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NYC Bike Month Montage (2010)

Wanna see a slice of the glorious NYC bike month that was?  There were dozens of great May events from Bike to Work Day in the Bronx to the David Bowie Dance Ride in Manhattan to Bike to School Day at MS51 in Brooklyn. Of course we couldn't get to all of them, but we managed to drop by quite a few extravaganzas.

In this funky montage wrap-up you'll see many special guest stars including Hal Ruzal, Randy "The Ethicist" Cohen, Mary Beth Kelly, and Eben "Bike Snob" Weiss, just to pick out some of the dozens of faces.  But none so special as an appearance by our very good purple friend - Zozo, who you'll get to see out scooting on his bike!

And for heaven's sake, don't miss the "bike rockstar montage" near the end.  We certainly have a lot of hip cyclists in NYC.

Clarence Eckerson: [0:00] Happy Bike Month, Clarence here from Streetfilms. We have been to a lot of great bike cities and when we were there, we showed you a little bit of culture going on and also a lot of the bike amenities and improvements they are doing. But, here in New York City, we always got a lot of great stuff going on too. And since it is Bike Month, we said let's get out there and show you just a little taste of bike culture and bicycling in New York City. [music]
Man 1: [0:31] Every month is Bike Month.
Man 2: [0:34] I just like to have fun and enjoy with people. I like riding the bike every day.
Man 3: [0:46] Awesome.
Man 4: [0:54] South Beach city. [music]
Randy Cohen: [1:01] When you cycle in New York, it is not exercise. It is just regular life. It is just your ordinary life. Hey, look, An... When you cycle in New York, you can just encounter your friend in [inaudible 01:10] Madison.
Jesse Brown: [1:15] The independence you get from being powered by yourself. [siren]
Woman 1: [1:29] And we are in Williamsburg on Havemeyer Street enjoying a beautiful Saturday, but it is not like every Saturday. It is a Saturday where it's a block party for your bicycle. How exciting is that?
Hal Ruzal: [1:34] I just like fresh air and just getting out. And that is the main thing. I like good hills because good hills bring character.
Mary Beth Kelly: [1:47] I was in the closet about it for a long time but I have come out.
Clarence: [1:50] Yeah?
Woman 2: [1:50] Yeah, I'm a bike zealot. No question. [music]
Lisa Sladkus: [2:01] It's so fun to see these many people out on their bikes. We have been having a ball with these commuter breakfasts, and it is so energizing. It is so much fun.
Man 4: [2:10] Wish me want to bike.
Tila Duhaime: [2:12] People are happy. They are riding and they are being in it.
Kevin Bolger: [2:20] Say hi, cheese. Cheese.
Juan Nisvis: [2:25] Everybody go look around. Anybody can wiggle their joints. Anybody can get physical. If you don't get physical, your body will break down.
Milton Puryear: [2:41] We had a woman biker with us on the Brooklyn Waterfront Epic ride last year, forty miles out the Coney Rockaway in high heels. She was pushing me. I was the ride leader. [laughs] [music]
Eben "BikeSnob" Weiss: [3:10] I could go and on about the reasons it is safe to ride in New York. It is very easy to get around. It is the fastest way to get around. It is a lot of fun. You see all kinds of great things. It is a great place to ride and on top of that you have a raising team here. You have all kinds of things to do on your bike.
Man: [3:27] During the day, you feel better than just like sloppy, you rode the bus, you are all moody.
Man 6: [3:32] Because you are getting the exercise.
Man 5: [3:33] Exactly.
Woman 1: [3:34] What are you going to buy?
Woman 2: [3:36] It's awesome. You look like a rock star. [music]
Zozo: [4:12] Ah, May. Was that merry? It was beautiful. Also, it was bike month and I saw a lot of you out there biking away, but don't put them away yet because there is more of warm temperatures and more bike lanes. So, get off there and keep on biking. I'll see you on the lanes, OK? [music]

[4:31]



Clarence Eckerson, Jr. has been making fantastical transportation media in NYC since the late 1990s. He's never had a driver's license and never will.

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  • http://lacreekfreak.wordpress.com JoeLinton

    Awesome video, but please - don't call them bike "amenities"!!! (at 11 seconds)

    They're facilities. improvements. features. Necessary parts of a safe, healthy, sustainable transportation infrastructure - not just something nice to have.

  • Bev

    biking does make you happier.

  • Smug

    As a lifelong cyclist, I can say with authority that this video makes me want to give up cycling.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/bicyclesonly/ BicyclesOnly

    Go for it Smug!

    What gives? Try to represent people who love cycling having fun, and you're attacked as "subcultural" by snide Danes and as exclusionist by snobby bloggers. Lord, too many people take themselves way too seriously!

  • Bridge Rider Boy

    I can't wait until Smug gives up biking!

  • bicyclemamy

    i wished we had half the things you guys have here in west palm beach, florida. i was born and raised in brooklyn and ALMOST want to move back because of this video! however, its waaaay too cold for me. keep it up ny!

  • Elliot

    Congrats NYC on your David Bowie Dance Party Ride! StreetFilms, are you coming to Portland for Pedalpalooza this year? We can promise you hundreds of hours of in-street bike dance party footage.

    As an aside, I can say with authority that lifelong smug cyclists are what keeps regular people from wanting to try cycling.

  • http://walkbikejersey.blogspot.com/ Andy B from Jersey

    Wow, Clarence!

    You definitely worked overtime editing this one. Very nice.

  • Tyler Johannsen (LA)

    What a hippie-fest.  
    Bikes don't make you happy.  
    Its a subculture.
    Biking will never be cool.
    Biking is over rated especially by hippies.
    Riding a bike won't make urban ills go away.
    I live in Long Beach and love to ride a bike.
    Energizing while you are riding for the first hour only.