Bike Education at Jackson Mann School

Our CommonWheels staff is blazing the way at Jackson Mann K-8 School. One of our Program Managers, Sophie, warmed up the bike program by helping Coach Magee last spring, and she has built the fall curriculum off of that initial start. The biking unit will go through October and resume in the spring.

We are developing our approach when educating youth and creating a curriculum that is supportive and accessible to students regardless of their prior experience with biking.  The curriculum does this by creating a range of interdisciplinary access points. During out first two classes we have done ice breakers, team building activities, a package opening activity, assigned each child a bike and helmet, and pumped up the tires. There will be opportunities for students to perform and share biking related writing and art, Bibliocycle the Mobile Boston Public Library bike will be visiting, and we will have interactive relays and opportunities for new riders to develop riding skills in an encouraging space.

Summer Safe Biking Class

Earlier this month, Commonwheels hosted a week long "Summer Safe Biking" program in partnership with the Harvard Ed Portal. We had 13 local kids from the Allston-Brighton neighborhood participate and for three hours each day they learned bike safety, basic mechanics, and practiced riding. About half of the students brought their own bike, and half borrowed bikes that had been donated to Commonwheels.

The first day started with a brief pre-quiz which everyone protested because it was summer and quizzes are for school. Once they suffered through the quiz, students were given a helmet and learned how to check the ABC's (Air, Brakes, Chain) on their bikes. The second half of class the kids practiced their bike handling skills by riding through an obstacle course and riding in a close group with their classmates.

The following days started with a lesson on a part of the bike where we mixed in enough activities to keep it exciting. Such as when we learned about flat tires, the class was split into two groups and raced to see who could be the first to pump up their tube and make it explode. Each afternoon pushed their riding abilities even further with games like "basketball" to practice riding one handed and eventually building up to bike rides along the Charles River on Thursday and Friday.

We had one student, Gabriella, who learned to ride over the course of the week. She began the class extremely nervous about riding, but by Friday she was proudly riding around the parking lot on her own and smiling while doing it! At the end of the week, each participant received a certificate of achievement, a set of bike lights, a U-lock, tire levers, and a bike safety booklet. The following week, those who did not have their own bikes were invited back along with their families, where they were given the bikes they had been riding all week! Since the end of the program, we've had two of the students come visit us at our open shops and we are excited for the participants to stay connected with CommonWheels! A big shout out to Jason and Ellen at the Ed Portal for organizing and helping to run the program!

After School at Open Shop!

Recently at a Wednesday Open Shop, a boy came up to me and introduced himself as Philip, a fifth grader from up the street. He said his gym teacher told him about CommonWheels and that he could learn about bikes and he was just wondering if he could fix bikes with us? 

Then Philip's mother gave him a stern lecture not to leave the building, and he hung out with us for three hours. I gave Philip a bike to work on and he cleaned the frame, changed the seat, lubricated the chain, and we were going to fix the brakes until I broke them clean off the fork. Womp.

  

After that, a gentleman came in to Open Shop with a flat tire and Philip fixed that too! I was really impressed with Philip, not only because he could do what you showed him to do on a bike, but also with how quickly he caught to the concepts at hand. He had a knack for figuring out what he needed to do and how to do it... not to say that a fifth grader isn't perfectly capable of it, but he was quicker to catch on than most adults who come our way.

  

Since that day, word has gotten around and we've found ourselves with 3-4 youth every Wednesday. They create a whole lot of positive chaos in the space, and we're having a blast teaching them mechanics. Allston, send us your children, we will put them to work.

  

Women's Earn-A-Bike

Guys, CommonWheels has been having a huge winter. Back when we were working out of a storage unit, outdoor Open Shops were our jam and when winter rolled around, we pretty much went into hibernation. Now that we have an indoor space at POP Allston, we've been able to keep the magic happening all winter long. Since moving indoors in October, we've been hosting Open Shop twice a week and we've run three rounds of mechanics classes. Look at us go!

