March Newsletter
Ready to ride off all the king cake? Lots of chances to get on your bikes this month! Check out the latest from Bike BR and #yeahbike!
GEARS ON TAP - Our second public meeting of 2022 is coming up on Tuesday, March 8 at 6:30 p.m. This month we’ll be at Curbside Burgers and we couldn’t be more excited! A little bird told us they’re really rolling out the red carpet for us with drink specials (including the BR BIKE GREEN SHAKE!), food, and the whole outdoor patio just for us! Come show them some bike love and hear from speakers from Bike Easy and BREC. Bike Easy is partnering with us to bring some exciting things to the area for bike month in April. BREC is hosting the BR Bike Fest and will talk more about it at the meeting. Come out and get a pint and a bite! Let us know you’re coming on Facebook here.
SECOND FRIDAY RIDES - This month’s Second Friday Ride is leaving from Curbside on March 11 at 6:30 p.m. We’ve had great turnouts and fun rides for both of our first two Second Fridays and we can’t wait for this one!
Make sure your bikes are lit, helmets are encouraged and if kiddos are in tow, remember per City-Parish ordinance, children 12 or under must have a helmet. Let us know you’re coming on the Facebook event page. Come on out and let everyone know that #irodewithbikebr!
BR BIKE FEST - As mentioned early, BREC Extreme Sports is hosting BR Bike Fest on April 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Perkins Road Community Park. We’re partnering with BREC and BRAMBA (Baton Rouge Area Mountain Bike Association) to bring this event to the city. It’s been two years in the making as the pandemic has forced us to delay, but the wait will be well worth it! For more info visit BREC’s website here.
PUBLIC COMMENTS - MOVEBR is doing work on Lee Drive. It’s a much needed improvement and whatever final design the project managers choose, Lee Drive will have some bike infrastructure element, which is a HUGE win in itself. Bike Baton Rouge feels a multi-use path, separated from traffic, would not only be the safest option, but the most appealing for the neighborhood. Comments are open and you can leave one online here.
SOCIAL RIDE LEADER TRAINING - Want to start a social ride in your neighborhood? It needs a leader, why not you? Bike BR education committee member Samantha Morgan is training for anybody interested in learning how to safely lead a group social ride. Each training is split into two two-hour classes with the first class covering how to map out a ride, pre-ride instructions, road laws and safety tips, and basic first-aid. The second class covers basic bike maintenance.
The first class will be held March 6 at the City Park tennis courts. The safety and planning class is $15 for non-members. The mechanics class is $25 for non-members. Become a member and waive the fees! For more information and to register for the classes, see Sam’s post on our blog here.
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS - Want to get involved and have fun?! Then Volunteer with Bike BR! We are recruiting volunteers to help run the Bike Baton Rouge Bike Corral at Blues Fest this year.
What will you do? Check bikes in and out for free VIP bicycle parking at the festival, as well as assist riders with any needs. Shifts are in 2 hour increments and you'll receive not only complementary adult (and non-adult beverages) but Bike BR schwag as well for your efforts. To sign up email lynley@bikebr.org.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
March 6 - Social Ride Leader Training, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., City Park (registration required)
March 8 - Gears on Tap, 6:30 p.m., Curbside Burgers
March 11 - Second Friday Ride, 6:30 p.m., Curbside Burgers
Here’s a list of weekly rides. Find one near and meet some fellow bike riders!
Sunday
Baker Buffalo Cruisers -Baker, LA-Baker Walmart (6PM)
Monday
Downtown East Social Ride -BR, LA-Electric Depot (6PM)
Tuesday
Tuesdays on Wheels -Port Allen, LA-Cohn Elementary (7PM)
Wednesday
Capital Heights Social Ride -BR, LA-Ingleside United Methodist Church (7:15PM)
Westside Wednesday -Baker, LA-Ruffin’s II (7PM)
Thursday
Geaux Ride -BR, LA-521 N Third St (7:45PM)
Friday
Who Dat Riderz -BR, LA-Past Time Lounge (7PM)
Tuesday, Thursday, (6:30 PM) and Saturday (8AM)
Community Riders -Zachary, LA-BREC’s Zachary Community Park
Membership - Please consider becoming a member if you're not already. The more members we have, the louder our voice. And if you're not sure if you're still a member, email us at info@bikebr.org and we'll check!
