'Lite Bike' will light up the night, promote bike safety
One of the most important things to do when you are riding at night is to light up your bike. Participants are encouraged to be bright and flashy, thus the name "Lite Bike."
Bicyclists must have a front headlight and rear reflector to participate. And wear your helmet.
Bike A2 director Krysia Hepatica explains her vision for the event, which is basically twofold. She hopes the event "will encourage more people to use their bikes as a mode of transportation," and "promote bike safety and awareness," she says.
The final map of the route should be available shortly. It has changed slightly since the event was first announced, due to construction on Madison.
Ann Arbor City Council approved a half-block road closure near Ann Arbor Brewing Company, on Washington between Main Street and Fourth Avenue, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. All other streets will be open to traffic.
Riders will gather there to check-in, start and finish the race, and attend an "after party" with live music.
"Safety is our # 1 concern," Hepatica says.
A demo before the ride commences will cover the rules of the road and tips for riding at night, with an emphasis on how to properly light up your bicycle.
"We will communicate what the Ann Arbor ordinance is. We'll go over what the rules of the road are and how to ride safely. It will be a refresher on hand signals and tips for riding a group ride. Riders will be instructed that they can only ride two abreast - they can't take over the whole street. They have to obey the stop lights. All of that will be gone over before the ride starts," Hepatica explains.
During the ride, staggered riders and a SAG wagon will also attend to any flat tires or break downs. A registered nurse from UM will be available for first aid, if needed.
Since Lite Bike is a night ride, the demo will cover ways to light up your bicycle. Wheels in Motion will give a talk about different types of lights and their advantages, and some lights will be for sale.
"There are front lights that are for cars to see you and lights that help you see ahead of yourself," Hepatica explains some of the different types of lights there are on the market.
"A lot of the lights now are LED, and other ones run on batteries and typically give you a few options - a light, a brighter light, and a strobe," she says.
There are also different types of back lights and reflectors on the market. Hepatica uses a light made by Planet Bike that flashes.
"I love it because when I turn it on, it's really obnoxious in a good way. I want to be noticeable. It's really important for cars coming up behind you to see you," she says.
Bike safety affects both bicyclists and motorists. If everyone travels safely, obeying the rules of the road, it should be fine. But how educated are we? Both motorists and bicyclists can break the rules.
Does fear stop some people from trying it as a mode of transportation?
Hepatica acknowledges these concerns and hopes Lite Bike will address such issues.
"I hope it will serve a few purposes. It will hopefully help people feel more comfortable riding at night, and then, I also think, the automobile drivers have to get used to the idea that biking is a mode of transportation and shift their thinking on the road," she says.
"There is a theory of safety in numbers. The more people that do it, the safer it becomes and not the other way around," she says.
Hepatica thinks Ann Arbor already has a lot going for it. "We have a viable downtown and a fair amount of bike lanes already. It makes it pretty easy to navigate. There are bike corrals and racks, so it's typically easy to lock up your bike. It gives you mobility downtown," she says.
"If the infrastructure is there, people are going to use it," she thinks. She expresses support for things like funding the transportation plan, adding more bike lanes, and bike sharing programs.
Bike A2's role in local conversations about non-motorized transportation infrastructure and bike safety "is kind of like a PR firm for bicycles and the people who ride them," which "leverages social media and hosts events like this," she explains.
To celebrate the ride, Ann Arbor Brewing Company is hosting a beer garden with live music. Local bands The Finer Things and Light Out for the Territory will perform, and Tree Town Sound's Matthew Altruda will emcee. Participants will get a drink ticket for 1 beer after the ride. Prizes will be raffled off.
Running Fit will provide bike racks to lock up your bike for the "after party."
Lite Bike is sponsored by the Ann Arbor DDA, Ann Arbor Brewing Company, Bank of Ann Arbor, Kind Healthy Snacks, Dollar Bill Coping, Running Fit, and Sonic Lunch.
"I really hope this is a fun, positive event for the community," Hepatica says.