Hey Philly cyclists!
I recently just saw this update to the Spruce and Pine Streets Bike Lane Safety Upgrades Project page: https://www.phila.gov/2025-01-31-update-spruce-pine-safety-upgrades/

A lot of good news. Safety upgrades seem to have overwhelming support from the neighborhood and beyond. The exit survey from the community meeting at Jefferson showed over 80% of attendees in favor of concrete protection.

One on thing concerning me is the addition of the Friends of Pine & Spruce (FOPS) organization to the working group. For those who haven't been following, this is a group of wealthy residents created solely to oppose the safety upgrades planned for the street. One more unfortunate example of the rich leveraging their wealth and connections to buy outsized influence in our government. It may be worthwhile to email OTIS (otis@phila.gov) and your district councilperson (firsname.lastname@phila.gov) and let them know that this intentionally obstructionist group does not belong in the working group. Residents already have representation through their respective RCOs.

Sample text:
"Thank you for all the work you are doing to make Spruce and Pine streets safer for everyone.

I saw recently on the Spruce/Pine safety upgrades webpage (https://www.phila.gov/2025-01-31-update-spruce-pine-safety-upgrades/) that the intentionally obstructionist group was added to the working group with OTIS. This group was created solely to oppose the project and does not have any history of community service. Residents already have representation on the working group through their respective RCOs. Unless all participants of the current working group agree to an additional party being included, they should not be added.

Regards,
xoxoxo"

IMPORTANT INFORMATION, ROUTE, MUTUAL RELEASE, AND FUNDRAISER FOR NIGHTCYCLE: LUNAR NEW YEAR (1/28/25)

A.     Meet up is 7pm at the Art Museum’s front steps on the side closer to the Rocky statue.  Roll out is 7:30pm.  The route is about 10 miles, snakes through South Philly, and ends in Chinatown.  You should bring a tube and any special tools you need.  We’ll be circulating an electronic mutual release at start up and collecting donations for our partner, Ginger Arts.  You can also add your electronic signature to the mutual release or contribute to Ginger Arts using the links below. 

B.     CycleScene Riding Style:  We go out to enjoy riding with friends and go to fun places, not to make trouble. We take the whole traffic lane when appropriate, sometimes even when there is a frustrated car behind us – we have the right to the full traffic lane and we do it because sometimes that’s the safest, most pleasant, and best way to ride. We are traffic, so we ride with traffic on the right hand side of the road. We don’t ride against traffic on a one way or on the left hand side of the road. We let cars pass on the left by moving to the right when safe and appropriate. The ride is a party, not a protest – we’re having too fun much to wreck the vibe by arguing with drivers and we let the little stuff slide for the sake of the safety and happiness of the others on the ride. We stay off the sidewalk, but if we have to hop on it for a moment, we are extremely deferential and respectful to the pedestrians. We respect traffic lights, road signs, and police instruction. We do our best to move through intersections as one, like a bus, so if we’re halfway through an intersection and the light turns, we stay together until the whole ride gets through, so long as its safe. We thank drivers when they extend us courtesy, show patience, and work with us. We show love for the neighborhoods we pass through. We don’t litter.

C.  Route

Art Museum to Parkway

 Right/South on 21

Left on Ellsworth

Left on 20th

Pass Wat Phouthathammaram on left

Right on Carpenter

Right on 19

Left on Mifflin

Right on 15

Right on McKean

Pass Lian Sheng on the right

Right on 16

Right on Morris

Right on 6^(th)

Right on Moore

Right on 7^(th)

Pass Amitahba on left

Right on Morris
Right on 6^(th)

Right on Hoffman

Zhen Ru on right

Left on 8
Left on Wolf

Right on 6

Preah Buddha

Right on Ritner

Right on 13

Chua Bo De on left

Right on South

Left on 3^(rd)

Right on Arch

D.  You’ll be offered to electronically sign a voluntary mutual release by adding your name to the list.  It’s the “we don’t sue each other club”.  You don’t have to sign it to ride, and you don’t have to sign it again if your name is already on the list.  You can sign it now at the following link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17ZjMNtmKyVY9tImxuBCCwtA5qfYzKIjCzG774d5eSj0/edit?usp=sharing

E.  Opening June 1, The Ginger Arts Center will be center run by the youth, for the youth, in Philadelphia Chinatown.  College and high school students formed SPOC (Students for the Preservation of Chinatown) and SASA (Students Against Sixers Arena) in opposition to the proposed arena in Chinatown.  Now they want to radically reimagine the use of space through the creation of a youth and arts center in Chinatown.  It will feature youth led programming, teach ins, workshops, professional grade art equipment and a workspace for you the gather, socialize, learn and foster community.  You can support them at the following link:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ginger-arts-center?utm_campaign=unknown&utm_content=undefined&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=linktr.ee

Hey -- if anyone finds a wahoo rpm on the ground in west can you shoot me a dm? Lost within half a mile from my house, I've personally had no luck, but always hopeful. Hope you guys are enjoying the sun

Had my bike locked up out front of The Jim on 9th and Morris. Went to pick it up this morning and it’s gone.