February Newsletter
Do you know what we love? BIKES! Happy Valentine’s Day to all our #yeahbikers! Here’s the latest from Bike BR!
SECOND FRIDAY RIDES - We had a great turnout for our first Second Friday Ride in January. We hope to see even more bikes out for our February ride! This month's ride will start and end at Radio Bar in Mid City. Kick-stands go up at 6:30pm on February 11. Post-ride, come back for a refreshing brew, a chance to win our #yeahbike raffle and of course hang with friends.
Make sure your bikes are lit, helmets are encouraged and if kiddos are in tow, remember per City-Parish ordinance, children 12 or under must have a helmet. Let us know you’re coming on the Facebook event page. Come on out and let everyone know that #irodewithbikebr!
2. DOTD OPEN HOUSES - If you haven’t heard yet, I-10 is about to undergo major renovations and (car) traffic is about to get a lot worse. It’s a great time to start finding other ways around town (like on a bike). But if you have thoughts about the project or just want to know more, DOTD is hosting two open houses.
The first open house is February 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Ballroom. Registration is open here.
The second open house is February 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Dr. Leo S. Butler Center. Registration for that event is here.
3. SOCIAL RIDE LEADER TRAINING - Want to start a social ride in your neighborhood? It needs a leader, why not you? Bike BR education committee member Samantha Morgan is training for anybody interested in learning how to safely lead a group social ride. Each training is split into two two-hour classes with the first class covering how to map out a ride, pre-ride instructions, road laws and safety tips, and basic first-aid. The second class covers basic bike maintenance.
The first two classes will be held March 6 and March 13 at the City Park tennis courts. The safety and planning class is $15 for non-members. The mechanics class is $25 for non-members. Become a member and waive the fees! For more information and to register for the classes, see Sam’s post on our blog here.
4. CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS - We also need you to help bring our events to life! We’re always looking for volunteers. If you’d like to be put on our volunteer list, email info@bikebr.org. If you’ve never volunteered, don’t worry! We’ll train you and help you get comfortable. It’s a great way to stay involved and to help biking spread in the community!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
February 11 - Second Friday ride, 6:30 p.m. at Radio Bar
Here’s a list of weekly rides. Find one near and meet some fellow bike riders!
Sunday
Baker Buffalo Cruisers -Baker, LA-Baker Walmart (6PM)
Monday
Downtown East Social Ride -BR, LA-Electric Depot (6PM)
Tuesday
Tuesdays on Wheels -Port Allen, LA-Cohn Elementary (7PM)
Wednesday
Capital Heights Social Ride -BR, LA-Ingleside United Methodist Church (7:15PM)
Westside Wednesday -Baker, LA-Ruffin’s II (7PM)
Thursday
Geaux Ride -BR, LA-521 N Third St (7:45PM)
Friday
Who Dat Riderz -BR, LA-Past Time Lounge (7PM)
Tuesday, Thursday, (6:30 PM) and Saturday (8AM)
Community Riders -Zachary, LA-BREC’s Zachary Community Park
Membership - Please consider becoming a member if you're not already. The more members we have, the louder our voice. And if you're not sure if you're still a member, email us at info@bikebr.org and we'll check!
Want to start or lead a ride in your neighborhood? We'll train you!
Ready to become a bike leader for your own neighborhood ride?
Want a group ride in your neighborhood?
Bike Baton Rouge has an exciting opportunity to add a group bike ride in YOUR neighborhood!
Group bike rides are an effective way of convincing people who are curious about riding bikes, but a little cautious about safety, to take a chance and go for a ride.
With the safety of a pack, people can learn how to navigate an area of town safely. They can learn the backroads and the fun paths that are not accessible by car. Our hope is to have a group ride in every neighborhood so that any night of the week people can join a ride and learn more about how to ride in this city.
Neighborhoods that sign up will be provided:
Instructions
A logo
A page on the Bike Baton Rouge website
Training for ride leaders.
Ride leaders are crucial to making the ride a success. Each ride should have a primary leader and a secondary leader.
