D.C.'s 'Best Bike Shop' is now hiring teammates

BicycleSPACE is now hiring experienced mechanics who want to take this job and love it.

BicycleSPACE bears the honor of winning Best Bike Shop (Washington Area Bicyclists Choice awards) and Best Place to Get Your Bike Fixed (City Paper Best of 2015 Readers' Poll) this spring.

It's an exhilarating year at BicycleSPACE and we need teammates to make it the best ever. 

Can you see yourself in this picture among the best?

BicycleSPACE is now hiring experienced mechanics to start immediately in Adams Morgan and downtown at 5th & K Streets NW.

You're a good fit if you handle a wrench with grace and charm customers with the steely determination of an everyday superhero. 

You uphold our award-winning reputation as a welcoming shop with a positive attitude and mutual respect between owners, managers, employees and customers. You're unwaveringly loyal to our values of honesty, integrity, sincerity and professional excellence.

If this is you, please apply here.

Vintage Rally to Bloomsday 2015

A friend of the shop connected to the Irish Embassy has invited us to ride in the Embassy of Ireland Bloomsday-Yeatsday Celebration on 16 June. Embracing our adventurous spirit, we said yes to a daytime social in vintage costume, taking a huge leap of faith you'd come along for the ride.

Bloomsday pays tribute to Leopold Bloom, the central character in James Joyce's Ulysses. The annual celebration is big in Dublin, where thousands of people recreate Bloom's epic ramble through Dublin on June 16, 1904. Edwardian costumes are an essential component of the celebration.

Cities around the world hold Bloomsday celebrations.

The U.S. Embassy of Ireland is celebrating Bloomsday in Dupont Circle Park from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. All Washingtonians are invited to the free celebration of readings, music and more. Participants are encouraged to bring lunch to satisfy their literal and literary hunger.

We've been invited to partner for a Bloomsday bike rally to the picnic celebration. Here's the scheme:

• Assemble at 11:30 a.m. at 440 K St NW
• After short history talk by our local historian and Irishwoman friend of BicycleSPACE, ride departs at 11:45 a.m.
• We parade through the central city in period costumes on as many vintage bikes as we can find/borrow/commandeer
• Taking a relatively direct route, we arrive at Dupont Circle for the 12:30 celebration

Let's make this work, BicycleSPACE mates!

Telecommute, schedule a doctor's appointment, take flex time. Free yourself from your desk and travel back in time with us for one extended lunch break.

We have only one chance to make a good first impression on the Irish Embassy.

Also, we have to dress the part. Think of it as a Tweed Ride with an Irish accent. Not everyone has to be in full costume. A top hat and bow tie is sufficiently symbolic. Our expert historian is here to help us with our costumes. But, we do have to be properly outfitted in some way, shape or form.

The Dublin tradition is to dress in Edwardian costumes. Leaders of past D.C. Bloomsday events do not fixate on historical accuracy, but have found that a good impression of early 1900s Dublin can be made with the following tips:

For Gentlemen: Tweed, linen or white jackets, hats of some sort including caps or boaters, bow ties and suspenders. Bonus points for such additional accessories such as monocles, brass-tipped canes, lapel flowers, etc. Other looks of the time include bike delivery boy in a cap, black pants, white shirt, big apron and wicker basket on bike.

For Ladies: One style is a flouncy blouse beneath a modern-day full-length evening or bridesmaid dress with a brooch at the neck and wide belt/sash. Another look that works is white button-up blouse (with brooch), long skirt and straw hat. Bonuses for wicker baskets, up-dos, hair fascinators, dangling pearls and parasols.

Possible sources could include back of the closet, elderly relatives, local thrift store, or that pal who's really great at coming up with original Halloween outfits. 

Get in the spirit by watching this Dublin video and thanks in advance for agreeing to our madcap idea.

Bring your own bike -- ideally vintage* -- and picnic lunch.  Feel free to post your costume questions on our Facebook event page.

* Want to buy a head turner for the occasion? We suggest a classic Pashley Cycles jewel, such as the Countryman or Princess, available now at BicycleSPACE.

