Critical Mass PC
By Renee Warren Lynah; Photo by Katie DeSantis
In 1992, a group of San Francisco cyclists began monthly bike rides en masse through the city to raise awareness of cyclist safety and promote road sharing among cyclists and motorists. Today, tens of thousands of cyclists in over 300 cities around the world participate in “Critical Mass” on the last Friday of every month. Among them is Andrew Kelley of Panama City Beach. Andrew began cycling four years ago as a hobby, but he quickly became hooked. He and his partner, Jade, rely solely on their bicycles for transportation. Jade carries her son in a children’s bike trailer on errands, and Andrew commutes fourteen miles one way to his job in Rosemary Beach. He keeps a dry change of clothes at work and says he doesn’t mind the commute, because it gives him an “excuse” among his family and work obligations to get in a good, long ride. He also says he enjoys the heightened sensations of cycling, where vigilance is key to surviving swiftly moving, and often unpredictable, traffic. Andrew rides a customized fixed gear bicycle with an LV1 frame, Sram Omniums cranks, Easton carbon forks, CaneCreek headset, Sram PC-1 nickel plated chain, 17 tooth Soma Fabrications cog, Easton ea50 ergo drops, stem and seatpost,Soma fabrications Kyudo saddle, and Velocity Deep V laced to Origin8 hubs with Challenge Strada elite tires. He rides with clipless shoes and lately has been commuting on a 48×18 gear ratio. Andrew isn’t sure how much money his family saves each month by cycling instead of driving. He says they do own a vehicle, but it needs extensive and costly repairs. There are no current plans to make the repairs or get a new vehicle; at the moment, the family is content to “ride” rather than “drive.”
Andrew has been coordinating local “Mass” rides for about six months. Other individuals have coordinated the rides in the past. There were no official “leaders” in the Critical Mass movement originally, nor are there locally. The local movement has taken on different personas, such as “Scarcity,” “Hell’s Bats,” “Team Loblolly Cycling Team” and “Heathen Ventures,” to name a few. The goal of the rides is always the same: to enjoy a good ride while increasing motorists’ awareness of cyclists.
Andrew encourages all cyclists to know the laws and to follow them. He says that cyclists who ride on the wrong side of the road, run red lights, or otherwise break the law only engender negative stereotypes of cyclists and make it more difficult for those who are trying to share the road responsibly. Andrew offers the following safety tip for fellow riders: wear a helmet. Andrew says of a recent collision he suffered, which cracked his helmet in four places, “It may not seem cool, but (without it) I would have been going to the hospital with a cracked skull or head injury.” He also says, “Look out for motorists . Be cautious . Make yourself seen. The more reflectors, the better.” He adds, “If no one sees you, it’s kind of your fault.”
When I asked Andrew what motorists like myself can do to make cycling safer, without hesitation, he answered, “Use turn signals.” He explained that he rides a fixed gear bike, which means that the wheels are always in motion and he has to plan ahead to stop safely and efficiently. If he can discern a motorist’s next move, via their turn signals, he can plan to be out of their way. The group would love to see more bike lanes and bike friendly laws, such as the “Idaho Stop,” a controversial law that allows cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign and a red light as a stop sign . In the meantime, their goal is simply to increase awareness.
The group is inclusive and is always eager to add wheels to its fleet. To learn more about cyclist awareness and safety or to join the locals on their next ride, check out Critical Mass: Panama City on Facebook . Local Critical Mass is held on the last Friday of the month at 5:30 p .m . at the Mellow Mushroom on Panama City Beach.