Do you know your ABCs?

We’ve all had this happen — you get dressed, you put your helmet on, make sure your lights are charged, and as soon as you roll your bike out the door you notice the tires are flat. Or even worse, you get halfway to your destination and notice that you’re losing air — or your brakes are squeaking.

Familiarizing yourself with basic bike maintenance will help you whether you’re commuting to work every day or riding recreationally, and will help keep you safe. And the first part is as simple as knowing your ABCs! Performing the ABC Quick Check before heading out on your ride ensures your bike is safe to ride, and helps you notice when anything might go wrong.

A is for Air

Make sure your tires are inflated to the pressure listed on the side of the tire

When your tires are correctly inflated, use your thumb to gently push on the outside edge and feel the pressure. This will help you quickly gauge if you need air in the future!

Check for damage on your tire and replace if it is too worn

B is for Brakes

Inspect your brake pads for wear, replace if there is less than 1/4″ of pad left

Check pad adjustment and make sure they don’t rub the tire

Look to see that you can fit your thumb between the brake lever and handlebar when the brakes are squeezed all the way — this means they’re properly adjusted

C is for Cranks and Chain

Pull on your cranks/pedals away from the bike — if they are loose, tighten the bolt.

Check that your chain is free of rust, gunk and any debris

Quick is for Quick Releases

Make sure all your quick release levers are closed (check your wheels and seat!)

They should all be pointing down and towards the back of your bike, so they don’t get caught on anything.

And then CHECK it all over!

Take a quick roll around to make sure everything is working properly, and if you’re carrying any cargo that you’re well balanced.

More of a visual learner? Check out this video from our friends at the League of American Bicyclists:

Learn more tips on our Resources Page.

Visit joesteffen.com/bicycle-law for more information.

This blog post is produced thanks to support from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

Pedestrian Safety Tips

Pedestrian safety can be a two way street. Interested in learning how to be a bike and pedestrian friendly driver? Sign up for our next webinar!

Read on for some Pedestrian Safety Tips from Bike Walk Savannah.

  1. Walk on the Sidewalk
    If there are no sidewalks, walk as close to the left side of the street as safe, facing traffic.
  2. Cross at the Corner
    Cross at intersections or street corners for the most visibility, unless directed to a mid-block crossing by signage or markings. When possible, cross between white painted crosswalk lines.
  3. Obey Traffic Signals
    Before stepping out into the street, be sure to look at all traffic signals — don’t rush!
  4. Look Left, Right, Left
    Make sure traffic has come to a complete stop, and that you can fully see the street and any drivers. Don’t forget to look the wrong way down one-way streets, especially downtown!
  5. Watch for Turning Traffic
    Try to make eye contact with any drivers, especially those who may be turning. Watch for right turns on red!
  6. Be Careful around Driveways
    Check for signs that someone may be driving backwards, including brake lights or reverse lights. Drivers often move without checking as much as they should when they are in their own driveway.
  7. Aim to be Seen
    Avoid wearing dark-colored clothing at night or in inclement weather, or use reflective materials and carry a light. This may not always be possible due to required uniforms for work, so if you do have to wear darker clothes try to stick to well-lit routes.

Decorate your neighborhood with sidewalk chalk!

The weather is beautiful and it’s a great time to decorate the neighborhood with some sidewalk chalk!

Your sidewalk chalk can serve multiple purposes — not only can it be a beautiful drawing, but it’s a great way to create fun games for your neighbors.

We’ve seen so many different ways that people are having fun with their community from a distance. We’ve collected some of our favorites, from historical information to sidewalk games, so check them out below!

Need some chalk? Contact our friends at Starlandia Supply and see about a curbside pickup.

Image © Your Modern Family

Stained Glass Sidewalk Chalk Mural

Tape out a design on your sidewalk, fence or wall, and get ready for some beautiful art! The next day, you can wash it off with the hose and start again. Click here for a tutorial.

Bike Rodeo Activities

One of our favorite things in Kids Bike Rodeos is creating a tiny town! Try chalking out a street, stop signs and a crosswalk for a creative way to teach kids about crossing the street and bike safety. You can also try out the Stop on a Dime, Figure 8 and Slow Race games. 

Sidewalk Games

Find a safe spot in a driveway, a schoolyard, or on a sidewalk and you’re good to go! Check out some ideas on Active For Life, including hopscotch, foursquare and twister, and here are some more fun games from Make and Takes.

Image © Wade and Melissa Livingston

Fun Info About Your Neighborhood

Our friends John, Robin and Nick have been busy at work identifying historical features of homes in our neighborhoods. You can read more about it at Garden & Gun. But you can also chalk information about plants, trees, and history about your neighborhood — the sky’s the limit!

Image © Playtivities

Obstacle Course/Activity Markers

Taking the same route through your neighborhood can be a little monotonous. Why not shake things up with an obstacle course or activity? You can chalk an obstacle course on your stretch of sidewalk, including instructions to hop, spin or jump, or create a “Macarena Zone” or a “Cha Cha Slide” area!

Pretend Play

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman! Draw in some buildings and props, grab a costume, and you’re set.

Do you have some sidewalk chalk art or games to share? Tag us on social media @BikeWalkSav and tag #BikeWalkSAV and #WednesdayWalks!

We’re Hiring: Now accepting applications for New Standard Cycles program manager

New Stanard CyclesWe are looking for a new part-time (20 hours per week) program manager for New Standard Cycles. The successful candidate will have the unique blend of skills necessary to continue the success of this program, which provides safe, dependable and affordable transportation to deserving people in our community.