Tour de Fat on May 30

Who likes beer, bikes and bemusement?

Spend a seasonal Saturday down by the river side wearing a crazy costume, riding in a bike parade of colorful characters and drinking bicycle-friendly beer for a good cause. Cruel punishment, we know.

Three cheers for the Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewing's celebration of beer-loving bicycle culture at its ... weirdest?

Are you ready for this -->

2015 DC Tour de Fat at a Glance

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2015
Time: Costumed bike parade at 11 a.m. Festival from 12 to 5 p.m.
Location: Yards Park, 355 Water St SE 
Admission: Free!
Beer: Cash bar (via tokens)
BicycleSPACE pre-festival ride: Pickups in Adams Morgan (9 a.m.) and Mt. Vernon Triangle (9:45 a.m.) to arrive in time to ride in the 11 a.m. costumed bike parade.

Proceeds from beer sales benefit D.C. bicycle non-profits such as the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and Black Women Bike D.C. Translation: you drink beer. The money you pay for said beer supports local bike organizations that serve our community's interests. Cheers!

If you're overwhelmed by the Tour de Fat spirit, you can catch the pre-game action Wednesday-Friday, May 27-29.

Tour de Fat Trivia takes place at 8 p.m. on May 27 at Stoney’s L Street, 2101 L St NW. Play trivia to win fun prize packages and quench your thirst with $4 Fat Tires and $14 pitchers. 

WABA and New Belgium are hosting a pre-Tour party for volunteers and beer nerds on May 28 at Churchkey, 1337 14th St NW, from 6 to 9 p.m. Get lucky and you could win a 2015 Custom Cruiser in the raffle. Get hoppy and sip 15 New Belgium drafts, including six Lips of Faith beers and five New Belgium brews on cask. (Click here  to volunteer with WABA at the Tour de Fat.)

The Tour de Fat pre-show is May 29 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Yards Park. Musicians and performers will entertain you while New Belgium beers refresh you. This free show will set the mood for the big day Saturday.

Last but not least, congratulations to Instagram user @chipper_skipper, whose lovely photo won a BicycleSPACE tune-up in the Tour de Fat DC photo contest.

Bike to Work Day 2015: One for the history books

A record 17,500+ people joined in Bike to Work Day this year. You -- the new and longtime Washington Area bicyclists -- are proof that bicycle commuting is viable, efficient, enjoyable and increasingly mainstream. Thank you for bicycling on May 15 and sending this message just by being you.

All year around, bicyclists are the VIPs of our community. On the day when bicyclists are in the spotlight, we draw attention far and wide. A Cabinet Secretary wanted to join our movement, so we welcomed U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez to our upcoming Mt. Vernon Triangle shop at 440 K St NW. 

We learned Sec. Perez is a serious cyclist in real life. He didn't speak from the podium with the microphone, but he was most assuredly there with us. Dressed in cycling gear, the Secretary rolled his bike down the red carpet then spoke informally with bicyclists.   

We also received visits from Tommy Wells, Director of the District Department of the Environment; D.C. Councilmember David Grosso; and D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen.

We rolled out the red carpet for you and you looked mahvelous, dahling.

The photographic evidence:

440 K St NW was the place to see and be seen on the red carpet.

More multimedia:

Facebook photo album

Instagram video from the red carpet

A time-lapse video of Sec. Perez's Bike to Work Day ride to us

Wouldn't it be great if there were more bike lanes and better bicycle infrastructure? We're working on it. Help show strength in numbers and advocate with us. 

For starters, please stay up to date with Washington Area Bicyclist Association campaigns and calls to action. Also, we encourage you to get involved in the D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council, a public agency comprised of bicyclists appointed by D.C. elected officials. The council's job is to advise policymakers on legislative matters of interest to bicyclists. The council issues advisory recommendations to improve the transportation system for bicyclists. BicycleSPACE co-owner Erik Kugler is a BAC member appointed by Councilmember Grosso. D.C. residents are invited to attend the council's public meetings and to serve on its committees. The council meets at 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month at 441 4th St NW.

