SUCCESSFUL PROTEST RIDE
Details of our protest ride on Northbourne Ave, last April. OUR COURSES
Course participants reach New Horizons. RECOGNISING OUR STELLAR VOLUNTEERS
Find out which volunteers received awards at our last AGM.
Not confident on a bike but keen to learn?
Want to set up your little ones for a lifetime of fun and healthy exercise?
Our learn to ride courses are run by qualified instructors and suitable for beginners.
NOW
pg.4
A BUSY START TO 2024
A summary of Pedal Power's recent work by Executive Director Simon Copland.
pg.5
A NEW PRESIDENT
A report from our Board President, David Whitney.
pg.6
CYCLING IN EUROPE
A report from our Membership and Community Organiser Jordan Hull
pg.8
PEDALS OF POSSIBILITY
Andrew Leigh MP’s speech from our AGM
pg.11
NEW WEBSITE
Discover Pedal Power’s new website
pg.12
MASS PROTEST RIDE A SUCCESS
Details of our protest ride on Northbourne Ave, last April.
pg.16
COURSE PARTICIPANTS REACH
NEW HORIZONS
Latest New Horizons course a success
Editor: Ilaria Catizone
Copy editor: Terry George
pg.17
UPCOMING COURSES
A list of our courses for the rest of 2024.
pg.18 How Mourice Hermann likes to ride.
CONCENTRATION, ADRENALINE AND A CHAT
pg.20
RECOGNISING OUR STELLAR VOLUNEERS
Volunteer awards at our recent AGM
pg.23
PROJECT VELOGRAPH WRAP UP
An important advocacy project comes to an end in Canberra Here are the results
pg.24
CHICKEN OR CHOPS, ANYONE?
A history of Pedal Power’s social rides
pg.27
FITABILITY COME AND TRY
A successful day recruiting new pilots and stokers for our Fitability program.
pg.28
PAST MEETS FUTURE ON ONE OF CANBERRA’S MOST ICONIC ROADS
A history of advocating for better cycling infrastructure on Northbourne Ave.
Executive Director: Simon Copland
pedalpower.org.au
Board President: David Whitney
PedalPowerACTisbasedonNgunnawalLandandacknowledgesthatthislandwasneverceded tyinourorganisation.
We’re only in March, but it has already been a big start to 2024 for Pedal Power
In big news, at the end of January, the ACT Government at long last released its finalised Active Travel Plan (2024 – 2030) and the finalised Design Guide.
We have two other campaigns happening
At the end of February, we launched a petition for better cycling and pedestrian safety in Cook and Macquarie. This petition follows ongoing pressure from local resident and Pedal Power member John Barlow, who as a vision impaired person often finds it unsafe to cross his road to get to the bus stop or local shops.
In March, we are also launching a campaign for the Government to build a separated cycle lane on Northbourne Avenue, which is both our busiest and most dangerous road for cycling, and we think it is time for the Government to finally fix the infrastructure along it.
While we’re glad to see these documents finally released, we have major concerns with them, particularly that the Government does not seem to have a clear and consistent plan for how they will implement or fund their goals. At the moment, everything is a bit wishy-washy, meaning the Plan reads more as a wish list, rather than an actual plan.
We’ve also made a submission to the ACT Legislative Assembly’s Inquiry into Climate Change and a Just Transition In our submission, we argued that money that currently goes into subsidies for high-cost electric vehicles would be better spent on cycling infrastructure. Cycling is not just a health issue, but core to addressing carbon emissions in the ACT.
There are also a lot of events and programs coming up that we hope you can attend. We’ve already started our new version of New Horizons, and in the coming months we have kids and adult learn-to-ride classes, and revamped and relaunched bike maintenance courses. You can register for these here.
Another big event to look out for is the breakfast with Senator David Pocock on 16 April
As I said, there’s a lot happening!
Happy New Year to you all (it’s probably too late to say that now), and keep pedalling
As the new President of Pedal Power it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to theJuen 2024 edition of the digital Canberra Cyclist magazine.
I was delighted to be elected to the position of President at the recent Annual General Meeting along with fellow board members Amada Day, Linda Laker (Secretary), Paris Lord, Jill Walker (Treasurer) and John Widdup.
I am a recreational and touring cyclist enjoying Pedal Power rides mid-week and on Sundays as well as commuting within Canberra.
Pedal Power is a dynamic organisation. With our small yet dedicated office team led by Simon along with Ilaria, Jordan and many volunteers, we deliver great value for members as well as ongoing advocacy and promotion for cycling in the ACT.
2024 is an election year for the ACT Government which presents a great opportunity for us all to speak up about the importance of cycling, safety for riders on our roads and shared cycle paths.
Through the board and executive team, we will be responding to the ACT Budget and its scarce reference to funding cycling infrastructure.
