Posts

Showing posts from 2013

Why is it easier to balance on a moving bike than a non-moving one? | The Straight Dope

Image
" The answer is: trail. Trail is the difference between where the bike's front wheel contacts the ground and where the steering axis (drawn through the fork of the front wheel) meets the ground. Well-designed bicycles have negative trail--that is, the wheel contacts the ground behind where the steering axis meets the ground. When you tilt, the trail causes the wheel to turn, thus converting the tilting motion into a turning motion" Read the author's original (and  incorrect)   response . Read more about  P rofessor Richard Klein's  Zero-Gyroscopic bikes . [Read more on straightdope.com]

Luckiest Bike Rider?

Image
And all this time I thought I was the luckiest bike rider ever!

COLDAVENGER® EXPEDITION BALACLAVA

Image
ColdAvenger Balaclavas are the warmest, most versatile cold weather mask available and are at home in the harshest winter conditions.  The COLDAVENGER® EXPEDITION BALACLAVA combines our revolutionary two-piece balaclava design with the performance of a tightly knit and highly wind-resistant fleece to protect your head, neck and face in the coldest weather. The unique two-piece design allows for easy removal of the ventilator without having to remove the full balaclava or other headwear.  The patented, medical grade COLDAVENGER® ventilator allows you to breathe freely while keeping your face dry and your airways relaxed with warm and humidified air. The COLDAVENGER® EXPEDITION BALACLAVA is built with a hidden “nose-wire” over the nose-bridge of the ventilator and generous hook and loop closures that allow for a snug and custom fit every time. Wear the COLDAVENGER® EXPEDITION BALACLAVA. Stay out longer®! Made with an extremely breathable fleece that is four times more wind resista

Mexican Bicycle Town Fights for Country's First Slow Zone | Copenhagenize

Image
POLITICS VERSUS TRADITION: MEXICAN BICYCLE TOWN FIGHTS FOR COUNTRY’S FIRST SLOW ZONE. Guest writer on Copenhagenize, Giovanni Zayas, is a founding member of  Cholula en Bici  and a junior partner in an architecture consulting firm. It all starts at around 12:45 PM. A stream of mostly female cyclists starts flowing erratically from several cross-streets, weaving through downtown of the Mexican town of  San Andrés Cholula  in all directions. They are rushing to pick their kids up from the several schools located in this area. Most of their bicycles feature improvised small wooden seats fixed to the upper part of the frame, right where their children can grasp the handlebar while being protected by their mothers’ arms. However, it is when they are riding with their children when they seem the most vulnerable. In the middle of rush hour, they have to brave impatient speeding cars, distracted pedestrians and the many other cyclists that share the main road. This reality will soon change if

What Happens to Stolen Bicycles? | Priceonomics

Image
At  Priceonomics , we are fascinated by stolen bicycles. Put simply, why the heck do so many bicycles get stolen? It seems like a crime with very limited financial upside for the thief, and yet bicycle theft is rampant in cities like San Francisco (where we are based). What is the economic incentive for bike thieves that underpins the pervasiveness of bike theft? Is this actually an efficient way for criminals to make money? It seems as if stealing bikes shouldn’t be a lucrative form of criminal activity. Used bikes aren’t particularly liquid or in demand compared to other things one could steal ( phones ,  electronics , drugs). And yet, bikes continue to get stolen so they must be generating sufficient income for thieves. What happens to these stolen bikes and how to they get turned into criminal income? [Keep reading at Priceonomics]

First Woman To Bicycle Around The World

Image
Annie “Londonderry” Cohen Kopchovsky (1870–1947) was the first woman to bicycle around the world. On June 25, 1894, Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, a young mother of three small children, stood before a crowd of 500 friends, family, suffragists and curious onlookers at the Massachusetts State House. Then, declaring she would circle the world, she climbed onto a 42-pound Columbia bicycle and “sailed away like a kite down Beacon Street.” Fifteen months later one New York newspaper called it “the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman.” [Read more on annielondonderry.com]

Redline BMX Flight Clinic with Alise Post and Jason Carnes

Redline BMX Flight Clinic with Alise Post and Jason Carnes from RaysMTB on Vimeo .

