100s of Tucson Cyclists Take to the Streets: Pedal-powered Urban Adventure Calls for Street Savvy, Bike Smarts

The New Belgium Urban Assault Ride, the largest bicycle scavenger hunt series in the world, kicks off its 10-city 2009 tour in Tucson, Arizona, on April 19. The Urban Assault Race is a pedal-powered urban adventure that promotes cycling, health, and sustainability.

Longmont, CO (PRWEB) March 28, 2009 -- The New Belgium Urban Assault Ride, the largest bicycle scavenger hunt series in the world, kicks off its 10-city 2009 tour in Tucson, Arizona, on April 19. The Urban Assault Race is a pedal-powered urban adventure that promotes cycling, health, and sustainability.

"Tucson was selected because it is progressive, biker-friendly city with a substantial bike culture and riders interested in non-traditional bike events," event founder Josh Kravetz explained. And the Urban Assault is certainly non-traditional.

Teams of two take to the streets on a city-wide bike adventure, plotting their own course to checkpoints around town where they take on physical and mental obstacle courses. The event, which launched in Austin in 2003, is known for its funky obstacle courses which may include riding modified Big Wheels, Bike Jousting, The Keg Walk, and Inflatable Slides. Obstacles change every year and at every event, so riders never know what to expect.

The first team to hit all the checkpoints and cross the finish line takes home a pair of New Belgium Brewing cruiser bikes.

Street savvy is just as important as bike smarts in this event, which is designed to show recreational cyclists that bicycles are a safe, efficient and sustainable mode of transportation for commuting and running errands.

Sure the Urban Assault Ride is a blast, but it is first and foremost a green event with a green mission and message that extends way beyond fun. The event is powered by a solar generator. A truck fueled by bio-diesel delvers gear to the race, and nearly all waste is compostable or recyclable.

"With New Belgium as our title sponsor, we have been able to create an off-the-grid event that shows people that it is a good thing - and an easy thing - to engage in a sustainable lifestyle. This event gives us the chance to promote cycling for transportation and to show people some of the opportunities for sustainable living available in their community," says Kravetz.

Visit www.urbanassaultride.com for more information.

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