Pedal Power will also be seeking to meet with all political parties to ensure they are aware of the interests of cyclists. Later this year we will be hosting “meet the politician” events This will include a forum where Pedal Power members will hear from each party about their Cycling Policy and ask questions regarding their priorities for cycling.
You may also have received an invitation in your letter box to meet with your local MLA or those seeking election at your local shops I encourage you all to say hello and speak up for cycling issues that are important to you
I intend meeting those seeking my vote and asking about separated cycleways, maintenance of existing cycle paths and what funding will be committed and when it will be spent on Active Travel.
I also encourage you all to join Pedal Power Social Nights held monthly at the Southern Cross Club in Woden. The social club committee have arranged an impressive program of interesting speakers with the opportunity to meet others involved in Pedal Power.
Safe cycling and I look forward to meeting you on the road or at a Pedal Power event.
by Jordan Hull, Membership and Community Organiser
In other locations, the cycling infrastructure left much to be desired.
Here is a very brief overview of the good and not-so-good aspects of cycling infrastructure I encountered during my time in the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Germany, Belgium, and Spain:
Many Google Maps routes being faster by bike than by car.
Four-way intersections of bike-only paths.
Traffic lights for bike paths.
Bike bridges.
Bikes for hire at many hostels
30 km/h car speed limits.
Clear separation between cars, pedestrians, and bikes.
Jordan Hull
Low-emission zones limiting car usage in certain areas
I recently returned after taking six weeks of leave to travel around Europe. It's great to be back, and I want to thank all members for your patience during our short staffing period. A big thank you as well to the staff and volunteers who stepped in to fill the gaps
I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and starting work on these upcoming projects:
Another film night after last year's successful screening of The Engine Inside.
A fundraising event for the Bike Library
Restart our community stalls in Spring.
While I made sure to switch off from "work mode" during my holiday, I couldn’t help but be in awe of the incredible cycling infrastructure and the sheer quantity of bikes I saw along my travels.
In places like Amsterdam and Copenhagen, it was clear that cycling is a huge part of the culture, with streets filled with bikes and extensive networks of separated cycling paths.
Stumbling across the Itzulia Women 2024 race while in Spain.
Bike parking (there was a lot, but somehow it was still not enough!)
Lack of bell usage.
Bike theft.
Narrow paths, especially for cargo bikes.
Cramped paths during peak hours.
Cobblestones
Being overtaken at high speeds, both on foot and on bike.
It was amazing to witness cycling infrastructure not yet available in Australia, to see what we can aspire to (and hopefully outdo!), and to acknowledge that even in cycling havens, there are still similar struggles.
It is a privilege to be one of the many people around the world who are working to make cycling safer, easier and more accessible.
Bike Parking in Copenhagen, Denmark
Cycle path in Hanover, Germany
Wide bike paths on each side of the road in Amsterdam, Netherlands
About to ride over a bike bridge, Copenhagen, Denmark
4-way bike path crossing in Amsterdam, Netherlands
In 1816, Europe found itself grappling with the aftermath of a catastrophic volcanic eruption half a world away The eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia precipitated what came to be known as the ‘Year Without a Summer,’ casting a shadow of agricultural despair across continents. Crops failed, livestock perished, and the very fabric of nineteenth century society, so heavily reliant on equine power, frayed under the scarcity of food and the loss of horses. It was within this crucible of necessity and ingenuity that Baron Karl von Drais, a German civil servant with a keen mind for invention, introduced a creation that would eventually revolutionize human mobility: the ‘Draisine’, or as it is more romantically known, the ‘Laufmaschine’ (which translates as running machine).
Conceived as a response to the equine crisis, the Draisine was a marvel of simplicity and efficiency: a wooden frame mounted atop two wheels, propelled by the rider's own locomotion. With no pedals to speak of, individuals would push off the ground to set the device in motion. it was a statement of resilience and forward-thinking. As the first iteration of what we would recognise today as a bicycle, the Draisine was a testament to the human capacity to adapt and innovate in the face of environmental and societal challenges.
Today, Canberra’s cyclists are at the forefront of innovation. Our bicycles are getting better, with more comfortable suspension, better gears and improved child carriers.
Image credit: https://www welt de/geschichte /article165384924/1817-wardie-erste-Laufmaschine-einePleite html#cs-lazy-pictureplaceholder-01c4eedaca png
Many have turned to e-bikes to make a hilly ride bearable, or to extend a cycling career for another decade or two.
