The 2012 'Ride the Road' tour, Sunday June 3

The 2012 tour will be back Bigger and Better Than Ever Before Giving Calgarians the Opportunity for an Exhilarating Ride on Roads with Hundreds of Others.

On the tour You Do Not Ride Alone.

Watch as the Pace of Innovation Continues.

Register and Ride, Volunteer and Transform a City

Visit the Registration Details page for more information.

C3 sponsors the North Spoke Ride

C3 is a not-for-profit organization working to transform the way energy is used. Its vision is a world powered by efficiency and clean energy and it works to strategically remore barriers hindering that transformation. Additionally C3 will be using the 'Ride the Road' tour as a team-building exercise for its Calgary staff. The relationship with Climate Change Central represents the outcome of an institutional partnership process that should facilitate the development of a consensus about the significant role active and sustainable transportation can contribute to Alberta's environmental goals.

Mountain Bikes replace Motorcycles

In the first two years of the 'Ride the Road' tour motorcycles were use by Calgary Police Services. This year mountain bikes wil be the method of choice for the police escort. The police escort conducts a rolling closure and allows CtdnS event participants that strange feeling of cycling in complete safety on some of the most intimidating roads in Calgary. Although the spoke rides are not designed as competitive races they are designed for the more experienced cyclist who have the confidence in their ability to complete a longer distance and ride at a faster rate that is typical for the average bike commuter. The slower pace of the main or hub 'Ride the Road' tour mean that police can effectively provide the rolling closure on bicycles. Without the roar of motorcycle engines accompanying the peloton, the experience will be much more enjoyable for participants. The South Spoke ride is particularly suited to a mountain bicycle escort because of the fewer controlled intersections and greater distances between traffic lights.

The New South Spoke Ride

A new, second spoke ride will start in Millrise in Calgary's deep south at 10:15 am (sign up opens at 9:45) when cyclists commence the C3 Spoke ride in North Calgary. The approved route is straightforward: from Millrise proceed up Macleod Trail to Canyon Meadows SW and Elbow Drive SW to Stanley Park. Cyclists can also start at Cyclepath at 10:25 (sign up opens at 10:00). South Spoke riders will have a brief respite and depart on the main 'Ride the Road' tour with cyclists from the North C3 Spoke Ride and the families who participate in the main 'Ride the Road' tour.

Multiple Start Locations on Spoke Rides

This year you can start the ride at one of the many independent bicycle retailers located in proximity to either the route of the C3 Spoke Ride (Tuxedo Source for Sports or Calgary Cycle) and the South Spoke Ride (Pure Cycle or Cyclepath). Our starting sponsors that support 'more people cycling more often' will be helping you get started in the morning with coffee so pack your own mug in one waterbottle holder and use the other one for your water. Collectively these independent dealers contribute a significant proportion of the costs of the Calgary Bicycle Festival and the 'Ride the Road' tour in order to promote active and sustainable transportation in Calgary. in the City of Calgary and highlights the need for dedicated commuter cycling infrastructure. It is an on-street, closed-road ride that transports participants to a momentary and unforgettable experience of cycling in Copenhagen or Amsterdam or Portland.

Participants will be able to discover the sensation of feeling completely safe on Calgary roads. The ‘Ride the Roader’ will be surrounded by hundreds of cyclists rather than the hundreds of vehicles that confront the prospective bicycle commuter. The ‘Ride the Road’ tour on June 5, 2011 will be the inaugural public event of Alberta Environment Week, which also features the Mayor's Environment Expo, and Commuter Challenge.

The C3 North Spoke route

The ‘spoke’ ride will start at Tuxedo Source for Sports at 10:30 am (sign up opens at 10:00) and proceed down Centre St N south. You will be joined by riders at Calgary Cycle at 10:35 am (sign up here opens at 10:00 am) and head across town to the Calgary Bicycle Festival in Stanley Park. The main ‘Ride the Road tour will commence at 12:15 from Stanley Park after spoke riders catch their breath. CtdnS and Calgary Police Service want to meet the need for speed on this spoke ride and ensure that the speed of the main ‘Ride the Road’ tour is suitable for children and families. Our team of experienced cycling sweeps ensures that no one will be left behind. The spoke ride will be conducted with a rolling closure so cyclists will have an extraordinary, uninterrupted ride down Centre Street N through downtown, via 5^th St SW and Elbow Drive SW. The police escort will adjust the speed of the spoke ride to maintain the integrity of the group (peloton) of cyclists. Unfortunately we will not be able to accommodate children or cyclists riding low-geared cruzers or pulling bicycle trailers on the spoke ride. The main ‘Ride the Road’ tour departing Stanley Park at 12 p.m. is perfect for families and children.

The main 'Ride the Road' route

 

To get involved, email us at info@morepeoplecycling.ca. To learn more about what we are proposing, see our what we want page.