Critical Mass: August

Critical Mass is for everyone.

Kids on cargo bikes, bakfiets, trailers, and their own bikes are welcome. So are e-bikes, adaptive cycles, rollerblades, scooters, skateboards, and other human-scale mobility devices.

Basically: anything that does not have a gas motor.

Come for the bells, music, conversation, exercise, community, and the chance to experience Edmonton differently for an evening.

Whether you ride for transportation, recreation, affordability, independence, exercise, or simply the joy of it, we are inviting you to join us.

Critical Mass makes Edmonton's cycling community visible—and right now, visibility is particularly important.

The Province is finalizing legislation that could interfere with municipal decisions about bike infrastructure, while Edmonton City Administration is asking Council to significantly scale back the remaining Active Transportation Network Expansion program.

Reasonable people can debate the details of an individual street or design. The larger question is whether Edmonton will continue building a safe, connected transportation network—and whether decisions about Edmonton's streets will be made here, by Edmontonians and the representatives we elected.

Critical Mass will also help us prepare for Week Without Bike Lanes, August 31–September 6.

What would Edmonton look like without bike lanes?

For one week, we're going to show you.

Bike lanes don't create cyclists—they separate people travelling at very different speeds. If the lanes disappear, the people using them don't. They move into regular traffic.

During Critical Mass, we'll spend some time reviewing how to safely and confidently ride on the roadway, including:

• safe lane positioning and avoiding the door zone;
• taking the lane when necessary;
• shoulder checks, hand signals, and complete stops;
• riding single file and yielding to pedestrians; and
• knowing when the roadway simply isn't the safe choice.

You do not need to participate in Week Without Bike Lanes to attend the training.

Your safety comes first. Always.

Critical Mass is a chance for experienced riders to reconnect, newer riders to gain confidence, and families and friends to enjoy the city together.

Bring someone who has never joined before. Ring your bell. Meet someone new. Enjoy the city.

And help us fill Edmonton's streets with people celebrating the freedom to move.

• Lights
• Your bell
• Water
• Weather-appropriate clothing
• A helmet
• A friend

The draft route can be seen here.