This Saturday, May 1, roughly 50 novice bike riders in southeast Seattle will abandon their cars and make a three-month commitment to try bicycle commuting as part of Cascade Bicycle Club’s Green Bike Project.

The Green Bike Project provides participants with a new commuter bike in return for their pledge to reduce drive-alone commuting by 50 percent during the project. Trips are recorded through an online tracking system. At the end of the project, participants who fulfill their pledge will get to keep their bike.

The project is geared toward employers who have five to 15 employees game to participate in the project, which ends on July 31. Employers provide secure bike parking and access to showers and lockers; to appoint an in-house coordinator for the project and to provide gear, tools or an incentive to all of their bike commuters.

Spring 2010 participating businesses are Darigold, Outdoor Research, Wellspring Family Services, Committee For Children, Odyssey High School (Tyee campus), Iron Bow Technologies and Case Design.

Tomorrow, Cascade Bicycle Club will provide safety training, rider education and a fitted commuter bicycle to each of the participants at South Seattle Community College. Again, those who achieve their pledge get to keep their bike. Those who fail get to keep their marshmallow butts.

If you want to know more about the Green Bike Project, like how to participate, hit up the Cascade Bicycle Club.