Cyclists are innovating in other ways too. As we move towards net zero, it’s worth acknowledging that cyclists are no-emissions commuters – getting around without adding carbon pollution to the atmosphere. In an era when inactivity is a major public health challenge, cyclists keep themselves fit by spinning the cranks: increasing longevity and reducing their impact on the health system. And in an age when the bonds of community are fraying, bicycling provides a collegial way to travel – nodding, smiling and waving to fellow cyclists
Few Australian cities are as bicycle-friendly as Canberra. Bike paths criss-cross our suburbs, allowing many people to ride to work without tangling with traffic Canberra’s topography is relatively flat, and our climate is fairly dry. So long as you invest in good winter clothing, you can easily cycle all year round. And perhaps most importantly, there’s a thriving community of cyclists Whether it’s mountain biking in Majura Pines or Mt Stromlo, doing a road ride around the Cotter-Uriarra Loop, or enjoying a calm lap of Lake G, Lake T or Lake BG, you’re sure to find company.
but the cyclists wanted more to be done to address safety and reduce exposure to car emissions
One of those who joined the protest was Ken Fry, the federal member for Fraser, and one of my Labor predecessors. As they cycled down Belconnen Way, Fry told a television journalist that there were many Canberrans who wanted to cycle to work, but didn’t feel safe on the roads He hoped that the result of the protest ride would be that planners would take a more positive view of cyclists.
Pedal Power plays a vital role In 1974, over 50 cyclists staged a protest ride from Belconnen to Civic to raise awareness of the lack of cycle paths. The previous year, the bike path from Dickson to the Australian National University had opened,
Pedal Power ACT was born out of that protest ride, and over the past fifty years has played a vital role in making Canberra a more bike-friendly city. Canberra now has over 350 dedicated cycling routes, covering over 1000 kilometres. Recent years have seen new bike paths open across the city, and work is now underway on the Garden City cycle route. No state or territory government is more enthusiastic about cycling than the Barr Government.
In this year’s budget, the Australian Government is committing $100 million to a new national Active Transport Fund that will build and upgrade new bicycle and walking paths.
Former Labour MP Ken Fry being interviewed on the1974 protest ride Source: NFSA Australia Launching Parliamentary Friends of Cycling with Helen Haines Stephen Hodge and Dave Sharma (2020)The Active Transport Fund will boost social connections, promote healthy commuting, and foster liveable communities.
Additionally, when the Australian Government provides funding to states for urban projects under the Road Safety Program, we mandate that one dollar in every five must improve protection for vulnerable road users, which includes cyclists.
For my own part, I’m a proud part of Canberra’s cycling community. As a triathlete, my rides are often preceded by a swim and followed by a run, but the little-told secret of triathlons is that about half the race is spent on the bike. This means that if you want to put in a solid performance, there’s no substitute for time in the saddle. As well as hard training rides, I also love gentle rides through Canberra’s nature reserves with the kids, enjoying the smell of the eucalypts and the laughter of the kookaburras.
In parliament, support for cycling is much stronger than it was back when Ken Fry joined Pedal Power’s 1974 protest. A few years ago, I was one of the inaugural co-chairs of Parliamentary Friends of Cycling, which attracted members and senators from across the political spectrum. Thanks to the energy of WeRide’s Stephen Hodge, the group has hosted events on everything from e-bikes to rail trails, and is building awareness of the value of cycling among policymakers.
Two centuries on from the invention of the Laufmaschine, and half a century since the formation of Pedal Power, the pleasure of cycling is as great as it’s ever been. As the title of Jody Rosen’s romantic history of the bicycle sums it up: Two Wheels Good
Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury and Employment, and author of Fair Game: Lessons From Sport for a Fairer Society and a Stronger Economy.
As you have probably seen already, we recently launched our new website
This has been a big job but a necessary new host is not only cheaper, but it is also easier to edit and maintain which will result in further savings in the form of less staff time.
The move, has also given us the opportunity to review our website’s architecture and improve its
navigation for a more intuitive user experience.
One new feature we hope you’ll find helpful is the double navigation, with the action tabs at the top of the homepage and the rest of the navigation below Plus four feature sections on the home page .
Information about our advocacy and social rides is now easier to find too. We hope you’ll enjoy discovering our new website!
On Saturday 27 April 2024, 150 Pedal Power members and supporters gathered at Haig Park to ride along Northbourne Avenue, taking over one whole lane that would normally be devoted to cars
This was a mass protest ride to call for separated bike-only paths along Northbourne Avenue and highlight the need for safe, convenient cycling infrastructure all over Canberra
Expertly led by Board Member John Widdup and aided by many other volunteers, the group rode to Civic, then Downer, before returning to Haig Park.
As hoped, the event raised media interest with two radio interviews and an extensive Canberra Times article resulting from the day.
Board President David Whitney was Pedal Power’s spokesperson
“While Canberra’s cycling network has come a long way in the last 20 years,” David said, “Canberra bike paths and lanes are still patchy in many areas and few are segregated from traffic, constantly putting cyclists’ lives at risk. The ACT is promoting significant investment in active
Pedal Power supporters cycling on our protest ridetravel, but projects are being rolled out too slowly. The Government has promised to build a separated cycle-only path along Northbourne Avenue multiple times, yet they are still failing to deliver on this vital infrastructure.
