The 3rd Friday is early this month. While our scientists are busy figuring out why that is the case, you should get ready to ride. Our lunar experts assure us that we will have a full moon this month, which should make for some great riding. However, they still caution that you must have at least a front light and side and rear reflectors (rear lights are highly recommended) to be street legal on a bicycle at night.
Be safe, legal, and courteous (see How We Ride!). We share the road with other traffic. Helping cars move through smoothly makes the ride more enjoyable for everyone. Do your part to encourage good behavior! Also, please remember to turn down the volume when riding through residential areas late at night.
You will want to get to the start point early this month! Special events include: a raffle for a POPS FABRICATION 8 Series, a fixed trick bike competition (18 and under), music from DJs D!STRAKT and VENOM 347, and SJ clothing vendors Clout, Booger Kids, Breezy Excursion, and ODMD. Several food trucks will be there to satisfy your hunger. San Jose Taiko will be “drumming for donations” for Japan Tsunami Relief efforts. You can donate to the Japanese Red Cross Society at the performance or online at their Paypal page.
Information on the route and more after the drop …
BIRDs
BIRDs are our wonderful volunteers that attempt to keep everyone on our rides safe. Please be respectful of their directions and thank them for all of the effort they put into the ride. If you want to help out and make your mark on Bike Party, please join the BIRDs at the volunteer cicle prior to the start of the ride.
Volunteer Circle
We will need volunteers (BIRDs and others) at key intersections, such as at a few stop signs, near freeway exits and before and in the regroups. If you’d like to help us, look for the circle of volunteers that will assemble around 7:30-7:45pm.
Ravens
Ravens are the elite group of BIRDs that make sure we leave no trace behind by cleaning up after the party at regroups. They are essential to keeping the party going. If you see any of them with a trashbag collecting your trash, please thank them and if you are so inclined please join them! They are a really cool bunch. Please bring trash bags and help clean up.
How We Ride
If you follow these eight rules, Bike Party will be safe and a positive place for riders, drivers, pedestrians, and the community.
Route information
Schedule of Special Events
There’s a ton of stuff going on at the start before we leave. Get there early to eat and watch the show!
| 6:30pm | Contest Registration |
| 6:30pm | Food truck start serving |
| 7:00pm | 18 and Under Fixed Gear Freestyle Competition/Jam Session |
| 7:30pm | SJ Taiko Performance/Fundraiser |
| 7:45pm | Volunteer circle |
| 8:00pm | Wheels hit the street! |
Parking
To make room for the festivities, parking is NOT available at start location. If you need to drive, please use the large FREE county parking lot at Hedding and First Street. From there, it’s a short ride down Hedding to a right on 10th Street and a right on Mission Street to get to the start. (MAP)
Feeder rides
Feeder rides are a great way to get to Bike Party They allow you to make great friends and get to know people who live near you. They also make it super easy to get back home as a group as most folks ride home with the group they arrived with. You save the planet and save on parking while getting a little bit more exercise. It’s all good.
- NSJ/Santa Clara — Led by Ian from Rivermark – Meet in front of Peets – Leaving at 6:30pm (please RSVP in the comments)
- SCU/Santa Clara — Led by Rapid Robert – Meet at Safeway on The Alameda – Leaving at 6:45pm
- East SJ — Led by Cristian – Meet at Carl’s Jr. at Alum Rock and Jackson – Leaving at 6:15pm SHARP
- SJ Downtown — Led by Alex – Meet at City Hall – Leaving at 6:35pm SHARP
- Campbell — Led by Ed – Meet at Campbell Water Tower in downtown Campbell. Meet up at 6:15pm, leaving at 6:30pm
- Willow Glen — Led by Rise – Meet at KFC at Meridian Ave and Curci Drive (between Willow and Fruitdale), leaving at 6:15pm SHARP
- Los Gatos — Led by Couch Bike Dude – Meet at Little League field parking lot (Los Gatos Creek Trail/Miles Avenue), leaving at 6:00pm
- Your neighborhood? (let us know in comments below if you want to lead a ride)
Rapid Robert
July 12, 2011
I’ll be riding to the start, leaving from the Safeway near SCU on The Alameda at 7:15.