We're also running a winter Women's Earn-A-Bike program in partnership with Charlesview Community Center in Lower Allston. This is the first time CW has been able to offer this kind of program, and we're really proud. In this program, women in the Allston-Brighton area can apply to participate in a 6-session bike mechanics and riding safety course, after which they will keep the bike they work on. We have an amazing group right now who will be completing their program in early April. 

The women have already learned how to fix flats, clean chains, recable and adjust braking and shifting systems, and other things things that will be useful in self-maintaining their bikes for a long time. We've also been able to ride around the neighborhoods of Allston together and learn some rules of the road and safe riding skills. The participants came to us with a range of experience--from comfortable to riding in the streets to just starting to try it out. One woman is learning how to ride, and she's making amazing progress. Her goal is to be able to ride to work so that she doesn't have to rely on the bus system, which often makes her late. Another woman wants to be able to ride with her children, and has been bringing her teenage daughter with her to class every week so they can work on bikes together. The others want to ride for exercise and fun, and possibly commute to work when they are more experienced. 

We're having an awful lot of fun. CW is also really lucky to have an amazing group of volunteers who have come out to help facilitate the program. Our sessions at Charlesview are a really great snapshot of what CW is all about--we have volunteers who have learned mechanics at Open Shops now paying it forward by teaching it to others in the community, and the bike love grows exponentially. 

In short, hibernation in the winter is for other people. Okay, that's one of the lessons here. Mostly, we're really fortunate to be a part of an amazing community and to be able to share our love of biking and all its benefits with everyone in it. 

All the bike love,

CW

Grrrease Time at POP Allston

For the past few months, we've been partnering with the rad people of Femmechanics, a group of femme and/or trans* and/or women cyclists in Boston. On the first Sunday of every month (1-3pm at POP Allston, 89 Brighton Ave), we host them for Grrrease Time, an Open Shop for people to teach and be taught about bikes in an inclusive space. 

If you identify with that community and haven't checked out any Femmechanics events yet, do yourself a favor and get on it. Not only do they host Grrrease Time (also found at Bikes Not Bombs and Hub Bicycle), but they also host a huge variety of social events, rides, bike camping, workshops, and a yearly alley cat, Babes Bike Boston.

This past Grrrease Time session, we made DIY studded tires! Because it's January, and winter hasn't even started yet and the T is already failing. We followed this guy's advice and process, and they turned out really well. 

Want one of your own? We've got old tires for sale for cheap during our Open Shops. Then you get yourself a couple packs of screws, a drill, put on Netflix for a few hours like you're going to do anyway, and before you know it you're riding in Boston winter like you got four-wheel drive. 

Stay warm out there friends,

CW

Growing Roots & Building Ties in Charlesview Community

June 14^th, 2015 was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, and the wheels were turning at the Josephine A. Fiorentino Community Center at Charlesview. Close to 50 folks, most aged ten and younger, came out for CommonWheels’ first “Family Bikes Fiesta” of the season.

In addition to the crowd-favorite piñata, we provided bicycles to borrow, bike repair and one-on-one teaching of the basics of bicycle maintenance, and hosted a ride to the nearby Charles River pathways. At the end of four hours, kids had the skills to ride safe and fix smart, and eleven bicycles were donated to families who did not have access to bikes. 

The beauty of CommonWheels is the broad range of community we’re able to serve through our events, due in large part to the support and outreach of our neighborhood partners. Although four of the bikes donated went to Charlesview residents, seven other bicycles went to families who do not live at Charlesview—but in the nearby housing development of Faneuil Gardens, or to families who reside with state assistance at the Days Inn Hotel less than a mile from the Josephine A. Fiorentino Community Center. The energy and community of the Fiesta attracted these families from outside of Charlesview, and in turn, these children were able to meet and play with local Charlesview residents, and their parents were introduced to the services and staff of the community center.

Over the past year, working with Charlesview staff and the Community Center, CommonWheels has hosted six different clinics on bicycle repair and riding, and donated roughly thirty bicycles to Charlesview residents. Our regular presence at Charlesview has resulted in a strong community of families who turn out, time and time again, to fix their bikes, to learn bike handling skills and safe riding, and has helped to build relationships and trust amongst the neighborhood.