There will be a two-hour training class required for each ride leader. The training will cover:
How to map out a ride
Pre-ride instructions to riders
Road laws and safety tips
Basic first-aid instructions
Basic bike mechanics
The first two ride leader classes will be held on March 6 and 13. They will begin at 10 a.m. and end at noon. The meeting location will be at City Park at the tennis courts. The cost for the trainings are $15 for the March 6 basic planning and $25 for the March 13 basic mechanics training. Members can waive the fee. Let us know if you’re interested in becoming a ride leader by emailing us here.
January Newsletter
New year, new Bike BR newsletter! We have some big things coming in 2022 and it’s all kicking off with the return of our public meetings and our monthly bike rides. Details below, so read on and let’s start this year with a big #yeahbike!
GEARS ON TAP - Our public meetings are coming back! Gears on Tap is a bi-monthly public meeting for all Bike BR members and friends. The first installment is January 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Cypress Coast Brewing Co. These meetings will give Baton Rouge cyclists an opportunity to socialize, highlight bike-friendly businesses, and stay abreast of the latest advocacy initiatives going on in the Capital City. This month’s meeting will feature Steve Harvin of Pedego Electric Bikes, the launch of our Neighborhood Social Ride Leader Workshop, and updates on ordinances that can make Baton Rouge a more bike-friendly city. Let us know you're coming on Facebook here.
SECOND FRIDAY RIDES - The other event that we’re kicking off this month is our regular Second Friday Rides. These rides will be held every second Friday of the month and are led by Bike BR board members. The first ride is January 14 and leaves from Cypress Coast Brewing Co. at 6:30. We will return to the point of departure and the rides will be no more than 45 minutes. This month, Tina Ufford is taking the helm. Everyone is welcome but children riding alone must be able to ride a regular bike and those 12 years or younger are required to wear a helmet (helmets are suggested for those older than 12, but not required). Get on your bikes and ride with us! Facebook event here.
ADVOCACY UPDATE - On January 12, the Metro Council is expected to vote on the drive-through ordinance that we have advocated for. The measure was deferred from a meeting in November and we need you to show your support! Click here to let the Metro Council know you support equitable access to drive-throughs for people using all forms of transportation and mobility assistance.
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS - We also need you to help bring our events to life! We’re always looking for volunteers. If you’d like to be put on our volunteer list, email info@bikebr.org. If you’ve never volunteered, don’t worry! We’ll train you and help you get comfortable. It’s a great way to stay involved and to help biking spread in the community!
CHECK US OUT IN 225 MAGAZINE - If you haven’t already, pick up the January issue of 225 Magazine. Our president, Lynley, is featured as a Person to Watch in 2022! You can also read the feature here.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January 11 - Gears on Tap, 6:30 p.m. at Cypress Coast Brewing
January 14 - Second Friday ride, 6:30 p.m. at Cypress Coast Brewing
Here’s a list of weekly rides. Find one near and meet some fellow bike riders!
Sunday
Baker Buffalo Cruisers -Baker, LA- Baker Walmart (6PM)
Monday
Downtown East Social Ride -BR, LA- Electric Depot (6PM)
Tuesday
Tuesdays on Wheels -Port Allen, LA- Cohn Elementary (7PM)
Wednesday
Capital Heights Social Ride -BR, LA Ingleside United Methodist Church (7:15PM)
Westside Wednesday -Baker, LA- Ruffin’s II (7PM)
Thursday
Geaux Ride -BR, LA- 521 N Third St (7:45PM)
Friday
Who Dat Riderz -BR, LA- Past Time Lounge (7PM)
Tuesday, Thursday, (6:30 PM) and Saturday (8AM)
Community Riders -Zachary, LA- BREC’s Zachary Community Park
Membership - Please consider becoming a member if you're not already. The more members we have, the louder our voice. And if you're not sure if you're still a member, email us at info@bikebr.org and we'll check!
December Newsletter
Do you have a favorite holiday song or carol? Mine is Carol of the (Bike) Bells! Ding, ding, it’s the end of the year and we’re closing 2021 out with some exciting things happening for biking in Baton Rouge. Check out the latest from Bike BR and #yeahbike!