I’ll be scouring pawn shops but if any one has any leads or see it on the street please give me a heads up!

Thank you. Go birds

Lol watch out for the big turds on the 1600 block of Market Street's bike lane

Anyone know if the Wissahickon Trail or Forbidden Drive are still icy?

Edit: Thanks for the info. I was planning to take it to Chestnut Hill for a doctor's appointment, but I'll take a different route.

Empty Sunday streets + drunk/amped up drivers = no good

Looking to build a gravel / commuter bike for my wife. She is 5’ tall and loves the color purple. Particularly looking for something like a Specialized Rock Hopper. HMU!!

Now wearing black cranks and black rear wheel. Taken from 15th and Snyder between 3:00 and 6pm.

Is either the Jersey or PA side of the Delaware towpaths treated at all, or at least rideable on a gravel bike?

Too much patchy ice for me to risk riding in traffic yet, but I'm getting stir crazy inside.

A few weeks ago I saw a bike delivery driver with what appeared to be giant mittens attached to his handlebars. As a teacher whose bike commute starts at 6:15 on a "oh hey, I can get in a little late today" day, I have been reflecting on how warm those looked nigh obsessively the last few days.

Has anyone tried them and can give recommendations? Is there any other way to roll up to my school building in the predawn chill and know, not just hope, that I still have all the fingers I started with?

Looking for recommendations on an easy, protected path, bike trip to do with our 2 and 5 year old. We could drive and ditch the car if need be, or an added train trip would make my 5 year old happy. My husband and I biked across the country together, and are experienced cyclists but we've never taken our kids on a biking trip and our youngest hasn't really even been camping. Our 5 year old can bike at least 20 miles, so capping each day around 40 miles might be best for this first trip. We are considering gearing up our E-bikes to make it super easy for this first time, but if we did we would need reliant power to charge at campsites. A 2 or 3 night trip would be the most we would want to do on the first time. We did the C&O and GAP many years ago, but on our trips we usually do 80-100 miles a day, so I don't remember if there would be a good chunk in the GAP to do with such a short distance; a good amount of our east coast riding has been in the Catskills and Vermont, and we are new to Philly so it would be fun to start exploring the PA/DC areas. Bonus points for routes with swimming spots, playgrounds, food, or easy to reach ice cream. We will definitely be getting them through with cookies, haha. Any leads or tips?

For anyone traveling to work tomorrow, I’m happy to report that the SRT is cleared all the way to Ridge Ave/Wissahickon area, even past East falls which they used to neglect. (Not over the bridge to the bus station tho)k

Giant of Bridgeport/Village Velo bike shop will be hosting an Open House Night for all cyclists on FRIDAY, January 31 (new date), 6:00 to 8:00pm. Topics will include "Bike Tech 101 - How to Get the Most from Your New Devices", as well as a talk on winter training/winterizing your bike, etc. Admission is FREE, and light refreshments will be served. Free parking lot on-site. Giant of Bridgeport is located at: 3 DeKalb St #102, Bridgeport, PA 19405. (across the Schuylkill River from the Norristown Transportation Center and train station.) Other PUBLIC TRANSIT options include the 99 Bus, which runs along DeKalb Street. Hope to see you there!

Does anyone have any good and safe places to park their bike near Pennsylvania Hospital? I will be working down there for the next three months during the day and was hoping to find a spot that I didn't feel like I needed to worry all day.

Mark your calendars for March 8th & 9th. The Philly Bike Expo celebrates the bicycle like no one else. Now in its 14th year, the Expo offers inspiration, information, and entertainment to cycling aficionados and novices alike. Held at the PA Convention Center, the Expo features exhibits by artisans and manufacturers from around the country and the world, demos, workshops, seminars and kids activities that include a spacious indoor test-ride area. Rides, food, and parties round out the fun-filled weekend. Tickets are on sale now for this “don’t miss” event at www.phillybikeexpo.com.

Mark your calendars for March 8th & 9th. The Philly Bike Expo celebrates the bicycle like no one else. Now in its 14th year, the Expo offers inspiration, information, and entertainment to cycling aficionados and novices alike. Held at the PA Convention Center, the Expo features exhibits by artisans and manufacturers from around the country and the world, demos, workshops, seminars and kids activities that include a spacious indoor test-ride area. Rides, food, and parties round out the fun-filled weekend. Tickets are on sale now for this “don’t miss” event at www.phillybikeexpo.com.