Bike to Work Day 2015

In this year of exciting growth to three BicycleSPACE shops, May 15 Bike to Work Day is especially meaningful to us. We're proud to sponsor this benchmark event that shows policymakers the quantifiable demand for better bicycle infrastructure. 

So, where's the party?

Our home base is the Mt. Vernon Triangle pit stop at 440 K St NW, site of our upcoming shop. We're literally rolling out the red carpet for you there.

This being a special occasion, prominent elected and appointed officials will join you -- our everyday VIPs -- at Mt. Vernon Triangle.

We're expecting visits from:

• Hon. Tom Perez, U.S. Secretary of Labor
• Hon. Tommy Wells, Director, District Department of the Environment
• Hon. David Grosso, D.C. Councilmember
• Hon. Charles Allen, D.C. Councilmember (pending confirmation)

As we grow to the largest bicycle retailer in D.C., we're adding 40 jobs to employ a total of 70+ people. We're proud to stand as a D.C.-based small business on the cusp of exponential growth and we're honored that Sec. Perez is literally standing with us. (Do you want in? Yes, we're hiring).

The Secretary will speak at approximately 8:30 a.m.

Let's amass our BicycleSPACE community spirit and show the power of our numbers during the Secretary's remarks. Please plan to stay for the Secretary's appearance to represent the best of Bike D.C. We'd be so grateful if you'd re-route yourself to come to 440 K St NW. 

What's more, our neighbors at Baked & Wired would love to see and feed you. The cafe isn't open yet, but Baked & Wired will be there with sample sizes of Hippie Crack Granola for you. Le Pain Quotidien and Safeway are also generously donating breakfast for you. BicycleSPACE thanks the Mt. Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District for our fruitful partnership.

While you fuel up, you can get to know Arc'teryx, a Canadian retailer of rugged, fashionable outerwear. The company recently opened its first D.C. shop and will be at the pit stop to exhibit its high-performance apparel.

If another pit stop is more convenient to you, please join us at Freedom Plaza or Adams Morgan. The parties will be large and lively at both places.

You can also find us at these pit stops:

• Edgewood (Metropolitan Branch Trail) 
• NoMa
• Capitol Riverfront at Canal Park 
• Columbia Heights (afternoon)* 

*For those who just can't get enough of the fun, come to the Bike from Work pit stop in Columbia Heights from 4 to 7 p.m. We'll be there to let the good times roll, BicycleSPACE style.  

Please be sure to register. Signing up really does count as meaningful data that helps improve bicycling facilities.

See you and your bike in the Bike to Work Day spotlight Friday! 

--------------------

Public service announcement: One of the best kept transportation secrets is a program called Guaranteed Ride Home. It serves bicyclists, transit riders and others who live car-free or car-lite. If you need to get home in an emergency, unexpected or unscheduled situation, your ride is guaranteed for free.

Bicycling in D.C.: Part III

BicycleSPACE is proud to sponsor Bike to Work Day on May 15. It’s thrilling to see as many as 18,000 Washingtonians illustrating the power of the bicycle as everyday transportation. In this three-part series, BicycleSPACE co-owner Erik Kugler takes a long view of bicycle commuting, sharing navigation strategies gleaned over more than 20 years.

Cheers! To celebrate the beginning of Bike to Work Week, we'll gather for drinks tonight, May 11, at Zaytinya, 701 9th St NW, immediately after the "District of Change: Traffic! Metro! Bikers! How to Survive the D.C. Commute" panel discussion we're attending at 7 p.m. at the M.L.K. Library, 901 G St NW. Please join us at the panel discussion and/or Zaytinya bar. Look for our staff in a BicycleSPACE t-shirt.  

As an introduction, I’m Erik Kugler and I’ve been riding bicycles in the Washington, D.C. region for more than 20 years.  I have never once been involved in an accident.

My primary concern is to get to my destination as safely as possible, intact to carry on living and ride another day. This is the guiding frame of reference for the advice I gave in Parts I and II of this series.

