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There comes a point on some organized bicycle rides when I wonder what I'm doing there.

That point came very early on the 2010 Chilly Hilly ride on Sunday as I stood in line with several thousand other cyclists and wondered if I was ever going to make the ferry to Bainbridge Island for the start of the ride.

But I came to understand what I was doing there -- to enjoy the camaraderie of 6,000 fellow cyclists -- later on down the road.

The promise of partly sunny skies had organizers expecting record numbers for the 37th annual bike ride sponsored by the Cascade Bicycle Club. The 33-mile tour marking the end of winter is a rite of passage for bicyclists in the Seattle area, and more tend to take those rites when the temperature is in the 50s.

In fact, Sunday was such a great day that Cascade reported 6,028 riders participated this year, an all-time record for the ride.

In spite of arriving early, we missed the first first ferry ....   more »

This Sunday's Chilly Hilly marks the traditional launch of the recreational bike ride season in the Pacific Northwest.

Presented by the Cascade Bicycle Club, the 33-mile bike loop around Bainbridge Island isn't that long compared to most organized bike rides.

It becomes more of a challenge, however, when you factor in the 2,875 feet of elevation gain over a dozen steep climbs, the possibility of cold and wet weather and the fact that this is the first time some riders have had their bicycles out of the garage in several months.

This Sunday's weather on Bainbridge Island certainly aims to damage Chilly Hilly's reputation as an ordeal to be survived ....   more »

The drive to make bicycling safer hit severe roadblocks in three state legislatures last week.

The bad week started in Virginia where a bill to require cars to give bicycles 3 feet of clearance failed on Monday in the House of Delegates by a 54-43 vote.

Then on Tuesday, Washington's state's "vulnerable user" bill died when it failed to meet a Senate deadline for transfer to the House. On Thursday, the South Dakota Senate rejected a 3-foot passing law by a 10-24 vote.

It makes us wonder what bicyclists have to do to protect our safety out on the road. Keep demanding changes in the laws, I suppose ....   more »

Some nattily attired bicyclists are planning to take to the streets on Sunday for Seattle's first "tweed bike ride" and they're inviting anyone to join in.

Dapper attire, preferably tweed, is highly encouraged. In fact, the invitation states that lycra is forbidden -- "We're trying to be British."

If you're wondering what to wear, check out the gentleman at left from a recent San Francisco bike ride shot by juicyrai at Flickr.com or other images from the SF Tweed pool.

Attendees are invited to gather at the Cal Anderson Fountain at noon on Sunday for tea, followed by a mellow group ride ...   more »

You better start practicing your bicycle jousting skills, your two-wheeled balance and your good humor as the New Belgium Brewery's Urban Assault Rides are coming to 13 cities in 2010.

Essentially, a two-person team sets out to visit 11 checkpoints around town to complete a challenge at each location. There's no route. The team to complete all 11 obstacles in the shortest time wins.

Three cities have been added to the Urban Assault Ride tour in 2010. The 13 are:

Tucson -- April 18
Berkeley -- May 2
Seattle -- May 16
Portland -- May 23
.....   more »

Every Sunday and holiday, some 70 miles of streets in Bogota, Colombia, are closed to motor vehicles, allowing bicycle riders, skaters and pedestrians to roam free.

That ciclovia-style celebration has been catching on in some U.S. cities, where a thoroughfare or city park is ruled car-free for one or more weekend days in the spring and summer.

Now, more U.S. cities are ready to join those that already make their streets more liveable for at least one day a year.

Planning its first ciclovia is Spokane, Washington. Among cities that have a history of ciclovia-style events are Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, New York City, San Jose, Kansas City and Chicago ...   more »