2012 Philadelphia Social Rides

With much of the major riding season over until the spring its time to take a look back at some of the highlights and lowlights of the past year. While there are plenty of alley cats, charity rides, races there are some that stand out more than others.

The most questionable ride that happens is the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride, PNBR. While the ride has grown since its inception whether it achieves any of it broad based and nebulous goals remains highly questionable. The only people who benefit from the PNBR are the owners of the nearby bars at the Piazza at Schmiddts where the ride ends and after parties are held.

There are rides that are building a sense of community through good deeds and others through good fun.  Examples of rides built through good fun include the Bilenky Junk Yard Cross is an unsanctioned cyclocross where nothing about the course or the participants are regulation. It draws a very eclectic group of participants and spectators for a day of friendly competition.

The Philly Tweed ride is also a great example of good fun builds a community. The Philadelphia Tweed Ride is a vintage themed bicycle ride where the participants dress in early 1900's style clothing and take a leisurely ride through Philadelphia with a stop for a picnic lunch and dinner. Attracting over 100 participants per year of all ages this ride gives participants a chance to exercise their creative abilities as well as create the opportunity to dress up for a unique social setting.

While Philadelphia has its share of charity bicycle rides most of them are century rides run by a non for-profit that have the resources and the staff to execute such an undertaking. There are two rides that I am aware of, that have been created through the hard work of individuals who make time outside of work, school, and other commitments to plan these rides.

Philly Cranksgiving is an alley cat race where participants navigate to a series of grocery stores to purchase items from a list that are brought to a final destination. Organized by two local residents, Gary and CJ,  all of the proceeds go to Philabundance a food bank that helps Philadelphians in need. The 2012 ride raised 800 pounds of food and $1200.00, $1000.00 of which was donated by Tattooed Mom's matching the amount spent by the riders who donated food. This helped feed 2000 residents of Philadelphia.

There was a new addition this year, Gears for Gifts. An organized bicycle ride with the proceeds going to Toys for Tots. Traditionally motorcycle and car clubs holds rides of this nature so it’s always refreshing to see a new twist on an existing concept. I can only hope that this ride becomes an annual event and may some day rival the Midnight Ridazz All City Ride.

I'm looking forward to 2013 to see how many of these rides will cotinue to grow and evolve. As well as what new rides will develop.

Circus of Fools

 

Once again it's time for the annual Circus of Fools or as its commonly known the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride (PBNR), part of the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR). Normally held on Labor Day weekend, but due to the Jay Z concert was pushed back to Saturday, August 25.

There are many mysteries surrounding the PBNR and since they have been historically reticent about talking to anyone, except for the limited information their website. Its time to insert some thoughts of my own since PBNR does not speak for itself.

In July they held a bikini bike wash and sold PBNR blinkies raise funds. The question that needs to be asked is, why? PBNR does not explain why they need this money; permits, security, port-a-potties, body paint?? If your going to raise funds to cover expenses you need to be clear about what your spending it on. Since the organizers have yet to be up front about any of the costs associated one has to ask, how much do they really need and how are they spending it?

The WNBR website states that the rides in this part of the world are normally held around June 9, but for some reason the Philadelphia organizers are focused on Labor Day weekend. I do get it; if you plan the ride you should have control over the date. But I believe that the Philadelphia organizers have a simpler motive. In the early 1970's streaking had a brief moment of popularity, it was a way to rebel against current culture. Holding the ride close to Labor Day ensures that the there are plenty of college students available to inflate the numbers on the ride. For college students this is just one big dare, riding naked through Philadelphia, without risk of arrest or public harassment. If the ride was held in June the number of riders would be smaller as the majority of the college students have gone home for the summer.

The last question that has to be asked is, why no fundraising to benefit Philadelphia residents? Every year organizers provide an overly generous, undocumented, and unverifiable count of the participants; this year they put the count at 2000. Yet the only organization that seems to benefit are the local bars that surround the Piazza at Schmidt’s, one in particular is PYT. It's really tragic at the very least the organizers could pass a helmet for donations, $1 per person. Give the money to a local organization that does something to help the residents of Philadelphia under the nebulous goals of the PNBR.

Bottom line; if you want go out and have party with your friends participate in one of the Philly Bike Party's rides. If you want to make change go out and volunteer your time or donate money. The Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride is the equivalent of clicking “like” on Facebook, it may give you a warm fuzzy feeling but in reality you have done nothing to facilitate positive change.

Parade of Asses

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Once again Philadelphia has survived the annual Parade of Asses or as it is better known, the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride, part of the World Naked Bike Ride. Don't worry if you missed it, the Philadelphia Inquirer will be flogging the pictures on the main page of their website for the next 364 days, just like they did with the 2010 ride.

Like Critical Mass the PNBR accomplishes nothing other than creating a parade and while this ride has grown exponentially around the world, in my opinion it has jumped the shark. The best example of this is when G4TV's Attack of the Show sent out one of their on air hosts to cover the ride in Portland, OR. Sarah Underwood, a Playboy centerfold, who reported on the ride by participating in it. It's this kind of investigative journalism that shows how seriously the WNBR is taken.

WARNING: Video is not office friendly.

Video Games - E3 2012 - AOTS Exclusive

As much as the PNBR has stated goals, the average person has a completely different reaction.

Why We Ride:

1.     We ride to PROMOTE CYCLING ADVOCACY.

2.     We ride to RAISE AWARENESS about FUEL CONSUMPTION and the environmental impact of car culture.

3.     We ride to PROMOTE POSITIVE BODY IMAGE.

4.     We ride to PROMOTE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY as a way of life and a corporate responsibility.

Man on the street

1.     Look at all of the naked people riding bicycles!

2.     This is going up on YouTube.

3.     Most of these people need to put their clothes back on.

4.     What was that all about?

Participating in the PNBR is the same as clicking “Like” on the Facebook page of a non-for profit, you’re not doing anything to help that organization. The PNBR does not raise any money to help an advocacy group that meets the goals of the PNBR. Nor do the hundreds of riders that they attract actually do anything that benefits the community they live in. However unlike the recent column in Philebrity I would not call the people who participate in this “bad citizens”, not everyone can or wants to spend $50 to ride through Philadelphia to participate in the Bike Philly ride. Instead I would view them as a group of children in need of guidance, to harness the potential that exists.

So what would I do?

By all means since the PNBR is part of the core value of this group then the ride should remain intact. What about a voluntary donation of $1 per rider, at the start or the end of the ride, with the proceeds going to an advocacy group so the end of the ride something more than just an excuse for a party.

I would also recommend that the PNBR participate in the Philly Spring Cleanup, in past estimates the PNBR has had close to 2000 participants. Can you imagine what would be possible if 25% of the participants met at a central location and then bicycled out to local parks in need of help to pick up trash and clear brush?