Visitors to our website have told us how much they enjoy the calendar of events we have on the home page (you can see a larger calendar here). We work hard to make this resource available to the public and you can help! If you have an event to add to the calendar contact us (see guidelines for submission under the contact form).



We wanted to make it as easy as possible to share these events with everyone, so you can now embed our calendar! Share our events with your readers, and stay up to date on all the many bicycle events going on state wide. For instructions on embedding the calendar click here.

If that wasn't enough, you can also add our calendar to your Google Calendar, either click on the calendar icon on the right (under Stay In Touch With MassBike), or click here.

We are seeking some highly motivated instructors to teach our youth education programs, if you think you would find this interesting please see the job description below.

Safe Routes to School Bicycle Safety Instructor

The Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) is seeking part-time Instructors for our statewide Safe Routes to School (SRTS) children's bicycle safety program. Instructors will report to and work closely with the Director of Education and Outreach.

About MassBike:

MassBike is the statewide bicycling advocacy group for Massachusetts. MassBike promotes a bicycle-friendly environment, and encourages bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation. MassBike's programs focus on promoting bicycle-friendly legislation; improving bicycle access and safety on roads and public transportation; educating bicyclists, motorists, children, and police about bicycling; encouraging bicycle commuting; and creating opportunities to ride together.

Responsibilities:

• Work part-time from 0 to 20+ hours per month depending on the number and location of participating schools, as directed by MassBike.


• Complete training program to become certified as a MassBike SRTS Instructor. Training is paid, and provided by MassBike.


• Teach the SRTS bicycle safety class to children in grades 4-8 in schools statewide. This is a fast-paced, high-energy, 45-minute presentation. Classes are often presented multiple times in one day at the same school.


• Coordinate class schedule with Director of Education and Outreach.


• Obtain class materials from MassBike as needed and distribute in schools as directed.


• Prepare report on each school as directed by MassBike.


• Collect student survey forms and return to MassBike.

Qualifications:

• Associates degree or equivalent relevant work experience.


• Teaching or public speaking experience preferred.


• Experience teaching children ages 10-14 helpful.


• Strong interest and participation in bicycling preferred.


• Strong interpersonal skills required.


• Excellent verbal communication skills required.


• Access to email.


• Current driver's license and access to a car.


• Access to a bicycle in good repair and bicycle helmet (used as props during class).


• Availability to work during school hours, Monday-Friday, 7:30am-3:30pm


• Must pass Criminal Offenders Record Information (CORI) check.

Pay and Expenses:

Competitive hourly rate, plus reimbursement for mileage and tolls.

To apply, please submit cover letter and resume to shane@massbike.org.

Let's face it, you like bikes. MassBike likes bikes, too. That's why you should come help MassBike to provide bicycle valet parking this weekend! Bike valet is an easy way for you to show your support for bicycling, hang out with other MassBike volunteers, and ogle at some lovely bikes.

This Friday and Saturday (10/23 & 10/24), we will provide our top-notch bicycle valet services at the Boston Bicycle Film Festival outside the Brattle Theater in Harvard Square. Bike valet begins at 6:30 and ends at 11:30. We'll have two 2 & 1/2 hour shifts each night. After a shift ends (or before it begins), volunteers get into the film fest the night they volunteer for free!

And just because everyone loves bicycle parking so much, we're also providing bike valet at Climate Action Day Boston on Saturday, 10/24. The event takes place at Columbus Park in Downtown Boston, near the Longwharf Marriott. Parking begins at 2:30pm and goes until 6:00pm. We will have two shifts of 1 hour, 45 minutes each. We're planning for between 200-300 bicycles, so we need all the help we can get. We also need one volunteer who can help with setup. Setup begins at 1:30 and ends at 2:30.

Bike valet is an easy way to help out and all you have to bring is yourself! RSVP to volunteer@massbike.org to claim a shift or ask for more details. Learn about other MassBike volunteer events at our volunteer calendar.

