The $10,000 Mark, an Opus GIveaway, Our Friend Kass and Queerer Park

This Week On The Chainlink - the update from thechainlink.org.

Support The Chainlink's Bicycle Website Tune Up Campaign

This campaign video was shot by awesome Chainlinkers Dubi Kaufmann and Ronit Bezalel of Ronit Films. Post production by Lucas Seibel.

We never thought we would be this close so soon. This week we raised $2,481 towards our website tune-up campaign from 42 contributors including our matching partner Illinois Bicycle Lawyers and 7 bike shops. For every $10 you spend at the following 7 bike shops this week, you'll receive one raffle ticket towards an Opus Classico bike and other awesome bike prizes! Details here on how you can support these fine establishments that help keep us on our bikes year round and could use our patronage during the holiday season. Visit the local bike shops listed below between today and Saturday, Dec. 22nd at noon and you could be the proud winner of a shiny new Opus Classico Bike!

The Bike Lane at 2130 N Milwaukee

Roscoe Village Bikes at 2016 W. Roscoe

Rudy's Cycle and Fitness at 5711 W. Irving Park

Smart Bike Parts at 3031 W. Armitage

The Pony Shop at 1224 W. Chicago Ave in Evanston

Boulevard Bikes at 2535 N. Kedzie

Rapid Transit North at 1900 W. North Ave

Rapid Transit South at 1305 S. Halsted

We'd also like to thank our generous early supporters who got the wheels rolling:

Timothy Sweetser, Erin Daughton, Carl Boyd, Kathy Schubert, Lee Diamond and Big Shoulder's Realty, Illinois Bicycle Lawyers (our first matching contributor), Sean Newby (first Planet Bike winner), Lisa Curcio (creator of the LISTEN UP, I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE), Andrea Kaspryk, Gerard Geyer, Jared Kachelmeyer, Marco Verzocchi, Ken Gray, Bill Savage, Liz Miller, Louis Kittock, Erik Swedlund, Lino Darchun, Jennifer Groen, Michael Brosilow, Terry Guder and over 200 more of you......

Consider joining the party by contributing if you..... learned something on the forum....promoted your bike ride, craft, performance, party and/or met a friend or life-long partner. And don't forget we have awesome thank you gifts when you contribute including REALLY UNIQUE active incentives: bike rides + lunch with Gabe Klein, Commissioner of Chicago's Department of Transportation, Jerome McDonnell of NPR's Worldview and Randy Neufeld, SRAM fund director as well as wool jerseys, winter cycling caps, bicycle friendly bags and more! Click the box below to help us get to the finish line by Dec. 31st!

Featured Events This Week (full list of events here)

Today through Saturday, Dec. 22 - Win an Opus Bike from Roll Chicago and Bike Shop Locally Party with The Pony Shop, Roscoe Village Bikes, Rudy's, Rapid Transit, Smart Bike Parts, Boulevard Bikes and The Bike Lane details

Saturday - Queerer Park Benefiting West Town Bikes details

Saturday - Lincoln Square Kidical Mass 12/15! details

Saturday - Eighth Annual HUB Co-op Latke Party details

Monday - Basic Bike Maintenance and Winter Cycling details

Thursday - Chainlink Bar Night - Cal's Liquors details

Save the Date

Friday Dec 22 - Win an Opus Bike and Bike Shop Locally Party with Roll Chicago details

Featured Photo: Brand new, two-way protected bike lane on Dearborn, with traffic lights!!!

On the Forum

Yearly goals. Do you set them? How are you doing? - Share your cycling plans for the new year!

Dearborn bike lane press conference/official opening - TODAY!! Where: Park/plaza at approx. 700 S. Dearborn (midblock between Polk and Harrison). Did you make it?

Another Idiotic Rant by John Kass, a Tribune article ranting about cyclists and the newest protected lanes on Dearborn. Kass is one (un)popular dude on The Chainlink. Tip from Active Trans include Kass' Friday column and why sometimes the silent treatment is best and Thunder Snow's Jack Kass-ery (was Gabe Klein, John Kass & Jake Hartford on the Radio).

Bicycle Photo Tag game - Who wants to play!

New member intro + an IGH question - New member Dan Allison introduces himself and asks a question. Welcome him and if you can help him, let him know.

I rode today. Did you? - The 2,700 comment was added today! And you lurkers are reading too - the thread has over 29,000 pageviews! Wow, that's a record for our Chicago bike forum!

Jackson bike lanes painted near Ashland - Questions and concerns echoed about the left side placement of the lane and its ending at Halsted and I90/94.

Events This Week (Detailed)

Saturday - Queerer Park Benefiting West Town Bikes - Join them at Beauty Bar December 15th in your fine spirits for some foot tappin, booty shakin, can driving, holiday mess of a good time benefiting West Town Bikes.

Saturday - Lincoln Square Kidical Mass 12/15! - Mass up at the Welles Park Gazebo - take off is at 10:30am, on a route in the Lincoln Square/Ravenswood area. Adults shepherd the kids on the street. Kids can bring their own wheels or ride as passengers.

Saturday - Eighth Annual HUB Co-op Latke Party - The HUB Housing Cooperative will be frying up both regular and sweet potato pancakes with all the fixin's. Let them know ahead of time if you plan to join, and of course, BYO Manischewitz!

Monday - Basic Bike Maintenance and Winter Cycling - Learn the basics of how to keep your bike running smoothly and reliably all year long in this single session workshop at Uptown Bikes. They will cover things like preventing flats, shop usage including the stand and tools, basic adjustments, winter cycling and more.

Thursday - Chainlink Bar Night at Cal's Liquors - Chainlink bar night happens every 3rd Thursday. Come out to meet friends and talk bikes! - $2pbr and $3 shots of Jim Beam!