Even as we use the Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute method to avoid the potentially dangerous situations, a myriad of hazards remain in our path.

What can we do?

I hate yelling all the time and therefore I don’t do it. A simple solution is to use a bell. Crane makes a great brass one which has a wonderful tone to it and it looks great on my bike. It’s a much more friendly gesture to pedestrians than yelling at them that you’re on the left or honking a horn. It never hurts to be friendly, right?

Riding Technique

Getting on and off the bike

Everyone has seen a cyclist weave as he or she starts from a standstill. You definitely don’t want this to happen on a busy street while you’re taking off from a traffic light with impatient drivers racing off to the next light. You will also note that more experienced cyclists seem to take off safely in a straight line. It’s all technique.

Good mounting and dismounting will ensure that you’re predictable while riding in stop-and-go traffic. At a standstill, stand on one leg and put the other one over your top tube with your foot on the pedal just a little bit forward from the vertical position. Do not try to straddle the bike while sitting on the saddle unless the bike is too small for you. When you’re ready to go, push off with your foot that’s on the ground like you’re pushing off on a skateboard to get you some instant velocity and stability. Simultaneously pedal forward with your other foot and use the pedal like a stepladder to climb back onto the saddle. That will give you another boost. At this speed, you’ll be instantly stable or much more so than if you had tried without pushing off.

To stop, follow the steps in reverse. Come forward off your saddle with the pedals in a horizontal position. You can practice riding like this to get a better control on your bike. Then come to a stop. Next, keeping pressure on your brakes, take your rear foot off the pedal and lean over gently until your leg is extended and your foot is on the ground. Get good at this. Another fun thing to practice is to do a “slow race.” Without touching the ground, try to go the slowest you can over a very short distance, like 20 feet. Do it both standing and sitting. You don’t need much space. It will give you a much better control on your bike and that helps.

Looking behind you

The natural reaction when riding a bicycle is for the bike to want to go wherever you are looking. This can be particularly dangerous when you look behind you to make sure that you can get out into a lane to avoid an obstacle. What typically happens is that as you look, your trajectory changes without you even knowing it. Removing one hand from the handlebars while looking over your shoulders keeps the front wheel straight when looking around. To have more control, it helps to practice in a safe, open area, free from obstacles.  Practice riding in a straight line and look behind you to see how your bike reacts. Through an initial conscious effort, you can make riding in a straight line even while looking behind you part of your riding style.

Use your peripheral senses

It will make you much more aware. Everything you hear and see out of the corner of your eyes is a clue. Use the mirror technique at corners. Practicing doing this will make you much more aware of your surroundings and you’ll learn a lot. Plus, it’s fun.

Take the lane

Don’t be timid. You’re as important as anyone else on the roads, but you need to act like it. Ride out in the middle of the lane when there are cars parked to the right or the road is too narrow for a car to pass safely. Stay out of the door zone. You’ll notice that some bike lanes put you in the door zone. Just because someone painted them that way, your primary responsibility is to stay safe and ride another day.

I would encourage anyone who finds this interesting to share your tips, and to join us on a Nice & Easy ride any Saturday or Sunday at 10 a.m.  I lead the Sunday ones.

Stay safe, even if it makes you a scofflaw, and I hope to see you soon.

Next steps:

• Join us at "District of Change: Traffic! Metro! Bikers! How to Survive the D.C. Commute,"a panel discussion on May 11.
• Register for May 15 Bike to Work Day. 

Bicycling in D.C.: Part II

BicycleSPACE is proud to sponsor Bike to Work Day on May 15. It’s thrilling to see as many as 18,000 Washingtonians illustrating the power of the bicycle as everyday transportation. In this three-part series, BicycleSPACE co-owner Erik Kugler takes a long view of bicycle commuting, sharing navigation strategies gleaned over more than 20 years.

As an introduction, I’m Erik Kugler and I’ve been riding bicycles in the Washington, D.C. region for more than 20 years.  I have never once been involved in an accident.

