FORT WORTH

Fort Worth Texas at Sunset by longhorndave on Flickr

This has been a long-time coming and we are really excited about bringing this outstanding bicycle workshop to the streets of Fort Worth. We hope this is the first of many opportunities in Fort Worth. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into planning a weekend that will be fun, innovative, and unique… but best of all, useful. You will cycle away excited, empowered, and ready to enjoy cycling anywhere in Fort Worth. But, don’t take our word for it… see what others are saying!

Come join us on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 for the entire CyclingSavvy workshop. Arlington Heights United Methodist Church on Camp Bowie Boulevard (map) will be hosting both the classroom and parking lot drill components of the workshop. Click here to register.

Parking Lot Drills

Like our Dallas workshops, we will be having a Friday evening classroom session called Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling. Through guided discussion with video and animation, this session familiarizes participants with bicycle-specific laws, traffic dynamics and problem-solving strategies. Videos, reference material, and animations demonstrate that bicycle drivers are equal road users, with the right and ability to control their space.

On Saturday morning, we’ll beef up our bike handling skills with Train Your Bike. This session is conducted in a parking lot. It consists of a set of progressive drills designed to increase cyclists’ control and comfort while handling a bike in various situations.

Then, on Saturday afternoon (after a quick lunch, of course!) we’ll work through a brand-new Tour of Fort Worth. This session is an experiential tour of area roads. The route includes some of the most intimidating road features (intersections, interchanges, merges, etc.) a cyclist might find in his or her travels. Travelling as a group, the participants stop to survey and discuss each exercise location. After observing the feature, discussing the traffic dynamics and the best strategy for safe and easy passage, each cyclists rides through individually and regroups at a nearby location. This session is designed to give you the confidence and skills to handle any urban situation.

For more information about the CyclingSavvy curriculum, check out the “What we teach” page on CyclingSavvy.org.

To sign up and reserve your spot in our limited class, simply click the register link below and complete the form. You will be directed to a Google Checkout after completing the form. If you’d like to pay in person via cash or check, simply close the browser once you are directed to Google Checkout. We look forward to seeing you… in Fort Worth!

Register Now

In addition to this new workshop in Fort Worth, we currently have two in Dallas open for registration. Check our Schedule page for details.

2012 was a huge year for CyclingSavvy DFW. We had the privilege of hosting six CyclingSavvy workshops for bicyclists from all over DFW, we gained a new instructor, we taught the curriculum while being translated to two foreign languages, and our last workshop had 20 cyclists and required an overflow day! We are really looking forward to what is in store for 2013.

Personally, I am really excited to see the material catch on and make a huge difference in the lives of my neighbors and friends. The innovative workshop continues to be valuable to cyclists of all skill levels and styles.

Parking Lot Drills

Each instructor works hard to pack every session with real-world, practical information for all types of cyclists. Even the most experienced commuters come away with ideas for having a more enjoyable ride. Just started riding a bike? Don’t worry! We won’t leave you in the cold. You’ll find a welcoming and friendly crew.

If you’re ready to discover the tricks and techniques of the CyclingSavvy program…then your chance is here! The Spring 2013 workshops are now open for registration!

• March 8-9 at Northway Christian Church, Dallas (map) Register Now
• NEW! April 19-20 at Arlington Heights United Methodist Church, Fort Worth (map) Register Now
• May 10-11 at Northway Christian Church, Dallas (map) Register Now

The workshop weekend is three part: a classroom session on Friday evening, a parking-lot drills section on Saturday morning, and a road course with individual exercises on Saturday afternoon. For the best experience, we highly recommend that you pick the “entire course” for just $75.

Bike Yoga?

Each of our instructors are certified through the CyclingSavvy Instructor training program. Click here to learn more about what the CyclingSavvy curriculum covers. Feel free to email us if you have any questions. We look forward to having you in our next workshop!

Update: An additional session has been added in… Fort Worth! See this post for more details.

Instructor Justine

First thing that we noticed on Saturday… Christmas shopping is well under-way before Thanksgiving! The afternoon route takes us around NorthPark Center a few times (the intersections around there are great for interacting with traffic and demonstrating the CyclingSavvy principles in a compact area), so we pretty quickly saw a peak in traffic. Yet our cyclists confidently negotiated and interacted safely with everyone.

Smiles all around

Since we limit the on-bike portion of the workshop to 10 participants, we repeated the on-bike sessions on Sunday so that everyone could participate. There was a bit less traffic on Sunday, so our group was able to get through all of the exercises quicker. The weather continued to hold perfectly for us! However… one tire caused some issue.

