We’ve already noted the coming bike events in Long Beach: the Alliance Leadership Retreat, the ProWalk/Pro Bike conference, and the National Women’s Bicycling Summit 2012. And that’s just the first two weeks of September! Looking ahead, Rail-volution, the movement to develop livable communities with transit, comes to Los Angeles for the 2012 conference from October 14-17th. Local host Metro and the national organization partner to highlight best practices and case examples and in every way shine a light on the path to sustainable urban transportation. You won’t find a better overview than what’s on offer here.

September Events

This Sunday, join LACBC‘s own Herbie Huff for a ‘FunGay’ ride (yes you read that right!). This easy 12 – 15 mile ride from Downtown’s Pershing Square to brunch at Hamburger Mary’s in West Hollywood will explore local gay history along the route. A reliable series of first-Sunday monthly rides you won’t want to miss. Join up to support this worthwhile advocacy organization and be sure to identify Better Bike as a local chapter.

The Bicycle Film Festival returns this October with a screening of The Contender at the Cinefamily theater on Fairfax on 10/12 and screenings the following day, all day, at the city’s newest art venue, the Downtown Independent theater.

New Belgium’s Tour de Fat Los Angeles rolls on Saturday, September 15th at 10 am. This all-day adult ride benefits local bike orgs like the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (ride leader & provider of complimentary bike valet), C.I.C.L.E., and the cooperative Bicycle Kitchen. Join in for bikes & fun and benefit good causes.

Carmageddon 2 arrives September 29-30th with the annual shuttering of I-405 for road work. Last year’s event cast a chill over the whole Westside, making streets finally safe for casual cyclists. Even Zev loved it! This year local bike organizations like SM Spoke, Culver City Bicycle Coalition, West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition (and yours truly) are celebrating with a community ride. (Stay tuned for details.) We wonder, Why can’t the 405 be closed every year from Mulholland to Sunset as a luge track or a downhill cycling criterion?

That same weekend, on Saturday September 29th, Wolfpack Hustle invites cyclists citywide to meet at the L.A. River bike path for the first-ever All-City LA River Ride. (Stay tuned.) The Wolfpack ride is more likely to keep to the spirit of the event’s namesake video game, Carmageddon – one in a host of ‘Carpocalypse’-themed games that make virtual experience of the everyday predatory motoring that we suffer in and around Beverly Hills. From the game’s Wikipedia page:

Complete the race, passing every checkpoint before the time runs out. Destroy all the opponents. Kill every zombie/pedestrian in the level….Each mission has specific tasks that must be completed before unlocking the next set. The time limit in the game is generous, and the player can kill pedestrians, crash into opponents, or do tricks to gain time as well.

That’s our everyday Carmageddon. Somewhat counter-intuitively, though, our Carmageddon event is a respite from that real-world reality.

October Events

A more tranquil event hits the streets when CicLAvia rolls into action on Sunday, October 7th from 10 am – 3 pm. Now with a new spur from South Los Angeles, and new ride hubs too, this all-city ride highlights all that’s good about bikes and bike culture. We highlighted the route change that now provides for greater rail access than ever. As the LACBC says, “Get ready for LA’s biggest block party!”

So mark those calendars and check our events page regularly for the latest in big and small happenings of interest to the cycling community.