News Briefs

Saris poster contest winner meets with congressman • USA Cycling criterium calendar begins this weekend • Gates aims videos at female cyclists

WASHINGTON, DC (BRAIN) Monday March 26 2012 3:04 PM MT—Oklahoma City fifth-grader May Fahrenthold won the 2011 Saris National Bike Poster Contest and traveled to Capital Hill to tell lawmakers how important biking is to the nation's future.

"This contest is particularly important to Oklahoma's future. Oklahoma currently ranks sixth nationally among the states with the highest obesity rates," said state contest coordinator Dr. Janette Quarles. "A study just completed by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center stated that 66 percent of obese students who walked or biked to school were no longer obese at the end of the school year."

May was recognized during the opening ceremony at the National Bike Summit on March 20. During the recognition ceremony, May spoke to an audience of over 800 bike industry representatives, transportation officials and planners, and bike advocates from the across the country. “I love to ride my bike but can’t ride to school because my Dad thinks it is too dangerous and there are no paths or sidewalks to ride on.”

May and her family also spent time with Congressman James Lankford, met with Senator Jim Inhofe’s office, and used the Capital Bike Share system to tour the city.

Saris President Chris Fortune called May "an inspiration." "She represents the next generation of our country who value the importance of having safe places to ride a bike," Fortune said.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (BRAIN) Monday March 26 2012 10:38 AM MT— USA Cycling's inaugural National Criterium Calendar gets rolling Satutday with the Cigar City Brewing Criterium in Tampa, Florida.

This is the first year that USAC has split criteriums from the long-running National Racing Calendar, which is now restricted to road races and stage races.

The criterium calendar includes 19 events; points will be tracked for registered teams and individual riders.
The complete calendar:

March 31 Cigar City Brewing Criterium, Tampa, Fla.
April 14 Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium, Charlotte, N.C.
April 21 Sunny King Criterium, Anniston, Ala.
May 4-6 USA CRITS Speed Week, Georgia/South Carolina
May 6 Dana Point Grand Prix of Cyclin,g Dana Point, Calif.
May 12 Tour de Grove, St. Louis, Mo.
May 19 Wilmington Grand Prix, Wilmington, Del.
May 28 Tour of Somerville, Somerville, N.J.
May 31 Base Camp Intl. p/b Verizon Wireles,s Basking Ridge, N.J.
June 2 Glencoe Grand Prix p/b AT&T, Glencoe, Ill.
June 8-10 Saint Francis Tulsa Tough, Tulsa, Okla.
June 9-10 Air Force Cycling Classic, Arlington, Va.
June 17 Harlem Skyscraper Criterium, Manhattan, N.Y.
June 28-July 1 Tour of America's Dairyland, Wisconsin
July 8 Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
July 14 Exergy Twilight Criterium, Boise, Idaho
July 28 Herman Miller Grand Cycling Classic, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Aug. 25-26 Chris Thater Memorial, Binghamton, N.Y.
Sept. 23 TD Bank Mayor's Cup, Boston, Mass.

DENVER, CO (BRAIN) Monday March 26 2012 11:12 AM MT—Gates has launched a new marketing campaign aimed at women and non-cyclists. The campaign, which features two new videos, highlights the cleanliness and low maintenance of belt-drive bikes.

One video, called "High Maintenance Boyfriend," features a female cyclist who comes home to find a trail of grime left by her filthy bike mechanic boyfriend. The second video, "Built to Last,” highlights the longevity of belt drives and shows a young mother taking her toddler, who transforms into an adolescent, for a spin in a bike trailer.

"Gates hopes to eliminate some of the barriers to cycling by helping to create low-maintenance bikes that people can just jump on and ride, with no pre-ride lube or work required," said Frank Scurlock, global business development director for Gates Carbon Drive Systems.

Gates is promoting the videos in social media and on blogs and sites that focus on women riders and new riders.