My primary concern is to get to my destination as safely as possible, intact to carry on living and ride another day. This is the guiding frame of reference for the advice I’m about to give.

Most of riding safely is knowing the danger points and avoiding them either altogether or before they become an issue. As corny as it sounds, I use the I.P.D.E. method which I was taught in high school drivers ed. Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute. That would be the one sentence which sums this all up.

What are the major danger points, the potentially dangerous situations to avoid?

First, identify the flashpoints.

See Part I for Points 1-8.

9. Red lights and stop signs. You’re much safer when you are riding clear of automobile traffic because they start off faster and often squeeze you as they pass. From a pure safety perspective, it’s much better to get out front, even if it means running a red light when the intersection is clear of traffic. Similarly, you’re safer moving closer to the speed of auto traffic than you are standing in the middle of the road at a red light. Although many in the bicycle community would never advise this, I’ve seen even the most vocal “follow all the laws” cyclists use this method. Why? In practice, it’s absurd to pretend that we’re cars and that the laws written for them are our safest option. Here's a case where the law is specifically mindful of cyclists' safety. A D.C. law took effect last year making it legal for cyclists to follow the pedestrian signals and proceed through an intersection as soon as the walk sign appears, even if the traffic light is still red. Engineers call this the "leading pedestrian interval" or LPI.

10. Blind corners. Sure as anything, if you’re approaching a blind corner, someone will eventually pull out in your path. This will happen even if there is a stop sign or your light is green. First, slow down, then use all of the tools at your disposal. Parked vehicles are sometimes shiny. Use them as a mirror to see around the corner and use ground-floor building windows as well.  If you detect movement, expect that someone is about to run the intersection. Slow down and find your out.

Give yourself plenty of space from surprise door openers. 

11. Don't get doored. Beware of cars that just pulled over and stopped or a line of cars parked along the curb. A door will open right in front of you. Expect that it will happen and move clear into the center of your lane. When it does, you’ll be very happy that you knew better.

12. Left turns from busy roads. Don’t stand out in the middle of heavy traffic with your arm out signaling a turn. Use the “jug handle” technique where you get over to the right and then go 270 degrees counterclockwise until you’re facing the way you want to go. Then wait for the cross traffic to clear and go.

NO. Don't wait to turn facing upstream. 

YES. Get in the direction you want to head before turning. 

13. Riding on a narrow road. Ride in the middle of the lane, not the side. If drivers want to go faster, they can find another route or wait until it’s clear to pass you. Sorry, being in a car doesn’t make you more important.

14. Critters. They’re little people, too. If squirrels, dogs, cats or kids are up ahead, they will jump in front of you as you’re passing. Count on it and you’ll be prepared. They might run out from behind a parked vehicle. It will happen eventually, when you least expect it. So, don’t race down side streets. Race courses and racing rides are much better places to ride fast.

15. Vehicles parked in bike lanes. You need to get out into mainline traffic or get up on the sidewalk. Assess and make your choice. It’s interesting that we’ve seen a recent movement of stickers being put on cars saying “I parked in a bike lane.” I don’t know who’s doing it, but I can see how someone would be motivated to do so.

Quadruple threat: Big rig + streetcar tracks + parked cars + bus up ahead.

16. Streetcar tracks. Avoid roads with streetcar tracks. If you must cross streetcar tracks, do it at an angle of as close to 90 degrees as possible and you will be safe. Do this religiously and you’ll never have a problem. A side street is much safer. The sidewalk is safer, too. If you need to ride half a block on a road with streetcar tracks, do it on the sidewalk.

Next steps:

• Join us at "District of Change: Traffic! Metro! Bikers! How to Survive the D.C. Commute," a panel discussion on May 11.
• Watch for Part III of this "Bicycling in D.C." blog series on May 11.

• Register for May 15 Bike to Work Day. Bicyclists pre-registered by May 8 get a status-symbol t-shirt.