Ray'sMTB in Cleveland Women’s Weekend 2014 is February 14, 15, 16

Image
Women’s Weekend is a no-barriers, inspirational gathering of female cyclists, friends, families, and women of every background. Our two events are led by hall of fame member Leigh Donovan and her esteemed coaching staff, whose list of championships and world records is unsurpassed. Their no-nonsense yet light-hearted coaching method provides knowledge and confidence that will serve women well on the trail and everywhere else. Women only are allowed during instruction! No boys until 4pm! Click below to see reviews of our previous Women’s Weekends: PinkBike 2013      Bikemag 2011      DirtRag 2013         Vital MTB 2013   To pre-register and order your limited edition t-shirt submit your information below by  February 2nd  (CLE) or  February 23rd  (MKE). REgistration not required but very helpful. Walk-ins are welcome! (payment due upon event entry) [Click here to register]

Top 10 bike stories of 2013 | TreeHugger

Image
2014 is upon us and now is a good time to look back at some notable bike-related stories from 2013. Here's our top 10 based on what you told us you particularly liked and what we think is important: © SF 1. The love story with Amsterdam continues It's hard to write about bike culture and not mention Amsterdam. In 2013, a few stories about the city of bikes caught our attention, from the  New York Times claiming that there were 'too many bikes' in Amsterdam  to a  rebuttal straight from Amsterdam , to  things you might see in Amsterdam  (that Russian lady with the stove rocks!), but what got the most attention this year is no doubt  this amazing video  about the city: See the list at TreeHugger

This Is How You Walk The Dog

JayP's 2012 Tour Divide Bike/Gear

JayP's 2012 Tour Divide Bike/Gear from Jay Petervary on Vimeo .

Cyclist Connection Women's Nutrition Social is Wednesday, January 8th, 2014 6:30-7:30pm

Image
Join us at the Cyclist Connection shop for a fun-filled evening centered around Nutrition. Featuring guest speaker Colleene Weiser, Founder and Instructor at Fitness Firm located in the heart of Canal Winchester. Colleene is joining us to discuss Nutrition and how to use what we eat to our advantage when striving to meet fitness goals as well as what  and  how to eat when riding. Sara Molski, a brand representative from Juice Plus+ alongside representatives from other nutritional products will be in attendance. Setting a New Years Resolution centered around fitness? Let  cyclist connection  help you reach your goal with our annual Resolution Challenge. If you are interested, bring your bike to the social and we can get you signed up! This is a  FREE  event offered to  any   lady that rides a bike, has interest in riding or nutrition. Invite your friends and come socialize with  cyclist connection's  WomenSocial ! Questions? Contact Azia PH: 614.833.BIKE (2453)  OR  Ema

Happy Christmas from Mongoose

Light Trails

The Top 14 Bike Stories Of 2013 | FastCompany

Image
From the vitality of bike share programs to new ideas for cycle-friendly streets, life on two wheels got a little sweeter this year. Bike culture went more mainstream than ever in 2013.  At last count there were 500 bike share programs  in cities worldwide, from the largest in Paris, with 18,380 bikes, to one of the newest--Citibike in New York City, which launched in May. The data shows that New Yorkers  are (mostly) loving it . A whopping 80,000 people signed up for annual memberships in the first 100 days. A lot of the rise in the popularity of biking is thanks to improvements in bike lanes and other safety infrastructure. Today, local governments are more aware than ever that making cycling easier for citizens is not just to please a few enthusiasts. Rather,  more cyclists on the road can save  a city in health costs, reduce road congestion, and boost local businesses. Europe has gone so far down this path that this year, for the first time,  new bike sales overtook  new car

Is this the biggest bike trick of all time?

Image
Check out the Superman double backflip on a mountain bike by Ethen Godfrey-Roberts! Is this the greatest bike trick ever!? You be the judge!

This Old Bicycle? | Bob Vila

Image
5 things to do with… old bicycles. Our favorite thing to do with old bicycles is to ride them, but this stuff is almost as fun. [Read more on bobvila.com]

Tern Eclipse S11i folding bike | Fully Loaded!