We want to grow these relationships over the years. First, we get young kids riding confidently when they’re 7 years-old, and we stay with them as they learn to fix their own flat tires at age 9, and later help them design a safe route to bike to middle school when they turn 11, and we can look forward to hiring them as CommonWheels staff in their teens.

CommonWheels doesn’t view our work as a charity resource to be given out, but rather as a relationship that grows stronger and deeper with each interaction. It is through these relationships that our own collective organization, and our own sense of community, grows.

The overarching mission of CommonWheels is to “empower people to use the bicycle to enhance their lives.” We want the bicycle to be part of everyone’s lifestyle, a free way to access transportation, to gain personal freedom, and to foster a sense of community through the simple joy of riding bikes with friends and neighbors. Our work with Charlesview and our involvement with their community allow us to succeed in that mission, year after year, bike ride after bike ride.

We look forward to our continued partnership, sharing the bicycle as an avenue to enhance the lives of Charlesview residents and the greater community.

Open Shop Returns!

You know if must really be spring when Open Shop finally makes its triumphant return!  Free, DIY, guerilla-style bike maintenance is coming back to the streets of Allston this week.   For those of you who don't know what the deal, Open Shop is our flagship program.  We set up shop on the side of the road with our repair stands and tools, and then help you fix whatever might be ailing your bike, all for free.  We aim to demystify the bike so that you can maintain your ride yourself.

We're expanding our reach into North Allston this year, so Open Shop will alternate between Union Square (same location as last year), and Barry's Corner (corner of N. Harvard and Western Ave).  Here's a map with our two spots for the season.

What: Free, DIY, guerilla bike maintenance, and a great cycling community. 
When: Every Wednesday afternoon, from about 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm, weather permitting.
Where: Union Square Allston, or Barry's Corner Allston on alternating weeks.

A,B,Cs of Bike Maintenance! Fri, 4/12 at 4:30pm

After cleaning your bike last Sunday, I'm sure you've noticed that your tires may be running a bit low or your brakes a bit soft or your chain skips a bit... Well, we've got you covered! On Fri April 12 from 4:30-6:30 we will be hosting an A,B,Cs of Maintenance workshop at the Harvard Ed Portal Annex. We'll have pumps to inflate tires, wrenches to tighten brakes, and we'll cover the basics of derailleur adjustments to keep you shifting smoothly.

175 N Harvard St
in Allston, MA
02134!

Come by, learn a thing or two about your ride, and hang out with the CommonWheels Open Shop Crew!

We're Hiring!

We currently have a Winter Storm Warning in effect here in Boston, but Spring is, in fact, just around the corner.  We'll be starting up our Open Shop program again very soon.  We're expanding the program this year: multiple locations within Allston, two events per week, and a presence at two farmers markets.  In order to make this happen, we're hiring on some passionate, friendly, organized, and hard-working folks for the season.  Hey! You're a biker-lover with a passion for spreading the bike love and helping people get where they need to go by making sure their bike is properly maintained.  Why haven't you applied yet??  It really seems like you should.

We have two positions we're looking to fill.  The Event Coordinator is in charge of managing Open Shop from set-up to break-down.  The Mechanic takes the lead on repairs and instruction at Open Shop.  An Application consists of a brief cover letter and a resume, emailed to info@commonwheels.org with either "Event Coordinator" or "Mechanic" as the subject line by Friday, March 22nd.

Want to know more?  Just keep scrolling down!  Job descriptions are below.

* * * * * * *

CommonWheels Bicycle Co-Op is a nonprofit based in Allston. Our mission is to empower people to use the bicycle to enhance their lives. We aim to encourage bike riders of all experience levels and backgrounds to learn to maintain and repair their own bikes, to become confident, safe urban cyclists, and to discover new people and experiences on two wheels. We provide free skill-sharing workshops, creative group rides, tools and peer instruction, multilingual resources, and community.

