Tour de Taco

Event/Bike BloNo/2014

The Problem

As bike infrastructure and amenities continued to grow through the advocacy of Bike BloNo, so too did education need to increase. Many people took to the streets unaware of the rules of the road for bikes, which not only put them at harm, but also crystalized critics of bike infrastructure. Some were too intimidated by new lanes and amenities to even take their first ride. Building access was only the first step, Bloomington-Normal needed a new population of riders.

The Project

Tour de Taco is a fun non-competitive group-ride hosted by Bike BloNo. The event encourages people to explore new parts of town by bike, gain more experience with road riding, and find community with other bike-riders. For Bike BloNo, the event provides a opportunity for direct, one-on-one safety education, increases the number of citizens using bike infrastructure, and demonstrates to the local economy and policy-makers that bike transportation can be a catalyst for economic stimulation.

Responsibilities

  • Organized team effort to plan event logistics, pricing, and restaurant partnership.
  • Created logo and event branding for recognizable presence on the street.
  • Developed website to promote participating locations and registration.
  • Assisted in registration software research and testing.
  • Responsible for apparel and printed collateral.
design-specs-01

The Solution

Creating an identity centered around bright colors not only connected with the theme of Mexican food and fun, it also served as way to make bikers stand out on the road, distinguish participants from organizers and volunteers, and reinforce restaurant participation.

The Results

The first year was more than successful with over 120 participants receiving bike safety training, and spending over $4,200 during off-hour Saturday. Through a post-event participant survey ideas for improvements were gathered as well as ratings for group leaders, promotion, food quality and service, and average money spent. Participation in the second year of Tour de Taco grew by 60%, topping 200 riders.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.