Ideas for promoting a bike culture in this city

[Man On Bike.]

I'm really envious of people who live in a place where cyclists are really tight-knit communities that congregate every weekend, I'd love it if it was like that around here. Anyone have some ideas to promote cycling and unity? I have suggested a bicycle picnic and a fun race, but am in need of some more ideas.

[Hiking Fox]

Set up a bike campaigning group, like 'Pedals' in Nottingham and 'Spokes' in Edinburgh. These groups both lobby their local highways dept, and also meet regularly for drinks and rides. Maybe there's a group near you already?

If not, put posters in health food shops, bike shops, 'The Warehouse' cafe etc. saying that you want to network with other cyclists. You could even make some little strip flyers and tie them to the handlebars of parked bikes. You don't need to actively run the group, you just need to be the official point of contact. After that, the group will form itself.

Put on a bike film festival in your city.

Contact local green groups to see if they'll run cycling-related events.

[Man On Bike.]

I remember going on a critical mass in 2004... ended with a veggie barbecue and a bicycle film in a pub somewhere (might have been the Anchor but I didn't know Brum very well back then so I'm not sure). I don't know who organised it, or if there were similar events the next couple of years... but I hope there'll be one this summer, it would be a lot of fun, bikes, booze and barbecue, a winning combination.

If another event like that were to happen and if it was promoted well, I reckon it would bring a lot of cyclists in...

A mini bicycle film festival would be really good... some documentaries such as the critical mass doc that was shown at the london bike film festival, plus a mix of 'recreational' videos ( e.g. bmx / mountain biking etc.) showing as filler, inbetween the main films...

i'm very keen on the whole bike / barbeque / drinks thing although most would agree that bikes and booze dont mix...

[bob_summers]

you should be onto a winner. there are a lot of people who would like to join a road club but are either intimidated by it, or put off by the associated stuffy social scene (club dinners in a draughty village hall...). i certainly know folk who wouldn't dream of going out with the local RC but would happily have a mass potter down the canal, etc.

i guess the main obstacle is that, in a large city, you need a central meeting point but then have a long ride through urban traffic to get anywhere nice. loads of ways around that though i suppose.

[Rochellita]

I'm on a Greater Manchester Cyclists email list, it's proved to be very useful even though I am not active in the cycling community here, there is plenty of opportunity if I'd chose to be. So I'd say as a publicity tool, set up a list or a web page that draws people in.

[Hiking Fox]

I'm on a Greater Manchester Cyclists email list, it's proved to be very useful even though I am not active in the cycling community here, there is plenty of opportunity if I'd chose to be.

Good tip, I'm probably going to move back to Mancs, and didn't meet many like-minded people 1st time round.

As for riding in c entral Brum - doesn't it have more canals than anywhere else, if I'm not mistaken? How about some canalside rides?

[Man On Bike.]

Speaking of setting up websites...

I set up a myspace for birminghams critical mass, and forgot about it. Next thing I know, it got deleted because I set the age as something like 90. Who the hell are they to delete it? How do they know that bicycle protest isn't 90 years old?

[bob_summers]

murdoch can do what he likes, he ownz us all now

[fredrikw]

I guess they want people who register to be honest about how old they are, and that they believe that anyone that's over 90 can't use a computer.

[Hiking Fox]

A mini bicycle film festival would be really good... some documentaries such as the critical mass doc that was shown at the london bike film festival, plus a mix of 'recreational' videos ( e.g. bmx / mountain biking etc.) showing as filler, inbetween the main films...

There was a bike film festival in Leicester a few years back. I can probably track down the contact details of the organiser, if you like.

[Daddy Fungus]

so the brum critical mass page is defunct. should we make a new one? this discussion is also goin on the mailing list i believe.

M.O.B- you gonna be at canon hill tomorrow? i might show up if i can get up in time

[Man On Bike.]

Didn't find out about cannon hil park until it was too late. couldn't go anyway as i had to start work at 7. did you go?

[Daddy Fungus]

i was all set, but as soon as i stepped out the door it was pissing it down, when it stopped i felt it was too late.

anyway, i should be there on friday. i had a chat with the guys at "on your bike" and theyve asked me if we can wait up for them this time. they close up shop at 6 so if we give em a few minutes, we'll have some more people to come with. apparently we went off without em on the last ride.

[tanya]

A good way to create a close-knit local bike community is to set up a forum for cyclists specifically in your area. That is if you have the skills to do it or know someone who can do it. And who knows, maybe one already exists in your area.

We have a fairly active one in our area and its created a really strong community feeling. Lots of local cycling events have occurred because of ideas discussed on the forum.

[Man On Bike.]

Ok I've started a free forum and may set up a website

Gonna print some cheap business cards (about £5 for 100) and hand them out to all cyclists I see ( I did this last year but messed up )