TryCycling on Princes Street

Fancy a Sunday saunter along Princes Street? It’s that time of year again for the Festivals’ Cavalcade. Until recently it was named after the Evening News, but now it’s taking the name of a national daily!

The content of the entertainment will remain much the same, with massed bands, Fringe acts and (for the third year) a mass of exuberant cyclists on interesting bikes, customised and costumised.

Once again Maggie Wynn is organising the cyclists for TryCycling in Edinburgh. “It’s a great chance to cycle along Princes Street with 185,000 people watching, and show what fun bikes and cycling can be.”

One regular participants, Andy Brown, is coming with a group from Dumfries. He is also bringing Ross Berry the resident blacksmith at Drumlanrig Castle, Thornhill. A previous blacksmith there was Kirkpatrick Macmillan, generally regarded as the inventor of the first bicycle. (The Castle has a small bicycle museum, hire shop and trails). Ross has created some interesting bikes which will be ridden in the cavalcade.

Maggie hopes there will be 100 riders this year. “If you have a bike that’s a bit different or know of some children keen to ride their bikes or sit in a tag-a-long, please let me know. We want to show that cycling is fun and suits all ages and abilities. If you are prepared to dress your bike up a little – or yourself- all the better- but that’s not essential. We don’t want to give the impression you have to be daft to cycle!”

Riders will assemble outside the City Art Centre at about 12.30pm and set off at 2pm. If you want to take part CONTACT MAGGIE so that she knows numbers and can brief you fully.

Photos and video from last year.

Film Festival Tickets Now on Sale

Bicycle Film Festival

TICKETDEAL
See any three programmes in the Bicycle Film Festival for £12/£7.50 concessions, or all eight for £24/£16 concessions. Tickets must all be bought at the same time.

Filmhouse
88 Lothian Road
Edinburgh EH3 9BZ
Box Office: 0131 228 2688 (12 noon – 9pm)

Monster Bikes Hit The Streets

After four days of frenzied creative activity there are another eight ‘monster bikes’ on the streets. Artist Tim Davies (centre of photo) inspired people to cut, weld and create something approximating to their cycling visions.

The most impressive was probably the one based on an old tandem which was produced by a children’s entertainer. Unfortunately this one is unlikely to be seen on the streets of Edinburgh as it has already headed south to start a new life.

YouTube video of building process

The others may make an appearance at Critical Masses and the Evening News Cavalcade.

The monster workshop was held in a great upstairs space at The Forest Cafe in Bristo Place. The raw materials were supplied by The Bike Station from their collection of bikes that are not worth fixing for re-use. (Most bikes are sold or distributed to community projects.)

YouTube video of building the bikes

Build Your Fantasy Bike

Poster Tim Davies Click for larger PDF.

The Forest Cafe in Bristo Place is offering eight people the chance to build their dream bike. We’re not talking about the ultimate Downhill machine or a super-light carbon fibre road racer. Look at the examples on the left (including this one) and you’ll get the idea!

Tim Davies is currently working in Spain, and has a background in sculpture and community arts projects. He’s been building these bikes “whenever I got the chance”, and will help the lucky participants.

He says – “My approach to building the bikes is always pretty rough and when I started I just cut up all the frames into bits and bolted them back together in the most basic way possible to see what new forms I could give them. Its great fun and really quick just to extend the front forks with a couple of extra pieces of tubing, or put the saddle high up and add an extra set of pedals. Recently I’ve got more into welding frames together because it gives you a lot more freedom to build the shapes you want, though it is a bit tricky to get right.”

If you’re interested, over 18, and available (all day) on April 14th to 18th, then get sketching and send your proposal to Tim before the 25th of March. He’ll let you know by the beginning of April if you are one of the chosen ones! More info from Tim.

The finished products will be displayed in the Forest’s gallery and then will probably appear on the streets, perhaps at a Critical Mass or during Bike Week or (if well enough made to survive until August)) the Evening News Cavalcade.

If you need inspiration have a look at the Tall Bikes that visited Edinburgh last year or some of New York’s finest Black Label Bikes.

Evening News story

Government Mentions Cycling 505 Times

A brand new Scottish Executive report Joined Up Policy and Practice in Health and Transport (PDF) mentions bicycles and cycling 475 times in 277 pages.

"(Executive Summary par. 1.30) It is clear that significant progress needs to be made to convince policy makers across, both health and transport sectors that there is merit in working together to achieve, common outputs, even where sectoral objectives may contrast (for example, modal shift for transport, healthy living for health). Moreover, there is effort needed in the, transport sector to convince decision makers that there is firstly merit, and secondly a duty to consider the health impacts of transport policies and projects, as well as, actively seeking to maximise health improvement opportunities.

