In the spirit of “Hot August Nights” in Reno where everyone tricks out their rides and shows em off…. SJ Bike Party Presents HOT AUGUST LIGHTS!
Get Lit?!? Hell yea! But your bike, not you!
Special Announcement! 5 food vendors this month, a Theme Contest & SJ’s own world renowned musical group San Jose Taiko to play for SJBP! See below!
- Food & Fesitivities @7pm
- SJ Taiko @ 7:30pm
- “Wheels on the Street” @ 8pm sharp!
- Pre-Rides announced at the bottom of this page
- Specific Ride Details (Start/Finish, Map & TxT directions) provided Thursday
- Please read the “How We Ride” before you come – if you or your friends don’t like Bike Party rules, don’t come
Trick out your bike as weirdly as you can and compete for prizes! Contest details will be provided in the next week.
Even if you don’t want to go all out – at least get a bright headlight and taillight! There have been many near misses due to riders weaving and cutting inbetween riders. Not only does this not follow Bike Party “How We Ride” rules it’s dangerous to everyone around you.
Thank you to our Theme Contest sponsors: MonkeyLectric, Bike Glow, SkullyBoom & GeoManGear (MagicShine)
(if you want to donate/sponsor, please contact Ian<at>sjbikeparty<dot>org)
Have a good time cheering/booing others that follow/don’t follow the SJBP “How We Ride“ mantra.
JUST CONFIRMED: SAN JOSE TAIKO WILL BE PERFORMING BEFORE THE RIDE! BE THERE BEFORE 7:30PM!
SPECIAL OFFFER BELOW ALSO:
Route: Before you join us Please read the How we ride section of the site.
- Map
- Turn By Turn and Map -by Bill H
- Alt Turn By Turn -by David
PreRides :
- North SJ / Santa Clara Meet at @rivermark Peets departing ~ 6:15pm - led by Ian
- East SJ / Evergreen /Evergreen Valley High (under hanger) ~ 6:00pm – led by Tyler
- South SJ / Robertsville Post Office – departing ~ 6:30pm – led by Townie Bill
- Campbell / Campbell Community Center – departing ~ 6:30pm – led by Ed
Perlasum
August 12, 2010
love the yin, yang!
sj rider
August 12, 2010
love the graphics!
Ian
August 12, 2010
the art is awesome!
testrides
August 12, 2010
Thanks to Corrie for finding Paul, who has done our graphics this month! The yin/yang graphic is from (i believe) the Marin Bicycle Coalition. Sharing the road was a real problem last month. We definitely need to focus on that.
For us to get respect as cyclists, we need to give it too. We want car drivers to support us, not hate us! So please don’t take over the left lane, surround or trap cars or not let cars out. And definitely no shouting or taunting car drivers. That makes all of Bike Party look out of control.
testrides
August 12, 2010
Please post more pics on the sjbp flicker account – pic #1 from a “hot august lights” test ride.
whispersiren
August 12, 2010
Check out the BIKE PARTY WIKI page for lighting tips and ideas! Lots of links to DYI projects & inspiring videos, plus online resources… When possible support your local bike shop though!
http://wiki.sjbikeparty.org/wiki/How_to_light_your_bike
Also join the Facebook “Everything San Jose Bike Party Theme ” Group for more ideas and to share your own!
Can’t wait! This should be the best ride yet!
whispersiren
August 12, 2010
oops here’s the facebook link:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=274517403716&ref=ts
testrides
August 13, 2010
From “Everything SJBP Theme”
How to Install Christmas Lights on Bicycle Wheels
susan
August 20, 2010
Thank you! This is very cool!
We purchased our xmas lights from ebay. (China)
Ian
August 13, 2010
i’m really getting excited….
we have a ton of prizes to give out this month… Light up your bikes and win a prize…
Mike Gordon
August 13, 2010
I recommend checking out the Bikeglow El Wire lights, I have a couple and love them, they are a great way to light up your bike!!!
Can’t wait for Bikeparty, we’ve built quite an eye catching music trailer my GF will be pulling with pink fur, glittery fabric and lots of lights!!!
(we’ll keep the volume low late at night in residential neighborhoods).
Spliffer
August 13, 2010
I am so looking forward to next Friday.
I have recruited a group of friends — over the past few months — to attend the Bike Party experience and they are all “amp-ted” up in anticipation.
I truly believe SJ Bike Party is the best — “non-gov’mint” — economic stimulus plan the South Bay bicycling retailers have ever experienced.
From Palo Alto to Los Gatos and beyond, my friends have shelled out – to date — more than $8500 on bicycles and accessories to attend Bike Party.
