In Portland, there is the bicycle circus called the Sprockettes .

and now in Tacoma: Tacoma“™s newest zeitgeist: Presenting the art bicycle

THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: February 25th, 2007 01:00 AM

The art car is about to be eclipsed as folk-art transportation by the environmentally friendly art bicycle. The City of Tacoma has just announced the Zeit-Bike competition: a challenge to paint, sculpt, weld or otherwise transform an ordinary bicycle into a fully mobile work of art. And contestants have just two months to do it.

The Zeit-Bike competition runs in conjunction with Pierce County“™s Bike to Work month, held in May (National Bike to Work Week runs May 14-18.) Bikes will be judged on May 9, and the top five entries will be displayed at the Tacoma Art Museum on May 17. First prize will receive $200. Second and third prizes have yet to be determined. The rules are simple. Contestants must start with a real bicycle, to be supplied by them. Group entries are allowed. The bike can be re-formed in any way but must be still mobile (pushable, if not rideable) after its transformation.

“The objective is for the bike to be freshly seen as a transportation marvel,“ said Diane Wiatr, coordinator for the City of Tacoma“™s Commute Trip Reduction program.

To apply for the Zeit-Bike competition, contact Wiatr by March 23 at dwiatr@cityoftacoma.org or 253-591-5380.

Rosemary Ponnekanti: 253-597-8568

rosemary.ponnekanti@thenews tribune.com