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Showing posts from April 21, 2013

Cyclists, e-bikers spar over bike lanes [thestar.com]

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STEVE RUSSELL / TORONTO STAR Doug Beatty, president of the Toronto Electric Riders Association, rides his e-bike on a street in Toronto earlier this month. The city is trying to establish rules on where these vehicles fit in the transportation mix. For cyclist Paul Farnan it’s simple: bike lanes are the only place in the city where you can operate non-motorized vehicles in relative safety. To buttress his point, he showed up at Saturday’s stakeholders’ open house with photographs of the muscular electric two-wheeled vehicles he fears will squeeze cyclists out of bike lanes if the city abolishes rules keeping electric bicycles out of bike lanes and parks. “It’s a thin edge of the wedge thing,” he says, pointing at a photo of an electric scooter. “I don’t know what reality anybody lives in where  that  is a bicycle.” But for Gary Salo the conflict is just as clear-cut: Toronto should place e-bikes — bicycles with both pedals and an electric motor — into the same cate

Third Hand 24 Hour WRENCHATHON is April 27

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Come wrench with us from Saturday morning (Fri night) at midnight through Saturday night at 11:59pm. Stay the whole 24 hours, or stop in whenever and leave whenever you want.  Free pizza, snacks, beer, coffee, movies, and fun! We'll be bumpin' some tunes and playing movies the whole time. We obviously don't expect you to work the full 24 hours, but do bring a sleeping bag if you want to hang through the night. There are also comfy couches in the space.  All skill levels welcome to help come fix up bik es for Third Hand. We need a lot of people to simply clean bikes and pump tires, as well as mechanics to do other repairs. Earn $8 an hour in Third Hand credit to use in the shop. Four hours of volunteering earns a membership! We'll be having an awesome volunteer party while helping the community by providing ready to ride bicycles. Earn extra positive karma for doing good in the world while hanging out with your friends! [Facebook Event]

Why aren’t younger Americans driving anymore? [Washington Post]

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Ever since the recession hit in late 2007, Americans have been driving less and less. Was that because of the horrible economy? To some extent, perhaps. But it’s striking that Americans are  still  cutting back on driving even though the economy is growing again. Doug Short, who charts financial data,  has put together  a nice graph that uses the latest Transportation Department  data  on vehicle-miles driven and adjusts for population growth. Looked at this way, the plunge in driving is even more startling and began back in June  2005: A bit of historical perspective is useful. This isn’t the first time Americans have pared back their driving habits — after the OPEC oil shock in the late 1970s, miles driven fell about 6 percent from the peak, though they started climbing again by the end of the recession in 1982. [Keep reading at Washington Post]

The cost of owning your car? $9,000 a year [USA Today]

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The average owner of a sedan has to shell out nearly $10,000 a year to own and operate that car, according to auto club AAA. A new AAA reports shows, on average, the cost of driving 15,000 miles a year rose 1.17 cents to 60.8 cents per mile, or $9,122 per year. Overall, that's a roughly 2% increase on the cost of operating a car last year. Auto club AAA studies five cost categories – maintenance, fuel, tires, insurance and depreciation – for its annual "Your Driving Costs" study. The biggest percentage increase this year was in maintenance costs, which grew by 11.26% to 4.97 cents per mile, on average, for sedan owners. Average costs in all categories are lower for smaller vehicles and higher for bigger ones. The maintenance cost estimates are based on the cost to maintain a vehicle and perform needed repairs for five years and 75,000 miles, including labor expenses, replacement part prices and the purchase of an extended warranty. "As a vehicle gets ol

The Old West Scenic Bikeway

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FEATURES: CALFEE UNVEILS NEW SUSPENSION MANTA [Road Bike Action]

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Although the Sea Otter Classic is more known as a mountain bike event, the road side of things didn't disappoint, large in part to Calfee Design deciding that the four-day festival would be the ideal launching ground for their prototype Manta (as in manta ray). What Calfee has in the pipeline isn’t just an updated Dragonfly; no, this was an all new platform and fresh territory for the Northern California-based builder. Oversized carbon tubes, a tapered steerer, and a massive 65mm bottom bracket shell housing a Look Zed 2 crank are all highlights of the new frame, but that’s only half the story. A pivotless rear suspension tucked into the mono-seatstay that allows 1cm of elastomer dampened travel is really what the new design is all about. The Manta's rear shock is clean, elegant, and simple. 10mm of elastomer dampened travel creates a unique ride that changes the feel of a road bike as you know it.  The frame has been in the works for the past five years and is by no mean

Testing the world's first All-Wheel-Drive Fatbike

NIFTY BICYCLE ACCESSORY CONCEPTS FROM ECAL STUDENTS [BIKERUMOR]