Local bike shops should embrace SJBP very tightly ’cause yawls bread is being buttered quite sweetly.
The popularity and success of Bike Party has been your lifeline in this tough economy.
And…and it costs you nothing!
Bike Party forever!
scott
August 13, 2010
so we have 12-15 new younger BIRDs… very cool. we need 50-100 more. i know we can get em over the next 2-4mos.
i really hope we can get a “guerilla group” or “special forces” in their late teens n 20s and lead a peer based “no douchebag” search n destroy mission. especially if a lot are men and women in groups.
cuz these jackasses are an infectious disease on bike party and the only people they might listen to are their own ages. if some of em could be big “bouncer like” young men and women all the better.
someone at the vol mixer said the guys do it to show off in front of the ladies. it’d be so funny if groups of women not only game ‘em the cold shoulder but all told ‘em directly that their shit stinks.
thanks for reading my rant
Wuss912
August 14, 2010
Don’t forget we do have an excellent resource on how to light your bike…
http://wiki.sjbikeparty.org/wiki/How_to_light_your_bike
and sense it’s a wiki anyone can add to it and make it better
Perlasum
August 17, 2010
Im getting super stoked!!! I can’t wait, the countdown is on… yeeeah!
the cat
August 17, 2010
Lighting is critical. I ride 60 miles a day at about 20 mph in traffic often in the dark. I have about 15 lights, and most nights they are ALL on. My rig looks like a low flying UFO. But people in cars slam on their brakes, and they don’t roll through red lights and stop signs, and they stop talking on the cell phone too, when I ride into view.
Probably scared to death (well my bike is 11 feet long, too) but if that’s what it takes, then that’s what needs to happen.
“See” you all Friday.
Perlasum
August 17, 2010
lol….@ My rig looks like a low flying UFO
pizzasfortires
August 17, 2010
\As a large group of riders, we have a lot of potential to unite agiainst the douchbag idiots making us all look like assholes. They need to be checked by us as a group, I try to check dudes verbally but unless we get more people attacking them toghether they will just act like they didnt hear anything. ANYONE WHO HAS READ THIS; please just once try to check these morons. We can do this but it needs to be done repeatedly. keep it R.A.D (Riders Against Douche) NO BROs!
[mod/tr: well said, like the RAD concept]
Tyler
August 17, 2010
Just a heads up, another pre ride for evergreen/eastside! I know pre-rides are gonna be posted, I just wanna get an early start on this. =P
facebook link, yo.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=138934199480306&ref=ts
I’m down to call out the idiots who screw up bike party, time for some fun trash talking.
Townie Bill
August 17, 2010
Early props to Ian as moderator of the month. All you baby!
In other news,
A feeder ride will gather at 6:20 and leave at 6:30 from the parking lot next to the Robertsville Post Office near the corner of Branham and Lizzie Lanes. Look for the well lit, tie-died, Townie rider to lead a Almaden, Robertsville, Cambrian, Blossom Valley SJBP contingent to Hot August Lights. All willing to join are urged to become familiar with “How We Ride” as we will add at least 16 (round trip) miles to the evening’s festivities.
We are called to shed light and to own the ride.
Townie Bill
Bart
August 20, 2010
Are you riding up Almaden to get downtown?
pizzasfortires
August 18, 2010
I’m getting real excited about this ride. I mean usually Bike Party is lit up fairly well, and is quite the excting event (I can’t help but feel like people who come out of their houses etc. to see just want a bike to jump on and join up!!) but I can only imagine how amazing this ride is going to look. Front to back… one BIG LOUD glow worm! YEEEEE!
Ian
August 19, 2010
route has been posted…
now to decide what to eat tomorrow
Spliffer
August 19, 2010
Ian, I’ve got to echo T-Bill by singing your praises.
You did a phenomenal job — striking the right balance and tone — in driving the discussion among the BIRDs like nobody has done before.
Me think you have found your calling within the SJBP community.
Even if we did not achieve a consensus, just getting folks talking, debating and exchanging ideas served an important purpose of unifying and forging the role of BIRDs.
Bike Party forever!
Ian
August 19, 2010
you guys are gonna make me blush…
anyhow this is not a show put on by only 1 it takes all of us to make a ride successful.
I certainly couldn’t do it by myself… But thanks again for noticing the hard work all of the volunteers put into a ride.
JustinT
August 20, 2010
It takes a village to raise a bike party!!! true, but you do great job Ian!
brettman
August 19, 2010
Townie Bill:
I’ll be there… from the 6:30PM Robertsville starting point.