Our flagship program is Open Shop, which takes place at Farmers’ Markets and on weekday evenings on major bike thoroughfares. We provide free access to tools and peer instruction on bicycle repair and maintenance. We flag people down as they ride by, and offer free air and bike checks; most people who stop to pump up their tires find that they could also use a brake adjustment, chain lube, or other repairs, maintenance, or fit adjustment. In addition to the ride- by participants, people seek us out for help with repair issues, to work on building a bike, or to purchase a discounted helmet or light. We do not keep many parts in stock; we are focused on simple repairs and diagnosis of major issues. Unlike a bike shop, CommonWheels shows people how to repair and maintain their bike themselves.

Mechanic/Bike Educator:

CommonWheels is seeking a passionate and self-directed person with demonstrated mechanics experience to staff Open Shop events in conjunction with an Event Coordinator and additional volunteers. This is a part-time, seasonal position.

Responsibilities:

• Diagnose bike repair and maintenance issues
• Walk participants through repair process, instructing them on how to do the repairs themselves, and demystifying bicycle mechanics for the participants
• Complete bike repairs of minor and moderate intensity (e.g. fix flat tires, adjust/replace brakes and cables, true wheels, adjust/replace chains, repack hubs and bottom brackets, adjust derailleurs, adjust bike fit), particularly related to safety check
• Diagnose major repair issues and make recommendations (running the gamut from “go buy this part and come back and we’ll fix it together” to “you’re really better off with a new bike”)
• Keep track of tools and assist Event Coordinator with inventory of materials/parts used
• Run workshops on bicycle repair topics such as fixing a flat, cleaning and lubing drivetrain, and occasionally more advanced topics

Requirements:

• Must have at least 1 year mechanics experience.
• Must be comfortable working with a wide range of bicycles of all styles, ages, and levels of disrepair.
• Comfortable working outdoors from April through October (tent provided; events cancelled in cases of severe weather).
• Conversational Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese or Korean a plus.
• Must be highly responsible and able to work independently.
• Must be friendly, patient, and excited to empower others to learn bicycle mechanics.

Time Commitment:

Open Shop: One weeknight per week from April through September, usually 5-8pm, - flexible depending on availability of Staff

Farmers’ Market: one per week from May through October, alternating Fridays 4-7pm and Saturdays 11-3pm

Location:
Allston, alternating weeks between Union Square (Jackson Mann Community Center) and Barry’s Corner (intersection of N. Harvard and Western Ave in North Allston)

Compensation: contract position, equivalent of $20 - $25/hr

Event Coordinator:

CommonWheels is seeking a passionate, organized and self-directed person to manage Open Shop events in conjunction with a mechanic and additional volunteers. This is a part-time, seasonal position for someone who wants to make a difference in their bike community. We are looking for someone who will take initiative, engage others, and promote our Open Shops.

Responsibilities:

•     Transport equipment to and from storage space to event location via bicycle trailer
•     Set up/break down events, including farmers’ market-style tent
•     Be friendly and outgoing, actively reaching out to bikers passing by and visitors to the farmers’ market, and utilize social media to promote events.
•     Ensure that all participants sign an electronic waiver before their bike is worked on
•     Provide peer instruction on basic maintenance and repairs, such as pumping tires, fixing a flat, lubing a chain, and tightening brakes (training will be provided)
•     Provide advice and resources on safe urban riding skills, good bike routes for transportation and/or recreation, where to buy a bike, etc.
•     Keep track of donations and keep inventory of materials used at each event
•     Coordinate with volunteers

Requirements:

•     Ability to work independently.
•     Must be reliable, consistent, organized and prompt.
•     Experienced in cycling in and around Boston.
•     Able to lift up to 25 lbs and ride a bike with a trailer attached in urban setting.
•     Comfortable working outdoors from April through October (tent provided; events cancelled in cases of severe weather)
•     Conversational Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese or Korean a plus.
•     Must be friendly, patient, and excited to empower others to become their own mechanic.
•     Skills with basic bicycle maintenance and repair not required but a plus.