BIKE SAFETY - November was, sadly, a difficult month for cyclists in Baton Rouge. Tyrone Sauvant and Norimoto Murai died as the result of vehicle violence. A third cyclist whose name has not been made public was killed as well when they were hit by a high-risk driver who fled the scene. Safety is always a high concern for us at Bike BR and we are saddened and angered by these losses and the reality that vulnerable road users are often relegated to secondary consideration when traffic planning is underway. The Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety at LSU recently released their findings for 2020 and noted that while the pandemic saw fewer cars on the road leading to fewer crashes, fatalities spiked. Early data from the NHTSA shows crashes and fatalities on the rise nationally in the first half of 2021. It’s always a good time to be reminded of safe road practices. We have a few tips on our website to help make sharing the road safer, you can find them here.
Bike Safety and infrastructure was also back in the news this past month. We had the opportunity to speak out about how to improve safety for all our citizens through interviews with local media. See what our board representatives had to say, you can find their interviews on our media page here. We are committed to improving conditions for all road users and our deepest condolences go out to the friends and families of everyone affected by traffic violence.
CRANKSGIVING 2021 - Cranksgiving 2021 was a hit! We had 40 riders ranging in age from 3 to 80 navigate their way to five different grocery stores to gather food to donate to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. Thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, and donated, and if you didn’t get a chance to participate, make a plan for next year. Cranksgiving is always held the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Check out the gallery to relive some highlights!
UGLY SWEATER RIDE - We kicked off the holiday season with a group ride to the Downtown Festival of Lights. Several Bike BR members met up with a contingent from BRAMBA at City Park and headed to North Boulevard Town Square just in time to catch the city flip the switch on the Christmas tree. See a few pictures from BRAMBA member Robin Gibb Diamond here.
ADVOCACY UPDATE - This one is an advocacy win! Last month, the Metro Council adopted the ordinance changes that we proposed. These changes modernize the current city laws regarding bicycling and also bring them in line with current state laws. Our Vice President, Mark Martin, spearheaded this effort and wrote about what the changes mean on our blog here.
5. COMING UP - We have a lot of great things coming up in 2022! There are two in particular that many people have asked us for, and we’re happy to be able to bring them back starting in January.
First, we will be holding our open meetings again, called Gears on Tap! The first meeting will be Tuesday, January 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Cypress Coast Brewing. These meetings are open to anyone and will feature talks by local bike-friendly businesses, bicycle advocates, and other local enthusiasts. We hope to see you there!
The other new feature on our calendar is our MONTHLY RIDES! The second Friday of each month will bring a new Bike BR ride planned and led by a Bike BR board member. The first ride will be held on January 14, at 6:30 p.m. leaving from Cypress Coast Brewing. Helmets are encouraged, but not required except for children 12 years or younger. Children must also be able to ride a regular bike (no balance bikes or training wheels, please). Come ride with us!
6. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January 11 - Gears on Tap, 6:30 p.m. at Cypress Coast Brewing
January 14 - Second Friday ride, 6:30 p.m. at Cypress Coast Brewing
Here’s a list of weekly rides. Find one near and meet some fellow bike riders!
Sunday
Baker Buffalo Cruisers -Baker, LA-
Baker Walmart (6PM)
Monday
Downtown East Social Ride -BR, LA-
Electric Depot (6PM)
Tuesday
Tuesdays on Wheels -Port Allen, LA-
Cohn Elementary (7PM)
Wednesday
Capital Heights Social Ride -BR, LA
Ingleside United Methodist Church (7:15PM)
Westside Wednesday -Baker, LA-
Ruffin’s II (7PM)
Thursday
Geaux Ride -BR, LA-
521 N Third St (7:45PM)
Friday
Who Dat Riderz -BR, LA-
Past Time Lounge (7PM)
Tuesday, Thursday, (6:30 PM) and Saturday (8AM)
Community Riders -Zachary, LA-
BREC’s Zachary Community Park
Membership - Please consider becoming a member if you're not already. The more members we have, the louder our voice. And if you're not sure if you're still a member, email us at info@bikebr.org and we'll check!
Cranksgiving 2021 Photo Gallery
Cranksgiving 2021 saw a great turnout to help raise food and donations for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank! Thank you to everyone who participated! Check out a few of the photos. Thanks to Lynley Farris, Samantha Morgan, and Drew Walker for the pics!
Ugly Sweater Ride Photo Gallery
The holiday season is upon us! A group of Bike BR members joined up with a group from the Baton Rouge Area Mountain Bike Association for a ride from City Park to the Downtown Festival of Lights. Here’s a few pictures! Thanks to Robin Gibb Diamond of BRAMBA for sharing her photos!
