if hauling a trailer or larger sound system bike is problematic, one solution i've seen is to have someone with a pretty powerful fm transmitter, and then everyone can carry a smaller radio and tune to the same station...then it's more a  bunch of smaller radios in unison...not as obnoxious to non-participants as one loud system, and it's more multi-directional as the bikes get split up, wander around folks, etc...



On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 8:20 AM, Sharlyn Grace <sharlyngrace@gmail.com> wrote:
Doug,

One thing that makes all bike rides more attractive is music. If you can get a small soundsystem or one trailer with a large system, then it completely changes the ride. And, it makes it obvious it's a mass--most cyclists never get to ride around with music, so having a large group with music really changes the feeling of biking. Everyone is sure they're not just doing the same thing they always do, only painfully slowly.

Other than that, printing up fliers to hand out or making signs/banners will all make it clearer it's an event...and people who want it to be an "Event" would probably like that, though I suppose it could turn off other, milder participants.

Good luck!

Sharlyn
The Recyclery
Evanston, IL

On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 6:30 AM, 1304bikes <1304bikes@gmail.com> wrote:
Doug here from 1304bikes in Raleigh, NC.  I was wondering what some of you folks from smaller towns who host critical mass rides do to make them more fun and to attract poeple to come ride in them.  We usually only have anywhere from 10-30 poeple in our rides, which i feel is small for a city with a population of 300k.  We have a small handful of regulars who always show, but then we get a lot of folks who will come once or twice, but then we'll never see them again.  I think maybe a lot people are turned off by the slow pace and lack of excitement at the rides.  Maybe we just don't advertise well enough.  Either way, hoping for some suggesting as to what other cities without the excitement of a super large mass do to draw people out to their rides.  I feel if we can grow the ride large enough, it will become fun in itself, but our mass isn't large enough yet for that appeal.  Thanks for all the input!
--
1304bikes
2419 Mayview Rd.
Raleigh, NC
1304bikes.org

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