*BURN CARBS NOT HYDROCARBS* in Sydney, May 29, 2008

PUSHING FOR CHANGE

On your bike says Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore MP, who's taking the City of Sydney's far-sighted Cycle Strategy and Action Plan to the streets - making it happen and keeping cyclists top of mind. Lucky Sydney to have an advocate like Clover!

Walking, cycling, the way to go for Sydney "I have hardly seen a city centre so inundated with unnecessary traffic as Sydney." - Prof Jan Gehl, urban design architect, April 2008.

Folding Bikes on public transportation Warren Salomon, urban transportation consultant, reports on the need for transport providers to recognize the value of folding bikes to tourism and commuter travel

Ride to Work Day Australian Cyclist covers this growing annual event

EVENT REPORT by Lynette Chiang, BF Customer Evangelist

View photos of the evening

Against all odds ... SYDNEY is a tough call for bicycling. A predominantly hilly terrain, fast traffic and a spaghetti grid (which admittedly affords some charming shoreline streetscapes) gives it a reputation among residents and outsiders for being the least bicycle friendly city in the country.

As if conceding to this reality, the local bike shops appear to the most reserved of all when it comes to promoting multi-modal bicycles, with Canberra and Melbourne not far behind. I found that while several shops had one or two models on the floor, they kept them well hidden.

Despite physical and attitudinal obstacles, Sydney boasts an impressive number of bicycle user groups and advocacy organizations that ride regularly and constantly push for change. A recent public hearing about a proposed bike lane along Bourke St (see photo gallery) drew crowds that would rival the audience capacity of a U2 concert - well, in relative terms. Bike Friday Club of Sydney's Adrian Boss, who rides 4 mornings a week, points to the many paths, bicycle symbols and special lanes he and his group BIKEast have been patiently pushing through for the past ten years.

"It's finally starting to happen," he said. "We might be able to get bicycle commuting up from about 1 percent to 10 percent in my lifetime."

I have completely changed my view of riding in Sydney with fear and loathing to utter joy after following in the slipstream of Those in the Know - Adrian's group rides a fabulous route M,W,F and Sunday taking in Sydney's best beaches north and south in two hours, via safe side streets and hidden paths. Contact Adrian to join the train. ...

Pictured: CEO of Bicycle NSW Alex Unwin opened the evening

Symposium prep. John Thacker of Clarence St Cyclery, Sydney's oldest bike shop, kindly let us use his shop as a venue. Very kindly, because despite years of trying and his enthusiasm for what we do, we've never quite managed to get CSC - or any Sydney bike shop - to fly the Friday flag. Maybe one day ...

Adrian, George, John and I all met on a dark corner in Paddington - three Bike Fridays and a Birdy, then cruised into the city like seasoned bike messengers.

Unfortunately, promotion of the event halted while I was in Melbourne and Canberra, so publicity was limited. We decided to go ahead anyway - and although the turn out was very small - less than 20 - the attendees were 100% enthused about being there. We even got people making a decision to buy a multi-modal bicycle on the spot, Friday or otherwise ...

Alex Unwin, CEO of Bicycle NSW and looking very sharp in lycra indeed, kindly opened the evening. He stressed that while his organization promotes recreational activities like the Big Ride, its focus has always been on advocacy and bicycling as a necessary part of a sustainable transportation system. In words destined to become famous: "It's a requirement".

Fiona Campbell, bicycle advocate is famous for taking on an Alderman over a cycling advocacy issue and winning. She talked about the Bike Bus - an ingenious system where bike-to-workers who would like a chaperone can wait at actual bus stops and be "picked up" by an escort of commuting cyclists. One gentleman announced that he would be starting up a new Bike Bus from Balmain to the City - a generous and significant undertaking - I understand Fiona is at the Newtown station at 7:06am every working morning! Fiona, who now works as the Bicycling Transport Planner for the City of Sydney, also produced copies of the Sydney Cycling Strategy that Mayor Clover Moore is pushing through. Clover left us with a nice statement which you can read in the above section.

Adrian Boss, BIKEast talked about a 1:1 version of Bike Bus called Biking Buddy, where you can sign up for a chaperone to escort you on your commute until you can do it on your own. He then moved to the topic of being a Grey Nomad, producing impressive pictures of his many expeditions carrying full camping gear. If there's one thing a small wheeled bike has over a regular bike, it's that people can get their leg over them right up until that great rest stop in the sky ... Read about Bike Friday Super Seniors

Finally it was my turn. I talked about the benefits of a multi-modal bike, and how it eliminates some common objections about bicycles by some people - too hard to get my leg over, can't get it to fit, hassle on a train or bus, no where to park it at work, no room to store it at home. I was careful to make it generic, but predictably, there was a surge forward to inspect the 5-second (on a slow day) hyperfold again and again ... a real crowd pleaser that bike ...

Thanks to John Thacker, Clarence St Cyclery and our speakers for an enjoyable evening that reminds us why enjoy cruising up beside cars stuck in traffic on their way to ride the stationary bike in the gym ...

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