Volunteer Topeka: Project saves old bikes from trash | Cjonline.com Mobile

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Cycling enthusiasts Robert Fitzgerald and Karl Fundenberger grew tired of seeing used, salvageable bicycles in the trash. They also wanted to help people learn to be self-sustaining. Source: Volunteer Topeka: Project saves old bikes from trash | Cjonline.com Mobile

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FUNctional Riding in Topeka 101

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Considering riding to work some this Spring?

Wanting an alternative to driving to the store for groceries?

Come join Topeka Community Cycle Project for FUNctional Riding in Topeka 101!
Ben and Andy, TCCP League of American Bicyclist’s Certified Instructors, will cover all aspects of basic safe riding skills in everyday traffic!
Over 3 class periods we will address safe ways to operate safely in traffic, basic mechanic fixes for your average ride, and the basic responsibilities of riding a bicycle. This class is geared at offering individuals who want to ride for fun or functional parts of life, such as:
  • a grocery run to the neighborhood store,
  • visiting a friend, or
  • a social ride to a local restaurant on a Saturday afternoon!
The classes will be Monday, April 13th 6-8pm, Wednesday, April 15th 6-8pm and Sunday, April 19th 10am to 2pm. The first two days will be a classroom type setting, and the third session will involve riding and be outdoors in areas surrounding the bike shop.
The course will be held at:
Topeka Community Cycle Project
423 S. Kansas Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603
Participants wont need a helmet and bike until the class on the 19th. If you need to borrow either, let us know and we will try and facilitate a solution for you. Send questions to andy@cycleproject.org!

Flat Tire 5

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FlatTire_2014_WEBA night of reggae and funk at the Celtic Fox will benefit the Topeka Community Cycle Project

TOPEKA, KAN. (November 10, 2014) — As the temperature decreases, it is the time of year for Flat Tire. This fundraiser turns five this year with its organization, the Topeka Community Cycle Project. This annual fundraiser is expected to be a great party for cycling enthusiasts and Topekans alike.

Flat Tire is November 15th at the Celtic Fox. The entertainment for the night will begin at 7:30 with the reggae solo artist from Kansas City, Zack Mufasa, performing his set: Loop The Lion. He will be followed by Slow Ya Roll, a local Topeka “Funk ’N Soul” band. Both artists emulate styles of music of relaxation and rhythm; Slow Ya Roll’s catchphrase is “Follow the Turtle” to capture their easygoing nature.

For a donation of $5.00, attendees can enjoy good jams and an array of interesting activities. TCCP is known for having special event print screened t-shirts inspired by Flat Tire artwork. Attendees can purchase a shirt or hoodie in a color of their choice and have the design printed on the item of clothing before their eyes.

The ever-popular Speedy Spokes stationary bicycle races will also be taking place. Racers have the option to donate a dollar and race an opponent on stationary road bikes; A projection screen will make it so onlookers can monitor the progress of the cyclists during the short but intense races.

A new attraction being introduced at Flat Tire this year is the shop’s Yuba Cargo Blender Bike. The Yuba bike will be used by TCCP around town to promote shop activity, teach bicycle repair classes and advocate safe cycling in Topeka. Its introduction this weekend will be very delicious, since guests will get to blend margaritas using their own pedaling power.

Proceeds from this fundraiser will be put toward future TCCP goals, one of which is to hire a part-time Executive Director to lead the organization to a new level of operation. Other future plans include improved electricity and running water. For a small volunteer-run organization, it has big goals and high hopes for the future.

To those looking for a night of grooving in the name of bikes or a hot spot of Topeka activity: Flat Tire is sure to be a good bet.

 

Topeka Community Cycle Project

The Topeka Community Cycle Project is committed to the reclamation and distribution of recycled bicycles. Through an earn-a-bike program, volunteers refurbish bicycles that would otherwise take up space in a landfill giving new life and utility to bicycles. The Topeka Community Cycle Project promotes self-reliance, sustainability, and healthful living in Topeka.

