The Madison area is a place with lots of bikes, as well as lots of innovative programs for people who ride them. A rundown:
Wheels for Winners: Earn-a-Bike Program
2310 Pennsylvania Ave.
249-2418
A volunteer-run program that donates bicycles to local youth, who earn them through community service.
Critical Mass
Controversial bike ride held at 5:30 pm on the last Friday of every month, aimed at taking over the streets for cyclists. Held in most major cities worldwide, to the ire of car drivers. In Madison, riders meet at the intersection of West Washington Avenue and Carroll Street.
Red Bike Project
Budget Bicycle Center's Used Bicycle Store
251-1663
Initially conceived as a communal free-use bike program for the greater downtown area, Red Bikes is now run through Budget Bicycles, offering red bikes with a $40 refundable deposit.
UW-Madison Bike Annex
A free workspace run by volunteers housed in Lot 60 on the west side of campus, the Annex also employs "Ambassadors" that advocate locally for bicycling, lead tours around town, and hold workshops.
City of Madison Bikes at Work Program
Created to provide alternative transportation for city employees during working hours. Bikes are available for trips within five miles of the Capitol Square.
