Cycling attracts anti-car zealots who love ripping on Detroit automakers. It’s often unjustified, but not this time.

Until today, GM was running a series of pathetic ads that mocked cycling, walking, and public transit.

After some negative publicity on BikePortland, the League of American Bicyclists, via Twitter, and GM’s facebook page, the cycling ad was pulled with an apology according to the LA Times.

General Motors Co. is killing an advertisement aimed at college students after receiving complaints that it makes fun of people who use bicycles for transportation.

That ad has a headline stating, “reality sucks” and depicts a nerdy looking guy wearing a helmet and riding a bicycle being passed by a cute young woman in the passenger seat of a car. It then goes on to say, “Stop pedaling… start driving” and provides information about discount pricing for GM products such as the new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact sedan and the giant GMC Sierra 1500 truck.

“The content of the ad was developed with college students and was meant to be a bit cheeky and humorous and not meant to offend anybody,” said Tom Henderson, a GM spokesman.

“We have gotten feedback and we are listening and there are changes underway. They will be taking the bicycle ad out of the rotation… We respect bikers and many of us here are cyclists,” he said.

It seems GM has not pulled the other ads in the series.

One thought for repentence: putting a bike on the RenCen during next year’s Tour de Troit or Bike to Work Day.

This bike caught our eye on Twitter. It’s a custom-stretched cruiser made in Royal Oak by goCRUISERgo.

It’s name? The Purple Chameleon, perhaps inspired by the Dequindre Cut graffiti.

The company doesn’t seem to have a web site, but they are on Facebook where they list their products:

Custom Stretch Cruisers to include but not limited to…

Base Models
Built-to-Order (you pick it, we’ll do it)
Frames (build your own)
Side Cars (coming soon… )
Other options and accessories, please inquire.

Sidecars? Sweet.

As for the Chameleon, it’s for sale at a reasonable $375.

From our friends in “South Detroit”:

Come on out for an evening of bike talk, including a showing of another locally made bike film. Rubber Side Down documents the 8000km journey of Greg Mailloux and Vin Heney as they cycled across Canada in support of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada. Greg, Vin and the film crew are all natives of Amherstburg, and have raised over $84,000 for the CCFC to date.?Bike Friendly Windsor is honoured to present this film to its members and the public as part of their first AGM.

Oakland University in Rochester Hills is expanding their on-campus bike share program.

According to the Oakland Press:

The pink bikes purchased by the university this year are part of the Bike Share program that allows any student to ride one of the bikes from and to any part of the campus for free, said Greg Jordan, director of OU’s recreation center and the Bike Share program.

Students are on the honor system to keep the bikes on campus for the next student to pick up and go on his or her way.

Jordan said: “What I am proud of is that the students of OU have chosen to make this an honor system program,” from among the many kinds of bike programs on campuses throughout the country, such as rental or signing them in an out for a certain period.

Will it work? From what we’ve seen first-hand and read about elsewhere, this is an unsustainable approach. The unlocked bikes eventually get stolen or damaged.

As Joel Batterman commented on college honor system bike sharing when we first covered this story in 2009, “…typically only succeed at very isolated rural campuses.”

In addition, there is the issue of durability. The OU bikes are sold by Wallmart for $89. At that price they probably aren’t very durable for a single-owner when stored inside a garage.

This 26″ Women’s NEXT La Jolla Cruiser Bike is styled in a classic design, with an extra-low dropped top tube for maximum comfort. Its full aluminum frame reduces the weight to an incredible 28.5 lbs., and makes the 26″ NEXT women’s bike easy to handle… Play it safe! Always wear a helmet and safety pads when you ride.

OU’s Greg Jordan did tell the Oakland Press that “one of our challenges with the program is as heavily used as it is, is keeping up with maintenance and wear and tear on the bikes.”

What’s odd is these bicycle apparently do not have baskets or a rear rack for carrying items.

What about bike facilities?

OU’s roads are fairly poor for biking. They’re not Complete Streets. It seems investing in those while encouraging Rochester Hills and Auburn Hills to do the same would be a first step to increase bike commuting.

Michigan State University has been making those investments and building more bike lanes. They’re seeing big increases in bike commuting. They’ve received a Bicycle Friendly University award as well.

And MSU does rent (and even sell) bikes. Those renting do place a deposit on the bike and are responsible for their return. The bikes come with locks and can get free maintenance through MSU Bikes Service Center. Go Green!

Bike Share video from Oakland Press

The city of Berkley is primed for becoming more bike-friendly. It has a solid street grid pattern throughout the city. You can bike most anywhere using residential streets. Biking to downtown Berkley is relatively easy, while routes to downtown Royal Oak, Beaumont Hospital and the Detroit Zoo could be made better.

There is room for other improvements as well. Some ideas include:

• Redesigning the arterial streets as Complete Streets
• Improving connections across Woodward Avenue
• Adding meaningful bike route signs (with wayfinding) on those residential streets
• Proving more bike parking

Berkley did pass a Complete Streets resolution last year.

Also, Berkley Live community magazine just published an article on biking in the city.

“Biking is easy, especially when anything you need is within two square miles,” Berkley City Councilwoman Lisa Platt-Auensen says.

That’s why Auensen can often be seen around town, peddling to and from the grocery store, the video store, the pharmacy, her job in downtown Royal Oak, and even city council meetings.

“Being on a bike helps you notice things you wouldn’t, like ‘Hey, there’s a new store opening up on the corner,’ or, ‘Oh, look, the neighbors did something nice to their yard,'” Auensen says. “It just adds so much to your day.”

Berkley Bicycle Dinner Cruise

And on Wednesday, September 14th at 6pm, the Berkley Environmental Advisory Committee is hosting a 6-mile Dinner Cruise bicycle ride.

Not yet ready to give up on summer fun? Then join the members of the Berkley Environmental Advisory Committee for a casual, low speed, relaxed dinner cruise for the whole family! We will follow the Berkley Bicycle Route on a short tour Berkley neighborhoods on our way to dinner at Bagger Dave’s followed by ice cream at Clarks Ice Cream.

The ride begins at the Community Center Parking lot on Catalpa next to the Jr. High tennis courts. The rain date is the 15th.

More information on this ride is on Facebook.

MDOT Training Wheels

Berkley is also hosting a highly-recommended MDOT Training Wheels program this year.

Training Wheels is an educational course on the planning and design of on-road bicycle facilities. It will consist of two hours of classroom instruction on the AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, followed by an on road, on bike portion. During this portion we will casually ride through the cities of Berkley, Royal Oak and Huntington Woods, analyzing types of on-road facilities available. There will be many stops to point out potential facility types, followed by a group exercise and discussion, questions from participants and a brief wrap-up.

More information is on the City of Berkley web site.