Since 1974, the Adventure Cycling Association has promoted the active pursuit of travel cycling we commonly refer to as bicycle touring.  Their mission includes three major tasks:

• Create bicycle routes for the Nation.
• Get more people traveling by bicycle.
• Support bicycling communities.

And for 2010, they are placing special emphasis on the first bullet point by embarking on a major fund-raising effort to benefit the United States Bicycle Route System (USBRS).    The USBRS is a proposed system of networked bicycle routes that will criss-cross the entire United States.  These routes will link urban, suburban, and rural areas using a variety of appropriate corridors and facilities.  Basically:

Renaissance Bicycles is honored to be part of this effort.  As fate would have it, we joined the Adventure Cycling Association as a corporate sponsor at just the right moment … not only can we contribute our financial support, we can direct it towards moving the USBRS into reality.

And better than that, you too can contribute.  You can contribute directly with a $10 donation, or with a purchase from Renaissance Bicycles — that’s because 1% of all our sales goes directly to the USBRS.  Yep, you read that right:

Renaissance Bicycle — 1% of Sales to USBRS

And we figure if a little business like ours can make a 1%-for-the-planet type contribution, why not others? After all, the USBRS will not be completed in one large swoop … it will be completed a little bit at a time, by people like us.

So this is your call to action.  Check out the USBRS blog, make a donation online, join the USBRS on Facebook, or just start planning your next long bike ride.  And remember that we’re here to help you.