It's the last Friday of the month and you know what that means. Grab your bike and saddle up for Tampa's Critical Mass.
What is this "Critical Mass", you ask?
Critical Mass in the cycling world is a controversial topic. For some it is a protest against cars and a demonstration of how bikes are allowed on the road and should be recognized. For others, Critical Mass is a celebration of bicycles and the community they build. The "mass" is intended to be fun and non-confrontational but in larger cities, has had it's conflicts. For bike-safe places like Portland, OR and San Francisco, CA, "the mass" is nothing but a big party.
For me, Critical Mass in Tampa is completely necessary…
This article appears in Sep 24-30, 2008.