It’s going to be a bike weekend. No, not thumpy Harleys, or top-end monsters from Japan or Italy, this weekend is dedicated to the humble, yet ever exciting, bicycle.
It’s all about that simple, two-wheeled machine that pedaled humanity into the Industrial Revolution and beyond. The child of gun manufacturing and sewing machine technology, the bicycle has evolved to represent affluence, self-reliance, fringe culture, the status quo, balance, injury, the cutting edge of technology, and the unsurpassed quality of yesteryear. Its symbolism is really a grab bag of whatever you want it to be. There are so many iterations of the machine, it’s as permutable as our own DNA; and luckily, most permutations are successful and fun to ride.
The action starts at our hilly neighbor to the north at San Francisco’s Justin Herman Plaza. Red Bull hosting a throw-down for the best fixie acrobats around at its Ride + Style Event. Supposedly, they will be doing “tricks” on bicycles that are “fixed-gear,” and some say the event will be, “mad sick,” so you might want to bring some Airborne.
Later that night, San Jose Bike party is joining forces with East Bay Bike Party, San Francisco Bike Party and the Midnight Ridazz for what is being touted as a “Hella Big” Bike Party. The action starts at the Lake Merrit BART station at 7:30. Once you get back home, take a nap, not too long though, because the Bike Clinic will set up shop at San Pedro Square market at noon on Sunday.
On Sunday, back at San Jose’s San Pedro Square Market, the Bike to Work Day Bike Clinic will help you get your “whip” into shape for the May 10th event. The Bike Clinic will provide multiple workshops to help you along if the inevitable happens on your way to/from work. Expert riders will help you with everything from helmet sizing to wheel repair. There will also be a demonstration on how to properly lock bikes. This may seem rudimentary, but far too many cyclists exit work to find their wheels and seat missing. Mechanics will be on hand to answer some more exciting questions as well.
