TheWashCycle

Bicycle Film Festival Schedule and More

DCist reminded me that the Bicycle Film Festival schedule is out. There are three movies being shown, and you can see all three for $20. All will be shown on Saturday at the United States Navy Memorial Theater - 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Lest you think it's more of a triple header than a film festival, I should note there are several shorts sprinkled in there and  there is also a pre-party at Asylum featuring Goldsprints.

Goldsprints is a bicycle rollers racing and social event. Riders on stationary bikes compete against each other in front of a crowd of cheering friends.

The features that will shown include.

ROAD TO ROUBAIX
USA 2008 | Video 75min.
Dir. David Deal and David Cooper
The film features the most difficult and prestigious one-day cycling race in the world: Paris-Roubaix. First held in 1896, the race is a grueling contest over 160 miles of cobbled farm roads in Northern France with a finish in the historic Roubaix Velodrome.

WHERE ARE YOU GO
Canada 2009 | Super8/HDV 75min.
Dir. Benny Zenga & Brian Vernor
Four months on a bicycle between Cairo, Egypt and Cape Town, South Africa en route with the Tour d' Afrique, the world's longest bicycle race and expedition. BFF Alumni the Zenga Bros. and Brian Vernor share a universal love of the bicycle with Africa's roadside mechanics, sporting racers and curious strangers. Traveling more than 70 miles per day, 50 racers and expedition riders experienced the boundless Nubian desert of Sudan, the great majesty of Victoria Falls, and finally the cold rush of the Atlantic Ocean. The 7,000 mile expedition is a constant adventure full of playfulness and mysterious beauty, and is testament to the endurance of human curiosity.

And a series of Urban Shorts.

They're also planning an after-party but it is TBD. And they're looking for volunteers - volunteer at the website.

DCist also noted that there will be an additional movie, not part of but as a lead into, the BFF.

 A screening of "Adventures for the Cure" will be held at Bicycle Stations (2204 14th St NW) on Thursday, December 3 at 7 p.m. The documentary follows three locals who rode across the U.S. on single-speed bikes to raise money and awareness for diabetes.

Which brings me to another topic. Somehow a new bike shop opened in DC last month and I complete missed it. What's up people? Help a blogger out. Luckily Thrillist has it covered.

Stations is a full-service retail/rental/repair boutique determined to spread the joy of social/urban bike-cruising, as opposed to the extreme radicalness of mountain biking, or the extreme spandicalness of racing.

To accessorize your two-wheeling, there's everything from Fuji gloves to all manner of mountable Breezer saddle bags, like the expandable Extended Trunk, and the Supersize Grocery Pannier

In the near-ish future, BS'll be introducing a DIY bike maintenance class, and a backroom, spinning class

PoP has some info too. I really should read Dan's blog (we're friends from back before the blogosphere days).

DC Bicycle Stations will provide high-line rentals, service and sales of accessories. Please stop by to rent one of many bicycles to enjoy the beautiful city of Washington, DC.

And by the way, if you need to have a romantic date we are able to cater a lunch bag and a blanket for you and your date.”

The second part of his message is pretty interesting. He explained to me that there will be a concierge service that can drop off and pick up rentals as well as provide other services upon request. Cost for the rentals is $65 per day and these bikes are rather high end retailing for around $1000.

Website still a no-go.

On the other side of the balance sheet

City Bikes is having a Commuter Bike Open House.

Whether you are a seasoned commuter or pondering pedal power as a mode of commute, visit our commuter bike open house to see the latest commuter bikes and accessories.
 
Our showroom floor will be dedicated to 2010 commuter bikes and accessories, and manned with knowledgeable staff - ride the latest models, get riding tips and more.

Learn the ins and outs of commuting by bike. The League of American Bicyclists will be giving an hour-long presentation on bicycle commuting at 2pm.

Sunday, November 15th 11am-5pm at the Adams Morgan City Bikes. They'll also raffle away some accessories. Stop by after the Tweed Ride (Registration is now open and free).

Capitol Hill Bikes Loses Lease

Capitol Hill Bikes is have a big, everything must go, sale because they lost their lease.

After 9 years, we've lost our lease and must liquidate our entire inventory! 

Bikes, clothing, accessories, parts, fixtures--Everything must go!
Come in early for the best selection!  Store opens at 11 a.m. sharp.
Up to 75% off

We've been proud to serve the Capitol Hill community for these many years and we hope to be able to do so again.  Until then, we must liquidate and vacate our current space. Please show your support by doing some early Christmas shopping or getting that new set of wheels you've been wanting. 
 
Thanks to everyone for their support.
 
Denise, Laurie and the Capitol Hill Bikes Crew.

They're also offering discounted tune-ups.

Update: The Hill is Home has an interview with Julia Christian, Executive Director of CHAMPS, a Chamber of Commerce on Capitol Hill about the closure of CHB.

Update II: And now an interview with owner Denise D'Amour.

The issue was that D’Amour had wanted to scale back to the original footprint, but this wasn’t in the best financial interests of the landlord, who felt it was a bad business decision, according to D’Amour. The beloved bike store had expanded to include the former Alvear Studios space, but D’Amour  said the economic downturn forced her to realize she could not support all three leases.