"

A related (and more accessible) publication PROMOTING ACTIVE LIFESTYLES, GOOD IDEAS FOR TRANSPORT AND HEALTH PRACTITIONERS (PDF) manages 30 mentions in 25 pages.

Selected quotes –

“Joined-up thinking and practice in transport and health is not mainstreamed in Scotland.” THAT’s an understatement!

“encouraging cycling or walking to work, school and other day-to-day activities is a good opportunity to promote health at both a policy and practical level.

“Employ dynamic dedicated individuals willing to forge links across sectors, and take a proactive approach to the development of new projects.”

This report shows what has been done in 8 areas in Scotland – 2 in West Lothian, none in Edinburgh. It demonstrates what works by using careful targeting, cost effective promotional methods and involving enthusiastic ‘champions’ – preferable at a high level in key organisations.

Cash Offered for New Cycling Films

Brendt Barbur’s great idea for a Bicycle Film Festival has spread around the world from its New York base. Other cities have started their own versions.

This year TryCycling in Edinburgh created a BFF in Edinburgh which was great success. The 2007 event is currently being planned.

Edinburgh and BFFs throughout Britain have joined together to initiate a Bike Film and Animation Award “to showcase bike culture at the growing list of Bike Film Festivals across the UK”.

Film makers (that’s anyone with a good idea and access to a camera!) are invited to create something that could win a £300 prize. There are three categories ‘Best Action’, ‘Documentary’ and ‘Animation’. Additionally prizes for best local film and an audience vote winner will be awarded. Selected entries will also be available on a limited edition 2007 Bike Shorts DVD.

Andy Salkeld of the Leicester Bike Film Festival said “The aim of the Awards Is to encourage people to make their own films, start festivals and have fun with the new bike culture”.

Bella Stewart, Organiser of Derby’s Bike Film Festival adds “We organised our first Bike Film Festival last year. It was a massive success. 500 people came to see films and biggest hit was a short film made by local kids riding BMX and breakdancing in the park”.

In Edinburgh BFF Organiser Maggie Wynn says “We were hopeful that the festival would be a success, but the reality was that we were overwhelmed by the positive response the event received. As a result both Cycling Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council have pledged to increase their support. This year we hope to screen films like the Tall Bike Tour of Britain. Indeed, near calamitous events almost contrived to cut short their Tour in Edinburgh!”

Lesley Ann Rose of Lancaster’s Bike Film Festival said “If cycling is ‘the new football’, bike film festivals are ‘the new fanzines’ – engaging, irreverent and passionate”.

Download a submission form at www.bikefilmawards.org. Entry deadline is 26th January 2007.

Tall Bikes on Blue Peter Tomorrow

Tall Bike Riders (brothers Ed and Will Stevens) can be seen on Blue Peter this Tuesday (19th Sept) – BBC1 5pm. They will be talking about their “Tall Bike Tour Britain” which followed the coast (as closely as possible) earlier this year.

The pair had an eventful time – not least in Edinburgh where there bikes were run into by a stolen car! Evening News story

A film crew documented key parts of the trip (seen here at Fringe Sunday in the Meadows) and the final edit is expected to be shown at next year’s Bicycle Film Festival in Edinburgh.

Bike Station to the Rescue

Bike Station’s Steve fixes a new rack. Note the new front forks.

Following the unfortunate incident yesterday with a stolen car (see below) it’s seems the Tall Bike Tour hasn’t ended.

Will and Ed are still in a bit of a state of shock. At first they feared that the bikes must have slipped from their parking place on a lampost and caused the accident that damaged them!

One rear wheel was completely wrecked, this has been rebuilt by Alpine Bikes. The Bike Station supplied a new rack and a nice purple pair of front forks – and the workshop to check the bikes over.

As the brothers said, it’s a pity they had to have the accident, but at least it was only 150 yards away from the Bike Station!

They should be at Fringe Sunday tomorrow about half 12, setting off for Musselburgh and the East Coast sometime after one. They will be happy if people join them for the journey.

Tall Bikes Hit by Stolen Car

A stolen private hire car being driven by a teenager injured two people during a police chase in central Edinburgh yesterday.

As well as hitting a number of cars, the stolen vehicle damaged the Tall Bikes of Will and Ed Stevens who had stopped in Edinburgh for a few days during their 6000 mile tour of Britain.

At first it seemed that the damage may be significant enough to end their tour.

Full story in Evening News

Bikes at Fringe Sunday

Bike Station bike at Fringe Sunday 2005

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s that time of year again. The Festival (and its even larger Fringe) is in town.

Once again Fringe Sunday is being held on the Meadows (August 13 11-5pm) – lots of free entertainment and activities.

TryCycling in Edinburgh will be having a stall again for handing out free leaflets, selling Spokes Maps and generally encouraging people to Try Cycling.

Will & Ed the Tall Bike men are expected to cycle by.

If you would like to help, contact Maggie of TCIE.