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Ode to Biking

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Debra Zusin | 0 Comments

Whether you live in a city, suburb or small town,

on your bicycle is where you should be found.

Two wheels, the breeze, and lots of fun,

jealous stares from everyone.

Biking is a sport, a hobby, or exercise,

just hop on and make your destination a surprise.

You can ride with a basket, helmet, or Guilden CarryAll,

make sure to tie your laces so you do not fall.

Look around when you ride and what you see may be a surprise,

other bikers of all genders, ages, and backgrounds pumping their thighs.  

The best part about biking is it's open to all

so crank those gears, get out there and have a ball!

 

See you at Bike to Work Day 2013!  We will be at the Arlington Transportation Partners Rossyln, VA stop from 6:30am - 9:00pm and Transportation Alternatives Bike to Work Party, NYC starting at 5:00pm.

 

How are you celebrating Bike to Work Day?

 

BIKING GEAR FOR MOM

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Debra Zusin | 0 Comments

Mother’s day is the special time of year when you get to tell Mom how much you appreciate her.  If you have a mom that bikes or would like to bike more often, give her the gift of encouragement with some great gear she can be proud of on and off the bike.   We’ve compiled the top gifts for Mom this biking season.

 

IVA JEAN RAIN CAPE $220 

For the Mom that bikes rain or shine Iva Jean makes a gorgeous, fashionable Rain Cape that makes biking in the rain a breeze

 

GLC WONDERWOMAN CUFF $75

For the stylish mom that hops on/off her bike and wants to make sure she is always styling.  The GLC WonderWoman Cuff is hand made in NYC of solid brass with a Swarovski crystal detail

GO TOWEL $1.25 each 

This small inexpensive antibacterial towel made of bamboo is packed in a compact round shape that makes it easy to throw in your bag.  It is inexpensive and also reusable

 

IVA JEAN REVEAL SKIRT $160 

This gorgeous skirt will keep mom ready for anything –work, lunch with friends or her bike.  The Reveal Skirt has a zip on the back that gives it 12 extra inches so that you can bike in comfort. 

 

VESPERTINE SKINNY BELT $38.00

 

Vespertine is known for their innovative reflective, fashion forward clothing.  Get mom this skinny belt that will shine through the night while she is biking but also look great with her favorite outfit during the day

 

GLC GUILDEN LARGE $185

 

The GLC Verstile Guilden Large is the perfect bag for any mom on the go.  Wear it over the shoulder, on the crook of your arm, cross body or as a comfy backpack.  Never run out of room to store things with its various compartments and luxe, vegan, waterproof shell and lining.  Perfect for the bike, the board room or a weekend away, this bag takes mom anywhere in style 

 

Posted in biking, cyclestyle, fashion, fun, givelovecycle, glc, gotowel, ivajean, mom, style, travel, vespertine

The Business of Bikesharing - Rash of Lawsuits Break out in New York

Posted on May 08, 2013 by Debra Zusin | 0 Comments

We all know that New Yorkers are notoriously argumentative.  As a lawyer, I was curious to know if New York is actually the most litigious state, which it kind of is after it's neighbor, my home state, New Jersey.  We are surprised but not surprised by the backlash and law suits being filed in NYC prior to the launch of CitiBike.  DC did not have this problem.  I searched and searched to find one law suit and the only issue right now is highlighted in this article about funding, since "last year, Alexandria’s Bikeshare program was fully covered by federal grants, but operating costs were discontinued in April 2012."  This raises another issue of not only setting a successful bikeshare program up and in place but contending with continuing operating costs. 
 
NYC Bike Share Program
Citibike is privately funded by Citi Bank but it's facing monetary expenses even prior to launch.  It is being sued left and right for a list of reasons: removing parking spots, overtaking delivery/loading zones, and a confusing mix of property loss and property increase claims.  With approximately 535 bikeshare programs worldwide, NYC bikeshare program opposition may delay the May launch once again. 
 
Most notably, a recent meeting in Greenwich Village yielded this this gem of a line "I Don't Care What They Do In Paris, I Live In New York City."
 
050313bikeshare.jpg 
 
Here are my questions:
 
1. Why did no one go to the public meetings about bikeshare in NYC?
2. Why is there a notion that cars/trucks are more entitled to the roads than people/bikes?
3. How do you know what bikeshare will do to your property value if it hasn't even launched yet?
4. What entitlements do New Yorkers have to public streets?
5. Why isn't notorious health advocate Mayor Bloomberg stepping in to address some of these residents' concerns?
 
Living in DC and seeing bikesharing in action proves that it's not noisy, it doesn't create a scene, it isn't a hangout spot - I think it really comes down to people being scared of the unknown,even you big, bad New Yorkers.  What do you think about the rash of lawsuits breaking out in New York over Citibike?  Will you be watching to see the resolution?