Over the past decade, data has been collected about crashes in Canberra, including deaths on the roads. The data is limited to incidents that were reported online or to which police responded, but we do know that more than half of these crashes happened in the inner northern suburbs, with concentrations along Northbourne Ave, as well as areas in the city that have bike lanes
About 43 per cent of the Northbourne Ave incidents were attributed to a “side swipe” from a vehicle travelling in the same direction and about 41 per cent of the Northbourne crashes resulted in injury.
Pedal Power has been campaigning for better cycling infrastructure that is integrated on this arterial road and this mass ride aims to highlight that dedicating one lane of the road to active transport is not only possible, but needed.”
It was settled long ago
Our call for separated bike-only paths on Northbourne Avenue is often met with comments about the existence of the Sullivan’s Creek shared path and the (hopefully) imminent construction of the Garden Cycle Route
However, these are not the most direct ways to travel from Watson to Civic and therefore are not optimal routes for people on bikes
Veteran Pedal Power advocate John Widdup, points out that this argument was settled long ago, yet no action has yet been taken
“Back in 2001” says John, “just before the first Stanhope govt was elected. Labor and the Greens went to the election promising to install the current on-road cycle lanes.
The Liberals (then in their last year in government) said that existing alternative routes were good enough so the cycle lanes were not required, and Labor and Greens quite rightly rejected that argument.
Labor won the election and the rest is history, with the lanes installed by 2004.
So, it is worth remembering that this argument was settled long ago and that today’s Government is going against its own history.”
As building development continues and more people live along and around the Northbourne Avenue corridor, the number of people who could cycle to Civic increases.
However, most won’t as many people are not comfortable sharing the roads .
Research and other cities’ experiences, consistently show that once safer infrastructure is built, more people choose active travel. This in turn makes roads easier to navigate for motorists as it reduces traffic.
“Pedal Power is not prescribing how to install the cyclways – but we have ideas, ” says John. “ we see the most desirable outcome being a two-way cycleway, separated from motor vehicles and
people walking, along each side of the Avenue with adequate width and clearance to the traffic lanes for safety”
TheNorthbourneAvenueonroadcyclelaneshaveproven themselvesforover20years, despitenowbeinganobsolete design,andhave'earned'their upgradetothecurrent designstandard
Nowisthetimetoreplace themwithmodernseperated cycleways.
One of our members’ grandchild, was disappointed to miss the Protest Ride. So instead they wrote this letter.
Julie Fitzgerald and Peter Taft attended our first New Horizons course of the year and thoroughly enjoyed it.
New Horizons is our course for adults who can ride but need to improve their confidence and cycling technique to be able to commute, go touring or just have fun on their bicycle.
“I can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed this course and I was able to achieve my goals” says Julie
She had some clear reasons for joining the course. She wanted to learn how to ride safely in a group, which she achieved during the classes. She was also keen to learn basic bike maintenance. “Yesterday I checked my tyres for a ride today only to find one of the tyres was flat (I had suspected it had a slow leak, but it had sped up!).” Says Julie. “I changed the tube all by myself! I would never have even attempted it before attending the New Horizons course.”
Julie’s third goal was to feel comfortable ridin regularly and in new places, which she is now doing. “My friends and I have started riding different routes, so far in Belconnen and Gungahlin, quite foreign to me until our cours She says.
“I also learned so many things that I didn't kno didn't know.” Continues Julie “I was not an unconfident rider but there were many tweak that I needed, either explicitly, or just riding w the group - bike seat height, helmet fit, proper checking my bike before a ride EVERY time, having basic items on the bike, emergency sto how to change a tyre, riding and group riding techniques, steady cadence, I could go on and
Julie also found the booklet she received with the
course very useful as she was able to review the skills covered during the course, “but the best part, by far, was how much fun each session was!” Julie says.
Peter also had a very positive experience. “I learned a whole lot about things I'd never really thought about riding on my own, like pedalling with the front of the foot rather than the back, using lower gears, changing gears and keeping cadence constant, rather than the other way around, keeping the inside pedal up and the outside pedal down when cornering, proper timing for tyre pressure and chain grease maintenance.
During the course, Peter was also encouraged to join a Pedal Power Social Ride. He did and really enjoyed it. “I look forward to going regularly now” he says.
The next New Horizons course starts on 7 August and enrollments are open now.
Keen to ride but thinking you are too old to learn? Or maybe you can ride but lack confidence? Can’t get your kids onto a bike or off their training wheels?
Got stuck with a flat and weren’t sure what to do? For all these and more, we have a course to help!