Metro Council Adopts Changes to Bicycling Ordinance
Updating the City-Parish bicycling ordinances – why we did it
Bike Baton Rouge Vice President Mark Martin addresses the Metro Council.
In 1951, Harry S. Truman was president. “Tennessee Waltz,” sung by Patti Page became the #1 single on the Billboard and Cashbox lists. At trial, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were convicted of espionage. The Census Bureau starts using the UNIVAC I computer, the world’s first commercial computer.
And the City Council collected all permanent city ordinances into one book called the City Code of the City of Baton Rouge, including regulation of bicycling.
In the sixty years since the Council adopted those ordinances only two have been update. Meanwhile, the Louisiana Revised Statues regarding bicycling had been revised several times. As a result, state Statutes and City-Parish Ordinances diverged creating conflicting regulations.
During development of the Pedestrian-Bicycle Master Plan (2017-2019) representatives of Bike Baton Rouge served on the steering and technical advisory committees for the Plan. Those representatives had also worked in previous years to update and revise state bicycling statutes, in the process becoming aware of the divergence of City-Parish ordinances from state statutes. After speaking with the Plan consultants, Bike Baton Rouge committee members introduced suggested revisions for the City-Parish ordinances that were included in the final, adopted, plan (2020). See the final adopted language here.
FAQs
The most frequently asked question is, “Do they enforce those laws? If not, why change them?” Would you want to spend 10 days in jail for violating one of these provisions IF someone decided to enforce the law? We wouldn’t.
We wanted to clarify the laws regarding bicycling. With divergence of the state statutes and the City-Parish Ordinances it would be possible to be charged with an offense under one that did not exist in the other.
Finally, things have changed over the sixty years since the Ordinances were first enacted. Perhaps most importantly, to help build a bicycling culture we thought it important to remove the idea that bicycles are toys.
The changes
Deletions
Removed “and Play Vehicles” from the ordinance title. Bicycles aren’t “play vehicles.” Bicycles are transportation.
Deleted “mandatory side path law,” which said if there is a bike facility adjacent to the roadway a cyclist MUST use it and not the roadway. Condition of the side path was never part of the discussion.
Removed “toy vehicle” from the “Clinging to Vehicles” provision.
Deleted “or ten (10) days in jail” from the penalties provision.
Additions
Regarding riding on the right:
Allows preparing for a left turn, that is, moving into the left lane prior to the left turn.
When riding on a “substandard width lane or any other conditions that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. For purposes of this Paragraph, a “substandard width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.”
This is tied to the Colin Goodier Act (RS 32:76.1), “The operator of a motor vehicle, when overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall exercise due care while the motor vehicle is passing the bicycle and shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet and shall maintain such clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle. An operator of a motor vehicle may pass a bicycle traveling in the same direction in a no-passing zone only when it is safe to do so.”
There are very few roads in Baton Rouge that can accommodate a bicycle and a motor vehicle safely IN the lane. This provision allows a bicyclist to “take the lane” thereby encouraging drivers to pass safely.
When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized, that is, a designated right turn lane. This allows the bicyclist to move to the left into the continuing lane.
“Where there are two or more marked traffic lanes and traffic travels in only one direction, may ride as near the left-hand curb or shoulder of that roadway as practicable.” Think downtown streets.
Added a provision for brakes on bicycles with a new provision for fixed gear bicycles without brakes.
Modifications
Section 11:221. – Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles. The language now matches that of the Revised Statutes.
Section 11:229. – Parking. Updated to include “bike corrals” and “docking stations.”
Section 11:231. – Lamps and other equipment on bicycles. The language now matches that of the Revised Statutes.
Section 11:233. – Freestyle skateboarding, bicycling, and roller skating prohibited on park structuresPenalty. Penalties. Removed the “Penalties” provision to a separate section and removed the “or 10 days in jail” provision.
Louisiana Revised Statutes related to bicycling are in TITLE 32 MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC REGULATION and may be found online at https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/law.aspx?d=88016.
November Newsletter
It’s the time of year when we turn our thoughts to the things we’re thankful for. We hope riding your bike is one of those things! Here’s the latest from your friendly bike advocates in Baton Rouge. Be sure to check out the calendar of events at the bottom as there are lots of opportunities to ride this month!