The Tern Eclipse S11i is one of the most well conceived folding bicycles from Tern. It has more features than any other Tern bike: dynamo lights, hydraulic disc brakes, rack, fenders, adjustable handlebar, and the list goes on! If you want the best of the best folding bikes from Tern the Eclipse S11i is the one for you. With an Eclipse S11i from Tern Bicycles you can ride around in comfort and style on one of the most deluxe folding bikes available. This is the perfect folding bike for someone who wants all the best features. http://www.ternbicycles.com/bikes/eclipse-s11i

Boris vs Ventoux

Capitol Hill Bid For Bicycle Safety | Living on Earth

Image
Citi Bike in New York City is the largest bike share program in the United States. (Bitstock photo) Cyclists and pedestrians account for nearly 16 percent of all highway deaths yet receive just 1 percent of safety related funding. The founder of the Congressional Bike Caucus, Oregon Democrat Earl Blumenauer, tells host Steve Curwood that a new Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act he introduced to Congress could change the priorities. Transcript CURWOOD: From the Jennifer and Ted Stanley Studios in Boston, this is Living on Earth. I’m Steve Curwood. For years in America, the car has been king. As General Motors once put it, “it’s not just your car, it’s your freedom.” But increasingly Americans are finding a new kind of freedom, the freedom from traffic jams and lack of exercise that can be found behind the handlebars of a bicycle. So as driving mileage has dropped by more than eight percent in the past decade, at the same time the proportion of people commuting to work by bik

LONGTIME BACKPACKER, FIRST-TIME BIKEPACKER: THE TRANSITION

Image
Saturday morning proved beautiful with wide-open skies greeting us as we began the bikepacking portion of the trip. We made it all of 250 feet before we had to stop and make adjustments to the bags on our  Fargo bikes . The next two hours can be described in four words: Ride, Stop, Adjust, Repeat. It was actually a great learning experience. We knew we wouldn’t get it 100% perfect from the start, so we gave ourselves two extra hours, and we wound up using it all taking pictures and rearranging our gear. The roads narrowed as we pedaled deeper into the north woods. Gravel roads became minimum maintenance roads. MMR’s became ATV trails, and for some stretches bike-only trails. We had all kinds of trail conditions; mud, rock gardens, steep climbs, and technical descents. Each obstacle was a learning experience. For both of us, it was the first time we had negotiated these things on bikes while carrying all our camping gear. After reminding myself that this wasn’t a race, picking

Zumba Columbus - option for working out when it is cold.

From our cycling friend Kat -  I teach 2 Zumba classes each week at Zumba Columbus ( www.zumbacolumbus.com ). We're located in Kenny Center strip mall, on Kenny Rd, near Henderson Rd. We are in the back corner and have a green neon "Zumba" sign in the window. 1st class is FREE, so give it a try! Open to all ages, fitness level, gender, etc. Wear any comfortable workout clothes and gym shoes. (Change into gym shoes at the studio if it is wet / snowy out, please). Bottled water and snacks are available for purchase for anyone who does not have their own. I teach: Sunday 12:30 - 1:30 pm (Zumba) This is a great workout, with a mixture of song styles (Salsa, Reggeton, Current Pop / Hip Hop, etc), high energy, great fun & everyone has a great time shakin' our butts! Monday 5:30 - 6:30 pm (Zumba 4 EveryBody) This class really is for Everyone!!I wear a headset to give some verbal instruction / cues for beginners, and it is lower impact, with less twisting, so it

Quebrantahuesos 2013

After complaints, Amtrak clarifies: folding bikes always allowed as carry-ons | Bike Portland

Image
Amtrak Cascades, the regional line several BikePortland readers said is bike-friendlier than many. (Photo by   Stephen Rees .) A  late-night incident  in which Amtrak workers awoke two Portlanders to tell them, incorrectly, that their folding bikes weren't allowed as carry-ons has led the agency to clarify its policy. Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham said last week that every passenger car in the system allows folding bicycles as carry-on luggage "if they fit  the dimensions described in the policy  and can fit in the areas designated for carry on baggage or bikes." The maximum dimensions are 34 inches by 15 inches by 48 inches, as stated in Amtrak's policy. Mass-market folding bikes meet those constraints, Dean Mullin of local shop Clever Cycles said Wednesday. [Keep reading at BikePortland]