D’Amour says she is not looking beyond Capitol Hill’s borders at this time for a potential new space and is looking for investors.

New Bike Rental Facility/Store/Shop Coming to Crystal City

This is from We Love DC

The Crystal City Business Improvement District just announced a new program coming in the Spring of 2010: a 100-bike Commuter Hub, which will offer bike rentals to commuters, tourists, or residents.  The Commuter Hub will be located at 220 Twentieth Street, a new LEED-certified apartment building in Crystal City.  Revolution Cycles will manage the retail and rental business, which will also offer repairs and bike accessories.

This is not to be confused with the bike sharing program.

First Hand Account of the Bike House

It looks like the bike co-op started this past Spring, the Bike House, is doing well for such a new organization. DCist contributor Lauren Evans has a first hand account of the service and it is overwhelmingly positive.

The Bike House is a small encampment behind Qualia Coffee on Georgia Ave., and consists of little more than an awning, a table full of tools, and the boundless enthusiasm of its roughly 25 volunteers.

Though this service is technically free of charge, the Bike House happily accepts donations, and recommends $5-$10 per hour of service.

The Bike House is open on Saturdays from 12-3 p.m. "until it gets cold," and is located behind Qualia Coffee at 3917 Georgia Ave., NW. Show up if you have something that needs fixing, or just enjoy bikes and friendly, bike-loving people.

Trek Bicycles Loves DC

At this link, Trek uses DC (and Arlington) as the background for it's webpage. You may have to refresh a few times to see the photo of a female cyclist riding along the Potomac with Memorial Bridge behind her.

Thanks to Jay for the tip.

Petworth Bike Co-op

After the Petworth Bike Co-op meeting last month, the Northwest Current wrote a story about the group.

“We got hundreds of responses!” said Hennessey, who works in human rights and public health and has helped start bike cooperatives in the developing world. “This town has been waiting for a new bike co-op.”

After a few meetings and movie night at the Georgia Avenue center that presented the Italian classic “The Bicycle Thief” — which links a man’s ability to provide for his family to his access to a bicycle — the co-op held its first clinic on May 30.

“A lot of people showed up with their bikes — all kinds of people,” Hennessey said proudly. With tools available on the center’s back patio, people asked co-op members for help with repairs like fixing flat tires and tuning derailleurs.

And that’s basically the gist of the program.

Chain Reaction went under largely for financial reasons, a fate the Petworth group is trying to avoid by employing a revenue-neutral model — that is, using only volunteer labor and donated bicycles. The People’s Media Center, whose mission is to empower neighborhood residents through skill building, provides the space gratis.

A few miles to the east and just over the D.C.-Maryland border, P.J. Park, a co-founder of the Mount Rainier Bicycle Co-op, was excited to hear about another group starting up. “I wish them the best of luck — I really hope they take off,” he said. “D.C.’s needed a bike co-op for a while.”

At this point, though, Hennessey and his collaborators aren’t interested in seeking funding. The program is in its infancy and doesn’t even have a formal name yet. For now, their goal is to keep administrative meetings to a minimum and focus on the big goal: expanding a love of bikes and encouraging the District’s burgeoning growth as a city for cyclists.

The Petworth Bike Co-op will be holding its free clinics every Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. at the People’s Media Center, 4132 Georgia Ave. NW, between Upshur and Taylor streets. For more information, visit vineeta.org/bike.

3 Minute Interview - Colin Dixon

As director of Phoenix Bikes, an Arlington County-based youth development project, Dixon works with middle and high schoolers to teach them business skills while they learn how to fix and sell bikes.

How many bikes do you all fix each year? We’ve recycled over 250 since we opened, which at this point is just under two years. Most of those go to bike sales that we sell for an average price of around $80 to people in the community, as well as people all over D.C. since we’re the only official used bike shop. And then a lot of them go to the kids, as well, that they earn through the program.

It's a great program and their Bike Show was a lot of fun.

New Bike Co-op Start-up and Movie Night!

Here

We've been offered a location to start a non-profit bike co-op (Chain Reaction-type shop) in Petworth.

Please come check it out, get involved, share your ideas, eat some free popcorn . . . and watch a movie. Tonight at 7pm at the people's media center: 4132 Georgia Avenue NW, DC 20011, between Upshur & Taylor, 4 blocks north of Petworth green/yellow line metro, bus #70/71/62.

This week's film is the subject of many posts on this list: Bicycle Thieves :-( It's considered one of the greatest movies ever made (warning, plot-spoiler near end of this review):

Free popcorn & after-film discussion/brainstorming of starting bike co-op.

Probably Not a Chop Shop

Someone sneaked into the old Wonder Bread Factory and found it full of old bicycles. PoP thought it might be a chop shop for stolen bicycles, but as several commenters point out, they're most likely leftover bicycles from the, now closed, Shaw EcoVillage bike shop. Still someone should organize a mass recovery/donation to Bikes for the World. Douglas Development is the owner now I think.