Rockin Ed
August 19, 2010
Tick tock people, less than 24 hours to rock. Giddy up and make sure you are well lit for the big Hot August Lights ride. I am psyched and am ready to roll!
S.J. BIKE PARTY ROCKS!
Mark Van Loo
August 19, 2010
Awesome graphics. But.
I had to highlight the text in order to read it, because the text colour did not contrast the background enough to be readable.
[mod/tr: looked great in all the computers we saw it on. we love the graphic and the text]
testrides
August 19, 2010
Share the road – but ride straight and controllably and own the lane.
Especially in packs, it’s easier to take a lane, but stop wandering into the 2nd and 3rd lanes or opposing traffic. Yea, it’s busy the first bit on San Fernando, almost walking, and along 3rd street for a bit, but be smart about it!
meligrosa
August 20, 2010
<3 YEYAAAAAAAAA =)
Perlasum
August 20, 2010
Yeeeeee, I’m so excited!!! I wish work was over already!!
Jodi Mascarenas
August 20, 2010
I wanna win a prize for the best lights! im already getting ready yeeeeeee!!!!!!! I WANT MONKEYLECTRIC!
sanjosebikeblog
August 20, 2010
the best Bike Party theme is back! thank you!
Spliffer
August 20, 2010
Woo Hoo!
It’s on folks — just hours away.
With 5 food vendors, I hope I can now get a decent corn-beef with provolone on dark rye sandwich.
The SJ Bike Party volunteers have outdone themselves this month to bring us, perhaps, the best Bike Party to date.
These uber-talented and devoted volunteers toil anonymously to bring you the biggest and funnest party in America today right here in your South Bay backyard.
All we ask is that you keep it safe for everyone by owning the ride — that is –please follow the ubiquitous “How we ride” mantra.
Please don’t “spit nor piss” on this massive all-volunteer effort by flouting the rules of the road.
You don’t want to miss this Bike Party my bicycling brethren or you will live to regret it!
Just join in ’cause tonight’s Bike Party is gonna over-load your funny bone!!!
Perlasum
August 20, 2010
tick, tock, tick, tock!!!
christhejunglist
August 20, 2010
Hey, super stoked to be apart of tonight SJBP ride!!! I thought i should let the staff here know that i was doing the turn by turn for this route and came upon a few inconsistencies…
Here’s the link – https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1pupsbx64eTspK9xfhJ7028aMFaBP1MXSx9RMHzQsmdk&hl=en&pli=1#
(Turn # 12) – “R @ Zanker Rd.” is incorrect, should be changed to a “Left @ Zanker Rd.”, I noticed it due to the “Map my ride website” just wasn’t working for me…
You guys might to change it, could throw off a bunch of people having them turn right and head back towards downtown… (though, we all know how cool you guys are and waiting at each turn for all of us)
Thought i’d say something, see you all tonight!
~ Chris
Ian
August 20, 2010
Nope it’s a right turn at the corner of River oaks and Zanker.
Check the map and you can see…
Jacky
August 20, 2010
I’m soooo excited!!! I was going to ride with just my front and back lights as usual, but Vini came through and let me borrow her MonkeyLectric so hey I will be lit tonight!!! Bike Party peeps are the best! Thanks Vini!
Blindog
August 20, 2010
Sounds like this one will be bigger and better. Thanks for the detailed maps, very helpful!
Rebecca
August 21, 2010
As I write this, the bike party is taking place on the street a few houses away. I’m pleased that people are riding bikes, even at this hour. I wish I could be even more enthusiastic about this creative way to throw a celebration and keep it moving. What is unpleasant to me — and probably more so to families with children — is the sound level (music, shouting) making its way into the otherwise peaceful night. Is there any way to either cut down on the sound (especially the loudest music and the profanity) — or at least give the folks along the route a “heads up” that the party will be in their neighborhoods?
I truly hope that I’m one of very few people losing sleep tonight. My husband was awake for about 10 minutes and then managed to get back to sleep, so I’m sure there are others who have been relatively undisturbed. But, I’m glad that our houseguest who had just had spinal surgery left a few days ago!
Certainly, the fun of one group of people shouldn’t be quashed because another group is merely inconvenienced for a few minutes. But, the party shouldn’t take place at the expense of others for over 45 minutes. So, please brainstorm some other ideas for how to make the next bike party better than ever — for all involved.
Thanks for considering what might be done to make the bike party a little quieter and a lot more agreeable for everyone. Admittedly, hundreds of people cycling through the streets is, somehow, inspiring. With some tweaks, you just might win over some of us sleepy folks.
Here’s to a safe ride and a sound sleep for all.
~Rebecca