BikinginLA

We’ve got busy week on the local bike front, and a long list of upcoming bike events.

But before we get started, one quick important note —

County Supervisor invites you to vote on a new configuration for Slauson Avenue — including one option that would bring bike lanes to the avenue (Option D, Alternative 1).

Not that I’d tell you how to vote, of course.

……..

Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

The Culver City Bicycle Coalition invites you for an easy ride with the city’s mayor at 8 am every Monday, starting at Syd Kronenthal Park, 3459 McManus Ave, at the east end of the Ballona Creek bike path.

Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Brewery Ride on Saturday, February 4th; this month’s edition will visit the Golden Road Brewery in Atwater Village. Riders will meet at the Flying Pigeon LA bike shop at 3714 N. Figueroa ST in Highland Park at 3 pm, with a 3:30 departure. Single speed beach cruisers are available to rent for $20, which should give you an idea of the pace.

This month’s edition the LACBC’s popular Sunday Funday rides rolls to the legendary Watts Tower this Sunday, February 5th. The Sea to Towers Sunday Funday Ride will combine efforts with the LA Wheelmen and Beach Cities Cycling Club, hosted by LACBC and Wheelmen member David Nakai. The ride meets at 8 am at Dock 52 in Marina del Rey, and offers your choice of a relatively flat 39 mile ride or a more challenging 49-miler. The rides will meet up with a third group for an easy 10 mile ride to the towers and back starting at 10 am from Jesse Owens Park.

The LACBC Planning Committee will talk streets and infrastructure from 7 to 9 pm Tuesday, Feb. 8th at the Pitfire Pizza on the corner of 2nd and Main in Downtown L.A. Correction: The LACBC Planning Committee meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month, not the first. However, that is Valentine’s Day this month, we will not be meeting that night.

Head to Silverlake on Wednesday, Feb. 8th from 7 to 9 pm for BikeUP! LA, a free benefit for the California Bicycle Coalition at the Living Room, 3551 West Sunset Blvd, to help make L.A. more bikable by making real changes in Sacramento. Guests include CBC Executive Director Dave Snyder, L.A. City Council Member Tom LaBonge, and representatives from the office of Council Member and mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti and the LACBC. Snacks and refreshments will be served.

This Friday, February 10th, CicLAvia will host a Valentine’s Party from 7 to 10 pm at Atwater Crossing, 3245 Casitas Avenue. They promise music, speed dating — open to all genders and orientations, raffle, auction and a photo booth, with food and drinks for sale. Admission is free, but bring money for food and drinks and all the fun stuff.

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with 34th Annual Chinatown Firecracker Ride and Run on Saturday, February 11th (Ride) and Sunday, February 12 (Run). Say you were referred by the LACBC (go ahead, I won’t tell) and they’ll donate $7 to the Los Angeles County Bike Coalition, which will provide a bike valet for the event.

The monthly Spoke(n)Art Ride will take place at 6 pm on Saturday, February 11th, departing from the Flying Pigeon LA bike shop at 3714 N. Figueroa ST in Highland Park. Single speed beach cruisers are available to rent for $20.

The Culver City Bicycle Coalition will host a fundraiser the day after Valentines Day, February 15th, from 4 to 7 pm at Joxer Daly’s, 11168 Washington Blvd.

The Watts Towers will be a popular destination in February as one of L.A.’s favorite cyclists leads a ride to the iconic artworks. Will Campbell’s Watts Happening Ride 2012 will start at 9 am on February 18th at the Happy Foot/Sad Foot at the northwest corner of Sunset Boulevard & Benton Way in Silver Lake, and explore landmark people, places and events in, to and from South L.A. If you don’t know Will, few people know more unofficial L.A. bikeways or fascinating tidbits and trivia about unexplored corners of the City of Angeles. Highly recommended.

Flying Pigeon will host a reception for Stephen Rea, author of Hollywood Rides a Bike: Cycling With the Stars on Saturday, February 18th from 7 to 10 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa ST in Highland Park. Vegetarian-friendly food and drink will be available.

The City of Los Angeles will be hosting a series of four Mobility Think Lab Workshops to help solve the city’s mobility problems, on Saturday, February 25th and Saturday, March 3rd in Van Nuys, L.A. and Pacoima.

The draft bike plan for the County of Los Angeles will face a hearing by the county Board of Supervisors in a public session at 9:30 am on February 28th, in Room 381B of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 West Temple Street Downtown.

You’re invited to train with the Wonderful Pistachios Pro Cycling team at their official winter training camp March 2nd through 4th in Paso Robles; the cost is a mere $3,000.

Sunday, March 4th, there will be a memorial for Carol Schreder, the Hollywood writer/producer killed while riding on Mulholland Highway last December. The memorial will be held at the Aero Theater, 1328 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, starting at noon.

Also on Sunday the 4th, the LACBC rolls out it’s first Tour de Taste, offering an easy, guided 12 mile bike ride along Ballona Creek, as well as food and drinks from some of the area’s best restaurants. The event kicks off at Media Park at the corner of Culver and Venice Blvds starting at 10 am, with rides departing every hour. Cost is $65 for LACBC members and $95 for non-members, with discounted membership and ticket available for $120 (pro tip — become an LACBC member before the 4th and save $20); all proceeds go to create a more bikable Los Angeles.

If you enjoyed the last CicLAvia, you’ll love the next one on Tax Day, April 15th from 10 am to 3 pm; the route will follow the same expanded course as last October’s.

The first National Bike to School Day is scheduled for May 9th.

L.A.’S favorite fundraising bike ride rolls out on Sunday, June 10th with the 12th Annual L.A. River Ride; this one just keeps getting bigger and better every year. Six different rides, from an easy family ride to a fast, flat century; more details to come.