2010 The Year In Review


Before we get too far away I thought we’d look back over our shoulder at 2010 and all the events the Coasters put on, helped put on or attended. But first a big thanks to all those who make this informal, loose knit, unorganized club of bicycle enthusiasts the great thing that it is. Wishing everyone many more bicycle fun filled years to come.
How many of the 27 events listed did you attend? (leave a comment below)

2010 started off with the 3rd annual New Year’s Day Dinner & Ride. What better way to start a new year than with food, friends and a bike ride.

Even in freezing February the Coasters had things going on like displaying bikes for a Boy Scout Gold Star Banquet and attending the Bendix Automatic Clinic put on by Heartland Cycles and Harley’s Bicycles of Hutchinson.

In March the Coasters rode in the Historic Delano District’s St Patrick’s Day Parade for the 4th time.

The first annual Midwest Bicycle Swap was held in April and was a huge success.
The first of two fun gravity races the Spring Gravity Shoot-Out.
We bucked a current ride trend and had our Anti-Tweed Night at the Thursday Night Pub Pedal.

May was a busy month. The Coasters had a fun filled day showing our bikes both at the Old Town Farmers Market and at the first I Bike Douglas which involved several bike related events.
Another first was the Ride ‘Round Town which was a ride and historic building and home tour put on by the Coasters and Tom Sawyer Bicycle Shop.
Later in the month was the record breaking Tandem Night at the Thursday Night Pub Pedal. The 4th one.

The first Mayor’s Family Bike Day was held in June in which the Coasters both rode the rides and displayed our bikes.
The 4th annual 20″ Night was also in June.

Events for July included Coasters attending the El Torreon Swap Meet in Kansas City.
The Coasters displaying their vintage bikes along side vintage cars and motorcycles at the the Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society’s Julyapalooza.
The 6th Art Of The Bicycle show was a multi-week event this year and extended in to August.

In August the temperature was over 100 degrees for our 3rd Ladies Night at the Thursday Night Pub Pedal.

Like Spring, Fall is also a busy time for the Coasters. September started off with Coasters attending the Tour De Fat in Colorado.
The 2nd of the two gravity races the Fall Gravity Shoot-Out.
The 6th annual Midwest Bicycle Fest.

October has become known for the Partridge Pedal Party and of course Hallowheelie. Coasters also took road trips to Hutchinson to ride in the first Big Scary Bike Ride and Oklahoma for some more gravity racing.

Kind hearted Coasters donated their time and skills in November to assemble bikes for the Wichita Dream Center’s Christmas For Wichita.

December tis the season so the Coasters braved the cold to ride in the Historic Delano District’s Christmas Parade, rode to tour some holiday homes and rode to view the holiday lights on the Christmas Lights Cruise at the Thursday Night Pub Pedal.

District Partners Help Students Have Happy Holidays

From the Wichita Public Schools News Room

Bicycle X-Change and Community in Schools helped make sure students from nine schools received bikes for the holidays. Thirty-four refurbished bikes were given to selected students who attend Cloud, Curtis, Dodge, Hamilton, Harry Street, Jefferson, Lincoln, Truesdell and West.

The students who received the bikes were selected by the school’s Communities in Schools site coordinator. They were chosen because of need, good behavior and/or scholastic achievement.

The Bicycle X-Change has donated bikes to students through Communities in Schools for more than 15 years.

Read more…

Team Coasters And The Tour De Cure


Join Team Coasters and the fight against diabetes by riding with us in the American Diabetes Association’s Tour De Cure.
When: Saturday May 21st.
Where: Sedgwick County Park.
Time: 9:15am. Longer rides start earlier.
Cost: $15 registration fee.
Distance: We will be riding in the 5 mile “family ride” but there is also a 25, 35, and a 60 mile ride if you’d rather go the distance.
Fund raising: Although there is a minimum $150 goal we’ve been told that you’ll still be able to participate even if you don’t meet this minimum. Please put forth your best effort though. Raising money is what this event is all about.

From Bryan the team captain…

Hello Coasters, Chances are if you do not have diabetes you have a close friend or family member who does. I know we have at least 2 Coasters with Diabetes. Therefore when I saw that the ADA had added a 5 mile family ride to this years event I thought it was a perfect opportunity for the Coasters to come out, support a good cause and join in the fun. Not to mention Carlos O’ Kellys providing lunch is worth the entry fee alone.

By riding with Team Coasters not only will you be supporting the fight against diabetes but you’ll also have a great time, receive free food & swag.

Register by December 31st and receive a free Rider in Training Tshirt!

Click Here to sign up and join team Coasters!

If you can’t ride with Team Coasters you can still be a part of the team by sponsoring a rider with a donation. More on that later.

Questions or need help registering? Contact me.
To find out more about this disease click here.

Christmas For Wichita

The Wichita Dream Center’s Christmas For Wichita was this past Saturday. Check out all the bikes, happy children and Santa here.

Thanks to the Coasters who helped make this possible and to Ralph for the great photos.

I thought Ralph and Santa might be one in the same till I spotted them both in the same photo.

News article on the event here.

Bike Racks

The City of Wichita has placed new bike racks at different locations around town. A few of them are on West Douglas, one of those at a favorite Coasters hang out the Shamrock Lounge. The Shamrock has always been bike friendly and have their own rack which you can also see in the photo.

Edit: Just so you don’t miss Karen in Delano’s comment…

That’s one of the Transit Department’s sites… Delano’s supposed to get a whole bunch more from the City at large, including (IIRC) some special ones at the Shamrock.

There’s an open house scheduled for January 11, 4-7 pm, at West Side Christian (big round church catty-corner from the Shamrock) about the overall plan.

New Years Day Pot-Luck Dinner And Ride 2011

Make sure 2011 gets off to a good start with food, friends and a bike ride!

Different location this year!

Saturday January 1st. 1:00pm – 5:00pm at the Bellaire Rec Center, 5251 E 48th North. Bellaire, KS. Click here for directions.
Enter at South door. Look for the Coasters banner.

Bring food for the dinner, your bike and warm clothing for the ride.

The usual location in Riverside was unavailable. This will be a chance to ride somewhere new.

See you there!

If you think it’s to cold to ride, come out anyway for the food and fellowship.

News Article On Local Bike Shop

From Kansas.com

A chance conversation launched the Scanga family into the bicycle business ? although 37 years later, that chance seems more like fate.

“My father was in the brokerage business,” recalls Mike Scanga, owner of Bicycle X-Change. “He was on a plane talking to a guy. Somebody had backed out of a shipment of bikes. So my father made a deal, and we were in the bicycle business.”

Read more