Impromptu tire patch

While this wasn’t our first flat on the tour… it was our most troublesome. Fortunately, it was towards the end of the course and walking back to the start was feasible. That poor tire just couldn’t recover.

As I was looking through photos from the weekend, I realized what a diverse group of folks that were represented. We had a few folks wanting to commute a little more on their bike and a few folks who enjoy social rides. We had a few folks who have ridden thousands upon thousands of miles on their bike, and folks who have maybe put 100 miles on their bike. Some folks were comfortable in spandex, and others were enjoying the day with a classy scarf and cap. We had our first recumbent too!

Saturday’s Fall Colors

What all these folks had in common is a willingness to learn and improve their bike skills. No matter how far their ride will be, it will be a better one now. What a pleasure it was to meet each person this weekend.

Hold it right there

….. and that’s our last workshop for 2012! Look for our Spring 2013 schedule in January. In the meantime, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. We’ve also got a very low-volume mailing list.

Happy cycling!

#bicyclehappy

The City of Dallas is in the process of installing shared lane markings (often called “sharrows”) on a number of streets downtown. Unlike bike lanes, sharrows are paint markings placed in existing travel lanes intended to remind cyclists where in the lane to ride, and remind other drivers that cyclists are expected to be in the roadway, often occupying the full lane, and following the same rules as other drivers.

New shared lane markings on Victory Ave (Dallas, TX)

Shared lane markings are now down on many of the key “connector” streets which link the Katy Trail with the Central Business District, Arts District, DART stations, and the Santa Fe Trail. In many cases, the sharrows are accompanied by “Bikes May Use Full Lane” signs.

Dallas has done a great job of placing the sharrows within the lane. One common complaint when it comes to sharrows is that they are sometimes mistakenly installed too far to the right, encouraging cyclists to ride in the most dangerous part of the lane and increasing conflict with other drivers. I’m happy to report that’s not the case with the new sharrows on All Star Way, Victory Ave., Houston Street, and Lamar, all of which are part of my regular commute to work. They are all well-placed within the lane. So, it might come as a surprise to you that I often ignore the sharrows on Victory and ride in a completely different lane.

Q: When should a cyclist ignore painted markings and ride somewhere else on the road?
A: When safety requires it!

The sharrows on Victory present a perfect example of the limits of paint, and the importance of the choices that a cyclist makes. Any driver that makes bad choices is likely to expose themselves to conflict and risk. The same is true, perhaps doubly so, for cyclists. On the other hand, a mindful driver or cyclist who knows the rules of the road and makes good decisions will likely be rewarded with a safe and pleasant journey.

Just before Lamar, the sharrows shift one lane to the left as the right lane become right-turn-only.

Victory Ave between All Star Way and Continental Ave is a one-way street with four lanes. The left most lane has metered on-street parking much of the way, and so may or may not be useful as a travel lane. Sharrows have been placed in the center of the right lane until just before the intersection with Lamar, where the right lane becomes right-turn-only and the sharrows shift one lane to the left, which becomes the right-most through lane. It is a conventional design, and what one would expect based on the principles of slower moving traffic keeping to the right.

So why do I ignore them?
Traffic patterns.

I take Victory Ave at morning rush hour, and it only took me a couple of trips to realize that my choice of lanes on this stretch of road determined whether my experience would be pleasant and conflict-free or unpleasant and an ordeal of constant conflict with motorists.

During morning rush, most of the motorists on Victory Ave never make it to Continental. They turn off before they get there. The vast majority of them make the same right turn into an office parking lot. A few of the others make the next right turn on Lamar to access the highway. Very few are actually going straight through on Victory.

“So what,” you say? Well, this changes everything.

It means that most of the drivers are in the right lane, or need to get into the right lane to make that turn. As a cyclist and a slower moving road user, if I choose that lane I immediately become an obstacle between them and their destination. That’s not a place I want to be (and I won’t let the new sharrows trick me into being there)! It would be inconvenient for other drivers and unpleasant and potentially dangerous for me.

At morning rush, you will almost always find me in the second-to-the-left lane, with the lane to myself and and smile on my face. By choosing this lane, I am well away from the traffic in the right lane. I also avoid the traffic in the second-to-right lane which is looking to merge into the right lane for the turn into the parking lot or making the next right turn on Lamar. I also avoid the conflict in the far left lane — the few drivers who are turning left and the parked cars blocking the lane or presenting hazards with opening doors.

Don’t take my word for it. Here is an un-edited 3 minute video. Look at the traffic patterns in the various lanes. The camera is positioned just past the turn-in for the office parking lot. Notice that there is not a single vehicle that comes through in the second-to-left lane, which is why I typically have it to myself!