Pedal Power courses are run by accredited trainers and designed to boost your confidence to get you riding more often.
Book now to set you up for your next successful riding adventure!
In this month’s Q&A section, we meet Maurice Hermann, a keen mountain bike rider who loves the outdoors and the challenge, but enjoys a chat too!
What is your first memory of riding a bike?
I learnt to ride a bike when I was about five. I would ride round and round a large rough grass area outside the front fence of my parent’s house. There was no danger from passing traffic – the area was about 10m wide and you didn’t have to take your shoes and socks off to count the number of cars that passed each day on the dirt road that we lived on.
What do you like most about cycling?
I like being outdoors (especially not in suburbia), breathing the fresh air and getting exercise.
When did you get into mountain biking and why?
I got into mountain bike riding about nine years
ago, when others that I used to ride with on Pedal Power social rides kept on telling me that they thought that I would like it and that I had the basic skills necessary. I loved it from day 1 and found that many of the tracks that we ride on are very similar to the bush tracks that I used to ride on as a kid. I love being in the bush, exercising, the total concentration needed and the occasional adrenaline rush.
What do you like least about cycling? Cold, wet days.
What’s your favourite ride?
I don’t have a favourite ride, although every time I ride at Stromlo I think how lucky we are in Canberra to have such a magnificent facility so close to where we live.
Maurice on a rideHave you ever felt scared on a bike?
Whenever I see a snake on the path or track my heart rate rises quickly Other than that, I might occasionally think that I have bitten-off more than I can chew, but I am not sure that I have ever felt scared.
Who do you most like to cycle with?
I love riding in a group, whether that is on bike paths or quiet roads where it is possible to have a chat while riding, or while mountain bike riding where there are frequent re-groupings. Also, I have never found a group of riders that I don’t mind meeting at a café during or after a ride.
What advice do you have for those wanting to try mountain biking?
Find someone to talk to – most people who do mountain biking with Pedal Power are only too happy to give advice on what equipment is necessary and where could be a good place to ride to determine if mountain biking is for you. You may even find someone who has a spare bike and is willing to take you for an exploratory ride.
Maurice on a ride
The Pedal Power office has 4 part time staff. In spite of our best efforts, we would only be able to achieve a fraction of what Pedal Power currently does, without the help of our tireless volunteers.
At the recent Annual General Meeting, our (volunteer) Board President, David Whitney, presented five committed volunteers with much deserved awards and recognition.
Sheila Webster has been volunteering with Pedal Power for just over one year, but in that short time she has helped in many different ways.
From a very hot day spent promoting Pedal Power during ANU O-Week back in February 2023, Sheila has continued to help at our stall across a number of events. She has used her expertise in event coordiantion to assist office staff and worked on the social commitee. More recently she has become accredited as a ride leader and has been delivering countless promotional flyers to bike stores around town.
Shelia was presented with the Paul Truebridge Memorial Volunteer of the Year award in recognition and celebration of her outstanding effort in the running of Pedal Power ACT and/or promoting cycling in the community.
Sheila Webster receiving her volunteer award from David Whitney
The Event of the Year award for the event that has been successfully conducted by volunteers and/or introduced innovations to an event (new or ongoing) went to the Family Friendly Bike Ride, which was organised as part of Light Up Lyneham event, in July 2023.
As the manager and organiser of this event, the award was presented to Penny Kendall whose efforts brought together families from across the community in a safe and enjoyable way.
Penny’s effort directly helped Pedal Power’s mission to get more people on bikes.
Unfortunately Penny was unable to join us at the AGM.
Louise Watson attended our very first Member Drop- in Session and since then she has been an invaluable member of the magazine production team.
Jordan Hull
As I am sure you have noticed, in every issue, Louise writes a fascinating history article for us For each, she spends hours researching the topic by digging into the Pedal Power archives and beyond, before crafting a beautifully written article that is a pleasure to read.
In this issue, you can read her article on page 24.
Louise is also the mind (and pen) behind the fun and popular Q&A sessions that we have been featuring lately.
For her work, Louise received the Volunteer Service Recognition Award in recognition of giving excellent service to Pedal Power ACT and/or the cycling community in general.
Every year, Pedal Power recongises ladership in our volunteers with the Annemarie Driver Memorial Leadership award for the volunteer who has been a prominent and successful leader in some aspect of Pedal Power ACT activities.
This year, this award went to Mike Watson who spent the last 18 months coordinating volunteers and liaising with University of Adelaide researchers, to run the Canberra chapter of Project Velograph.
Mike has been part of our advocacy team for many years This program collected data about how much room motor vehicles leave when overtaking a person on a bike
The data collected will be of great assistance to future advocacy efforts.
You can read more about the project and Mike’s role on page 23.