MassBike does a lot of things, but one of them that always makes people smile is our high quality bicycle valet service. We hear over and over how nice it is to be able to simply give your bicycle to a pro and know that at the end of the night you will get it back safe and sound. Plus it's real classy.



Once again this year we will be providing our high quality bike valet service for the Boston Bike Film Festival. The Boston Bike film fest will be Friday and Saturday, October 23-24, 2009. Come see original films submitted by talented national and international filmmakers, and have your bike parked by the fine folks here at MassBike. A portion of the proceeds go to MassBike, so not only will you know your bike is safe and sound as you enjoy these fine movies, but you will also be helping out our advocacy efforts! Also be sure to check out the awesome silent auction items.

You can buy your tickets here, or see the list of movies and schedule here.

If that wasn't enough bike awesomeness for you we are also going to be having a very fun movie themed ride before the festival. Boston has been the set for many a fine film, join MassBike and the Boston Bike Film Fest on a fun tour of the various movie sets around Boston. The tour is free for BBFF ticketholders! (Helmets Required)

The ride is pretty flat but be aware that we will be riding on Boston city streets.

Sites we will visit include:
Two currently filming movies
The Town, directed/starring Ben Affleck with Jon Hamm and
The Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz' Wichita project (as yet untitled)

Recently released films
The Surrogates
Bride Wars

Some old favorites
The Departed
Good Will Hunting

Several others filmed right here in Beantown

We'll finish in Harvard Square in time for dinner at any of the Square's many restaurants prior to the Festival.

Meet at noon on Oct 24th at
Urban Adventours
103 Atlantic Ave, Boston

Special thanks to Sam Baltrusis for designing this one of a kind ride!

It is always great when we get to help people, I got this in the email today and it really brightened my day.

Hi Shane,
I was at the Dana-Farber bike commuting workshop you did yesterday.
Just wanted to let you know that I tried your trick of putting plastic bags over my socks for this morning's ride through the rain/almost-snow....it kept me dry and warm and happy! The little things make a big difference, so thanks very much. Great workshop!
-Liz

Thanks Liz! I am glad you were able to stay dry and have a good ride. If you want to have someone from MassBike come talk to your employs about winter commuting (so you can learn all these tips) check out our commuter workshop information here.

In today's Boston.com article about the recent appearance of a ghost bike at a crash scene in Brookline, the reporter also mentioned that Brookline is considering requiring that bicycles be registered. (Executive Director David Watson is quoted on both topics.) MassBike is opposed to mandatory bicycle registration - in fact, we successfully repealed the long-standing statewide bicycle registration statute in the recent Bicyclist Safety Act. Requiring a prospective bicyclist to register their bicycle adds a layer of bureaucracy, and possibly expense if there are registration fees, for anyone who wants to ride. We are at a point in time where we need to remove as many obstacles as possible to getting more people on bicycles, not make it more difficult. And what about the fact that many bicyclists riding in Brookline, or most any town for that matter, do not live there and are just passing through? Those bicycles will not be registered. The old registration statute required bike shops in towns that adopted bicycle registration to register every bike they sold, identifying the purchaser - but if the bike shop in the next town over does not require registration, where do you think people are more likely to buy bikes?

One of the most often-cited justifications for bicycle registration is that it will enable police to better enforce the law against bicyclists who run red lights, hit pedestrians, etc. by identifying the offending bicyclist. But rarely do the people calling for bicycle registration call for increased enforcement against lawbreaking motorists or pedestrians, who represent the vast majority of people on the streets. In the United States, a city where even 5% of trips are made by bicycle is unusual; in Boston, for example, the number is closer to 0.5%. At the current level of mode share for bicycles, and with limited police budgets, there just isn't enough bang for the buck in targeted enforcement against bicyclists. Not to say that bicyclists shouldn't be held accountable for their actions - they should - but let's try to keep the enforcement problem in perspective.

