It’s our 5th Anniversary and we want to celebrate with bikes!  This event is by far our favorite.  We set up a free bike show for spectators to vote on their favorite bike in each category.  This year, the categories are…Original (stock), Restored, Custom, Motorized, and Modified Frame (new this year to accommodate those sweet tall bikes and stretch frames).  Winners receive a trophy and prize.  We also have bike vendors from all over the state selling bikes and parts for the hobbyists, projecteers, new enthusiasts.  Music, food, and beverage are all available.

Have a bike you’d like to enter? Best time to enter your bike is 10am.  Come to the GBBC tent to get your tag and any additional instructions. Voting will start around 10am and end just before 2pm.  Awards are announced shortly after 2pm.

Have some bikes or parts you’d like to sell? Vendor registration can be found here…GBBC Bike Bash 2016 Registration

We also have an entire page and independent website dedicated to this event, so feel free to check them out!  See you there!

http://www.gbbicycle.org/beja-bike-bash-2016/

http://bejabikebash.com

Dust off the cruiser and join us for an outdoor movie after a relaxing, 2 mile ride from Titletown to our good friends the Hock’s backyard. Popcorn and entertainment provided, BYOB (bring your own blanket and beverage of choice). Leave Titletown at 7:30, movie will start around 8.

If you’ve been following the blog, you may have noticed that we haven’t posted anything new in a while. There’s a reason for that and it’s political…

Since November of last year, we at the Collective have taken on advocacy as one of our many hats.  This year we’ve managed to unify the cycling community for the cause of increasing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the Green Bay area.  Bike advocacy takes time and effort, but who knew that the scales would tip so far in our direction!  With the support of the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation, Live 54218, We Bike Etc., Bay Shore Bike club, 99%ers Bike Club, and several citizen advocates, we’ve convinced the Village of Allouez and Green Bay to plow the Fox River Trail (De Pere isn’t on board yet, but we’re still working with them), we had the Green Bay Traffic Commission change their name to Traffic, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Commission, and our request for 5′ striped bike lanes on the Webster reconstruction has been approved!

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mayor Jim Schmitt, our City Council, and of course the Department of Public Works for working directly on our requests. We are still stunned at the progress our community is making, so what’s the secret?  We bike, we engage our local officials respectfully, and stay reasonable and positive.

For more information about our work as of late, check out the following articles.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/life/2016/07/29/recreational-cycling-wisconsin/87083432/

http://wisconsinbikefed.org/2016/07/28/big-win-in-green-bay/

We will make a concerted effort to keep the blog updated and keep you informed of any opportunities to participate in any upcoming efforts.  Thanks and Ride On!

Join the GBBC for a weekly ride from the Farmer’s Market on Broadway, to the City Band at St. James Park. We’ll meet behind Pete’s Garage (142 N. Broadway) at 6:30 and meander our way to St. James Park (801 S. Monroe) for the City Band at 7:30. Since the ride starts and ends at different locations, you could park at St. James Park, ride to the market and shop, and ride back together as a group. All ages and bike styles welcome.  Weather permitting. https://www.facebook.com/events/587865344716419/

Ride dates:  June 15, 22, 29,   July 6,13, 20, 27,   August 3, 10, 17

Dust off the ‘ol cruiser and join us for our spring coffee ride! This leisurely, family-friendly ride starts and ends at Kavarna, but we’ll be joined by the Luna Coffee Bike, so you can have a hot cup of joe anytime along the way.

Saturday, April 30th, 10am, Kavarna Coffee House.  Casual pace, typically 15 miles.

We can’t even begin to express our gratitude to everyone who supported the Bike Banquet this year! We had a great time and are so very excited at the overwhelming progress the bike culture in Green Bay is making…

Thank you Green Bay Distillery and your amazing staff for your support and hosting us. We love the venue and look forward to more events there.

Thank you to Jeremy of Not Your Ordinary DJ for the rock and the roll!

Well here we are, year 5!  It seems like yesterday we posted our introduction to the world.  We’ve covered a lot of ground in five years and because of your support, we are moving forward in our pursuit of non-profit status.  What can we accomplish as a community collective you ask?  We’ll be able to contribute more to the community in the way of rides, rodeos, and advocacy.  With some work, we’ll even be able to open a community bike shop where children and people in need can learn bike building skills, safety, community involvement, and earn their own bike.

But before we do that, let’s start the season right with our spring kickoff!

Join us for our 5 year anniversary as a bike collective!  Admission is free and open to all.  We will have music, games, raffles, bike polo, a ride around Lambeau Field, and food/beverage for purchase.  Plus, you can renew your bike collective membership and license your bike!  Starting this year, members will receive discounts at a number of local bike shops. Have any children’s bikes you no longer need?  We will be accepting new or used children’s bikes for the Green Bay Boys and Girls Club.  See you there!

Don’t let chilly temperatures and SNOW stop you from riding!  We Wisconsinites revel in our ability to navigate the winter weather and most of us already participate in non-biking winter activities.  We also live in a very innovative time with great gear made from the latest materials.  So there’s no such thing as ‘bad weather’, just bad clothing.  Plus, fat bikes, tire studs, and even bike trainers keep us in bike mode.  But what about plowed sidewalks and trails?  Cities like Minneapolis have proven that if you maintain trails in winter, people will use them.

