Are you a competitor? Does winning run in your blood? Are you passionate about environmental issues? The Team Bike Challenge could be your chance to go pedal to pedal against other commuters throughout the month of May and see who can ride the most. You don’t have to be a pro cyclist for this bike competition, and it’s not about going fast.
By Jonathan Keller
Published: April, 2007
It’s about riding as much as you can, for the environment and for your health. Whether it’s to work, to play, on errands or around town, the Team Bike Challenge is about the team that can ride the most all throughout the month of May. Why? Because May is National Bike Month, and cycling is a fun, clean and cheap way to get around!
Rain or shine, pedal your bike every day, all through May, and you and your team could be this year’s winners. And who knows, maybe next year you’ll be off to the Tour of California or even the Tour de France.
So how does the Team Bike Challenge work? Just get a group of two to five friends or coworkers together to make a team. Your team accumulates points every day a team member rides. Different types of team members receive different amounts of points for riding, but the way to win is for everyone to ride — as often as possible. Register your team on 511.org and get set up with a personalized calendar on which your team can log the days pedaled.
There are four categories of riders. A Novice is a new or infrequent rider who uses her/his bike less than a couple times a month. One of the goals of the Team Bike Challenge is to get Novices out and riding as much as possible, so each team must have at least two Novices. Every bike trip a Novice on your team takes is worth two points.
The next category is a Big Wheel, who can be a CEO, an elected official, a media personality or a company manager. Since these are people who are highly visible in our communities, it is important for them to set the example and show people that even big deal CEOs aren’t too important to bike to work. Each bike trip they take is worth three points. But, there is a limit of only one Big Wheel per team (no stacked teams of all CEOs and mayors).
Another type of team member is the Weekend Warrior. These are riders who enjoy a good ride after work for fun or exercise, or occasionally compete in bike races, but don’t typically use their bikes for commuting. It is important to get all types of cyclists using their bikes for all types of uses, so these riders are awarded two points for each trip they take.
And last, but far from least, are cyclists who already know the benefits of pedaling as a primary means of transportation. These are the Lifestyle Riders, people who frequently use their bikes to get around town. Since they take all kinds of bike trips regularly anyway, they only log one point per trip in the Team Bike Challenge, but still are an advantage to have on your team because of their frequent riding habits.
You might be asking yourself, what does it take to form great Team Bike Challenge teams such as last year’s Marin Planners and The Pedal Burners, and last year’s grand-prize winners, The Critical Macs? Not years of training and practice, not thousand-dollar race bikes, just a dedication to making as many bike trips as possible all throughout May.
Once you have your team members decided, go to 511.org and register. Then get ready to pedal every day in May, have loads of fun, help out the environment and set a good example during National Bike Month. Good luck and we’ll see you in the bike lane.
MTC and the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition are also seeking nominations for the 2007 Bike Commuter of the Year Awards. Winners will be announced in each of the Bay Area’s nine counties. Do you know someone in your county who is committed to making every day a Bike to Work Day? Just visit 511.org and share his or her story. Nominations are due by April 27, 2007.
Last year, the Critical Macs — named for their employer, MacDonald Architects in San Francisco — took first place in the Team Bike Challenge, with 253 riding points in the month of May.