EDUGO & ASIA’S HOPE work to bring bikes to children in Cambodia, Thailand and India

Image
ABOUT EDUGO EduGo has chosen to partner with Asia's Hope to fill a need: provide safe, reliable transportation for children to get to school and give them the push they need to keep their wheels turning. After visiting some of the family homes in Cambodia in 2012 and then again with his family in 2013, Jeremy Slagle recognized the importance of bicycles and motos to the people of Southeast Asia and what an impact providing these tools can have to a child as he or she seeks to complete their education.  Partnering with one of his clients, Ganola; Jeremy, and owners, Jared McCullough, and Heather Gray decided to do something about it. EduGo was born. Our first goal is to provide for the annual needs of the children of Asia's Hope. After those needs are met, we hope to partner with other organizations around the world who have the same needs. No matter who we partner with, the goal will be the same: to provide bikes for kids for school. ABOUT  ASIA’S HOPE Asia

CEDRIC GRACIA'S 'MEGA' CRASH - not for faint hearted

Bloody CG

Mobilize Me

Salsa Post-Lock - attach a rack to seatpost

Image
Our Post-Lock is a rack attachment point that can be positioned anywhere on your seatpost to provide a mounting point. Post-Locks do not have a lip like our Lip-Lock, Flip-Lock, and Rack-Lock so therefore cannot be used as a seatpost clamp. NOTE: This IS NOT a seat collar and CANNOT BE USED to keep your seatpost in place NOTE: NOT FOR USE with carbon fiber seatposts NOTE:  Please consult your seatpost manufacturer to check compatibility Max torque 3 - 5 N-m 6061-AL Welded on rack attachment points 34mm-wide rack mount threaded for M5 bolts Stainless steel pivot and bolt Available for 27.2 and 31.6mm diameter seatposts Black anodized with laser-etched logo 44 grams [Salsa]

Rainy Day Reading - Bicycle Traveler | Current Issue

Image
http://www.bicycletraveler.bicyclingaroundtheworld.nl/current-issue

Breaking taboos: Syrian young women use bicycles to get around | Middle East Online

Image
Damascenes turn to bikes to avoid endless traffic jams and to save scarce fuel. Middle East Online Business has never been better DAMASCUS - Damascus bike shop owner Ali Jumaa is a happy man despite the civil war raging across Syria: with checkpoint-weary locals in the capital increasingly swapping their cars for bicycles, business has never been better. "Bike sales are exploding," he said with a big smile. Young Damascenes especially have turned to bikes en masse to avoid the endless traffic jams caused by hundreds of army checkpoints. Two and a half years into Syria's brutal war, the economy has taken a beating, with inflation soaring at 68 percent and scores of businessmen leaving the country. While the conflict has caused heavy losses for most businesses in Damascus, Jumaa, a trader in his 40s, is among the lucky ones. It's hard to miss his store, which sells bicycles of all types and colours as well as carrying out repairs. [Keep r

Is this the biggest bike trick of all time?

Incredibly Steep

Velodirt - THE OREGON OUTBACK – GUEST POST BY MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH

Image
Posted by   donnie We’re doing a series of guest posts by riders planning to tackle the Oregon Outback in May.  Look for a new post about every week or so.  Of note – Michael was involved in the creation of the OC&E Trail, which makes up the first 70 miles or so of the Outback route.  Enjoy! -Words and photos by  Michael McCullough . I am considering participating in the 2014  Oregon Outback bike tour . I love the concept – it is a 360 mile unsupported bike tour, most of which is on remote dirt roads (and trails) in the barely populated Eastern part of Oregon (commonly referred to as  Oregon’s Outback ). The best part is that the beginning of the ride, the first seventy five miles or so, is on the  OC&E Woods Line State Trail  - a 100 mile long Rails to Trails project that is a long, narrow Oregon State Park. [Keep reading at Velodirt]