Are you interested in seeing trails in the Greater Green Bay area cleared in winter? The GBBC has been working with local officials and health advocacy groups to make the Fox River Trail accessible year-round.  If you’d like to send a letter of support, here’s how…

Send an e-mail to the following Brown County representatives (you should be able to copy and paste)…

corriecampbell11@yahoo.com, staush4district5@gmail.com, katerstom@rocketmail.com, hck2028@aol.com, jvdpvd@gmail.com, Kriese_MM@co.brown.wi.us, Meghan@Live54218.org

Copy and paste the following statement and feel free to add any additional comment.  Be sure to include some contact info so the county representatives know you are in fact real…

Dear Members of the Brown County Education and Recreation Committee,

As a resident of Brown County, it is my pleasure to write a letter of support in regards to winter maintenance of the Fox River Trail.  Allowing users to access the trail in winter means not only increased healthy activity for our residents, but year-round access to local businesses, parks, and jobs via the most popular trail in the state.  Winter maintenance of the Fox River Trail also keeps Brown County relevant to the increased demands for bicycle and pedestrian accommodations that are otherwise prevented by an inaccessible corridor connecting several communities in North East Wisconsin.

[Insert personal reason here]

In conclusion, I fully support winter maintenance of the Fox River Trail and look forward to the positive effect it will have on our community.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Contact Info]

That’s it!  Sending a quick email in favor of a project can have amazing, lasting effects.  If you have additional questions about this project please contact Meghan at Meghan@Live54218.org or 920-593-3401

Thank you and we hope to see you out there!

http://this is an interactive map

Update: The comment period to the DOT has closed.  Contact info will be blocked to avoid unnecessary spam.  Thank you.

There comes a time when you settle into a project or cause and you realize, WOW, there’s much more we can do…that time has come for The GBBC!  Since we began almost five years ago, we’ve hosted and promoted dozens of rides, fundraisers, and benefits for the community.  Our supporter base includes urban riders, mountain bikers, racers, recreational riders, health promoters, businesses, and local officials.  So yes, we have become a collective of bicycle advocates, but  we’re not done by a long shot …

The Green Bay community is progressing rapidly, but the infrastructure and facilities available to us are becoming antiquated.  As the city takes on infrastructure updates, it’s imperative to let the powers that be know how important it is to the cycling and pedestrian community that we are included in these updates.

Here is a simple, painless way to help…

Highway 57, aka, Riverside Drive will be undergoing a major face lift (see summary below). Public comment is being taken until DECEMBER 4th.  If you already know the details and want to send a comment to the WISDOT, here is the address…

Email ********** Project Manager at… ************

Include your name and where you live in the area (zip code), so the DOT knows you are a resident.  Please be respectful and stay on topic.

Not sure what to say? Feel free to copy and paste the following statement…

—————

Attn: ************,

We the residents of Greater Green Bay request the addition of bicycle lanes in the Wis 57 Improvement Project (ID 4085-38-00 and 4085-39-00). We feel a wide lane option does not address the safety concerns of pedestrians and cyclists and will result in increased vehicle speed. The addition of bicycle lanes will create a buffer between pedestrians and motorists, reducing the need for wider terraces and walkways.

Thank you

—————

Want to know the details?  The project overview can be found here… http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/ne/wis57

Too much information?  Here’s a quick summary…

There are currently two options to the Hwy 57/Riverside Dr. update.  A wide, outside lane option, or a non-wide outside lane option.  The speed limit for both options will remain the same.

1. Wide outside lane.  Riverside Dr. will remain a four lane road with the two center lanes staying 11 feet wide.  The two outer lanes would be a wider 14 feet to accommodate cyclists, but there would not be a designated bike lane.  Why this doesn’t work for cyclilsts…The WisDOT has confirmed that wider lanes increase motorists speed and result in more severe injury in the event of an incident.  Also, in the case of pedestrians on the adjacent walkways, there is no buffer between them and motorists.
2. Non-wide outside lane.  Riverside Dr. will remain a four lane road with 11 foot wide lanes with a 12 foot center turn lane.  No accommodations would be made for cyclists.

Why don’t cyclists just use the Fox River Trail?  Simply put, The Fox River Trail is not a viable option in that it’s a recreational trail that is not maintained in the winter, is not available for use after dark, is not free to use, and cannot safely accommodate commuter cyclists.

We hope that with this information, we can work progressively and positively to build a safer, healthier Green Bay.  Thank you and Ride On!

Join us for a ride on Sweetest Day!  It’s the annual Chocolate Ride, where we visit three local confectioneries and have a whole lot of fun.  This is a leisurely ride, so bring those fantastic single speeds out for an autumn cruise.  There will be prizes for the ‘sweetest’ bikes.

This is a great ride for our younger cyclists too!

When: October 17, 2015, 10am-2pm

Where: Meet at Kavarna Coffee Shop at 143 N. Broadway St., Downtown Green Bay