The Little Blue Brunch Truck will be at REDUX on Friday pouring organic coffee and slinging vegan Diggity Doughnuts from 1-4pm. Groups coming to see the current exhibit “Drift” or to check-in for Bike! Bike! Southeast! can look forward to flavors like sweet and tart Lingonberry, crunchy Cinnamon & Sugar, and the much requested Peanut Butter & Sriracha.

I’ve personally had the Cinnamon & Sugar and the Peanut Butter & Sriracha and they both rocked my face off.

On Friday, people from all over the Southeast will be arriving in Charleston to attend the 3rd annual Bike! Bike! Southeast! conference, and the Holy City Bike Co-op wants to welcome those guests from far and wide. To date, these cities and states below represent the groups of people registered to join us from outside the Charleston area.

Birmingham, AL
Athens, GA
Atlanta, GA
Augusta, GA
Louisville, KY
New Orleans, LA
Detroit, MI
Boone, NC
Charlotte, NC
Columbia, SC
Greenville, SC
Myrtle Beach, SC
North Augusta, SC
Alexandria, VA
West Virginia

Well, 90% of it is up. Take a look.

Not to play favorites but I am especially looking forward to Frank Puricelli’s History of the Bicycle and Its Impact on American Culture and to Chris Winn’s Blood, Sweat, and Fundraising: Special Events and You.

If you haven’t registered online yet, please do.

by Dan Kelley

On Wednesday, March 16th from 7 to 9pm at the Recovery Room, the Holy City Bike Co-op will be unveiling the full Bike! Bike! Southeast! schedule for workshops, classes and seminars which will take place downtown Charleston over March 25th weekend. Already, the conference boasts an out-of-town guest list from fourteen cities in seven states including cities as far away as Detroit, Louisville, and Birmingham. Anyone interested in learning more about bicycles is encouraged to register and attend. Here are the details:

Register online: BikeBikeCharleston.com/register
Cost: $20-$30 suggested contribution
Check-in: 12pm-5:30pm on Friday, March 25th at Redux

Just to whet your appetite here are a few workshops slated for Saturday mid-morning to early afternoon.

History of the Bicycle and Its Impact on American Culture
with Frank T. Puricelli at Circular Church
Based on his Graduate Thesis on Early 20th Century Transportation Technology, Frank will describe the history of the bicycle beginning with the invention and popularization of the Hobby Horse in the 1810s to 1820s, working through the design evolutions of the bicycle from the Boneshaker, the Highwheel and finally the Safety. In the mid 1890s the bicycle reached its final and current design phase which is basically what we have today. As I progress through the different designs I touch on all the social, gender and transportation impacts to American culture and also how the bicycle led to the creation of the motorcycle, automobile and even the airplane (Wright Bros and Henry Ford and the Harley bros. all dabbled with bicycles in the 1890s)

On the Road Repairs
with JJ Reaves at Holy City Bike Co-op
Help yourself get off the shoulder and back on the road again. Learn skills like how to change a flat, what to do if a spoke breaks, and what tools and supplies are essential for anyone to be road repair ready.

Bike Maintenance 101
with Greg Jones at Charleston Bicycle Company
Learn about what makes a bike work. There will be a strong focus on naming bike parts and identifying key mechanical concepts so that you can go into any shop and describe your problem without using words like “thingy” or “doohickey.” This is a great foundation for everyone and was my first formal bike class ever.

Tips for New Commuters
Interested in commuting by bike. Old veterans and new commuters are encouraged to circle up and talk it out. Get tips on the best route for your area, planning around the weather, and estimating travel time so you get to work on time.

The Holy City Bicycle Co-op will be hosting the 3rd annual Bike! Bike! Southeast! regional conference the weekend of March 25th-27th in Charleston, SC. Leaders from more than thirty other bike co-ops and collectives throughout the Southeast and beyond will be visiting Charleston to share their knowledge and experience and to witness how bicycles work in our community. “It’s an opportunity to learn from each other so we can be better citizens, better serve our communities, and develop a support network between cities,” explained Dan Kelley. “Anyone interested in knowing more about bicycles is welcome to attend.”

This conference is unique in that its workshops and seminars are proposed and facilitated by attendees. Currently topics will include general bike maintenance courses, repairs on the road, creating safe respectful spaces, tips for bike commuters, successful fund raising strategies, creating outreach programs, organizing a race, finding community partners, wheel-building, welding tall bikes, and grant writing. The first keynote speaker, Peter Wilborn of MyBikeLaw.com, will be presenting during orientation at Theatre99 at 10pm Friday.

In addition to the educational components, the Bike! Bike! Southeast! will include a Friday night social bike ride, a special bike polo half-time show at the next Lowcountry Highrollers’ bout, a screenprinting and sticker swapping session, and Saturday night dance party. Group meals prepared by Food Not Bombs will be provided during the conference, and any locals willing to host guests are encouraged to let us know online. “It’s great that this event’s coming to Charleston!” says Tom Bradford, Director of Charleston Moves.

Additional information on registering, hosting guests, and workshops is available on the website bikebikecharleston.com. A contribution of $20 to $30 is requested at check-in to cover costs, although no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Pre-registration on the website is preferred, but you may also register at check-in.  For information on sponsorship/donation opportunities, please let us know by emailing info@holycitybikecoop.org with the subject line “Sponsor BBSE.” Charleston Moves is a fiscal sponsor of the event making in-kind and monetary donations for the event eligible for a tax write-off.

Special thanks to our current sponsors who include MyBikeLaw.com, Charleston Moves, Cru Catering, Theatre99, Kudu Coffee, Andolini’s and The Hub.