Asshole driver doesn't believe in bike lanes #letsride

Jeff Jones debuts new version of the H-bar | Bicycle Times

Image
For more than a decade Jeff Jones has been producing his 45-degree sweep bars. In that time, they have always been a multi-piece affair with the grip area welded to the crossbar. After many iterations, including some sold under the Titec brand, Jones has a new one-piece bar, the Bend H-bar. You do lose out on the multiple hand postions of the Loop bar, and it is available only in the 660mm width for now, no 710mm yet. Personally I find that alt-bars like this ride wider than a standard bend bar, so I’m happy on the 660s. Normally I feel weird on anything narrower than 720mm with standard bars. The best news about the Bend H-bar is the price. At $85 it is $35 cheaper than the Alumnum Loop bar and almost $300 less than the Ti version. It is also 170 grams lighter than the aluminum Loop bar. The longer extensions also play nicer with shifters for you non-singlespeeders. Also in the good news column, my Bar Mitts fit! I originally stopped using H-Bars on my commuter last wint

HOW TO STOP SNOW FROM BEING BIKE LANE KRYPTONITE | People for Bikes

Image
Calgary's two-way protected bike lane last week. Photos: Tom Thivener, unless noted. For dozens of  newly built protected bike lanes  across North America, it's the season for one of their hardest tests: How are cities supposed to keep the damn things plowed? Though most people who never use them will never know it, many protected bike lanes are designed to a particular width not just for safe riding, but because they need to fit a maintenance vehicle. "We've put in a few projects that were narrower than a pickup truck, and those are the locations that just take forever to get plowed," Chicago transportation planner Mike Amsden said in an interview. Obviously that's not ideal, Amsden said, but it's the situation. [Keep reading at People for Bikes]

ICNY | Black "Dotted" 3/4 Ankle 3M Reflective Performance Sock

Image
Made from the highest quality fabrics these socks last the test of your daily regime, cycling or running needs.  One Size Fits All 3M Reflective Washing Machine Approved Custom Designed Underfoot Venting Ankle Abrasion Protection 83% Cotton / 13% Polyester / 2% Spandex / 2% Rubber Reflective Material Cracks On First Wear [Order at Ice Cold NY]

Yay Bikes! Party at Hal & Al's is TONIGHT 530p @halandals @yaybikes #letsride

Image
Stop down to celebrate a great year of biking and wrap-up the "12 Days of Yay" with an evening of food, drink and camaraderie.  • Food and drink specials. • Pickup your 12 Days of Yay prize if you are a winner. • Enter the raffle for some great biking prizes. • Join Yay Bikes! and support bicycle advocacy in Columbus. • Pickup a set of pint glasses to support Yay Bikes! courtesy of  Hal & Al's . Not sure what Yay Bikes! is all about? Look for members in our red shirts and find out what we are doing to get people on bikes here in Columbus. RSVP here

Smart Wheel | FlyKly

Image
Smart Wheel  is here to offer a brand new perspective on the invention know as the bicycle: it will make an end to needless effort spent on pedaling, to being tired all the time, to being afraid of having your bike stolen.  Smart Wheel  now turns a ride through busy streets into a gentle breeze and flattens the steep hills into the horizon so you can finally focus on the road ahead. Having a  Smart Wheel  on your bike means distances are now becoming shorter. By quickly replacing your old rear wheel with this minimalistic pedal assist you’re now able to turn virtually any bicycle into an electric powered one. Just start pedaling and the  Smart Wheel starts kicking in at speeds up to 25 mph. It can take you as far as 50 miles on a single charge which should be more than enough for your daily ride to work or school - and back! And in case you do run out of power you can always recharge it by riding downhill or pedaling on your own. With  Smart Wheel  you will always be on time

Boris Bike turns up in Gambia: Photograph appears to show hire bicycle a long way from home | The Independent

Image
News comes as three friends took a Boris Bike up Mont Ventoux in France and got it back to the capital with 22 seconds to spare ADAM WITHNALL     Tuesday 17 December 2013 Boris Johnson’s London bike hire scheme has come in for a lot of criticism in recent months – but it’s hard to argue against the sheer sturdiness of the things after seeing this picture, which appears to show a Boris Bike that has made its way to The Gambia. The image was tweeted by Oxfam’s Campaigns and Policy Director Ben Phillips, who says he only found the photograph and doesn’t claim to know how the bike got there. If the bike was cycled the whole way to the West African country, it would have had to clock more than 3,500 miles via crossings of the English Channel and the Strait of Gibraltar. [Keep reading at The Independent]