At other times of day, when the traffic patterns are different, it might make perfect sense to choose the right lane as the sharrows suggest, but at morning rush hour that would be an inconsiderate, unpleasant choice. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I don’t like the sharrows, I’m simply highlighting the fact that no matter what facilities are present, there are times when you have to alter your behavior to suit the conditions.

Don’t let paint think for you. Be mindful and enjoy your ride!

But, a worker with the International Rescue Committee is there to greet you at the airport. She takes you to your family’s new apartment, helps you get all the paperwork in order, shows you where to shop for groceries, introduces you to the neighbors, and even helps you find a job to start supporting your family. This story happens every day all across the country, and the IRC is there to help make transition to Western life as trouble-free as possible.

Many of the IRC refugee clients rely on public transit to commute to work. Unfortunately, the Dallas transit system has limited hours and routes, and often has no service at the most critical times for IRC clients. This leaves many critical job opportunities out of reach. In response, IRC Dallas launched a pilot program to outfit clients with bicycles. REI and Spokes for Folks helped collect and refurbish donated bicycles, and then Richardson Bike Mart and CyclingSavvy DFW partnered to provide a portion of the CyclingSavvy workshop to the bike recipients.

Since the prospective students likely had little to no working knowledge of western roadways, Waco and I had a challenge ahead of us. These students have a critical need for safe cycling… they need it to get to and from their work when no other option is available! Fortunately, since much of the key components of CyclingSavvy is communicated through animations and videos, we were not worried about losing anything in translation.

Class day was a blast. Meeting the IRC clients and translators was a pleasure. Each one had a unique story and experience to share. One of the students had a great job that he loved, but he had to walk over an hour to get back home in the middle of the night.

Just like every time that we teach CyclingSavvy, I could see eyes light up as we showed animations of what safe, practical cycling really looks like. The translators were even stopping to ask questions of their own!

After the classroom material, we helped the students fit their bikes, pump up the tires, and mount lights. We went through the A-B-C-Quick Check, and then spent a bit of time showing them how to easily start and stop without falling over. Despite the heat, they were quite eager to take off and try out their new bikes!

Waco and I both had such a great time with this pilot program. We learned a few things from this opportunity and are looking forward to working with the IRC again in the future.

The IRC is always looking for volunteers and interns to welcome and assist refugees who are new to America. Take a moment to check out their website and see how you can help refugees living right in your own city.

A really BIG thanks to Richardson Bike Mart for providing funding so that this class could be provided at no charge to the students.

All smiles on the Tour of Dallas

This past season we saw over 50 cyclists discover the joy of confident, safe, and practical cycling. Waco, Richard, and myself deeply enjoyed meeting each of our newly-minted Savvy Cyclists. The CyclingSavvy curriculum continues to prove itself as a powerful, and effective, program that shows everyday folks how to enjoy their own neighborhoods and cities by bike.

Instructors Waco and Richard

Registration is now open for the following Fall 2012 workshops for CyclingSavvy DFW:

• September 7-8
• October 5-6
• October 26-27
• November 16-17

Simply click on a date above and continue through the registration system. Each workshop starts on Friday evening (6pm), continues on Saturday morning and costs just $75. Each portion may be taken individually for $30 each (but should be taken in succession of each other). Our Fall workshops will be held at Northway Christian Church on Northwest Highway, near Northpark Mall and US-75.

Emergency turn drill

Each workshop includes:

• Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling (classroom session) – 6-9p on Friday evening. Northway Christian Church (map).
• Train Your Bike (bike handling session) – 8:00–11:30a on Saturday morning. Northway Christian Church south parking lot (map).
• Tour of Dallas (practical application of classroom material in real-life scenarios) – 12:30-4:00p on Saturday afternoon. (Note: prior completion of Truth & Techniques and Train Your Bike is required to take this portion.)

Learn more about each component of the course.

“Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I have hope for the human race.” – H.G. Wells

We are looking forward to seeing you this Fall. In the meantime, check out some of our traffic animations and videos!

Before the heat sets in for summer, come join CyclingSavvy for our last two spring sessions:

• April 27-28 – Hosted at Northway Christian Church on Northwest Highway in Dallas
• May 11-12 – Hosted at Northway Christian Church on Northwest Highway in Dallas

Take the full course for $75 or individual sessions for $30 each. Note that Truth & Techniques and Train Your Bike are required before the Tour.

