Start biking Austin

This coming May, Lance Armstrong will spread bike-love with the opening of his 18,000 square-foot bicycle commuter center and coffee shop. “Mellow Johnny’s,” located downtown next to La Zona Rosa, is the first part of Armstrong’s dream to build Austin into a bike user city. Portland, San Francisco, Amsterdam and numerous other European cities have already developed successful in town bike accommodations for commuters. Although I have faith, being an avid biker myself, I am sure that it took more than just one bike shop to spark these two-wheel revolutions. So here is what I would do if I were sitting in the public relations driving seat. First things first, awareness must be established. It is good that I heard about this commuting center now, in February, when the opening is in May. However, the people that really need to be in the know are the future downtown condominium residents. If I were Lance, I would start a very guerrilla style advertising campaign targeting downtown residents with posters promoting the coffee shop. Also, hit people where they park. Marketing materials need to be distributed in parking lots and garages. Secondly, accessibility is probably one of the biggest hills this campaign will have to climb. I suggest partnering with Austin Yellow Bike, who has been trying to provide Austin with bike awareness for years, to building a sleek mainstream media effort. The final stretch to the finish line would be getting the city to allocate more funds for bike lanes, better roads and just a more bike friendly atmosphere in general. Partnerships with La Zona Rosa could result in benefit concerts and other parade-like activities that could serve as a reinforcement to get more folks involved and to keep people riding. So there you have it. That is my two cents and that is where I would start. Give bikes the right.

Picture credit is due to austin360.com.