Time Commitment:

Open Shop: One weeknight per week from April through September, available 4-9pm (event 5-8pm plus setup/breakdown)- flexible depending on availability of Staff
Farmers’ Market: one per week from May through October, alternating between Fridays 3-8pm (market 4-7 pm) and Saturdays 10am-4pm (market 11am-3pm)

Location:

 Allston, alternating weeks between Union Square (Jackson Mann Community Center) and Barry’s Corner (intersection of N. Harvard and Western Ave in North Allston)

Compensation: contract position, $15 - $18/hr

CommonWheels is an equal employment opporunity employer.  Women, people of color, LGBTQ persons, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Blizzard Riding 2013!

For the past month we've been sending out Winter Tips on our Facebook and Twitter. Here's a few to keep you riding out during Boston Blizzard Nemo 2013!

#1: Be aware of your long coat hanging low and covering your rear light — if it’s blocked, maybe change where your light sits on your bike.

#2: If you’re ever riding on black ice or frozen cold metal grates, just keep the handle bars straight, don’t turn, and don’t brake! That’ll help you from slipping.

#3: Always have gloves – they will keep you a lot happier. Outer thicker/cycling gloves, inner glove liners, and hand warmers are great on really cold days. Also, surgical plastic gloves work well as a cheap first layer to keep hands dry during wet ride.

#4: Is it getting pretty wet out? You can use plastic bags (free from CVS) and wrap your shoes or put it over your socks in your shoes to keep your feet dry. Cheap and classy!

#5: Decrease your tire pressure when riding on snow, maybe by 10–15 PSI; you’ll go slower but get more traction and have an easier time riding over the chunky rock-salts.

#6: Plan your attire for “10 minutes into your ride.” Layer up (non-cotton clothes; base, middle, insulation, waterproof) keeping in mind you’re burning calories; start colder and warm up into your clothes. Riding overheated is an uncomfortable way to roll. But, if your ride is less than 10 minutes, start warm and stay warm!

#7: Lube Your Chain! Even if there’s no snow, you’re still riding in salt and sand. Do it every other week at the minimum, with the real stuff (not WD-40!).

#8: Lowering your seat just a bit may help keep balance, especially if you need to catch yourself slipping on a turn or on ice.

#9: Is your head cold under that helmet? Get a thin cap, or a bandana, or even tape up the holes to keep that warmth in!

#10: Fenders are great at keeping that melting slush from splashing your back (skunk trail). You can modify most types to fit your bike, or make some with duct tape and a box.

#11: Even if the snow has melted, the sand on the roads can be just as slippery as ice, so take care, go slow on turns, prepare to catch yourself sliding.

#12: Brake Twice; the first squeeze is to clean off your rims, which will make sure you stop nice and quick on round two.

#13: Stash a plastic bag under your seat or in your bag so when it’s raining you can cover your saddle while briefly locked up outside.

#14: In 15 degree weather, a good face mask will be the best $25 you can spend.

#15: If you have to bike in 5 degrees for an extended period of time, you’re risking minor frostbite on any exposed skin. Put a thin layer of Vaseline or the like on your nose and cheeks to prevent frostbite. It’s extreme, but so are you!

#16: You lose lots of moisture from breathing out steam in the cold, though you may not realize it. Remember to stay hydrated out there!

#17: The weather can change fast over the course of the day. If the weather changes and you don’t want to ride, be multimodal and take your bike on the T.

#18: A nice thrift store wool sport coat makes for a warm, effective outer layer that you won’t mind getting a bit dirty on slushy days.

#19: Potholes are common after a few days of hard freeze followed by a warming. The expanded soil beneath the asphalt melts back down and causes the pavement to crumble. Keep an eye out for new potholes in your commute.

#20: Consider packing some extra batteries for your lights. The cold can effect electronics and drain your juice. Stay bright out there!

Winter Bike Maintenance Workshop!

Saturday December 8, 1:30-3pm
at the Harvard Allston Education Portal
175 N Harvard St, Allston 02134

An essential part of winter riding is keeping the salt and sand from destroying your ride. So this Saturday we’re getting together to talk maintenance, and then dirtying our hands dirty by cleaning our bikes!

