Deze week brak ligfiets.net een record. Het aantal lezers van een bericht was nog nooit zo groot. Het bericht over de beelden, video en blogs van Cycle Vision werd maar liefst 17000 keer gekozen. Er zijn ook weer wat ligfietsshows en bijeenkomsten gepland.
De afgelopen jaren was het aantal lezers van het verzamelde bericht hoog, maar nog nooit eerder was het zo hoog.
B:C:Clettes ride and dance to inspire island bikers Fourteen of Vancouver's most dedicated female cyclists formed a dance troupe three years ago to show just how okay it is to love your bike (answer: a lot).
This month, the B:C:Clettes (pronounced like the French biciclettes) are cycling 260 km in 7 days around southern Vancouver Island and Salt Spring to put on five shows at a folk festival (Duncan), at a farmers' market (Salt Spring), a leadership convention (Metchosin), and on the street (Ladysmith, Victoria). They're taking their props, costumes, custom-built boom-box trailer and camping gear and setting out on the Wheely Fun Bike Tour 2008, July 24-30.
"We are not doing this because we are getting paid, nor because we like to suffer. We actually ride our bikes because it's Wheely Fun!" says dancer and Vancouver-based artist RedSara Ross.
The Clettes perform salsa, hip-hop, modern, and Vegas-style numbers about issues that come up when you adopt a bike lifestyle, such as bike theft, helmet safety, aggressive drivers and looking hot. Their performances incorporate bike parts, props, theatre, spoken word, and comedy; but the bulk of the spectacle is hot dance moves set to funky music, inventive choreography, cute outfits (all red and black), and a great attitude. "It's true, part of what we do is look fabulous, healthy and sexy. There is definitely a bit of rock star to us all. But we do it for a purpose and that is what makes our shows so engaging," says Ross.
The Clettes have performed at over 50 events, including Portland's Multnomah County Fair, a celebration with Gordon Price, a show for Biennale LIVE in Vancouver, halftime at the Terminal City Roller Girls' derby, Illuminares, and many farmer's markets and bike-culture celebrations. (A memorable performance was had in L.A., when a police squad temporarily provided spotlight duty.) They also run workshops and give advice to new cyclists.
"We celebrate the power of individuals to make a difference in this world by working together. We like to think that our performance troupe will inspire someone else to be a rock star, or to ride their bike to work, or maybe even save the world!" exclaims Ross.
The all-female members of the B:C:Clettes range in age from 20 to 45 and come from a variety of backgrounds and occupations, including architecture, chemical and electrical engineering, community planning, visual arts, communications and journalism, bicycle maintenance and repair, education and outreach, accounting, performance arts, environmental science, and graphic design.
