A BIKING PLAYLIST five local tracks to get your gears going “Witching Hour” by Supermoon Haunting harmonies, bubbly guitar, crashing percussion. This little number is a sunny jaunt in itself. “Hospital” by Sightlines The growling riff that drives this pop-punk gem is perfect for climbing up those big hills and the contagious melody that’s layered in will help you feel good about the grind once you get to the top. “Settle Down” by Twin River Glitter-encrusted guitar and a searing solo towards the end of the track makes this cut from Twin River’s new album a dreamy accompaniment to any sort of ride. “Crystal Ball” by Jay Arner If you’ve ever wanted to pretend you were the star of an ‘80s glam rock music video, put your Wayfarers on, pop “Crystal Ball” into your cassette player, and feel the wind in your hair as you pedal to glory. “The Finest Kiss” by Did You Die This cover of the Boo Radleys song is as delightfully shoegazey as the original, with an extra sprinkling of otherworldliness added for idiosyncrasy. Let it whisk you away while cruising home on the empty streets late at night. 5 FUN WAYS TO CELEBRATE BIKE MONTH LOGAN’S RUN SCAVENGER HUNT RIDE Now in its third annual <strong>edition</strong>, Logan’s Run Scavenger Hunt Ride is one of the most fun cycling soirees of the summer. On <strong>June</strong> 11 at 12 p.m., ride over to the Patterson Skytrain Station to pick up a task sheet. Then, take off to various meeting points to participate in bike-themed activities while accumulating answers for the hunt as you go. BICYCLE BEACH CRAWL On <strong>June</strong> 15, take a leisurely ride along Vancouver’s finest sandy beaches, like Spanish Banks and Jericho, to play volleyball, throw horseshoes, and toss the frisbee. The excitement begins at Third Beach at 6:30 p.m. and be sure to stay late — rumour has it, the crawl may turn into a rave. CAR FREE DAY Street festivals take over the city on both <strong>June</strong> 18 and 19 for Car Free Day. Live music performances, skateboarding jams, artisan vendors, wellness gardens, and more will fill the West End, Main Street, Commercial Drive, and Kitsilano. Each locale celebrates in their own unique way, so hop on your bike and see what your community has to offer. Bike valets are available to park your wheels. SUMMER SOLSTICE RIDE As the longest day of the year quickly approaches, why not spend it riding around the city with some cool people? Head over to Pat’s Pub on <strong>June</strong> 18 at 5:00 p.m. and roll though neighbourhoods like Gastown and Olympic Village as you chase the sunset to Spanish Banks with your new friends. PINK FLOYD THE SEA WALL Meet at the park next to Science World on <strong>June</strong> 25 at 8:30 p.m. to say goodbye to the blue sky. Then, roll around the seawall while listening to Pink Floyd’s The Wall in full. The happiest day of your life ends at Third Beach, with drinks and more music. BIKE MONTH <strong>2016</strong> RIDING FOR FUN, HEALTH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT Now that the heat of summer has begun to rise, is there a better time to hop on your bike and go for a ride? Not really, especially as <strong>June</strong> is Bike Month — a celebration of all things cycling in Vancouver that both promotes this great method of getting around, and showcases the city’s commitment to keeping things environmentally friendly. Advocating biking comes from Vancouver’s want to provide quality mobility choices to its residents, says Dale Bracewell, manager of transportation planning for the City of Vancouver, “And to really help be a greener city, a sustainable city, [while] encouraging DETROIT BIKES ZAK PASHAK PUTS A NEW SPIN ON TRANSPORTATION FROM MOTOR CITY Bike sharing initiatives have become fairly commonplace in cities like Vancouver. For some, the prospect of owning a car is an appealing notion, especially when weighed against sharing a cramped space on a crowded bus or a metro that can’t always be counted on to arrive on time. However, when considering the obvious green benefits of biking, the advantages are wonderful and, above all, affordable. The demand for the quick, the reliable, and the cost effective has had an immensely positive effect on Detroit Bikes, a manufacturer based in the Motor City. Canadians would recognize the company’s owner and president Zak Pashak for his contributions to the music scene. Pashak is the brains behind Calgary venue Broken City, Vancouver’s Biltmore Cabaret, and music festival Sled Island. Pashak was candid about his new partnership with Motivate, the largest bike sharing system in North America, and the larger implications that it’s had on the growth of his factory. people in both active transportation modes and transit.” Plus, besides being better for the planet than your gas-guzzler, biking is an excellent excuse to spend more time in our beautiful backyard and get some exercise. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or more partial to renting twice a year, Bike Month provides plenty of ways to challenge yourself and explore how to integrate biking into your life. Initiatives like Bike to Work Week inspire commuting alternatives, while activities like beach crawls and scavenger hunts suggest fun ways to hit the pavement. A brand new public bike sharing program, which will place 100 stations throughout “For me, this business is a little different than most other business because I built a factory which was a big expense upfront,” says Pashak. “We had this factory that had a certain capacity of production and business didn’t really make sense until we sold a certain amount of bikes per year...And in order to grow as quickly as we needed to, just being that there was such a cash intensive start up, I needed big orders.” Initially, Pashak received a large order for 2,400 bikes, but kept looking for bigger and better things. He contacted Motivate and convinced them to move their manufacturing to the United States. “Motivate had been going through a bit of a situation,” Pashak continues. “They had been buying bikes from a Canadian bike supplier and they wanted to buy from a different supplier and do a re-design…So they wanted to insert us in that supply chain to basically do quality control, to oversee what they were doing and how they were doing it, and to perform by Yasmine Shemesh the downtown core, also launches on <strong>June</strong> 15. “That’s going to really open up more opportunities for people to discover the joy and the convenience of being able to bike around our city,” says Bracewell. After all, Bike Month is about supporting city-dwellers in experiencing the benefits that cycling can offer. By taking advantage of our greenways, protected lanes, and bike-friendly spaces like the seawall, Bracewell says, “I think that more people would be happy and healthy because of the choices that they’re making.” Ride on! by Reid Carmichael paint and final assembly on the bikes. We’ve also taken over procurement for them on the wheel side.” Now, Detroit Bikes will assemble 3,000 bicycles for the sharing operator and, along with expansion within the factory, the contract has allowed them to team up with other enterprises like CycleHop. This summer, CycleHop will plant 150 docking stations throughout Vancouver to provide over 1,000 shortterm use bikes to residents — an exciting initiative called Mobi that makes biking more accessible and convenient. Simply pay a small fee at the kiosk to unlock the bike. A helmet comes free. So, there you have it. Bike sharing is great for you, the environment, and Canadian entrepreneurs. Take that, hybrid owners. Learn more about Detroit Bikes at www.detroitbikes.com and the bike sharing programs at www.cyclehop.com 28 CITY <strong>June</strong> May <strong>2016</strong>
<strong>June</strong> May <strong>2016</strong> 29