Want to hang out with MassBike for a couple of hours in the heart of Oktoberfest this Sunday? We are looking for some volunteers to help run our tent in Harvard square. If you want to chill with the fine folks from MassBike, talk to the public, and in general just have a good time we are looking for volunteers for the following shifts:

10am-12pm

12pm-2pm

2pm to 4PM

4pm to 6pm

Volunteering will get you a free limited edition MassBike water bottle. And our gratitude. If you are interested in volunteering please email David at David@massbike.org

I saw the most improbable bicycle crash today on my way to the MassBike office. Don't worry, no one got hurt. But it does present an opportunity to talk about the dangers of riding on the sidewalk. I was riding down the street, in a perfectly nice bike lane no less, when I saw another rider coming in my direction on the sidewalk. Not just any old sidewalk, but an obstacle course of sorts. You see, today was trash pickup day, and the sidewalk was full of empty trashcans strewn haphazardly about by the garbagemen. And this cyclist was weaving his way down the sidewalk trying to dodge all the trash cans, when he zigged when he should have zagged, crashing into one and toppling over in slow motion.

Trash cans, parking meters, mailboxes, street signs, telephone poles, benches, trees, bus shelters - the sidewalk is full of obstacles, not to mention pedestrians, baby strollers, skaters, wheelchairs, and unpredictable children. If you manage to safely navigate all of that, you still have to watch out for cars pulling out of driveways and turning at intersections, and they are not expecting bicyclists on the sidewalk. On top of that, riding on the sidewalk is actually illegal in many places in Massachusetts, including all business districts and anyplace else that local towns decide.

Undoubtedly, there are places where the road is not safe for bicyclists, and the sidewalk may be your only option. But give the street a try - you may like it! Look here if you need some help getting comfortable riding in the street.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council has unveiled a new program to help communities provide bicycle parking at minimal cost. This program, which is supported by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Executive Office of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration, provides communities with the opportunity to purchase bike racks and related equipment and receive full reimbursement for the purchase. All 101 communities in the MAPC region are eligible to participate, as are the DCR and the MBTA. This is a great opportunity to get new or upgraded bike racks for parks, schools, business districts, and transit hubs “ don't let your community miss out!

For details about the program, click here

(Note: this is information from our old website, but still good so we wanted to share it with you.)

(this is the old list from our old website, if you know of a new bike movie please contact us with information so we can add to this list!)



The obvious ones . . .

Bicycle Thief (1948) Directed by the Fascist-era matinee idol Vittorio De Sica from a script by veteran screenwriter Cesare Zavattini, said by the Village Voice to be the most universally praised movie produced anywhere on planet earth during the first decade after World War II. A workman spends a whole day looking in vain in the streets of Rome for the bicycle someone has stolen from him.

Breaking Away (1979) Local cyclist in a small town (townies AKA "cutters"), lives, eats, and breathes cycling and everything else Italian, comes of age in a race against college kids. Based on Dave Blaze, and his experiences at Indiana University and the Little 500.

American Flyer (1985) Two brothers, a former National caliber rider (Kevin Costner) and his enthusiastic brother, take an adventure to the 'Hell of the West' (AKA Coors Classic) stage race. Lots of good 'Coors Classic' footage in this one, even Eddy Merckx makes an appearance.

Quicksilver Trials and tribulations in the tough world of bicycle messengers in New York City. Stars Kevin Bacon, and Nelson Vails, with great stunt shots of cycling (often in illegal ways) in traffic.

The less obvious Ones . . .

2 Seconds (1998) A mountain biking film about a female bike racer who gets tired of the racing life and finds the true meaning of life with the help of an old, grouchy bike shop owner. There are good downhill racing scenes at the beginning. It's French Canadian with subtitles, was directed by Manon Briand, and stars Charlotte Laurier and Dino Tavarone. This movie is available in VHS and DVD formats.

20 Shades of Pink (1976) A middle-aged house painter, going through mid-life crisis, takes up cycling for exercise and meets up with an attractive young bike racer. The painter thinks she is interested in him on a personal level when she really only wants to help him prepare for an age-group bike race. Directed by Paul Stanley, with Anne Jackson, Eli Wallach, and Keenan Wynn.

