SPIN - Strength and Participation In Numbers

SPIN 2 is taking place on May 31st, 2007!

For more info read the recent Press Release and view the Route Map

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The first ever SPIN ride took to the streets of Winnipeg on September 6, 2006. To read about its purpose please click on the links above.  To learn about what the local media has to say about the event please read on:

Taken from the Winnipeg Sun, Sept 7, 2006

Going for a SPIN

Cycling group peddles its own bike philosophy

 by Tamara King, Staff Reporter

They hope a good old-fashioned bike ride will push Winnipeg politicians into creating some 21st-century cycling infrastructure.

A sea of spandex-sporting cyclists converged at Assiniboine Park last night for a ride to city hall.

Organized by former Olympic cyclist Lindsay Gauld and local bike shop owner Scot Miller, SPIN -- or Strength and Participation In Numbers -- has a shopping list of requests from city hall they believe would make Winnipeg bicycle-friendly.

Dedicated bike lanes topped the wish list from many of yesterday's participants.

"I think the city needs more bike lanes," said student Kari Parsons as she geared up for the start of the ride.

As much as the ride was about pushing city hall, it also tried to counter negative publicity surrounding Critical Mass, a leaderless group of cyclists that has clashed with police in recent months.

But SPIN organizers are adamant they're not anti-Critical Mass.

"It's not that our goals are different, our methodology is different," said co-organizer Gauld, who's a longtime Winnipeg resident. "We got a parade permit, we plan to obey the laws and we started it at a time when it won't block traffic."

NO ROUTE MAPPED

As a protest to encourage the use of bikes instead of cars, Critical Mass purposely doesn't apply for a parade permit and doesn't map out a route. The Winnipeg rides start downtown during the afternoon rush, usually on a Friday.

They've been accused of blocking an ambulance carrying a critically ill patient. Participants insist they got out of the way as quickly as they could.

Roughly 20 tickets have been doled out to Critical Mass riders this year.

Cops described yesterday's ride as "very orderly."

"(It was) well organized, well planned, no issues of any kind," said Winnipeg police Insp. Steve Pilote.

Miller, who's SPIN's co-chairman, said he hopes to see another ride like the one yesterday. Unlike the monthly Critical Mass, Miller doesn't plan to put SPIN in motion until next year.

"We don't want to be aggressive. We don't want to get in people's faces," he said. "We want to do it once a year and do it big."

Cyclist Mike Bilyk decided to participate in last night's ride to show politicians he wants to see more bike lanes for safety reasons.

"I commute a lot by bike to work and all over the place. It's dangerous to ride on the road, especially if you've got kids," he said, motioning to his five-year-old daughter Finn in the child carrier on the back of his mountain bike.

Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) and Donald Benham (River Heights) were among the three city councillors joining yesterday's ride. Speaking on behalf of Mayor Sam Katz, Point Douglas Coun. Mike Pagtakhan's suggestion there should be a city-wide network of bike paths was met with cheers, clapping and the clinking of bells.