook Reservation and other bike trails as well | 125 Arborway, Boston | arboretum.harvard.
edu/visitors/map.html |
bruce FreemAn trAil | A proposed rail
trail, in its current state, the Bruce Freeman Trail is open only to non-motorized uses such as jogging, walking, skiing, and, of course, biking | old town Hall, chelmsford street,
Framingham | brucefreemanrailtrail.org
chArles river bike PAth | Scenic views,
clean and safe paths for cyclists, as well as runners and walkers | storrow and memorial dr,
Boston | mass.gov/dcr/
Forrest hills cemetAry bike PAths |
The Forest Hills Cemetery allows cyclists to ride through its well-landscaped, wide trails. During daylight hours, you can exit at Walk Hill Street or the main Morton Street entrance | 95 Forest Hills Ave,
Boston | foresthillscemetery.com
FrAnklin PArk bike PAths | The park’s
paths are only open to bikes and foot pedestrians. This trail extends for 527 scenic acres |
walnut st, Jamaica plain
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JAmAicAwAy bike PAth | This 1.5-mile
path starts at Route 9 near Leverett Pond and continues along Jamaicaway to Jamaica Pond. The Jamaicaway connects along the way to various other trails, like Brookline’s Muddy River path. Part of the Emerald Necklace Greenway | 38 new Heath st, Jamaica Plain
melneA cAss bike PAth | This path leads
from the Southwest Corridor Linear Park at Ruggles MBTA station toward South Boston. The terrain is a bit uneven, so suggested for more experienced riders | southwest corridor lin-
ear park at ruggles mBtA station, Boston
millenium PArk bike PAth | Several miles
of paved trails wind through this 350-acre park. Many of the trails have great views of the Charles River | gardner street via vFw parkway,
newton | newtonconservators.org/map25millennium.htm
minutemAn bikewAy | 11 miles of paved bike paths from Alewife Station to Bedford, with mile-marker posts along the way | Alewife t station, cambridge | minutemanbikeway.org
muddy river bike PAth | This path runs
along the north bank of the Muddy River from Boston to Brookline Park Drive (Muddy River) to Brookline Avenue, Boston | emeraldnecklace.org
PAul dudley white chArles river bikePAths | Charles River, Boston | bikexprt.com/
massfacil/pdwhite.htm | 14-mile loop follows both banks of the charles river from the museum of science in Boston to watertown square. the path can be entered at any point on the cambridge and watertown sides, from all but the longfellow and Bu bridges on the Boston side, and from footbridges over storrow drive.
Pierre lAllement bike PAth | Named after the founder of the pedal bicycle, the trail follows the Southwest Corridor Linear Park and four miles of separate bicycle and pedestrian paths along the Orange Line. Part of the Emerald Necklace Greenway |38 new Heath st, Jamaica plain | mhd.state.ma.us
For the Bicycle and the People who love them.
Celebrating 40 years of Service, Education & Sales
351 Broadway Cambridge, MA • (617) 868-3392 www.broadwaybicycleschool.com
40 may 11, 2012 | the boston phoenix | thephoenix.com/bikebible
rePairS, rentaLS, Gear, and more 145 elm st, somerville | 617.776.2100 | wheelworks.com Adi’s bike world | 231 grove st, west roxbury | 617.325.Bike | adisbikeworld.net Arc-en-ciel bicycle studio | 21A union square, somerville | 617.666.6736 | arc-en-cielstudio.com bAck bAy bicycles | 362 comm Ave, Boston | 617.247.2336 | backbaybicycles.com bicycle bill’s | 253 north Harvard st, Allston | 617.783.5636 | bicyclebills.net the bicycle exchAnge | 2067 mass Ave, cambridge | 617.864.1300 | cambridgebicycleexchange.com broAdwAy bicycle school | 351 Broadway, cambridge | 617.868.3392 | broadwaybicycleschool.com cAmbridge bicycle | 259 mass Ave, cambridge | 617.876.6555 | cambridgebicycle.com community bike suPPly | 496 tremont st, Boston | 617.542.8623 | communitybicycle.com Ferris wheels bike shoP | 66 south st, Jamaica plain | 617.524.Bike | ferriswheelsbikeshop.com geekhouse bikes | 12 channel st, Boston | 617.777.2088 | geekhousebikes.com giAnt cycling world | 11 kilmarnock st, Boston | 617.424.6400 | giantboston.com hArris cyclery | 1353 washing-
ton st, west newton | | sheldonbrown.com/harris/orders.html hub bicycle co. | 1064 cambridge st, cambridge | 617.441.2500 | hubbicycle.com
internAtionAl bicycling center | 89 Brighton Avenue, Boston |
617.783.5804 | internationalbike.com lAndry’s bicycles - boston | 890 comm Ave, Boston | 617.232.0446 | landrys.com lAndry’s bicycles - nAtick | 790 worcester st, natick | 508.655.1990 | landrys.com lAndry’s bicycles - norwood | 1210 Bost-providence turnpike, norwood | 781.440.0310 | landrys.com
lAndry’s bicycles - westboro | 276 turnpike rd, westbor-
ough | 508.836.3878 | landrys.com mybike | 516 east second st, Boston | 888.738.1731 | mybikeonline.com
PArAmount bicycle rePAir | 104 Bristol rd, somerville |
617.666.6072 | paramountbicycle.com PArk sAles And service | 510 somerville Ave, somerville | 617.666.3647 | parksales.com QuAd bikes | 51 shepard st, cambridge | 617.496.5955 | quadbikes.org revolution bicycle rePAir | 371 centre st, Jamaica plain | 617.524.5510 | revolutionbicyclerepair.com suPerb bicycle | 842 Beacon st, Boston | 617.236.0752 | superbbicycle.com wheelworks too | 22 church st, Belmont | 617.484.9247 | wheelworks.com
mAri A domi ngue z
Ace wheelworks bicycle store And cycling center |
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When it came time to put together this year’s Boston Phoenix Bicycle Bible, we once again reached out to students from Bob Maloney’s Experimental Illustration Class at MassArt for cover-art submissions. And we were not disappointed. It was tough to pick a winner from the slew of stellar student contributions that came rolling in this year, but Simon Kercz’s 3-D mixed-media speed demon popped a wheelie straight into our hearts, and onto the cover. SEE ALL THE SUBMISSIONS AT THEPHOENIx.COM/BIKEBIBLE.