MEET OUR NEW PRESIDENT - Meet Lynley, Bike Baton Rouge’s new president! Lynley is the first woman to head Bike BR in its 17-year history and has deep ties to both biking and the community. Find out more about her on our blog here.
CRANKSGIVING 2021 - Cranksgiving 2021 is November 21. This is always a fun event and a great way to help the community. It starts at City Park at 9:30 a.m. with kickstands up at 10:00 a.m. Participants will receive a list of items to purchase along with a list of participating local grocers. It’s up to you to choose the route to visit all the grocery stores and get the items back to City Park. Awards will be won and the items will go to support the Baton Rouge Food Bank. Find out more about Cranksgiving and see photos from previous editions here. Let us know you're coming on the Facebook event!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY - WE NEED YOU! We need volunteers to help with Cranksgiving on 11/21. If you’d like to volunteer, email info@bikebr.org.
BIKING IN THE COLD - We’ve actually had a few days of legitimately cool weather the last few weeks! As the temperatures start to fall (even if only temporarily), board member and past president, Doug Moore, has a few tips on how to get ready for cold-weather ready rides. Check out his suggestions on our blog here. It’s also a great time to get one of our snazzy hoodies to help layer up. Get it here.
ADVOCACY UPDATE - Two ordinances are set to be introduced before the Metro Council this month.
Our Vice President, Mark Martin, recently updated the board on the advancement of City/Parish ordinance updates with regards to biking (full text here). Mark had a significant role in helping to guide the updates and has reviewed the proposed changes. The updated ordinances will be introduced at the November 10 meeting of the Metro Council with a vote anticipated at the November 23 meeting (this is a Tuesday meeting rather than the typical Wednesday meeting to accommodate the Thanksgiving holiday).
Also expected to be introduced at the meeting on November 10 is an ordinance to allow multi-modal use of drive-through facilities (full text here). This is an ordinance that states, “For any and all businesses operating drive-through facilities, when a drive-through facility is open and customer entrances to the business are unavailable or locked, the drive-through facility must serve customers who arrive in modes other than an automobile such as pedestrians, bicyclists and those using mobility aids such as wheelchairs.”
We will continue to update the progress of both ordinances on our blog. If you would like to show your support for these changes, find your council person here and let them know.
PROJECT UPDATE - BREC is seeking input from the community regarding its Scotlandville Parkway project. This project will update the Scotland Parkway facilities and features in the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. Take the survey here and let BREC know what you would like to see at the park.
VELO MEURTOS 2021 - There was a great turnout on a beautiful Sunday for this year’s Velo Meurtos cemetery tour ride. The ride started with 35 riders and visited 5 different historic cemeteries across Baton Rouge. Check out the photo gallery here! Thanks to Mark Martin for serving as tour guide.
SURVEY - The Capital Region Planning Commission is seeking input on its MOVE2046 regional transportation plan. Find out more about the plan and take the survey here. The survey is collecting responses until November 8.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
November 6 - The final Green Book Bike Tour starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Capitol Park Museum located on Fourth Street. This is the fourth ride led by Samantha Morgan, the organizer of the Downtown East Social Ride. Find out more information about the ride on DESR’s Facebook page.
November 7 - DESR is also hosting a special brunch and ride. Brunch is 12:00 at Leola’s with a ride to the Old State Capitol to follow. There will be a tour of the Capitol that you won’t want to miss.
November 11 - A Veteran’s Day ride will take place at 10:00 a.m. from the Capitol Park Museum.
November 19 - White Light Night is from 6:00-10:00 p.m. WLN is a street festival that runs along Government Street through the heart of the Mid City neighborhood highlighting the artists and businesses that make the neighborhood a vibrant community. Check out the map on the Mid City Merchants website.
November 21 - Cranksgiving is back! Bike BR is once again supporting the Baton Rouge Food Bank with the annual Cranksgiving ride. The event starts at 9:30 a.m. at Brooks-City Park. Find out more about the ride here.
December 3 - The annual Festival of Lights is returning to downtown. There are two rides for this one! BREC is hosting its Reindeer Ride from Farr Park that will follow the levee path to downtown starting at 6:00 p.m. Bike BR will also lead a ride along with DESR from City Park to downtown. The City Park ride will gather at 6:00 p.m. with kickstands up at 6:15 p.m. Come get in the holiday spirit with an evening bike ride!