Posted in bike, BikeShare, biking, cities, city, community, Cycle, daily, DC, givelovecycle, GLC, government, lawsuit, litigation, NYC, riding

How to Celebrate Bike Month the GiveLoveCycle Way

Posted on May 01, 2013 by Debra Zusin | 0 Comments

May 1st marks the start of spring time weather, beautiful flowers, and most importantly, BIKE MONTH!  Here are a few ways GiveLoveCycle celebrates #BikeMonth. 

 
1. Make a vow to ride! 
Happy Bike to Work Day!
 
Have you been going back and forth mentally how to get back on your bike?  Ask a friend to go with you, or maybe even ask a friend to teach you to ride (see previous blog post).  Check out a mapping feature before you leave so you can plan a comfortable route and go!  you will not only feel better about having some exercise, you will feel invigorated from participating in such an enjoyable time.
 
2. Bike to Work Day 2013
 
We have written before about Bike to Work day but now the time is nearing! Started by the League of American Cyclists in 1956, every major city in the United States now participates in this event.  We will have booths in NYC and DC this year and we can't wait to see all of you riders!  Here is a great article discussing events in other cities and make sure to check out the League of American Cyclists for their roundup as well. 
  
3. League of American Cyclists
 
Have we mentioned the League enough and other pivotal nonprofits like WABA and TransAlt that help people bike year round?  Yes we have but let's discuss our love again.  Without these orgs advocating, planning, and tirelessly convincing our communities that we NEED to encourage biking, we would not see statistics like the above.  Encouraging people to ride comes from all of us but is organized by these amazing organizations.
 
4. Treat yourself to your dream bike, new snazzy helmet or favorite accessory like a Guilden CarryAll!
 
Eye catching helmet
Reflective stickers
New headlight
Streamers or snazzy bell
Basket
Filter water bottle
Bike lock
GPS heart rate monitor
Trip tracker
 
How do you plan on celebrating #bikemonth? 
 

Posted in accessory, bike, bikemonth, biketowork, biking, DC, events, givelovecycle, GLC, nonprofit, NYC, Washington

BLAZING YOUR OWN TRAILS

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Debra Zusin | 0 Comments

Over the past few years, I have been a big advocate for commuting on bike.  “You don’t need your car to go there”, I often said without understanding why everyone didn’t want to get on their bikes and get their blood pumping and enjoy some wind in their hair.  What I didn’t realize is that I was speaking from the point of view of a city rider.  Everything is so accessible to me.  Even if I am forced to ride on a street with no bike lane, I don’t feel discouraged, as there is sure to be a bike lane around the next turn.  It wasn’t until we stayed in NJ for a small stint to get our apartment renovated that I understood why it is hard for people in suburban areas to get on a bike and go.  I tried riding from my sister’s house to my parent’s house, a nice 7.5mile ride each way and I have to say it made me nervous.  Not only were there absolutely no bike lanes some of the roads do not even have a shoulder.   It got me thinking that perhaps I should help promote the addition of bike lanes.   But how?  I did some research and found some great tips on how to get started.

 

 

1.     INFORM YOURSELF

In order for a government agency to take you serious, first inform yourself on the system that is in place (if any) and get together with a community bike group and see what they feel the needs are

2.     CONTACT CITY OFFICIALS

Make a phone call to the appropriate official –someone in the transportation department, to let them know you are a concerned citizen and would like to have bike lanes put in and ask what the next steps would be.

3.     CREATE A PLAN OF ACTION

If the City was open to your request, set up a meeting and push for a timeline to get the bike infrastructure going

If the City was not open to your request and feels it is something they will not move forward with in the near future, you will need to prove to them why the bike infrastructure is important and can benefit your city.  This will involve petitions and attending Town Hall meetings to understand City planning

4.     SET UP A TIMELINE AND DELEGATE TASKS

Get together with your group and set a timeline up for when you want to get the job done.  This will help you create specific target goals to ensure you are on track with the planning.  Delegate tasks to each individual so you are all simultaneously working towards the same goal but not duplicating your efforts.

5.     BE PERSISTENT

Dealing with a city agency and the bureaucracy that comes with that is a tedious task.  Don’t give up your efforts or hope.  Make sure that the City and their officials know you will not give up your fight.  Go on public forums that involve your city like online discussions and make sure everyone knows what you are trying to do

 

Hope these few tips can help you get started.  We would love to hear from you if you have any experience with this.

 

Xo

Mari

 

Posted in cities, city, city officials, community, daily, givelovecycle, GLC, government, law, NYC, riding, travel

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