April 27-28 – Dallas

• Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling – 6:00-9:00p on Friday, April 27
• Train Your Bike – 8:00–11:30a on Saturday, April 28
• Tour of Dallas session – 12:30-4:00p on Saturday, April 28

May 11-12 – Dallas

• Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling – 6:00-9:00p on Friday, May 11
• Train Your Bike – 8:00–11:30a on Saturday, May 12
• Tour of Dallas session – 12:30-4:00p on Saturday, May 12

Read more about each of the workshop components.

The weather turned perfect for us this weekend! We had a great time with our students and took full advantage of the spring-like February. An excellent start to our 2012 CyclingSavvy DFW season!

Check out our Facebook album for some photos from the weekend… and our new Vimeo channel for a little recap on the on-bike portion of the workshop.

By the way… We’ve just announced our spring 2012 class schedule:

• March 2-3
• April 27-28
• May 11-12

We’ve resolved to help you make bicycling safe, comfortable, and fun again.  Whether you are riding for sport, transportation, or just plain fun, CyclingSavvy will give you tools and confidence to ride any street (or path) safely and comfortably.

Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling

February 3rd, 6-9PM

Updated Location:  Northway Church (map)

Learn the truth and techniques of traffic cycling. Through guided discussion with video and animation, this classroom-based session familiarizes students with bicycle-specific laws, traffic dynamics and problem-solving strategies. Students discover that bicycle drivers are equal road users, with the right and ability to control their space.

This session is available á la carte for $30. You may take it as a stand-alone class.

Train Your Bike

February 4th, 8-11 AM

Updated Location:  Northway Church parking lot (map)

This session is conducted in a parking lot. It consists of a set of progressive drills designed to increase students’ control and comfort handling their bikes in various situations. Drills include:

• Start/Stop, Power Pedal & Balance Stop
• Snail Race, Slow-speed Balance
• Drag-race, Gears & Acceleration
• Ride Straight, One-handed
• Shoulder Check
• Object-avoidance Handling, Weave, Snap
• Turning: Slow-speed Tight Turns, High-speed cornering, Emergency Snap-turn
• Emergency Braking

This session is available á la carte for $30. You may take it as a stand-alone class. In three short hours, you will learn to command your bike with precision and confidence.

After the Train Your Bike session the class will ride to lunch before beginning the Tour of Dallas.

Tour of Dallas

February 4th, 12:30-4 PM

Start/End @  Northway Church parking lot (map)

This class requires completion of the first two sessions. It will begin after a group lunch.

This session is an experiential tour of Dallas roads. The course includes some of the most intimidating road features (intersections, interchanges, merges, etc.) a cyclist might find in his/her travels. The students travel as a group, stopping to survey and discuss each exercise location. After observing the feature, discussing the traffic dynamics and the best strategy for safe and easy passage, the students ride through individually and regroup at a nearby location. This session is designed to give you the confidence and skills to handle any situation you might encounter.

Register Online

Individual sessions are $30 each package for all three sessions is $75.

Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling

December 9th, 6-9PM
Location: JCC of Dallas (map)
Learn the truth and techniques of traffic cycling. Through guided discussion with video and animation, this classroom-based session familiarizes students with bicycle-specific laws, traffic dynamics and problem-solving strategies. Students discover that bicycle drivers are equal road users, with the right and ability to control their space.
This session is available á la carte for $30. You may take it as a stand-alone class.

Train Your Bike

December 10, 8-11am
Start/End @ NorthPark Center
This session is conducted in a parking lot. It consists of a set of progressive drills designed to increase students’ control and comfort handling their bikes in various situations. Drills include:

• Start/Stop, Power Pedal & Balance Stop
• Snail Race, Slow-speed Balance
• Drag-race, Gears & Acceleration
• Ride Straight, One-handed
• Shoulder Check
• Object-avoidance Handling, Weave, Snap
• Turning: Slow-speed Tight Turns, High-speed cornering, Emergency Snap-turn
• Emergency Braking

This session is available á la carte for $30. You may take it as a stand-alone class. In three short hours, you will learn to command your bike with precision and confidence.
After the Train Your Bike session the class will ride to  lunch before beginning the Tour of Dallas.

Tour of Dallas

December 10, 12:30-4PM
Start/End @ NorthPark Center
This class requires completion of the first two sessions. It will begin after a group lunch.
This session is an experiential tour of Dallas roads. The course includes some of the most intimidating road features (intersections, interchanges, merges, etc.) a cyclist might find in his/her travels. The students travel as a group, stopping to survey and discuss each exercise location. After observing the feature, discussing the traffic dynamics and the best strategy for safe and easy passage, the students ride through individually and regroup at a nearby location. This session is designed to give you the confidence and skills to handle any situation you might encounter.

Individual sessions are $30 each package for all three sessions is $75.