Hello and welcome to the inaugural issue of PSU Cycling 101! In this semi-regular blog article officers from the club will cover a list of topics ranging from beginner safety all the way to advanced race strategies. In this issue I'll be introducing some of the local organizations that support cycling in our community.
Beginning in the early 2000's State College began to see a serious movement towards advocating for safer roads and more organized group rides with the foundation of Centre Bike (then called the Centre Region Bicycle Coalition) and the State College Cycling Club. In recent years Centre Bike has become the go to organization for all things related to cycling, as they serve as our local branch of The League of American Bicycles. State College Cycling was formed by local cyclist (and TV weatherman) Joe Lumberg. It meets on Tuesday nights beginning in April and runs all the way into September. It's weekly rides draw cyclists of ages and skill levels with an average turnout of about 50 cyclists on any given week.
NMBA stands for the Nittany Mountain Biking Association. NMBA is our local branch of a much larger organization called the International Mountain Biking Association. NMBA and IMBA both work to not only grow the sport of cycling, but also to ensure the preservation of over a thousand miles of trails throughout central Pennsylvania. Although NMBA is an organization focused primarily on mountain biking, it has played a large part in the advocacy and planning of a local bike park that is being proposed in State College. More information about NMBA can be found by clicking the link at the top of this page, while more information on the bike park can be found here.
Another organization that is sometimes overlooked, but is perhaps one of the most import local organizations with regards to the future of cycling in the area is the Centre Region Bicycle Advisory Committee (or CBAC for short). Although it is not a cycling group in terms of going out for rides, it serves as a way to bring cyclists and non-cyclists to the same table and to serve as a channel for cyclists to connect with our elected officials. CBAC is a government committee comprised of representatives from Penn State, State College Borough, PennDOT, the local school districts, The Youth Services Bureau, local civic associations, and more! CBAC serves all residents and students within the five municipalities that surround the university and downtown. If you would like to become involved with your local government, or are simply looking for a nice resume' building experience please contact Andrew Artz to learn how you could become a student representative.
In short: there is a lot of support for cycling locally. From the grand vistas of Roth Rock State Forest to the wide open countryside of Ferguson Township there is a local group interested in making your ride safer and more enjoyable. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for future PSU Cycling 101 issues please contact the events coordinator/ race director / community outreach person/ Men's D sandbagger: Andrew Artz.
Beginning in the early 2000's State College began to see a serious movement towards advocating for safer roads and more organized group rides with the foundation of Centre Bike (then called the Centre Region Bicycle Coalition) and the State College Cycling Club. In recent years Centre Bike has become the go to organization for all things related to cycling, as they serve as our local branch of The League of American Bicycles. State College Cycling was formed by local cyclist (and TV weatherman) Joe Lumberg. It meets on Tuesday nights beginning in April and runs all the way into September. It's weekly rides draw cyclists of ages and skill levels with an average turnout of about 50 cyclists on any given week.
Another organization that is sometimes overlooked, but is perhaps one of the most import local organizations with regards to the future of cycling in the area is the Centre Region Bicycle Advisory Committee (or CBAC for short). Although it is not a cycling group in terms of going out for rides, it serves as a way to bring cyclists and non-cyclists to the same table and to serve as a channel for cyclists to connect with our elected officials. CBAC is a government committee comprised of representatives from Penn State, State College Borough, PennDOT, the local school districts, The Youth Services Bureau, local civic associations, and more! CBAC serves all residents and students within the five municipalities that surround the university and downtown. If you would like to become involved with your local government, or are simply looking for a nice resume' building experience please contact Andrew Artz to learn how you could become a student representative.
In short: there is a lot of support for cycling locally. From the grand vistas of Roth Rock State Forest to the wide open countryside of Ferguson Township there is a local group interested in making your ride safer and more enjoyable. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for future PSU Cycling 101 issues please contact the events coordinator/ race director / community outreach person/ Men's D sandbagger: Andrew Artz.
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