SWFBUD -- South West Florida Bicyclists United With Dealers: 2 SWFBUD Stores Host Tour de France Events

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

2 SWFBUD Stores Host Tour de France Events

There are lots of big-time international sports going on -- the World Cup in South Africa and Wimbledon in Londson and that little bike race in July in France called the Tour de France.

I have been informed that two SWFBUD bike shops -- Just Ride Bicycles and Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium -- are having fun Tour-related rides and activities at their stores.

On Saturday July 3, Just Rude Bicycles is hosting a 56-mile road ride from the bike shop, located at 13431 Fishhawk Blvd. in Lithia. The ride will head to the Oasis store in Manatee County and return. The wride starts 7 am with an 18-20 mph pace.

Just Ride Bicycles, owned by David and Jodi Luppino, will also have food and drinks at the shop all day on Saturday from 10 am-5 pm and invite you to watch the Tour. Lots of items are on sale. And those who do the ride get a free radio Shack waterbottle. Call David at 813-381-3907 for more info.

Over at Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium, owner Brian Eckman also has some fun Tour activities. On Sunday July 11, CBE is having a Tour ride at 7:30 am, with two loop options-- a 27-miler and a 42-miler. Both will be at an intermediate 18-19 mph pace.

The long route will go to Safety Harbor for a quick stop at Starbucks, then back.
After the ride, there will be lots of French-themed refreshments and snacks, with the Tour de France on both of the store's TVs at 14407B North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. Call Brian at CBE at 813-063-5765 for more info.

No comments:

WHAT IS SWFBUD and HOW DID IT START?

SWFBUD (South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers) is a Tampa Bay bicycle advocacy alliance of 12 bicycle store dealers and four law firms committed to raising the profile of bicycling in the Tampa Bay market, getting more people on bicycles and drawing more public resources for bicycling.

The 12 bike shops are: ABC Bicycles, Bicycle Outfitters, Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium, Chainwheel Drive, Just Ride Bicycles, Oliver's Cycle Sports, Street Fit 360, Trek Bicycle Store of Tampa and Clearwater, Trek Bicycle Store of St. Petersburg, The Ironman Store, University Bicycle Center and Velo Champ. The four law firms are Tom Singletary, J. Steele Olmstead and the Mark Roman Law Group.

The SWFBUD members enlist Alan Snel, a bicycle advocate and former metro newspaper reporter, to lobby local governments to provide more bicycle resources and to put on the Bicycle Bash festival.

SWFBUD is a play on words of Swiftmud, the Tampa Bay water district agency.

SWFBUD traces its roots to the summer of 2006, when then-Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium owner David Luppino (who now owns Just Ride Bicycles) hired Snel for promotions, marketing and to help put on the Bicycle Bash festival. At the start of 2007, Luppino believed it was appropriate that other Tampa Bay bike stores get involved in promoting bicycling, so Snel recruited other store dealers to get involved.

The Bicycle Bash was first held in October 2006 on the St. Pete Times Forum plaza before a Tampa Bay Lightning afternoon hockey game before SWFBUD moved the Bicycle Bash to St. Petersburg's Vinoy Park in 2007 and 2008 and to North Straub Park in downtown St. Petersburg in 2009. In 2010, the Bicycle Bash was moved into Hillsborough County's Flatwoods Park on Nov. 7 so that bicyclists can enjoy the Bash's exhibitor village and also have fun doing live biking in the park. In 2011, the Bicycle Bash will be held again at Flatwoods Park on NOV 6.

SWFBUD won national retail bicycle advocacy awards in 2009 from the Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN) and the Trek Bicycle Corporation. The Bicycle Bash won the Florida Event of the Year in 2007 from the Florida Bicycle Association.

SWFBUD's Snel attends many public meetings in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, plus the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. to lobby political leaders and governing agencies to commit more resources to bicycling. SWFBUD believes communities that embrace and invest in bicycling become more successful and sustainable.

Flatwoods Park Ranger Thanks SWFBUD For Saving Park and Jobs

SWFBUD Wins National Bicycle Advocacy Award

The national magazine that covers the bicycle industry in this country honored SWFBUD with the 2009 Bicycle Retail Advocacy Award at the Bicycle Leadership Conference in Monterey, Calif. SWFBUD is deeply honored by this national recognition and I received the award from Megan Tompkins, editor of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, and Tim Blumenthal, executive editor of Bikes Belong Coalition. Click photo for more info and check SP Times story, too: http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article996595.ece