Finally, avid mountain biker Rosemary Dupont received an Honorary Life membership in recognition of the many volunteer roles she has fulfilled over the years and for her continued dedication to Pedal Power.
From board president, to Pedal Power spokesperson, to Team App support and so much more, it feels like Rosemary has nearly done it all.
Mike Watson (left) and David Whitney
You may have seen them around town or maybe you were one yourself. Over the past year and a half, Project Velograph volunteers have been riding on Canberra roads with a special device, a velograph, installed to their bikes. The velograph detects how far overtaking cars are driving from people on bikes.
By law, cars need to be at least 1 to 1.5m away from cyclists depending on the type of road, but inadequate infrastructure can make this difficult in certain areas.
Project Velograph, a study conducted by the University of Adelaide, set out to map the roads where motorists leave the least space when overtaking bikes. This provides a valuable tool to inform our advocacy when calling for safer, more bike-friendly infrastructure.
The Canberra chapter of Project Velograph has now concluded Over 60 volunteers, aptly coordinated by Mike Watson, took part to ensure our city has accurate data. Some dedicated volunteers even took part twice in the project.
Looking at the map created with the information collected, it is once again obvious that Northbourne Avenue is one of the most dangerous roads in Canberra, one where poor infrastructure pushes people on bikes and in cars in dangerously close proximity of each other
“I have had the rare privilege of meeting many interesting, actively interested and involved members of our community,” says Mike.
Project Velographs was conducted by the Centre for Automotive Safety Research at the University of Adelaide, collecting data from Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide.
‘Canberra’s Chomping Cyclists‘, the title is tantalising At the top of a list of social bike rides on offer during the hottest two months of the year, a Pedal Power member tries to persuade cyclists to ride 30 kilometers in the summer heat:
7th January Sunday COOL ICE CREAM CRAWL, Grade E, Distance 30km
Start at Acton Ferry Terminal 9am for a cool, refreshing ride. Don’t forget your money and lunch, with water bottle. Contact Robin on 290 1161.
In the years after Pedal Power was formed in 1974, group rides led by its members were advertised on a series of one-page fliers. Printed on coloured paper, the fliers were mailed to members and distributed to selected Canberra shops. Most fliers featured the headline, “SOCIAL BIKE RIDES” and the footer “New Riders Welcome” In smaller type, a “Rides Calendar” for the months ahead was crammed onto into the rest of the page. Essential information about each ride was conveyed by a ef description specifying the e” (E, M or H) and the leader’s mber for more information.
ered through the Pedal Power
archives, these colourful fliers and other material about longer rides convey the enthusiasm and interests of early members.
A pink flier from the late ‘70s or early ‘80s lists 22 rides over January and February, including the Cool Ice Cream Crawl. To the eight ride leaders – Robin/Robyn, Frank, Debbie, Elaine, Ben, Don, Tim and Mal – food seems almost as important as the cycling!
For example, a fortnightly “BREAKFAST RIDE” on Saturday mornings departs from the Acton Ferry Terminal at 7.30am, heading out to bakeries in Curtin and Hughes one weekend, then no further than “Waffles in Civic” the next, followed two weeks later by “reasonably brisk ride” to a bakery out in Hall.
Six weeks after promising a “Cool Ice Cream Crawl”, the leader has a different food on offer:
25 February Sunday CHICKEN CHOMP
Meet at Acton Ferry Terminal at 9am. Ride to Queanbeyan with Robyn for a chicken bite or whatever she decides. Bring money for food and water bottle. Contact Robyn.
Food was also important on multi-day rides and excursions interstate, according to other material in the archives
In a hand-written letter to Pedal Power’s President, a rider encloses “two maps and some brochures” regarding a proposed afternoon bike ride in Cooma on Sunday, 26th September 1993 1pm – 5pm.
The proposed route was a 25 km circuit west of Cooma over “ a mix” of tar roads, bush tracks and gravel/dirt roads (GRADE “M”) with stops at an art gallery, an aircraft memorial, and a lookout. Mid-afternoon, a long stop at the “Historic Travellers’ Rest” includes a “traditional Devonshire Tea” (numbers required in advance).
A Devonshire Tea and a Wineries tour were optional extras on a four-day trip to the Victorian Goldfields organised by Pedal Power over the Easter holidays, according to a detailed plan found in the archives.
On the Goldfields tour, riders were advised that while they could rely on pubs and cafes for meals in major towns like Bendigo, Maldon and
Maryborough, in smaller towns, “lunch and teas” would be “BYO at picnic tables”.
The guide then warns that at Tarnagulla and Moliagul, there are “ no facilities at all”. Riders are advised that when stopping at these villages and when riding the Axedale Rail Trail - a 44 km gravel circuit with a few sections where riders would have to “dismount and push the cycles through low creek crossings” – they should “BYO lunch” and “BYO something to sit on.”
