Bicycle Friendly Destinations Program Coordinator 8 month consulting contract
Sept 2010 – Apr 2011 $14 per hour

Approximately 20 hours per week

If you are as passionate as we are about making our region a better place to live by getting more people on bicycles on our streets, this may be the job for you.

Queen City Bike is looking for a person to help launch a new program to encourage greater bicycle use by working with employers, retailers, arts and cultural organizations, community groups, and others to make it easy for people to reach and use their facilities by bicycle. Beginning immediately, the Program Coordinator will work with Queen City Bike volunteers and our allies to enroll employers in a Bike Friendly Workplace program. The Coordinator will then help extend the program to other kinds of businesses and organizations in the area.

The Program Coordinator will:

• Recruit employers/organizations to commit to the program – Provide assistance to organizations so that they can become more bike friendly
• Develop materials to explain the program and to distribute to employees at each
• participating business on bicycle commuting and safety
• Conduct seminars, “lunch and learns”, and other training programs for businesses
• and groups
• Develop a plan to publicly recognize Bike Friendly Workplaces
• Develop a plan to make the Bike Friendly Destination Program financially self-sustaining beyond the end of the 8 month start up period
• Ensure that this program helps us grow as an organization and advances our
• mission
• Report to the President of Queen City Bike

Requirements

• Background knowledge on bicycles as transportation, such as parking requirements and needs of bicycle commuters
• Good business writing skills
• Good oral communication skills
• Effective at leading and conducting meetings and training sessions
• Ability to work with all kinds of people, as effective in a business meeting as in neighborhood association meeting
• Self-motivated and able to work without a lot of supervision – Understands the basics of community organizing and movement building

It is a big plus if you already use your bicycle to meet some of your transportation needs and understand from personal experience the challenges daily riders face in our area
This program is being partially funded by a grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

To learn more: – Please send an e-mail message at queencitybike09@gmail.com and we will send you a copy of our grant application, which will provide more information, – Visit our website and blog on-line at www.QueenCityBike.org if you are not already familiar with our organization.

To apply, please send a resume with a cover letter and two one-to-two page writing samples to me at queencitybike09@gmail.com. We will be scheduling interviews in the next few weeks with a target start date no later than September 1st.

We expect the Program Coordinator to use a bicycle to meet most of their transportation needs related to this program. If you will be unable to do so, please explain in your cover letter.

By Bob Yoder

Every bike has a story, and I like to offer some space on Bike Newport for people to share the stories of their bikes. So, I thought I’d start off with the story behind my poor man’s European style city bike. When I started to learn about European city bikes. It stuck me that road and mountain bikes have their place, but not for everyday urban transportation like a trip to the grocery store or my short commute to work. A bike like a European city bike would be the perfect bike for riding in an urban environment.

This project started after buying a Batavus Socorro (The ultimate city bike) for my wife. This bike is sweet. I wanted one too. The problem, Batavus was pulling out of the US market, and the only Socorros available were step-trough frames. (Forgive my chauvinism, I didn’t want a “girls” bike. )

I had a Fuji Hybrid in the Garage gathering dust. The Fuji started out as a free bike that I got from redeeming some American Express Miles. It’s a pretty basic 21 speed hybrid, and it didn’t cost me a dime.

I started to ride the Fuji around town, but it had problems for use as a city bike. The first being the lack of a chain guard. I wanted a bike to ride to work, but I didn’t want grease on my pants. (No, I wasn’t going tuck my suit pants into my socks, or put rubber bands around my pant leg. I believe a good city bike is one that is adapted to your needs of the rider. The rider shouldn’t have to adapt to the failings of the bike.)

Finding a chain guard became an obsession, because finding a quality aftermarket chain guard is hard. Throw in the fact that it needed to be put on a bike with a front derailleur, and it seemed almost impossible. Until, I finally found the SKS Chainboard. It’s available in multiple sizes, accommodates a front derailleur, but installing the Chainboard is tricky and best left to your Local Bike Shop.

I also wanted to avoid getting mud splashed on me during my commute to work, so next on the list was fenders with mud flaps. There a lot of quality aftermarket fenders. Since I installed the SKS Chainboard, I opted for the SKS Chromoplastic Bicycle Fender Set. Easy to install, and the fenders look great with the SKS Chainboard. There were some little plastic black caps that were supposed to go on the end of the rods that connect the fenders to the hubs. They fell off almost immediately, so I just ditched them.

Rear Bike Rack: I went with the Topeak Explorer Bike Rack. It’s inexpensive, sturdy and easy to install.

Basket: On the recommendation of my friends at Reser Bicycle Outfitters I went with the Axiom QR Faux Wicker Rear Grocery Basket. This is a great basket. It’s perfect for running to the grocery store, farmers market etc.

I’ve recently added the Axiom’s Hunter Grocery Panniers, which I really like. One problem though, I can’t attach the Axiom Grocery Basket and Grocery Panniers to my rear rack at the same time.

Both the basket and the panniers are designed to pop on and off a bike rack with ease, so you can take them into the store with you.

Other Accessories:
Mirrycle Incredibell Bell: It’s a great little bell. It is so much nicer to ring the bell when coming up on a rider on the Loveland Trail, than to drone “On Your Left.”

Planet Bike Blinky Rear Bicycle Light: If you don’t have a rear bicycle light, get this one. End of story, it’s that good.

Schwinn Alloy Bicycle Water Bottle Cage: It’s a water bottle cage, it holds a water bottle. It’s cheap and you can get it or one like it at your favorite big box discount store for five or six bucks. My water bottles tend to be the “swag” bottles handed out at bike shops and trade shows.

Bell Max Comfort Bicycle Seat: The original seat that came with the bike began to wear out. So, I replaced it with this one. I like it, it’s comfy and inexpensive. Available at your favorite big box discount store.

Bike Lock: Every bike needs a lock, this one works. It’s nothing fancy. A lock is a deterrent to a crime of opportunity. I believe that if someone really wants to steal your bike and they have a couple minutes and a hacksaw, not much is going to stop them.

Also, have some digital pictures of your bike and the serial number. (It helps to have a these handy if your bike is stolen. It also helps to live in a city with a person like this.)

Avenir Metro 2.0 Seat Bag: Cheap, less than $10. It holds bungie cords, tire levers, tube repair kit, hand pump etc.

Inspired by the Tweed Run in London and similar rides in San Francisco, Chicago and Boston, Newport is throwing its own woolen cap into the ring by hosting an inaugural

Tweed Ride on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. The ride departs at 2:00 p.m. from the Reser Bicycle Outfitters/Fusion Studio Building at 648 Monmouth Street in downtown Newport.

A leisurely six-mile course will take riders through the fair streets of Newport, Covington and Cincinnati in the most dapper attire followed by friendly banter, nibbles and libations at Claddagh Irish Pub at Newport on the Levee.

Riders are asked to leave their Lycra at home and dress in British period pieces. Organizers will make awards for the best costumes, and a suggested $5 donation helps fund bike racks in city parks. Possible attired includes woolen plus fours, tweed jackets, ties, flat caps, merino team jerseys, knitted jumpers, etc.

Need help putting your outfit together visit Newport’s Costume Gallery at 638 Monmouth St. (859) 655-9419.

Update: Soapboxmedia.com just came out with a great article on the Tweed Ride and Bike Newport.

For more information about the Tweed Ride, visit www.bikenewport.org.

Also an article on Slate about European Urban Bikes.