Here’s a list of weekly rides. Find one near and meet some fellow bike riders!
Sunday
Baker Buffalo Cruisers -Baker, LA-
Baker Walmart (6PM)
Monday
Downtown East Social Ride -BR, LA-
Electric Depot (6PM)
Tuesday
Tuesdays on Wheels -Port Allen, LA-
Cohn Elementary (7PM)
Wednesday
Capital Heights Social Ride -BR, LA
Ingleside United Methodist Church (7:15PM)
Westside Wednesday -Baker, LA-
Ruffin’s II (7PM)
Thursday
Geaux Ride -BR, LA-
521 N Third St (7:45PM)
Friday
Who Dat Riderz -BR, LA-
Past Time Lounge (7PM)
Tuesday, Thursday, (6:30 PM) and Saturday (8AM)
Community Riders -Zachary, LA-
BREC’s Zachary Community Park
Membership - Please consider becoming a member if you're not already. The more members we have, the louder our voice. And if you're not sure if you're still a member, email us at info@bikebr.org and we'll check!
Cranksgiving 2021 - November 21, 2021
Cranksgiving is happening November 21, 2021. Part food drive, part scavenger hunt...all on bikes! You'll get a grocery list and a map of several local grocery stores. You get one Thanksgiving food item from the list at each store.
First to visit all the stores and get all their items and get back to the starting point wins!
Remember: it's not always about how fast you ride; it's about the route you take and how fast you shop! There will also be prizes for most $$ spent and the thriftiest (least $$ spent).
All food will go to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank to help feed those in need during the holiday season. We will also be taking cash and credit card donations.
What you'll need: a bike (of course), some $$ and something to carry your groceries in. Bike locks highly recommended.
This is a family friendly event! Children not carried by their parents must be able to ride a regular bike (no training wheels or balance bikes, please). Per City-Parish ordinance, children 12 or under must have a helmet. Bike BR will have volunteers to help families navigate the ride.
Meet up at City Park at the top of the hill on the Dog Park side. Show up by 9:30am, kickstands go up at 10 am.
Check out previous Cranksgivings in the slideshow below!
You Don't Have To Store Your Bike for Winter
The Princess of Denmark is dressed for the winter weather as she takes her kids to school.
Well, it's that time of year again when we alternate from our two seasons: Hot and Not Hot. Even in Baton Rouge, Not Hot has cold days. It can be frustrating for people. "Finally, I can ride without getting all sweaty but now it's too cold!" people say. The cruel south Louisiana weather tends to turn us all into a bunch of Goldilockses!
As Alfred Wainwright once said, "There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing." This saying is basically an entire philosophy in Scandinavian countries where they are famously the happiest countries in the world and where, not coincidentally, they have great bicycling cultures.
To that point, if you're hesitant about riding bikes because of the cold weather, here are some tips to keep you comfortable in the saddle:
1. Don't overdress - don't dress so warmly that you're warm before you start riding. You'll get too hot after a few minutes. As you pedal, your body heat will rise. Consider layered clothing instead of one very thick coat. That way, you can shed a layer if you need to.
2. Cover extremities - hat, gloves, lip balm are must-haves - cover those ears, fingers and lips. Again, your clothes don't need to be too thick. Just enough to keep the wind off.
3. Pant leg straps - if you don't care for skinny, tapered pants, utilize velcro pant leg straps. They help keep the wind out of your trousers and your trousers off your chain. If you're wearing a dress, there is a variety of long underwear that is indistinguishable from very stylish leggings. No reason you can't look good!
4. Storage - the temperature can rise 20 or even 30 degrees from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Baton Rouge. Remember those layers we talked about? You'll need a way to get those home should you not require them in the afternoons. Backpacks are fine. Baskets are great. If you have a rear rack (and you should), you can put a common milkcrate on the back with zip ties or use Panniers, which are the pinnacle of bike storage.
One thing people tend to forget about living where we live is that, when it comes to Winter, we are pretty darn lucky. We rarely deal with freezing temperatures and almost never have to deal with snow and ice. People in bicycle-happy Minneapolis would kill for our mild winters. So don't take them for granted, and don't let the colder days be an excuse not to ride! Where there's a will, there's a way.
Happy Riding!