It may be a holiday weekend, but the Austin cycling community ain’t letting up. On Saturday there is an insane amount of bike related stuff going on: Tour de Gruene, Wusrtcross-o-ween, Bizarro Du, Frankebike, Roll Beyond Coal Bike Rally, Halloween Alleycat, and Zombie Ball. This is in addition to the 15 or so regular Saturday rides and events. Plus don’t forget the launch part for Austin’s newest cycling rag, The Dropout, on Sunday evening.
Here’s a quick run down of recommended events for the coming week from our comprehensive calendar of all cycling events. Thanks to Jason at ATXBS for letting us know about some events we couldn’t find elsewhere. As always, if there is an event you know about that’s not on our calendar contact us, and we’ll add your event on and possibly add it to the weekly round up.
Thursday, October 29
Thursday Night Bike Polo
5:30 PM, Eastwoods Park, 3001 Harris Park Ave
The Austin Bike Polo Club’s weekday match. All bikes and skill levels are welcome and spare mallets and balls are available if you don’t have any. Check out our recent article on bike polo for more info.
Bicycle Sport Shop Bike Women Only Maintenance Class
6 PM, Bicycle Sport Shop Central, 517 S. Lamar Blvd
Free basic maintenance class (including how to fix a flat) taught by one of BBS’ skilled female mechanics.
T
hursday Night Social Ride
7:30 PM, Lamar Blvd Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge
A ride from the Facebook group Social Cycling ATX. Meet at Pedestrian Bridge at 7:30 p.m. leave at 8:00 p.m. This week will be the last week the ride meets up at the Pfluger bridge due to its size and popularity. The ride taking off on an east side cruise and stopping at Pan Am Rec Center on the east side. We have ridden by this park many times on the ride. It’s in East Austin very close to the highway. We’ll play some games up on the amphitheater’s stage and get a feel for the place. Give me some feedback and let me know what you think because we will probably be meeting here for a while and maybe permanently. After playing around and checking the place out, we’ll be heading to the Chupacabra where they are throwing down a couple of kegs of Magic Hat (fancy) and a couple more of Lone Star (delicious) as well as providing a DJ for our Thursday Night Dance Party. Read our recent article on the popular weekly ride.
Friday, October 30
Critical Mass Ride
5 PM, West Mall, University of Texas Campus
This bike jamming ride is designed to shout to the world that bikes belongs and occurs on the last Friday of the month. You never know what will happen, but don’t miss this foundation of the Austin bike culture we know today. Make it extra festive this month by wearing your Halloween costume.
Saturday, October 31
Tour de Gruene Bicycle Classic
8 AM, Gruene Hall, Gruene, TX
The history, charm, and ambiance of the unique town of Gruene, between Austin and San Antonio, provides the perfect setting for our bicycle classic events that meander along the tree lined banks of the Guadalupe River and the enchanting limestone cliffs of the Balcones Fault. Recreational tour of 15, 30 & 50 Mile Routes and 16 mile individual time trial Saturday, team time trial Sunday.
Ring of Fire : Luckenbach
8 AM, Luckenbach, TX
Ride or race this course around Luckenbach, TX benefitting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation in partnership with Luckenbach and the Texas Chainsaw Roundup. Distances of 65, 38, and 13 miles.
The Bizarro Duathlon
8:30 AM, Downtown Smithville, TX
The Austin Duathletes are doing their part to keep the Austin area weird by hosting the reverse order duathlon consisting of a 15 mile bike, 2 mile run, and finally a 15 mile bike out in Smithville, TX. Athletes are encouraged to race in Halloween costumes.
Wurstcross-o-ween
9 AM, Cypress Bend Park, New Braunfels, TX
Cyclocross and Wurstfest, what a winning combination! $10 race fee includes free entry to Wurstfest. The 3km course will be laid out a bit differently than the 2007 edition. Terrain will include grass, dirt, pavement, hard pack, rock wall jump/runup and one set of wood barricades/traps (double). Open, Cat 3/4, Women’s, Juniors and Masters categories. Registration opens at 9:00AM race day and ends 15 minutes prior to each category start time.
FrankenBike #51
11 AM- 4 PM, Freewheeling Bicycles, 2401 San Gabriel
Austin’s semi-regular bike parts swap is back. Need a saddle or set of pedals to finish off that project bike? Have a box of never used or lightly used bike parts in the garage your significant other wants you to get rid of? Frankenbike is your answer. Stop by for a bit or stay all afternoon to hawk you wares. As always, admission is free, recycling great stuff is priceless.
Roll Beyond Coal Austin Bike Ride & Rally
1 PM, Austin City Hall Plaza
The Roll Beyond Coal Coalition will be hosting Roll Beyond Coal Bike Rallies Across Texas.The Austin Bike Rally will begin with a rally on the steps of a City Hall, consist of a 5-10 mile bike tour of clean energy across our city, and culminate in a social gathering at the end. At the end of the clean energy bike tour, Transmission entertainment is organizing a social with the oopportunity to TAKE ACTION!
