Bicycle Dreams - The Movie

  Feb. 7th, 2012 Alamo Drafthouse 1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX Take your seat early at 6:15 pm to order from the menu and chat with fellow cyclists. Movie starts at 7 pm Get inspired and support this award winning independent film about Race Across America. Tickets must be purchased in advance at this link. http://www.imathlete.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?fEID=10529 Only 118 will be sold. Check out the trailer at www.bicycledreamsmovie.com.

ACA Meeting, Saturday, January 14th


Join us for ACA’s New Year’s Resolution meeting on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm at the Howson Library (2500 Exposition Blvd, Austin, 78703) and sign up for the ACA New Year’s Resolution Challenge!
 
Here’s how it works: each participant enters their cycling fitness goals for 2012 on a "pledge" form, for example frequency of riding, miles, hours in the saddle – something quantifiable. Then once a month, you send your actual numbers to vpataustincycling [dot] org. At the ACA Holiday party in December, everyone who met or exceeded their goal will be awarded a small prize.
 
At the meeting, we will have some folks that can show you some apps for your smart phone to help you keep up with your fitness activities. We will also have a handout with some websites that might be helpful. If you have a favorite app or website that you would be willing to share with the group, please email me at vpataustincycling [dot] org and I can get you on the program.
 
Oh, and you must be a member to participate (but you knew that, didn’t you?)
 

Year End Letter to Members

Happy New Year, ACA members!
 
Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a great new year. 
 
I want to thank you for being a part of the many successes that we enjoyed in 2011. Our members and volunteers put on more than 500 hosted and classic rides throughout the year, and we provided 1,500 helmets to kids in Central Texas.
 
We also fulfilled our education mission, providing numerous Traffic Skills 101 classes and certified more than 150 cyclists in our Defensive Cycling classes.
 
Changes are in store for 2012, but let me assure you that the ACA Board of Directors is doing its best to make decisions that benefit our members and the cycling community. We look forward to our continued partnerships with Bike Texas, the League of American Bicyclists, the Yellow Bike Project and the League of Bicycling Voters. We also look forward to collaborating with Please Be Kind to Cyclists in 2012 and beyond.
 
If you are able, we ask that you consider making an end-of-year tax-deductible donation to ACA to help us further our mission. Donate Now You may also send a check to ACA, P.O. Box 5993, Austin, TX 78763. Not a member? Join Now
 
Thanks again for being an ACA member. We couldn't do this without you.
 
Best wishes for a great 2012.
 
Keep pedalin'.
 
Gilbert
 
Gilbert D. Martinez
ACA President

Climbing the Col du Soulor in the Midi-Pyrénées near Lourdes, France

ACA member Jason Marlow climbing the Col du Soulor in the Midi-Pyrénées near Lourdes, France November 28th.


600600

Do you have a picture from a recent cycling trip that you'd like to share?  Send it to: rides [dot] chairataustincycling [dot] org

Staying Safe on Wide-Shouldered Roads

If you have been riding your bike around Austin for any time at all, you have probably realized that major highways like 360, 620, and Parmer Lane can all be vital parts of any training or commute route. But are you intimidated by the concept of riding on the shoulders with high speed traffic a few feet away?

Fundraising for ACA With Bike Month 2.0

October is often called the Second Bike Month in Austin with the cooler weather and every weekend packed with cycling events. This year, we are skipping a formal October membership meeting and encouraging all our members to celebrate cycling while benefiting Austin Cycling Association.

Location

Austin Convention Center and Fiesta Gardens

The Sweatin' Burnt Orange Bike Tour

 The Sweatin' Burnt Orange Bike Tour, now in its seventh year, is the primary fundraising event for The University of Texas Cycling Club. From the family friendly 10 miler to the challenging 80 mile loop, all routes offer a unique ride through the heart of the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

As both a student organization and competitive sports team, the club seeks to promote the sport of cycling on campus and facilitate rider development. Our team competes at the division I regional and national levels, the highest levels achievable for collegiate cyclists, and provides an introduction to bike racing for many students. Our club also stays involved in the community through bike safety clinics and charity events.

Law of the Street (Things You Should Know To Avoid Trouble When Riding Your Bike)

by Brad Houston (BradHoustonLaw.com)
As presented to CyclingTexas.org, May 20, 2011

PART OF WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
This article is an overview of some of the issues related to cycling on the streets and roadways of Texas. It is not intended as legal advice on which you should rely. Rather, this article is to inform you of some of the issues to keep in mind.

The U.S.A is very different from Europe. Cultural norms often determine the acceptance of different modes of travel. For instance, in Europe, bicycles are part of the culture and are highly respected by most motorists. In contrast, in the United States and in particular in Texas, generally the culture does not consider bicycling as an accepted mode of transportation. Thus, in Texas, hostility is often encountered by cyclists when sharing the road with cars, SUV’s and Trucks.

New Education Promotion



ACA is making a new push to promote participation in our classes with a new education flyer. The City of Austin's Bicycle Master Plan established a goal of educating 1,000 adult cyclists every year. We will soon be calling upon our local bike shop partners to help reach this goal by distributing our promotional flyers to all new bike customers. At ACA, we believe that a better educated cycling population, riding in accordance with applicable traffic laws, benefits all cyclists.

For the 4-1-1 on all of ACA's classes, see our classes page.

New Group Riding Skills Classes

Supported charity rides are a great way to test the limits of your cycling endurance. Knowing that there is a rest stop every few miles and a SAG wagon in case you just run out of steam allows a lot of new cyclists to use a charity ride as one of their first major cycling experiences. Riding charity rides with friends is a lot of fun and the funds raised support important causes.  Training for and riding with a large group of people (sometimes know as a peloton or, in a smaller group, a paceline) allows everyone to share the workload of cutting through the wind thereby allowing the group to travel faster and with less effort than any individual rider would be able to accomplish alone.