Ian
July 12, 2011
there’s gonna be a ton of fun stuff at the start before we leave your gonna want to get there early
Rider 44
July 12, 2011
Holy cow Robert, Ian is right. You are definitely going to want to ride rapidly to the start this month. Maybe even start earlier. Wow, this is going to be epic!
Considering how many flats you usually get, you might want to consider leaving SCU at 6:15, just to be safe. Man this Friday is going to be amazing.
Rapid Robert
July 12, 2011
WOW!!! You’re right!!! What’s this issue I have with time?!? Let’s experiment with leaving at 6:45, the theory being increased experience of fun.
arturo
July 12, 2011
hey do u know were its going 2 start
Cristian
July 12, 2011
route information is posted on thursday night
Couch Bike Dude
July 14, 2011
I’ll be leaving from the parking lot at the little league field, Miles Avenue and the Los Gatos Creek
trail at 6. It’s 13 miles to the start and it took me an hour today. Parking is free there and you can stay until 3 AM.
Cristian
July 12, 2011
l would gladly lead a feeder ride from ESSJ. lll be riding to the start, leaving from the Carls Jr. on Alum Rock and Jackson.
What time should be good to leave?
jacky
July 12, 2011
Check out the “Schedule of Special Events” above and plan accordingly.
Cristian
July 12, 2011
Thanks Jacky but I need to know how far it is to plan accordingly.
jacky
July 12, 2011
Under 5 miles allow maximum of 1/2 hour.
Cristian
July 12, 2011
Thank You!
lll be leaving at 6:15 sharp
Rider 44
July 12, 2011
Hey when you all post the route would you please also post where at the start you think might be a good spot to have the volunteer circle?
I know it can vary, but if you could say something like, ‘we plan on having the volunteer circle within sight of ____.’ (where ____ might be a fountain, bridge, sculpture, flagpole, storefront, etc….)
That way, if I’m an early bird, i can know where to roost.
Thanks,
David
Ian
July 13, 2011
if you guys are planning on riding on the feeder ride from rivermark please reply here so i know how many to expect.
kellyyingchiang
July 13, 2011
Anyone from Mountain View or Palo Alto?
Josh
July 14, 2011
I’m in Palo Alto, but I think I may just head there directly after work. I work in SF and might just take caltrain all the way down to SJ and ride to the start.
Alex aka MTB
July 13, 2011
I can lead a feeder from Downtown SJ.
Meet at City Hall 4rth St and Santa Clara Ave.
Leaving 6:35pm SHARP.
Rise
July 14, 2011
I’m down to lead a ride from the Willow Glen area. Meetup spot will be in front of the KFC at Meridian Ave and Curci Drive (between Willow and Fruitdale), departure time will be 6:15pm sharp.
Green Lantern E
July 15, 2011
6:15 sound good to me. I’ll be there! Anyone else?
atnms
July 14, 2011
Wow, Great to see so many feeders
Bike Party!
Spliffer
July 14, 2011
The weather is quite mild for this deep into summer. And that is just great news to all the cognoscenti bicycling members of the community.
However, make no mistake; tomorrow’s Bike Party will be **hotter than July** for the SJ Bike Party Community!
If you just tuned in to see what was up for this month’s Bike Party, you probably got blown away!
And that is just from the list of “pre-ride festivities”.
The planners for this month’s, Bike Party Science Theme Ride are, perhaps kin to: ~~ **Dr. Strangelove** ~~. This “event” will hold your attention beginning with the pre-ride festivities, all the way through a delightful route that will give you so much joy. It has the potential to be the best Bike Party to date.
This spring/summer is turning out to be, SJ Bike Party’s best recorded streak of outstanding rides!
So show up and, be “dazzled” by the hard work — labor of love — from your all volunteer Bike Party organizers, who has left no stone unturned, to keep your SJ Bike Party “the greatest Party on wheels — not only in America today — but on Planet Earth!”
