| NewsSome Cities Lose the Helmets
 A recent article in the New York Times discusses the success of international bike-sharing programs (coming next year to New York CIty). One common factor in their success, apparently, is helmet-free riding.The overall feeling is that more people will be inclined to bicycle without required helmets, and the health benefits outweigh the small number of serious bike accidents involving head injuries. Bike/Walk Central Florida encourages helmets, and State of Florida law requires all riders under the age of 16 to wear them.
Preventing Flat Tires With Kevlar
How often have you had to fix a flat tire?  If you live in Central Florida with its lovely brick streets, you are likely sick of it! Eric at Commute Orlando suggests that investing in expensive Kevlar belted tires will save money and time in the long run. Click here for the full story.
Veg Fest & Bike Valet Return to Orlando
Bike/Walk Central Florida will offer bike valet parking for the Central Florida VegFest, Saturday, October 27 at Orlando Festival Park. We need volunteers for one-hour shifts (or more) to help park bikes and share Bike/Walk and Best Foot Forward Information. Call or email Marianne at 407-412-5980, [email protected].
UPCOMING EVENTS
October 5 – First Friday, Monthly Ride for Civility
 Join Bike/Walk Central Florida, Commute Orlando and Cycling Savvy as we take to the streets to strike our monthly blow for safety, civility and shared use of our roads in Metro Orlando. This fun ride – 8 miles at 10 miles per hour – is a recreational ride suitable for most riders. We ride on roads, in traffic, obeying all traffic laws. Bring a headlight, and red tail light. We meet up in the parking lot of the Menello museum south of the Orlando Science Center on Princeton at Loch Haven, and ride at 6 p.m. Great people, great ride, great fun.
October 6 – Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day
Coming up this weekend, hosted by Ocala Mountain Bike Association. See here for details.
October 13 – 2012 Trek Breast Cancer Awareness Ride
We ride for our Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Aunts and our best friends….see here to register.
Sign up now for the October 13 class. Cycling Savvy is a course on bicycle safety that teaches you how to drive your bike in traffic confidently and safely. It is especially useful now-a-days for people who are trying to cut back on car usage for financial or health reasons.
October 12-14 – Mount Dora 38th Annual Bicycle Festival
This is Florida’s oldest and largest bicycling event, attracting 1,000 cyclists. For details contact Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce at 352-383-2165.
November 17 – Florida Bicycle Club Leadership Workshop
Are you the president of your biking club? Or even in a leadership position? Join the Florida Bicycle Association on November 17, 2012 from 3-6 p.m. for the Florida Bicyle Club Ladership Workshop to share ideas with other club leaders. It is being held in conjunction with the Florida Freewheelers’ Horrible Hundred. They will extend one free registration per club to individuals who attend. The Workshop will be held at Fairfield Inn & Suites, 1750 Hunt Trace Blvd., Clermont FL. Click here to read more and to register for FREE!
RESOURCESBicycle Parking Map
From our friends at Commute Orlando: Peter Martinez has created a collaborative Bike Parking map, designed to help Bicyclists plan their routes and park their bikes on secure racks, rather than a stop sign or a tree Read more . . .
 Best Foot Forward is a community-wide coalition formed to reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries in Metro Orlando.The five-year initiative is currently focused on Orange County and will expand into Seminole and Osceola counties as resources permit. Five cities, two towns, and Orange County have passed resolutions supporting the initiative. Orlando Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, police agencies in Winter Park, Maitland and Eatonville, and police chiefs from throughout Orange County, have pledged their support to the initiative, launched by Bike/Walk Central Florida and the Florida Bicycle Association, with financial support from the Winter Park Health Foundation, MetroPlan Orlando, Orange County, City of Orlando, Florida Department of Transportation, Orlando Police Department, Orange Cycle, David’s World Cycle, and Track Shack.
When was the last time you saved a life? Your contributions of $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, or more, can make a big difference. Checks should be made out to the Florida Bicycle Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and mailed to: Betsy Holl at: P.O. Box 916715, Longwood, FL 32791-6715. Please specify that you are donating to Best Foot Forward.
Community Calendar Link
http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/community-calendar/
RECURRING RIDES
First Fridays: Take it to the Streets bike ride to promote civility: 6 p.m. on the First Friday of each month (Upcoming Dates: October 5, November 2, December 7).
UCF Bike Bus: Downtown Orlando to UCF, then UCF to Downtown Orlando. Follow bike bus in real time via GPS at http://commuteorlando.com/bikebus/
Ride With Steve: Beginner ride. Meet at Winter Garden Wheel Works in Downtown Winter Garden, 8 a.m., Saturdays. – Sponsored by Winter Garden Wheel Works .
See our Community Calendar for other family rides: www.bikewalkcentralflorida.org
Unless specifically designated as a trail ride, our rides take place on public streets. Headlights and red rear flashers are required for night rides. Helmets are encouraged, and are required for children under 16.
We observe all traffic laws and traffic signals.
Our rides are typically 10 to 15 miles, roundtrip, and average 10 miles an hour, a comfortable pace for most adults and teens. May be too fast for younger children and adults with health issues.
These rides are social in nature.
For longer, more challenging group rides, subscribe to Hal Downing’s group ride newsletter by emailing [email protected]
If you have a social ride you would like us to help promote, please email me at the address below.
Brad
Brad Kuhn
Executive Director
brad@bikewalkcentralflorida.org
Bike/Walk Central Florida Would like to thank our sponsors:
Coming up this weekend, hosted by Ocala Mountain Bike Association. See here for details. |
Transforming Central Florida into a Premier Biking and Walking Community! 
