After Dark: Let's Ride Bikes

SCHEDULE

Presentations

Cycle Cinema
6:00–7:30 p.m. and 9:00–10:00 p.m. |  Bechtel Gallery 3, Webcast Studio

Trade your saddle for a seat in our Cycle Cinema. Check out a collection of short films featuring historical footage, heart-pounding races, and a documentary about the female pioneer of mountain biking. Experience the thrill of the ride with no helmet required!

Gears, Ratios, and Efficiencies: Oh My!
With Lori Lambertson
7:00 and 8:00 p.m.  | Bechtel Gallery 3 Classroom

Why is going uphill so hard in some gears? What is the ideal shift pattern going from low to high? Join former road-racing cyclist, current SF bicycle commuter, and Exploratorium Teacher Institute staff teacher Lori Lambertson for an exploration of the mathematical marvel that is your bicycle’s gears.

A Natural History of the Bicycle
With Ken Finn
7:30 p.m.  | Bechtel Gallery 3, Webcast Studio

How did we get from two feet to two wheels? Learn about the evolution of the bicycle and how it’s become the most efficient form of human transportation. Exploratorium educator Ken Finn will share some of the technical innovations of bicycle design, cultural uses of bicycles, and the physics of what keeps a bike rolling and the rider on the saddle.

Who Has the Right of Way?
With Daniel Glaser
8:30 p.m.  | Osher Gallery 1, Kanbar Forum

Who should ride on the sidewalk? What about the bike lane? Contribute to a conversation about sharing public spaces in the world of self-driving cars, motorized personal mobility devices, and of course, bicycles.

Evolution of the Mountain Bike
With the Marin Museum of Bicycling
8:30 p.m.  | Bechtel Gallery 3, Webcast Studio

Did you know that mountain biking has its origin in the Bay Area? Starting with modified coaster bikes, a small group of enthusiasts put their blood, sweat, and tears into conquering Mt. Tamalpais on two wheels. Hear from the experts at the Marin Museum of Bicycling, home of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, about the birth and evolution of the mountain bike and its ascension to an international sport.

Ongoing

Bike Valet
With the SF Bike Coalition
5:30–10:30 p.m.  | Public Plaza

Ride your bike to After Dark and enjoy free, secure bike valet!

SF Bike Coalition
6:30–9:30 p.m.  | Gallery 2

Stop by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition's table to learn all about their free bike-education classes. Whether you want to learn to ride a bike or are a seasoned rider looking to learn more about all-weather and nighttime riding, the SFBC has you covered. Stop by for information about their upcoming classes, play their Rules of the Road trivia game, and sign up for their monthly bike-education newsletter.

Bike Rope Squirter
6:00–10:00 p.m.  | Bechtel Gallery 3

These upside-down, bike-powered machines are built to throw ropes twenty feet into the air. Acting a bit like water and a bit like rope, the loops dance along the ground as visitors play an Exploratorium-style game of jump rope. Try it out and see how high you can go.

How to Fix Your Own Flat
With SF Bike Kitchen
6:30–9:30 p.m.  | Gallery 2

Feeling deflated? Learn to fix a flat bike tire from the bike mechanics at the Bike Kitchen—they’ll have all the tools and know-how you need to get back on the move, now and in the future.

Marin Museum of Bicycling
6:30–9:30 p.m.  | Gallery 2

The Marin Museum of Bicycling is a premier bicycle history museum and cultural center in Fairfax, California. Learn about all the museum has to offer, play with an interactive exhibit, and put your hands on one-of-a kind bikes.

Sewn Scenarios
With PNosa
6:30–9:30 p.m.  | Gallery 2

Think of any scenario. Using five words or less, describe it in a sentence. Now watch as artist PNosa interprets your words and uses his sewing machine to draw your idea, freehand, on fabric. Embroidered patches will be available for purchase.