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Bicyclists plan to descend on Downtown Friday to take part in a "Critical Mass ride" to show they have a place on Tucson's streets and to promote cycling as an alternative mode of transportation.

Critical Mass rides are held in cities around the world, typically at around rush hour. Many of the rides come off without a hitch.

But because the large number of bikes frequently causes traffic congestion, there often are conflicts and arrests.

Because the rides are staged with no identified sponsor or route, no estimate of the number of participants in the Tucson ride is available.

But a similar demonstration ride in the University of Arizona area last week attracted about 300 riders and resulted in some arrests.

The Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee and the Tucson Police Department will try to head off any negative incidents.

The Police Department has asked the city to provide educational pamphlets for each rider explaining how to ride safely and legally, and the Bicycle Advisory Committee plans to have some members attend as marshals to encourage people to ride legally.

Critical Mass events, which usually are organized by word of mouth, tend to be informal, without a sponsor or strict rules.

The Tucson event was promoted on Craig's List (tucson.craigslist.org), the free classified-ad Web site. According to that posting, the event will start in El Presidio Park at 6 p.m. and is likely to conclude at Barrio Brewing, southeast of Downtown.

Diana Tolton, who chairs the Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee, said the committee sent the police a letter letting them know the organization will do all it can to make sure the ride is safe and legal.

"We're planning on going and assisting and trying to encourage people to ride legally," Tolton said. "I just think that that's the biggest issue."

The issues involved with Friday's ride extend to everyday interactions between drivers and cyclists, when both need to follow the rules of the road, said Richard Corbett, who is involved in local bicycle advocacy groups and commuted to work by bicycle for more than 30 years.

Some bicyclists, including one who posted remarks on Craig's List, say events such as Critical Mass don't bring positive attention to bike riders but instead promote the idea that cyclists aren't respectful.

Police officers will be at the event — on bicycles, on motorcycles and in vehicles — to make sure everything goes off peacefully and legally, said Sgt. Paul Tosca, supervisor of the department's west bike patrol unit, one of five police bicycle patrol units.

"We are planning to have officers be there, because we want to make sure this is done safely and traffic is not disrupted," Tosca said.

Bill Katzel, a longtime bicycle advocate, said avid bicyclists have chosen not to take a position on the event — including the task force trying to qualify Tucson for a platinum rating from the League of American Bicyclists. Tucson now has a gold rating.

"Our consensus was to not discourage it and not encourage it — just to let it happen," Katzel said.