  • The program manager is a competent bicycle mechanic and must be able to share and teach bicycle repair skills to others.
  • The program manager is able to recruit, train, supervise, motivate and retain volunteers of all backgrounds and abilities.
  • The program manager will continue beneficial relationships with our nonprofit partners and establish new ones.
  • The program manager will create and maintain an environment in which volunteers, program partners and bicycle recipients feel welcome, valued and comfortable.

Is this you? if so, NSC Manager Position Description 2016, then email a cover letter, resume and the names and contact information for three professional references to info@bicyclecampaign.org

Take our Smart Cycling class and learn to be safe and confident riding your bike with traffic

find_class_gridDo you know all you need to know to safely ride a bike with traffic? Do you feel you know enough to teach your children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews how to ride cautiously and conspicuously while on their own? When you drive your car, are you confident on how to share the road with people on bikes?

Our next Smart Cycling class, scheduled for July 17 and 18 gives you the tips, tools, and techniques to confidently to answer YES to each question. Our classes are taught by League of American Bicyclists certified instructors.

Class sessions will be held on Friday, July 17 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (With break for lunch). All participants must have their own bikes and helmets. If you do not have a helmet, you can purchase one from us for a very low price. You must be 16 years or older to take this class. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, who is also registered for the class.

Registration is limited t0 15 people. Savannah Bicycle Campaign and Coastal Bicycle Touring Club members receive a $5 discount off the $40 registration price. Register today!

 

Volunteers needed for annual “bicycle census”

newscycle1-1Over the next two weeks, the Savannah Bicycle Campaign and the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization conduct pedestrian and bicycle counts at locations in Savannah and elsewhere in Chatham County. The data gathered is critically important. We need volunteers to help gather this crucial information.

Jane Love, a transportation planner at the CORE MPO, said the information collected by citizen volunteers is used for a variety of purposes, including “before and after” comparisons that can identify changes in traffic patterns resulting from infrastructure improvements such as new sidewalks or bike lanes.

For example, Love said past counts revealed bike traffic on Price and Habersham streets suggest the Price Street Bike Lane “attracts some southbound trips off of Habersham Street but also attracts some new trips that weren’t captured previously in the selected count locations.”

Conducting counts can also reveal the presence of people on bikes and on foot in places where some may presume they are not likely to be, Love said. When new infrastructure is proposed, sometimes residents question the need by claiming they never see people walking or riding bikes, and don’t dare to do so themselves. Because of this tendency to underestimate bicycle and pedestrian trips “that are in fact occurring in spite of bad conditions,” Love said, data is helpful in ensuring that “decisions are not based on conjecture.”

The information gathered during the counts is also used beyond Savannah, through an effort called the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project.

Volunteers receive instructions on how to conduct the counts, necessary forms and a SBC volunteer t-shirt. Sign up to count bicycles today!

Savannah State professor seeks participants for “Scofflaw Biking Survey”

cyclingsurvey
Daniel Piatkowski, an assistant professor at Savannah State University, along with his colleagues  at the University of Colorado Denver are conducting a study about bicyclist behavior. The study was referenced in the Washington Post’s Wonkblog in a Jan. 9 piece called “Let’s talk seriously about why cyclists break traffic laws.”

“As cycling grows more common in a city, does peer pressure to obey the law follow? As cities build more bike infrastructure, does that make cyclists less likely to run red lights?”

Dr. Piatkowski and his fellow researchers are seeking participants for a survey, which will take about 10 or 15 minutes to complete. It asks questions about respondents’ travel patterns and experiences as bicyclists under various situations. The survey is part of a larger study intending to better understand our transportation system and what factors might correlate with different behavior patterns.

Take the survey now!

 

Join us for the annual TelluRIDE on Jan. 24

telluride
Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour in Savannah, a nonprofit film festival designed to educate and inspire audiences about critical issues, will be held at the Trustees theater on Jan. 23 and 24.

mountainfilm2015The Savannah Bicycle Campaign is sponsoring a ride in conjunction with the festival again this year on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 11 a.m. We will start at the Kennedy Pharmacy building at 323 E. Broughton Street and end at the South end of Forsyth Park for light refreshments provided by the Sentient Bean.

All ages welcome but you must have a bike and helmets are strongly recommended! Let us know you plan to attend by joining the Facebook event.

 

SBC receives $26,600 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety

GOHS LogoThe Savannah Bicycle Campaign has received a $26,600 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to fund programs aimed at reducing bicycle-related injuries and fatalities in Chatham County.

The grant, which will continue through September of 2014, will help finance education programs for bicyclists and drivers, dissemination of information on roadway safety, and efforts to encourage best practices for safe cycling.

“The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is committed to keeping everyone safe on our roads and highways, from the smallest precious cargo to the most seasoned drivers,” said GOHS Director Harris Blackwood. “This grant will help the Savannah Bicycle Campaign reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities on Georgia roadways.”

“We are grateful for the support of GOHS as it allows us continue and expand the beneficial programs we’ve been offering, with the goal of improving safety for people who ride bicycles for recreation or transportation in Chatham County,” said John Bennett, executive director of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign

For more information on this grant program, contact GOHS at 404-656-6996. For more information on GOHS and its highway safety programs, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.

Bikes 101: Learn about derailleur adjustment, winter weather riding on Dec. 17

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The final installment of this year’s Bikes 101 educational series (Don’t worry, it continues next year!) is scheduled for Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. This month’s session  will focus on derailleurs and riding in winter weather. Bikes 101 is free and open to the public and held in our New Standard Cycles space at 1301 A Lincoln St.

Email Jen Colestock for more information or join the Facebook event.