Advocacy
Community involvement is what allowed us to successfully open a store in Downtown State College and is a fundamental reason as to why are alive and well today and looking forward to the coming years. We think it is downright irresponsible to operate in bicycle retail and not be involved in bicycle advocacy. If you offer a product and service as we do, it is an absolute necessity to do your fair share of effort in protecting, maintaining and creating facilities which your cycling consumer uses daily. When we opened a storefront in 2005 with no advertising budget to speak of, Justin and Jordyn's involvement in local clubs and advocacy groups gave them the reputation necessary to bring solid recycled product and superior service to market.
Our staff has always been active in trail work throughout Central PA and beyond; our sponsored riders earn their keep through similar efforts. We work on our own time (it is, after all, FUN) and try to rotate staff out to major work days hosted by the Nittany Mountain Bike Association (NMBA) and other regional MTB clubs. Jordyn is an active participant in PA DCNR's Forestry Stakeholders and Partners meetings - a great inroads for mountain bikers to be heard in state forest resource management planning; we are the single most active trail user group and our volunteer hours speak for themselves and earn us respect amongst the powers that be. He was also an IMBA Delegate at the 2010 National Bike Summit, lobbying on Capitol Hill for singletrack access in the Keystone State and beyond. Freeze Thaw Cycles is an IMBA Elite Retailer; we put our money where our wheels are to supplement our time and energy.
Pennsylvania is the best place for singletrack and we intend to make it even better and accessible to more.
On the paved side, we work to expand and connect safe routes for cyclists of all skill and comfort levels throughout the Centre Region. The shop is a member of Bikes Belong - the bike industry advocacy organization offering grants and support to those seeking to improve facilities and resources for cyclists everywhere. We helped to secure such a grant to help fund the proposed Musser Gap Greenway project which will provide a much needed off-street path to Rothrock State Forest from a new regional park being built at Blue Course and Whitehall.
Musser Gap is a new gateway trailhead which will alleviate multi-user pressure on the sensitive Shingletown Gap watershed area. The land was purchased and transferred to the state by the Clearwater Conservancy, a locally-based "land trust and natural resource conservation organization formed in 1980." Their "mission is to promote conservation and restoration of natural resources in central Pennsylvania through land conservation, water resource protection, and environmental outreach to the community." We wholeheartedly support their efforts through fundraising efforts and general promotion. We believe their work is needed to help ensure better connection of people to much needed public spaces, often times by bike when it is the appropriate, sustainable choice.
The Centre Region Bike Coalition works to be the collective voice for bike and pedestrian needs. Freeze Thaw is a supporting member and has helped to organize and promote its Bike to Work Week initiatives since even before their grand opening at 100 South Fraser Street coinciding with the 2005 event. Justin and Jordyn were active participants during their time as officers in the Penn State Cycling Club from 2001-2004. Recently Jordyn served on the executive committee for several years and hopes to be instrumental in a their regional application process as a League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Community. He also is currently working with regional planners to identify key projects with potential for Safe Routes to School funding.
Jordyn and Justin have both spoken extensively at industry events about their experience with a shop that contributes much of its success to being active in the community. Materials are available upon request. They also speak frequently to student groups and classes and are available and equipped to support other educational efforts such as wellness fairs and bike rodeos. Our entire staff is active in these efforts as well.
Nittany Mountain Bike Association - local IMBA-affiliated mountain bike club/advocacy group
Centre Region Bike Coalition - local bike/ped advocacy crew, local Bike To Work Day organizers, sign up for their useful listserv
PSU Transportation - info about the new campus bike plan; yes, there is a crew of people on campus who actually are looking out for you and you don't owe them any excessive paperwork either.
State College Borough Transportation Commission - You can find Jordyn here for the next four years, it seems. Meetings open to public, effective way to have your voice heard about and keep up to date on Borough bike initiatives...and occasionally suffer through Jordyn's ramblings in a more professional setting.
Centre Regional Planning Agency - surrounding townships working to not step on each other and plan land uses for the greater regional good.
Clearwater Conservancy - responsible land uses unite! Responsible for recent acquisition and preservation of Musser Gap.
International Mountain Bike Association - IMBA - - Francis Maguire is the Mid-Atlantic regional rep. Ask us or him how to get involved or speak with your slim wallet and join!
Bikes Belong - Bike Industry's collective effort towards bike advocacy
Safes Routes to School - a network of agencies creating safe routes for school children to get to and from school on foot
League of American Bicyclists - To promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America.
