Bikes and cameras rolling for bike-to-work week

If video cameras still had reels, they'd be rolling alongside Greater Victoria bicycles for the next three weeks.

Bike to Work Victoria is holding a video challenge for the first time, called Reel2Wheel, and the winners will get to watch their masterpieces on YouTube.

"I have a background in video myself and I was looking at ways the (Bike to Work) event has been promoted in the past and thinking of ways how we could make it more dynamic," said program co-ordinator Jennifer Cook.

Bike to Work Week Victoria has been growing since it started 16 years ago. Last year 7,200 riders participated, including 1,000 for the first time.

"It's such a big event already, it's become part of the community culture, the cycling culture in Victoria," Cook said, "but it's important to keep expanding the audience."

Cook said most Bike to Work Week participants last year were in the 35 to late 40s age range. She's hoping Reel2Wheel will help encourage younger riders to get involved.

"People send videos to each other all the time now. Video has ability to communicate with people in way that still images don't."

Bike to Work Week's mandate is to promote the health and sustainability benefits of commuting by bicycle. Bike to Work Week is May 31 to June 6. The deadline to submit videos is May 1.

Applications for the contest are available at www.biketowork.ca/victoria.

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