BicycleSPACE at British Embassy Open House May 9

We're pleased to take part in the British Embassy Open House on May 9, part of EU Day at D.C. embassies. The embassy is located at 3100 Massachusetts Ave NW. The open house is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We'll exhibit the best of British bicycling craftsmanship, epitomized by the brands we carry. We'll showcase the stunningly ingenious Brompton Bicycle, the majestically classic Pashley Cycles and the time-honored quality of Brooks England saddles and bags. 

Come learn about these expertly crafted British goods and take a Brompton test ride. Buy a stylish Brompton for Bike to Work Day on May 15 and you'll surely turn heads.  

Please do not bring large bags or backpacks to the embassy. Admission is free, but please RSVP here to join us. 

Our regularly scheduled Cupcake Ramble will begin as normal from 700 5th St NW at 11:30 a.m. and end here at the embassy. 

See you there, mates!

BicycleSPACE is the exclusive Washington-area dealer of the brilliant Brompton folding bicycle. U.S. Bromptoneers are seen here at a British Embassy reception during the 2014 Brompton U.S. Championship.

BicycleSPACE is the exclusive Washington-area dealer of classic Pashley Cycles, such as this Guvnor model

Sturmey Archer hubs

Brompton Urban Challenge at Mt. Vernon Square

Brooks England Cambium saddle

British Embassy staff at the 2014 Brompton U.S. Championship, competing on Brompton bicycles and wearing Union Jack Nutcase helmets

Saying Hello to Adams Morgan ANC

Sending a virtual "hello" to our Adams Morgan neighbors. We're eager to open our shop this spring at 2424 18th St NW.  

Visions of a lively space filled with people motivate us to push through the red tape and look hopefully towards a ribbon cutting in the near future. 

Meanwhile, we look forward to meeting some of you at the May 6 Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1C meeting, taking place at 7 p.m. at Mary's Center, 2355 Ontario Rd NW. We'll speak during public comment to greet our neighbors and update the community on our shop.

We'll also be in the neighborhood for these events:

5/15 Bike to Work Day. We'll be at Triangle Park/Unity Park from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Pre-register to be counted as a regional bicycle commuter and to reserve a coveted t-shirt. 

5/19 First Adams Morgan Movie Night of the season. We're co-sponsoring the series and stuffing fun swag in the reusable gift bags. Look for us there. 

Please visit our Facebook events page to view the May activities we're organizing from our temporary shop in Chinatown at 700 5th St NW. Please subscribe to our newsletter to tune into BicycleSPACE community events. 

Happy National Bike Month! We look forward to bicycling with you early and often.

Dear Mt. Vernon Triangle: Hello, again

Co-owner Phil Koopman (left), co-owner Erik Kugler and General Manager David Dorn outside the soon-to-be BicycleSPACE shop at 440 K St NW.

In anticipation of opening our brick-and-mortar shop this spring at 440 K St NW, BicycleSPACE is saying "hello, again" to Mt. Vernon Triangle.

Co-owner Erik Kugler will speak about the shop at the May 5 meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6E. The meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m. at the Shaw library.

Likening the Lyric Building shop to a "dream come true," Kugler said, "it's exactly the kind of space we've been working for since our inception."

Recalling BicycleSPACE's first temporary shop in Mt. Vernon Triangle in 2010, Kugler said, "no matter how big our company gets, we will always remember the early support of the Mt. Vernon Triangle community and consider Mt. Vernon Triangle to be our home."

BicycleSPACE will also be in the neighborhood for these mid-month events:

5/15 Bike to Work Day. We'll host a pit stop outside our shop from 7 to 9 a.m. Pre-register to be counted as a regional bicycle commuter and to reserve a coveted t-shirt. 

5/16 Spring Fest. Hurray for spring and opening day of the Triangle's FRESHFARM Market. This creates a fine occasion to come together, celebrate the season and prepare for the opening of our shop. We'll have a table on the plaza from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to share bikelove and community pride with our neighbors. Visit us and shop the market to nourish mind, body and  spirit.

Please visit our Facebook events page to view the May activities we're organizing from our temporary shop in Chinatown at 700 5th St NW. Please subscribe to our newsletter to tune into BicycleSPACE community events. Take a two-wheeled spring fling with us!