This is the 3rd installment of our Winter Biking workshops: we’ll teach the basics of cleaning and maintenance during the cold and wet season in Boston. We’ll have the materials on hand to allow everyone to clean their bicycles of the grit gathered from urban riding, and send everyone home with a “wipe and lube” kit.

So come by the Education Portal, get the tools you’ll need to keep your bike nice in the bad weather, and maybe play a round of mini-golf after the workshop (seriously, they have indoor mini-golf there!)

This presentation is also supported by MassBike and the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness, and is free and open to the public.
See you there!

Winterize Your Ride workshop

Saturday, December 1; 1:30pm-3pm Harvard Allston Education Portal, 175 N Harvard St Allston, 02134 "Winterize Your Ride" workshop and open discussion It's totally possible to commute by bike in the Winter! ...But you do need the right tips.  Join us for a "Bicycle Commuting for Everyone: Winter Edition" MassBike presentation, followed by a discussion on the various options for converting a bicycle so that it is more efficient, effective, and easier to maintain during the winter months. Winter can be a tough time to bike in Boston but the instructors have experience riding through some of the worst of New England’s weather, and will cover the tips and tricks they’ve picked up in an informative presentation. Presentation is created and supported by MassBike and the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness (BCFF) it's free, and open to everyone and anyone.

Fix-A-Flat and Tighten Your Brakes workshop

Saturday, November 17, 1:30pm!

We’re hosting a “Fix-A-Flat” and “Tighten Your Brakes” workshop to teach light maintenance to keep you safe and rolling (just because, just in case…). We will cover the basics of how to remove your wheels, take off / put on your tire and tube, how to find the appropriate air pressure to keep inflated, and how to locate any holes and punctures so you can repair them. And we’ll cover the easy ways to keep your brakes nice and tight. This will be low-key and hands-on — so be prepared to bring your bike, maneuver tire levers, and pump!

at the:

Harvard Education Portal, in Allston
175 North Harvard Street
Allston MA, 02134

1:30-3pm

for more info contact: info@commonwheels.org

Subsidized $5 Hubway Membership Drive

When: Thurs, November 8 — 4-6pm

Where: at the Joseph M Smith Community Health Center, 287 Western Ave in Lower Allston

What: $5 Hubway Membership Drive!!! (+ free helmets!)

CommonWheels and the City of Boston are teaming up to promote the subsidized Hubway membership program at the Joseph M Smith Community Health Center in Lower Allston. For low-income qualifying residents, a year’s worth of Hubway is only $5 (that’s right, for the whole year!). We want you to get a membership, and tell your folks and neighbors too, so come by the JMSCHC on Thursday between 4 and 6 to get your ride on!

(also, we’ve got free food there too!)

Volunteer opportunity: bike valet at the Hubway Birthday Bash

Bust out your party hat and dancin’ shoes: Hubway is celebrating its first birthday next Tuesday at the Hubway Birthday Bash at the Boston Society of Architects space. Hubway will be invading the very cool “Let’s Talk About Bikes” exhibit, and Mayor Thomas Menino is expected.

If you haven’t been down to the BSA space, it’s a great location on the Harborwalk in Downtown. Really, the only downside to the space is the dearth of bike parking in the area. That’s where we come in. We’ll be providing bike valet for the party, and we need your help! We’re asking for volunteers to serve a 1.5 hour shift. If you’ve never done bike valet, we’ll show you the ropes. All volunteers get a aggressively stylish CommonWheels t-shirt, and a chance to check out the party.

Okay, the details:

What: Bike valet at the Hubway Birthday Bash
When: Tuesday, July 24th. The event is 6-8pm, we’ll be 5:30-8:30pm
Where: BSA Space, 290 Congress Street
How you can help: Sign up for a 1.5 hour shift parking bikes and spreading the CW love
To sign up: Join the Facebook event, or email patrick@commonwheels.org.

Father’s Day Family Bikes Day, this Sunday!

CommonWheels is throwing a FAMILY BIKES PARTY at the Joseph M. Smith Community Health Center in N. Allston! It will be a family-themed day, with rides from the health center to the Charles River park (only a few blocks away!). Bring your own bikes, but we’ll have bikes to borrow for adults and kids, helmets to give away, an obstacle course (to test your bike skillz!), and group rides out to the river.