Beasts of Burden It depicts the hard side of the bike messenger's life and society. It may be realism, with emphasis on the unhappy side, but it certainly makes you want to avoid that life. It shows drugs and alcohol, insufficient money, an alienated approach to living, a very hard job. On the other hand, the scenes of cycling in traffic, taken by a bike-mounted camera, are very exciting.

Beijing Bicycle (Shiqi sui de dan che) (2001) While watching this movie I couldn't help but be reminded of The Bicycle Thief (Ladri di biciclette). This is a story of determination of two young men. One works hard for a bicycle courier and on the day he would have earned the bike, it is stolen. The other steals money from his family and buys a bike so that he can impress a girl. Yes, it's the same bike. Amazingly, Guo is able to find his stolen bike, but that isn't the end of his troubles. I couldn't help but feel for all the crap he has to put up with, especially since all he wanted was to be a hard worker. Yet, like us all, life threw him a curveball and he does everything in his power to deal with the situation.

Breaking Away (TV) In this TV series, based on the movie of the same name, Shawn Cassady plays the role of Dave Stoller, bike racer. This one is tough to find, as it only lasted one season in the early 80's.

The Day I Became a Woman Three short stories about women in modern Iran, one of which is about a woman who wants to enter a bicycle race and her husband who is very much against it.

Hugo's Magic Pump Hugo is the winningest 6-day racer in Italy, beating everyone, including the Mafia's 'Fixed' riders. To stop losing gambling moneys, the Mafia decides to wear Hugo down by throwing beautiful women at him, hoping to reduce his endurance and stamina. This Adult movie from the late 70's was Competitive Cycling Magazine's choice for best cycling footage in the era before 'Breaking Away'. Dubbed.

Joey Brown, 6 Day Racer A 1940's bike messenger wins the big 6-day race. A hard to find B/W film from the 40's. Lots of 6-day footage, starring era comedian, Joey Brown.

Jour de Fete (1949) In this French film, filmmaker/comedian Jacques Tati plays a wacky bike-riding postman attempting to modernize delivery service.

One Less Car (1991) A Boston filmmaker profiles people who use their bicycles instead of cars for a variety of transportation uses.

Return of the Scorcher (1992) This movie was made by bicycle activist Ted White to show the superiority of the bicycle to the automobile, with scenes from all over the world. One of its claims to fame is that it's where the name "Critical Mass" comes from.

A Sunday in Hell: 1976 Paris-Roubaix This movie shows the trials of long-distance, "radonneur" bicycle racing.

Stars and Water Carriers Stars and Water Carriers is a better movie with much better scenes of Eddy (The Cannibal) Merckx and how he won so much. The film shows the strain on Eddy's face and clearly shows how much effort he put into his racing. This is a Danish documentary with added English sound track so it sounds a bit funny, but it takes my vote for best cycling video to date.

Who Owns The Streets/We Are Traffic (1999) Ted White's documentary traces the unique Critical Mass bike movement from its early days in San Francisco to its growth of thousands of cyclists each months and its spread to more than 100 cities in 14 countries. The movie explores the ideas of reclaiming public space, commercial-free cultural events, and rethinking traditional models of political demonstration.

The Yellow Jersey A PBS Documentary from the Early 70's, showing the trials of the American team at a stage race in Canada. BicycleCam Videos filmed on a bike during a professional bike race. The first, of the 2000 Golden, Colorado Pro 1/2 Circuit Race is available now. Samples of the upcoming video of the 2000 Bannock Criterium are on line, but I'm looking forward to the announced "Chicago Bike Messenger" video.

Movies Where Bicycling Plays a Part

Americathon I haven't seen this, but apparently it's a really bad B-movie about a post-apocalyptic (or post-energy-crisis) California where there's no oil and everyone bikes. Old cars are used as houses, and there's a Beach Boys song about biking. Also, Meatloaf is in it and eats a car.