For an earlier generation of Canberra cyclists, carrying enough food for a day trip was a challenge. Meryl Hunter describes the logistics of preparing for a long ride during the 1940s.
“We packed chops, tea milk, bread and fruit into our bike baskets, strapped newspaper-wrapped grillers to the carriers and took turns to carry the old black billy on our handlebars ”
Jordan HullAfter checking their tyres and applying “Johnson’s Burn Cream” teenage Meryl and her girlfriends would set off on bicycles without gears to “explore the countryside ”
FThey rattled along dirt roads to far flung destinations like Pine Island, Molonglo Gorge, Queanbeyan, “the Jerrabomberra Hills”, Mount Taylor, Tuggeranong Homestead, Uriarra Crossing and the Cotter, resigned to walking up most of the hills on their way home.
Fifty years later, food was more readily available for Canberra cyclists. One of Pedal Power’s fliers (bright green) advertises a ride for “ a cuppa at Cuppacumbalong” (30km) on Sunday 17th May, and promises “chatting over coffee and cake” during a 30 km ride through Canberra’s Northern suburbs
With the advent of the Digital Age, Pedal Power’s fliers disappeared and social rides are now advertised online Yet true to Canberra’s cycling traditions, food remains in the frame. Coffee stops now feature in most rides led by Pedal Power members And Board Member Paris Lord, who organizes social rides via the MeetUp App, has l ed a “Hot Chips Ride” on a summer evenings and a Saturday morning ride called “The Bread Roll”, which promised to visit no fewer than three Canberra bakeries.
Be it coffee, chicken, chops, or “whatever (the leader) decides”, Canberra cyclists, past and p resent, seem to enjoy sitting around chomping.
Sources: Meryl Hunter (1998), Over My Shoulder. Growing up with Canberra from the 1930s Canberra Stories Group, Littlewood, Murrumbateman. p. 75-76
Meryl Hunter
On Saturday 18 May, eight Fitability volunteers ran the Come and Try Tandem riding event at the Stromlo Criterium Track.
Fitability is a Pedal Power program offering cycling opportunities to Canberrans with vision impairment or other disabilities.
Despite a cold and windy morning, the event attracted over a dozen potential pilots and stokers who had the opportunity to have a go at riding the tandem bikes.
Everyone who came is now keen to continue
Fitability offers both social/coffee rides and long distance rides including the Hartley Challenge.
Some members even do tandem racing with local cycle clubs.
Jennifer and Robyne Don and his pilotAs Pedal Power campaigns for separated cycle infrastructure on Northbourne Avenue, many users of the current cycle lanes would be unaware that they have their own contentious history, with many parallels to current events.
There were cyclists using Northbourne Avenue in Canberra’s early history, but decades before this story begins in the late 1990’s, they had nearly all been driven off this road by ever increasing motor vehicle traffic and lack of any cycling space
Then, just as now, alternative routes on short lengths of parallel streets or the Sullivans Creek shared path suited the individual trip origins and destinations of some cyclists, particularly for short trips to parts of the City Centre or ANU. But for many others, those routes were inconvenient or completely impractical for regular commuting.
Pedal Power at the time faced two main challenges. The first was the practical problem of getting a straight-line cycle route through North Canberra and the Parliamentary Triangle that would offer speed and directness for regular commuting, while also connecting many other routes
The second challenge was cultural. At that time, majority community sentiment, including among many politicians and public officials, was that cyclists had no legitimate place on roads at all, particularly major ones. Aggression against cyclists who violated this ‘rule’ was common, and there were regular calls for cyclists to be legally, rather than just culturally, banned from roads.
The solution to both problems was to achieve the construction of cycle lanes the full length of both Northbourne and Commonwealth Avenues to create a continuous route through the heart of inner Canberra.
Politically, this was no small undertaking; Canberra at the time had barely any cycle lanes, and the concept of formalised on-road cycling was almost completely alien to the community and government alike. Nonetheless, from 2000 onwards the campaign took root, and eventually became the centrepiece of Pedal Power’s policies for the 2001 ACT elections.
To press the issue, a cohort of Pedal Power members set up Canberra’s first bike bus Named the ‘Southbound Commuters Ride’ it left from Downer just before the Mouat Street/Antill Street intersection at 7.30am sharp each weekday morning. With its riders two abreast in the left lane, obeying all road rules and ignoring the horn honking and abuse, it proceeded along Northbourne Avenue, Vernon Circle, Commonwealth Avenue and Capital Circle, terminating at 7.55am at The Lodge, where the Adelaide Avenue wide shoulder commenced Prior to the election, in a similar manner to Pedal Power’s event in April this year, a protest mass ride took place from Downer to the City Centre, attracting hundreds of participants.