SkelliCyclists Halloween Ride
Saturday, Oct 31, 1 PM, Cityhall Plaza
Details from the new bike club, the SkelliCyclists: Hello hello my fellow Skellies! I know it’s been a little over a month since our last group ride, but it’s on now! SkelliCyclists Ride #3! Halloween Day-Ride! This will be our first Halloween ride and it’s pretty exciting. I’m declaring it a Skellies Holiday!Now to the ride details. We have a new route! Around 12 miles with a few hills here and there, and we’re now starting a little earlier than the previous rides, at 1pm, so we can all have time to relax and prep for true Halloween night festivities 
We’ll have one stop at around the midway point at the Draughthouse Pub near 45th and Medical Pkwy. After a little refreshment there, we’ll take a tour through the east side and loop back toward the city ending at Dog and Duck Pub, where I personally believe that there lies the best fish n chips in town! Get excited folks. In the spirit of the Skellies Halloween Ride I would like to encourage a little festive costume-dressing up or at least a skellies-painted face.
Halloween Alleycat benefiting Yellow Bike Project
Saturday, Oct 31, 6:66 PM (7:06 PM), Austin Bikes, 1213 W 5th St
Les from OneLesCar will be organizing this alleycat benefit with an entry fee of $6.66. No bags or luggage will be required, though you do need something to take some digital photos with so bring along that fancy phone if you’ve got one, else wise a regular old camera will have to do. Free beer and tacos for entrants.
Ride of the Zombies
7:30 PM, Cafe Mundi, 1704 East 5th St.
Join the Austin Bike Zoo will be organizing this ride with a stop to watch fireworks and a final stop at the Zombie Ball.
The Zombie Ball
9 PM, 4715 East 5th
This isn’t bike specific, but the Austin Bike Zoo will be in attendance on Saturday night and you get a discount for riding your bike. Put in the code “zombiebiker” when ordering tickets online or show your bike when you get there for the discount. There will be a huge bike corral for lots of bike parking and the first 200 cyclists will get a token to redeemable for a special gift onsite!
Sunday, November 1
Sunday Morning Fixie Ride
NEW TIME! 10:20 AM, Posse East, 2900 Duval St
The ride is focused on fixed-gear bikes, but everyone is welcome. The ride will proceed at a social pace from the UT campus on various routes of 25-35 miles.
Capital City BMX Weekly Race Series
1 PM, Capital City BMX, 15010 FM Road 620 North
The Capital City BMX opened in November 2008 and offers you a chance to learn and race BMX. BMX races are held every Sunday with rider check-in 1-2 PM. Cost $10/rider. (There is also practice time on Monday’s and Friday’s. Check Capital City BMX for more info.)
Hardcourt Bike Polo
2 PM, Eastwoods Park, 3001 Harris Park Ave
Join fellow bike polo enthusiasts as part of the newly formed Austin Bike Polo Club for a friendly Sunday match every week. All bikes and skill levels are welcome and spare mallets and balls are available if you don’t have any. Check out our recent article on bike polo for more info.
Weekly Ladies Ride presented by Mellow Johnny’s
3:30 PM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Show, 400 Nueces St
Starting at 3:30 sharp, it’s a 2 hour ride for ladies only. Join experienced riders from Mellow Johnny’s for a friendly and moderately paced social ride (14-16mph average). Get more comfortable riding in a group, learn tips & tricks, and meet other like-minded cyclists. Stay afterwards for champagne and strawberries at Royal Blue Grocery across the street! Some things to keep in mind before meeting us for this ride: Have a road bike in good working condition, Bring a helmet, Wear cycling clothing, Bring plenty of water, Are able to ride comfortably for 2 hours without stopping.
Release Party for Issue #1 of The Dropout
7 PM, Fast Folks, 2513 A E 6th St
Austin’s new bike zine, The Dropout, hits the streets on November 1. Join the contributors for a release part for this color new rag. Free beer and other goodies.
Monday, November 2
Austin Cycling Association Monthly Meeting
7 PM, LCRA Board Room, 3601 Lake Austin Blvd
Last membership meeting of the year for ACA. No word yet on the theme of this meeting.
Heavy Metal Fitness Ride hosted by Social Cycling ATX
7 PM, Lamar Blvd Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, Lady Bird Lake
Hosted by Social Cycling ATX, this ride is a higher pace and more challenging than their Thursday Night Urban Ride. The ride is 20-30 miles and usually ends with free beer and a dip in the water. Meet up at 7 PM. Ride leaves at 7:30 sharp.
Tuesday, November 3
- Shoulding the bike up the hill at the Dirt Derby.
Dirt Derby
5:30 PM, Austin/Del Valle Motorcross Park, 15400 Pearce Ln, Del Valle, TX
Austin’s weekly cyclocross series returns for its fourth season at the the fully illuminated motocross course and surrounding fields at Austin/Del Valle Motorcross Park (ADVMX). There are A, B, beginners, women’s, and children’s races in cyclocross and short track mountain bike. New this year are monthly 4 week series and A2W and Violet Crown Cycles have come on board as sponsors of the cyclocross series. Each time you race you are entered into a drawing for a custom cyclocross frameset by Violet Crown Cycles. The more you race, the more chances to win. $10, women, beginners and kids only $5. Second race same night $5. All types of bikes are welcome.
Wednesday, November 4
Weekly Bike Maintenance and Flat Repair Classes hosted by Mellow Johnny’s
6 PM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St
Every Wednesday at 6pm Mellow Johnny’s has bike maintenance and flat repair classes. Learn how to fix a flat tire and add life to your bike with simple maintenance and repairs. Please RSVP to Chuck atchuck@mellowjohnnys.com if you plan on attending on of the classes. Classes fill up quickly so RSVP soon so you don’t get left out!
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on Oct 29th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Full Moon Cruise – Monday night, 11:59pm, Lamar Pedestrian Bridge.