423 S. Kansas Ave. in Downtown Topeka, KS

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For more information, contact:
Olivia Marshall
Event Coordinator
marketing@cycleproject.org

Amazon Smile

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Amazon introduced a new program for non-profits called AmazonSmile, which will automatically donate 0.5% of your purchases to the charity you select. It costs you (and the charitable organizations) nothing, and it’s just like shopping on Amazon normally, but you get to do a world of good. Here’s our offical link that’ll set your Amazon charity to us, along with an FAQ about the program:

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  • What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from nearly one million organizations to support.
  • How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
  • Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?
Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible.
  • Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?
Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.
  • How do I select a charitable organization to support when shopping on AmazonSmile?
On your first visit to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. We will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

Ghost Bike Dedication and Ride of Silence

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Topeka Bicyclists to Dedicate Ghost Bike and Stage Ride of Silence

Topeka, Kansas, May 8, 2014

Ghost Bike Dedication

The Kaw Valley Bicycling Club will commemorate the death of Neil Douglas Rogers, who was struck and killed by a motorist nearly 25 years ago while riding his bicycle in southwest Shawnee County.
Mr. Rogers was killed on September 16, 1989 while riding east on 21st street between Indian Hills and Urish roads. Bicycle club members will erect and dedicate a Ghost Bike at the park maintenance
facility just west of Urish Road on 21st Street at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 21. The bicycle was donated by the Topeka Community Cycle Project.

A Ghost Bike is a small, somber memorial to bicyclists who are killed or hit on the street. Bicycles are painted all white and secured to a sign as a reminder of the tragedy. Approximately 700 cyclists are killed in the U.S. each year. For more information, see ghostbikes.org. Members of the Topeka City Council and Shawnee County Commission have been invited.

 

Ride of Silence – a world-wide event to honor people killed or injured while bicyclingimgres

Three Topeka organizations will stage a Ride of Silence to honor cyclists on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, starting at 6:30 p.m., rolling at 7:00 p.m. It will begin and end in the parking lot west of KTWU on the Washburn campus, 1700 SW College Avenue. The Kaw Valley Bicycle Club, the Topeka Community Cycle Project, and Cyclists at Washburn have planned the ride, the first one held in Topeka.

The Ride of Silence, now in its eleventh year, will begin in North America and continue to roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a slow, silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roads. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often is not aware of that right, and is sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

It is a free ride, and cyclists ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. The ride is held during National Bike Month and Week, and aims to raise the awareness of motorists that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. For more information about the ride in general, see rideofsilence.com.

All cyclists are welcome. Cyclists should arrive at the start by 6:30 p.m. for instructions and a short presentation. The cyclists will start riding promptly at 7:00 p.m. Helmets are required, and lights are suggested. The 9.6 mile loop planned route will take the cyclists through downtown and into North Topeka, and circle back to the campus often on Topeka bikeways. The ride will occur rain or shine.

In 2013, the 10th Ride of Silence, there were 372 events world wide. Rides were staged in all fifty States and in twenty-six countries. A total of 12,374 individuals rode in 2013.

 

For further information, contact Reid Stacey at wekahiker@ yahoo.com or 233-1474.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

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Up for showing some cycling spirit? Join TCCP and Kaw Valley Bicycle Club in riding in the 2014 Topeka St. Patrick’s Day parade. We will meet at the shop (423 S. Kansas) at 10 am and then migrate at about 10:15 down to the staging area at 1st-4th and Kansas to get in line. Parade starts at noon and allow several hours, as this parade is full of Topeka’s Irish and can get pretty long!

In addition, feel free to join us early on Thursday evening from 5-7 pm to decorate the TCCP trailer float, as well as your bike in green streamers etc!

Hope to see you there!

The 3-Foot law

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Big news today for cycling safety in the state of Kansas! The 3 foot passing law is now officially in effect.

Here’s part of the statute that pertains to the new law:

K.S.A. 8-1516 is hereby amended to read as follows: 8-1516. The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles and bicycles proceeding in the same direction, subject to those limitations, exceptions and special rules hereinafter stated:

(a) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle.

(b) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on audible signal and shall not increase the speed of his or her vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.

(c) (1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a distance of not less than three feet and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken bicycle.

(2) The driver of a vehicle may pass a bicycle proceeding in the same direction in a no-passing zone with the duty to execute the pass only when it is safe to do so.

(Read full text of bill)

If you aren’t a fan of all the legal mumbo jumbo, here’s what you can take away from it:

  • A vehicle can legally pass a bicycle on the left, given there is at least 3 feet  of space between the cyclist and the vehicle.
  • Vehicles can only legally pass on the left, and can’t move back to the right until clear of the cyclist.
  • Vehicles may pass bicycles in a no passing zone as long as it’s safe to do so.

Laws like this are a great step in the right direction in making Kansas more cycling friendly!