Take The Lane

Freewheels Project participants blog their joy and sadness

You may not be able to join the members of the Waterloo Region Freewheels Project on their group ride tonight, but you can catch up with most of them online anytime.

The 25 individuals who were given free Cannondales by Ziggy's Cycle and Sports are posting on their experiences, each on their own blog (see the home page here). 

Some of the posts are relevatory about cycling in Waterloo Region: the lack of bicycle parking (hey Heuther -- how about a bicycle rack?), the number of motorists who don't understand that bicycles are allowed to use the road, the wonder of being able to cover so much ground with so little effort, and the exultant pleasure of that first bicycle commute to work.

I winced as I read of one rider's repeated contact with terra firma and nodded with sadness as another rider explored nearby neighbourhoods for the first time, and discovered what household neglect can look like if you are not speeding by in a car.

There is poetry (thank you Sara for the Ode to a Cannondale) and bike trivia (thank you Terry for informing us that the forerunner of the modern bicycle was the "draisine," invented by a German).

Some of the riders have discovered that 10 kilometres really isn't that far to ride when you're enjoying yourself, and one of them could see his odometer tick over to 1,000 kilometres tonight.

Some have posted only occasionally, and some post regular. It's a mixed bag of treats. Stick your hand in and see what you pull out.

Freewheels blogs begin

You can rediscover the pleasures, pains and puzzlements of first-time cycling as the first blog postings are appearing for the Waterloo Region Freewheels Project.

Just flip to the website set up by Ziggy's for the general public and to provide links to the 25 blogs launched by the 25 recipients of a new Cannondale Quick 4.

It's the first week of the project, so no surprise that some of the posts are fulsome and chatty. No surprise also that some participants haven't posted yet. What is posted so far is fresh and enthusiastic: one rider's experience with a bicycle maintenance class (you have to put the bike back together after you take it apart!) and another's intention to shave a little more time off that trip to work each day. You can follow some of the posters on Twitter, or just drop in now and then to see how they're doing.

If you want to see a audio/slide show made by the Ziggy's folks from the first day, check here.

Freewheels Project gets rolling

An innovative cycling experiment began Saturday in Waterloo Region, with the presentation to 25 would-be cyclists of their new Cannondales from Ziggy's Cycle and Sport in Kitchener.

Ziggy's owner Margaret Pachnik was accompanied by family, staff and partners for the launch of the Waterloo Region Freewheels Project. Some 150 people had responded to a contest hosted by Ziggy's that would see them get a new bicycle and helmet that they can use from now until September. The 25 successful applicants were sized up for bikes and helmets last month, and received their gear Saturday.

They are expected to ride the bikes and blog about their experiences at least once a week. By September, having satisfied this and some other requirements (like don't trash the bike), they get to keep the bicycles and gear.

The intention for Ziggy's is to celebrate their 25 years of business, and to encourage others to take up cycling, based on the experiences of the Freewheel Project members.

The 25 successful applicants (some of whom are shown here in their matching bikes and helmets) met for a group photo and some greetings from the partners, which includes KW Health Connection (which is offering dietary advice to all riders and a free massage to the best cyclist blog post of the month). 

John O'Reilly, the fourth year urban planning co-op student who is working at Ziggy's and implementing the project, reminded the group that the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster is focusing the world's attention on oil dependency, and that cycling is one solution to that, as well as a key to a healthier society.

And he welcomed them to the exclusive club of cycle commuting: "You are joining a small, friendly and dedicated group of people who use their bikes to get to work every day."

Rob Boyce, territorial manager for Cannondale, praised Pachnik for launching the project: "I know of no shop in my lifetime as a bike rep that has done something like this." 

After the speech-making, there was a short group ride through Victoria Park and along the Iron Horse Trail. It was refreshing to be in a group that stops traffic, especially at Iron Horse Trail crossings such as the one at Queen Street, where cyclists usually have to wait for a break in the flow before they can sneak across. 

Reminder about the Freewheels Project

Three weeks after I posted on the Waterloo Region Freewheels Project, the sponsor of this blog, the Waterloo Region Record, has published an article about the project.

The more publicity for this undertaking by Ziggy's Cycle and Sport of Kitchener, the better, esp. with the deadline for entries only three weeks away. If you know someone in the Waterloo Region who would benefit from a free urban commuting bicycle, send them the links to this project.

Freewheels application form is posted

The application forms are posted on the Ziggy's Cycle website for the Waterloo Region Freewheels Project.

As per my post of last week, the Kitchener cyclery is giving away 25 bicycles to 25 worthy residents of Waterloo Region. At the core of the contest is a 300-word essay explaining how a new bicycle would change your life.

The contest is open to those 18 years of age or older, and the deadline is May 7. If you are not the essay-writing type and still want a bicycle, think about why you want a free bike and tell your story to a relative or friend who can help you put your thoughts down on paper.

You've been thinking about bicycling. You've seen more and more people using their bikes to get to work, to explore their community, to lose weight or just to have fun. Now's your chance to get one. Go to the website to download the application.