Meanwhile in the media, The Canberra Times letters pages ran hot with the outrage of drivers who thought it scandalous that a facility for cyclist safety and convenience should take even a few metres of the carriageway’s generous (over 60 metre) total width.
To its great credit, the then Labor opposition adopted the proposal as an election commitment despite the pushback, while the governing Liberals dismissed the need for it, offering a few cosmetic upgrades to local backstreets instead.
Labor won the 2001 election, and the cycle lanes were installed. The sacred verges and median were ultimately protected (at least until the light rail came along), and costs minimised to a politically acceptable level by narrowing all three of the general traffic lanes, allowing a 1.5 metre cycle lane to be marked on existing road space, consistent with Australian best practice at the time.
We would have preferred separated facilities of the type we are now campaigning for; even back then they were commonplace in some European
countries. But they barely existed, if at all, in Australia, and the complex roadworks and much greater expenditure that would have been required meant there was no hope of achieving them at the time We were lucky, as it was, to persuade just one side of politics to endorse implementation of minimalist, regular cycle lanes; separated infrastructure was technically possible but politically far out of reach. It was a pragmatic compromise that was clearly better than over-reaching in our demands and achieving nothing at all
The entire route was officially ‘opened’ by Chief Minister Jon Stanhope in a ceremony in Haig Park on 7 September 2004. The furious backlash continued for several years after the election, as opponents at first sought to have the election promise broken, and then after the lanes were installed, campaigned desperately to have them removed before their success could become evident
Pedal Power’s recent protest ride on Northbourne AvenueAs we predicted, there was a massive increase in cycling on Northbourne and Commonwealth Avenues, with very little impact on the number cycling on alternative routes. Cyclists were also, at long last, visible citizens, entitled to take direct routes to their destinations instead of bumping along footpaths or having to skulk unseen on winding back-routes, and this had a city-wide effect.
Fitting cycle lanes on new and upgraded roads became standard practice and Canberra now has a substantial network. Anecdotally, aggression against cyclists on roads, including those without cycle lanes, dropped markedly in the following years as motorists adjusted to the now officially sanctioned concept of cyclists as legitimate road users. Pedal Power won a national cycling advocacy award for its achievement.
The push for full separation
However, what was a substantial practical, political and strategic victory for Canberra cycling twenty years ago has become unfinished business in the present.
Although these cycle lanes are very much safer than cycling in general traffic lanes, collisions, some serious, have inevitably occurred, as must be expected over two decades of high-volume use They are too narrow for cyclists to overtake other cyclists in, and many cyclists or would-be cyclists remain excluded by legitimate safety concerns about lack of proper separation. Once considered modern by Australian standards, they are now outdated and long overdue for replacement by modern separated cycle infrastructure that combines the speed and priority of on-road cycle lanes with the separation of off-road paths.
Back then, we didn’t think the cycle lanes in their current form would be there for long, believing that the ever-increasing number of riders meant that separated cycle infrastructure would surely follow
In 2011, the ACT Government conducted a major study on fitting a busway on Northbourne Avenue Our submission argued strongly for separated cycle facilities as a key project outcome.
theproject,the opportunitywas negligentlyand unforgivablysquandered.
The time has come
Northbourne Avenue today is markedly different to 20-25 years ago. The population surrounding the corridor continues to increase at a higher rate than the ACT average, also offering the prospect of thousands of short distance cycling trips to destinations in the City Centre, other areas like Dickson Shops, and along Northbourne Avenue itself. The case for modern cycling infrastructure nowadays is obvious.
Criticism of Pedal Power’s campaign can be encountered in on-line forums, letters pages and other forums, but so far is not backed by any organisations or significant individuals, and muted compared to the early 2000’s.
We have other advantages too that we didn’t have then. Separated and prioritised cycle facilities that 25 years ago were largely unheard of and untried in Australia are increasingly commonplace Thebuswayproject eventuallybecamelight rail,but,despitePedal Power’scontinuedefforts andoverwhelming evidenceoftheneedto upgradethecycle infrastructureaspartof
But, most importantly, this time around we don’t need to prove demand. We already have hundreds of riders on Northbourne Avenue daily who make the best of what we currently have, but who know that their taxes and their contribution to reducing congestion, parking issues and air pollution entitles them to a much safer, higher design standard of cycle facility, one which will attract many more riders than the current lanes.
Twenty years ago, completion of the existing Northbourne Avenue cycle lanes proclaimed, on one of Canberra’s most iconic roads, that the era of cycling on fast, direct routes had arrived throughout Canberra. With Pedal Power’s renewed campaign, installation of modern, high quality separated cycling facilities on this same road could proclaim that the era of high safety standards suitable for people of all cycling abilities has also now truly arrived in our city
As past meets the present, the time has come!