So come by, bring your kids and families. We’ll be in the back parking lot having a blast!

Happy Father’s Day — CW

Bike Safety Day at the D-14 Station

come one, come all, bring your kids, to…

Bike Week! with CommonWheels

It’s Bike Week!  We’ve got a TON of stuff on the calendar:

Saturday May 12th: Allston Village Farmer’s Market, 11am – 3pm, it’s Allston’s first farmer’s market of the season, on the corner of Brighton Ave and Cambridge St (Union Sq in Allston, right outside Jackson Mann Community Center).  Come by to grab some fresh produce — and CW will be there with tools and stands and free helmets for folks in the community!

Sunday May 13th: The Christina Clarke Genco Memorial Ride , 8am to 3pm, a fantastic ride around Newtown. Funds raised on this ride will benefit Habitat for Humanity and and Bike & Build.

Monday May 14th: Rush Hour Race!  7:45am to 10am.  What’s the fastest way to get from Davis Square to Kendall Square? Join local celebrities as they “race to work” using three modes of transportation (bike, car, and the T).  Hosted by LivableStreets and Somerville and Cambridge Bicycle Committees

Wednesday May 15th: CW Open Shop,  5:30pm until dusk, on the corner of Union Sq in Allston (in case of rain event will be TBD).  We’ll be there with stands, tools, and know-how to help you get your wheels rolling!

Thursday May 17th: Bike and Bowl! 6pm – 8pm, until 11pm. CW is leading a ride around the city out to Castle Island and ending up at Kings Bowling Alley in the Back Bay. We’re meeting at Copley Sq at 6 (leaving at 6:30), riding along the river, harbor, and through the South End before making it to Kings at 8pm for bowling and beverages.  Plus there’s Karaoke!

Friday May 18th: Bike Friday at City Hall Plaza, 7am -10am, join your fellow local bike commuters as they ride from destinations all around the region converging at Boston’s City Hall for free breakfast and tons of smiles.

Sunday May 20th: Allston/Brighton’s D-14 Child Safety Day, 10am – 2pm, at 301 Washington Street.  It’ll be featuring a CW-hosted Bike Rodeo and Obstacle Course, with free helmets and a few kids bikes to give away, and free ice cream and hot dogs  and a moon bounce and tons of prizes!  Bring your kid, or your inner-kid, out to a great day in Allston.

SO MUCH BIKES!  These are great opportunities to get out and ride with others. In our opinion, there’s nothing quite as fun as a good group ride.

and of course every week is bike week for CommonWheels, so keep up with us and we hope to see you at all our happenings all season long.

-CW

Join the Christina Clarke Genco Mother’s Day Memorial Ride

We wanted to spread the word about this great ride for a great cause! please consider joining CW and the hundreds of other riders on mother’s day for theChristina Clarke Genco Foundation ride.

here’s a bit of info: ”The mission of the Christina Clarke Genco Foundation is to inspire youth to find their passion and make a difference in their communities. We seek to encourage youth to channel their energies towards the development of skills and personal qualities that will enhance their life and the well being of their family and communities. We believe in empowering youth to find their passion through athletic activities, community service, and pedal power.

Christina was on her second service trip with Bike & Build, a non-profit group dedicated to cross-country bicycle trips to benefit affordable housing when a tragic accident took her life at the age of 22. Christina’s short journey through life was driven by her passion for helping others.  She was an inspiration to hundreds of youth, nurturing, mentoring, and coaching them. She will always be remembered for her gentle spirit, athleticism, creativity, and commitment to making a difference in the world at such a young age.

The Foundation was created to continue Christina’s legacy.”

you can check out more info here: https://www.facebook.com/ccgfoundation

and at: http://ccgfoundation.org/

and read a bit about Christina’s personal bicycle connections in Boston, on Bike and Build, and at BU on The Humble Cyclist’s great post.

If you can’t join the ride, please consider donating to the cause.

Sincerely, in memory and solidarity,

CW