A Midsummer Night's Dream The 1999 version is set sometime in the late 19th Century, and has lots of bicycles in it. While adhering to Shakespeare's dialogue, it manages to work bicycles into the plot.

Better Off Dead Not about biking per se, but there's a tenacious paper boy who follows the protagonist everywhere on his bike -- including down the dreaded K12 ski slope -- in hopes of collecting his $2 payment. "I want my $2!" has lived on in form of a $2 coupon for Pedro's.

Brainstorm No bicycle plot, but Christopher Walken commutes on a recumbent and scenes of him arriving at work and at home on it are pretty cool.

E.T. The Extraterrestrial Directed by Steven Spielberg in 1982, this movie is about a boy named Elliot, a lovable extraterrestrial named E.T. and their quest to get E.T. home. The film climaxes in one of the greatest chase sequences ever filmed - as Elliot and his friends (the good guys) take off with E.T. on their trusty BMX bikes, fleeing from the government authorities driving official motorized vehicles (the bad guys). This is a movie where the kids and bicycling dominate - and it's sheer joy to see bicycles crashing onto and demolishing cars, for a change! And with E.T. riding in Elliot's front basket, of course, the kids get the bike ride of their lives - and so does the audience. "E.T." is one of the ultimate feel-good movies - great for family/group-viewing anytime.

Key Exchange The play on which this movie was based used bicycles as scene transitions. The male star waxes rhapsodic about cycling around Central Park. I have heard that the movie de-emphasizes the bicycle motif. Its cast includes with Danny Aiello and one of the actors from "Breaking Away".

Life is Beautiful Director/star Roberto Benigni, before being imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, tools around Italy on a bike, including into the arms of a charming woman he later marries.

Little Miss Marker A depression era bookie (Walter Matthau) gets stuck with a little girl, left as an IOU (marker). Only about 5 minutes of 6-day racing in this one. The track is a portable one, built by the same builder as the portable Atlanta Olympic Velodrome.

Pee Wee's Big Adventure The opening scene is Pee Wee Herman dreaming about winning the Tour de France, and the whole plot of the movie is about Pee Wee looking for his stolen bike.

Project A (1983) Beyond great fights, this movie features a chase scene through alleyways with Jackie on a bicycle that should be included in any "great moments on film" compilation. Plus, it has a great Harold Lloyd homage scene with a clock tower. (from The Jackie Chan Mailing List Proudly Presents the Annotated Jackie Chan Filmography otherwise known as "John's Little Opinions" at http://www.tmn.com/~schone/chan/com.htm)

The Straight Story (1999) Admittedly a small scene, but look carefully and see the recumbents pass lawn tractor riding Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth), in this David Lynch movie.

The Tall Blonde Man With One Black Shoe (1972) A power struggle at the French Secret Service spills into the life of an innocent concert violinist who fiddles obliviously while rival spies and hit men try to set him up for a final bow. Not entirely innocent, as he carries on an affair with a fellow musician while her husband is out bicycling every weekend. Some of the bicycling scenes are pretty funny.

Time Chasers Not only does the hero of the movie ride a bike as a major form of transportation (though he uses an airplane to make his time machine), but when he travels into the utopian future there are tons of bicycles, along with buildings made out of recycled material. This movie was heckled on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and is available from its maker, Edgewood Studios (They even have a trailer online).

Un Affaire D'Hommes (1981) Jean-Louis Trintignant is an architect and joins a bicycle racing group where a detective (Claude Brasseur) is member. He uses this friendship to cover the murder of his wife. The film includes several scenes of the group's weekly race (which also plays a part in the murderer's alibi), and the final confrontation is done using bikes, not guns.

Other Bicycle Movie Sites
Rec.Bicycles Frequently Asked Questions 5.7 Bicycle Racing Movies Updating this list was how the MassBike Bicycle Movie list got started. It has longer descriptions, though.

Bicycle Austin A good, but shorter, categorized list. Sometimes it has more information about individual movies.