And the best part of this event, is that it’s free. What a bonanza!
You, my bicycling brethren, are so lucky — so blessed — to have this kind of participatory community event right in your back yard.
Grab your road ready bicycle: head lights and tail lights mounted, and in peak functioning condition; and come join the festivities. Come on down and catch: “the HUGE friendly vibe” with the funnest: copacetic crowd.
All SJ Bike Party requests is: that you ****PLEASE***** follow ****THE RULES OF THE ROAD****.
This is a “critical and non-negotiable issue” because “the SAFETY of all bicyclists is the most important concern for the Bike Party Community”.
Bike Party forever!
Alex aka MTB
July 14, 2011
Whooptie woop Inglewood!
Fred Otte
July 14, 2011
Would it be too much to ask to get you to please put the address of the starting point somewhere on the website as actual TEXT, instead of just in one tiny graphic. Better yet, try an actual link to a map.
Cristian ``
July 14, 2011
LOOK AT THE ROUTE NFORMATION SECTION!
Johnny
July 14, 2011
^+1
Tall Asian Mike
July 14, 2011
+2. If you actually look at the TEXT. You will see Route turn-by-turn directions posted
Carlo
July 14, 2011
Is there a feeder ride from the South Side yet?
Ian
July 15, 2011
nothing further south than willow glen…. Unless you feel like leading one
(it’s super easy and you might as well
RideNaked
July 14, 2011
so theres gonna be ramps??????????????????????????????????????????
Rapid Robert
July 15, 2011
Ramps for the young, gramps for the old, amps for those playing music, and cramps for the out of shape!
Mike G
July 15, 2011
hahahaha! I’ve got the amps and cramps part covered! See you all tonight!
Christopher
July 15, 2011
I am super interested in trying this out.
For a first-timer A) where should I meet and what time? I see the ride begins at 8, the festivities at 6…anything else for a newbie? B) Do I need to bring anything beside my bike, helmut and light? C) is there a cost?
Rapid Robert
July 15, 2011
A. Meet at 9th & Taylor. Find the volunteer’s circle after San Jose Taiko stops, around 7:45.
B. All you NEED is the bike and light. If under 18, a law says you must wear a helmet. Compliance with that particular law is up to you, but you don’t “need” one to be safe on the ride. For that, you need to read and practice “driving your bike” as described in the article linked above. And watch out for those who don’t.
C. It’s free, but you still have to pay attention!
Ian
July 15, 2011
i’d also suggest a cell phone with numbers of folks you can call if you have a mechanical. Tubes a pump some basic tools (basically the things you should have on your bike anyhow..)
and money to donate to SJ Taiko and for food
christopher
July 15, 2011
Thanks for the prompt an informative response, Rapid Robert.
theCat
July 15, 2011
Don’t ya’ll forget to bring yer MaD ScIeNcE sKiLLz!!1
Green Lantern E
July 15, 2011
Anyone else leaving from San Jose/ Willow Glen area around 6 or so?
Couch Bike Dude
July 15, 2011
Los Gatos feeder on the way to Taylor!!!
Guy in a car
July 15, 2011
I appreciate that the organizers of this event are trying to minimize the impact on traffic flow by getting the bikes all in the right lane. However, this guideline is not being followed consistently by your members. I was just driving west on El Camino, and people were veering out into the center lane quite frequently, causing several near-collisions. Additionally, one joker thought it would be a great idea to ride his bike in the left lane, blocking cars from using that lane as well. A little more consistency in following the rules would be appreciated by others on the road.
Thanks in advance.
golly
July 15, 2011
After driving past numerous riders this evening, I was very disappointed to see how few were wearing helmets and how few had lighting on their cycles. Perhaps adding that to the safety rules as well as mentioning it at the beginning of each ride would be a way to help the bike party act more safely.
Ren
July 15, 2011
If you’re going to ride through a residential area with all your music cranked to eleven, do it IN THE DAYTIME, and not at 11:30pm. PLEASE.