- PlacesForBikes: Better biking, better communities. Faster, by PeopleForBikes – Building on the momentum of their Green Lane Project, advocacy group PeopleForBikes has a new PlacesForBikes program to help cities quickly develop and connect great places to ride. The goal is more people riding more safely in better places to live, work and play. We can all play a part by participating in their data-driven city rating system. Completing their Community Survey starting Feb 14 will help track cycling around the country. Then community representatives can join them this summer for their PlacesForBikes conference in Madison, WI to develop action plans to put in place locally. Lastly follow along with their Big Jump Project, which will select 10 focus cities to jump-start their own biking networks. PeopleForBikes works hard to make a better environment for cycling and now PlacesForBikes can help shape where you ride locally.Check out how to keep up with riding, racing, and keeping in shape through the winter after the break…
Where to ride
- 7th Annual Ride Sun Valley Bike Festival – Mark your calendars. The Ride Sun Valley Bike Festival is coming back for a celebration of life on two wheels. Visitors can participate or spectate in one of the many fast-paced races; or just kick back, saddle up, and enjoy the summertime fun in beautiful Sun Valley, ID. The 4-day festival is host to endurance, skill, and educational events around all things cycling. Live music, bike clinics, demos, shuttle rides, and the SCOTT Enduro Cup presented by Vittoria will be waiting for you this June 29 – July 2, 2017. RideSunValley.com
Racing news
- “Slopestyle on Snow” this weekend at White Style 2017 in Leogang – It’s winter in the Austrian Alps, but that’s no reason to stay off the bike. 20 big name riders from 11 countries out of the FMB World Tour will drop in on a snowy course to show off the craziest tricks you’ll see on the slopes. The White Style course kicks off tonight at the Schanteilift in Leogang, Austria for the 12th year. You don’t often see bright floodlights, tons of snow and thick wooly hats at a slopestyle event.
- Follow along as Velon broadcasts live WorldTour data and GoPro highlights from Australia this weekend – Velon is all about bringing cycling fans deeper into pro racing. Starting today through Sunday they’ll take you to Victoria, Australia, for the opening single-stage race of 2017 – the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (CEGORR) – the first race to bring their in-race tech to Australian shores. Velon will be work with teams and riders to bring content direct to fans online and in social media channels, then share real-time rider data from start to finish on race day through their website and free app. Afterwards, Velon will produce highlights taken from GoPro cameras fitted to the bikes and pop it up on their YouTube channel. Velon.cc
- Rae Morrison joins Liv Global Athletes to race the EWS – Now that they have the new Hail Advanced, the industry’s first women’s-specific 160mm travel trail bike, Liv is going a step further in Enduro racing, and paired up with up-and-coming New Zealander Rae Morrison to prep for the 2017 Enduro World Series. Liv-Cycling.com
Industry news & more advocacy
- Huffy wants independent bike shops as warranty service for their bikes – Big box and department store Huffies often bear the brunt of ire from both serious cyclists and anyone associated with the bike sale & service industry. But the way Huffy CEO Bill Smith sees it, his company sells more than 4 million bikes a year that are essentially a gateway drug to more serious cycling. More people on bikes is always good, and Smith wants the people who buy these entry-level bikes to be accepted by the cycling industry and get the professional support from shops that will keep them happy, interested and continuing to ride. He makes a great argument how working together will benefit everyone from young kids on their first bike to the IBD owners. It really is worth reading what he has to say at the dealer summit and speaking with industry journal Bicycle Retailer.
- Support Trips for Kids WNC with Amazon Smile – You know Amazon Smile, right? Denote a charity on Amazon, and every time you buy something through the site Amazon send a portion of the sale to the charity. Well, now the Western North Carolina wing of Trips for Kids has joined the big Smile list, along with 10 other local member organizations across the US. Support them with every dollar you spend shopping online, or find a cycling charity in your won backyard at: Smile.Amazon.com.
Off season training
- Win a cross training ski trip to Deer Valley – This isn’t really training related, but roll across our desk. Out of Park City was just launched the 2017 “JANS Dream Vacation Sweepstakes” One lucky winner and a friend of their choosing will receive the following: a 3 night stay at the St. Regis in Deer Valley, 2 days of skiing at Deer Valley, roundtrip airport transfer from Salt Lake, custom fit Fischer Vacuum ski boots, and a $1,500 Marmot shopping spree in town. We think that could be a decent way to spend some of your winter cross-training, right? More info and to register at their Facebook.