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http://www.bikerumor.com/2013/04/25/nifty-bicycle-accessory-concepts-from-ecal-students/ Sometimes it’s the little things that make the ride go from good to great, or just start a conversation with new friends. These doodads from students at Lausanne, Switzerland’s ECAL were shown at Milan Design Week 2013. Some are more likely to gather rider use, but all are fairly clever. And yes, we know, hanging a bag from the handlebars screws up the handling. Photo gallery after the break…

2013 Greenbrier River Trail Bike Trek is May 16-19

A Cycling Adventure that Makes a Difference   May 16-19, 2013 Greenbrier River Trail Bike Trek Celebrating 26 years on the Trail!   Join us for a three-day, 100 mile ride along the Greenbrier River Trail and help to improve lung health and save lives!  Check-in Thursday, May 16 at Greenbrier Youth Camp where participants will then be transported to the Inn at Snowshoe. Our ride begins Friday morning with a 34-mile ride and continues on Saturday with a 44-mile ride. During this time you will go through two tunnels and enjoy relaxing lunches along the river. The final 22-miles of your journey will be completed on Sunday by noon, which leaves time to visit the area and make the trip home. The trail is hard packed and bicycles with large, wide tires are recommended. Cyclists with varying levels of experience are invited to participate. Amenities Includes: All meals, as well as refreshments on the trail, are included Friday through Sunday's breakfast. . Hotel

Create Your Own Electricity With Your Feet, With This Simple Bike-Powered Charger

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The Atom easily attaches to your back wheel and then uses your pedaling energy to charge a battery that you can use to power your devices. Bicyclists who want to charge their mobile devices as they ride have options: you can choose between various dynamos (“hub,” “bottle,” “bottom bracket”), decide if you can make peace with the resulting weight and drag, and research the scattered manufacturers of devices that convert the resulting electricity into a usable form. In other words, there are options, but if your idea of DIY doesn’t involve electrical engineering, the options aren’t great. This is the niche that Aaron Latzke saw on a trip to Belgium, on a work trip for his job as a mechanical engineer. He saw bikes everywhere with lights powered by bulky “bottle generators” (so-called because they look like bottles strapped to the tire). “That’s such an awesome technology,” says Latzke, “but it’s so dated.” For the last year and a half, Latzke has been working on updating this tec

The 42nd Annual Tour of the Hocking River Valley is May 11, 2013

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Sponsored by the Athens Bicycle Club ALL-NEW ROUTE FOR 2013! The Tour of the Hocking River Valley is a two-day bicycle tour on scenic, rolling, lightly traveled roads along the Hocking River. You will camp overnight Saturday after eating a delicious dinner, and return to Athens on Sunday. When: Saturday and Sunday, May 11 and 12, 2013, Depart at 9 a.m. Saturday. Where: Park and depart from the Walmart Parking lot on East State St in Athens, near the soccer fields. Route: 54 miles on Saturday and 44 miles on Sunday. Registration fee: $35, including a catered dinner Saturday night (vegetarian choices available) and breakfast on Sunday. The fee also includes camping at Lake Hope State Park, sag support, maps, etc. Children under 6 are free, children 6 to 12 and seniors 70 or older are $16. Bring: A tent, sleeping bag, clothes for riding and for camp. There is no electric service at the campsite, so bring a flashlight. Also bring plates, cups, eating utensils and a collapsible camp chai

Columbus to spend $8.7 million on trail upgrades

The city of Columbus will add two significant pieces -- and 6.25 miles overall -- to its system of bikeway trails this year. Included in the $8.7 million in planned 2013 improvements to city trails is the 3.5-mile extension of the Camp Chase Rail Trail, a $1.6 million project that will connect to the Ohio to Erie Trail, completing a 160-mile section of continuous path from Columbus to Cincinnati. When the northern section is complete, the statewide trail will be more than 260 miles as it stretches from Cincinnati to Cleveland. "I think we are beyond excited about the Camp Chase trail improvements because of what it does," said Terri Leist, an assistant director with the city's Recreation and Parks Department. "It allows that connection to Cincinnati via Dayton, via Yellow Springs and every little town along the trail." Another substantial addition is the Alum Creek Trail, which completes the two final segments near Ohio Dominican University to Easton,

Dinner and Bikes - Columbus, Ohio is Friday, May 24, 2013

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Join us for a traveling road show of yummy food and bicycle inspiration and a celebration of local and national bike culture, advocacy, and activism! Tickets are $10-$20 sliding scale (pay what you can) at the door, and include dinner. This is an all ages event. Come enjoy a gourmet vegan and gluten-free buffet by personal chef Joshua Ploeg, while participating in an interactive presentation about the everyday bicycling movement by author Elly Blue and watching a near-complete excerpt from film-maker Joe  Biel's forthcoming documentary Aftermass, a history of bicycle activism in Portland. The tour is traveling with a food- and bicycle-themed pop-up bookstore, and authors will be available to chat and sign books after the event. This event is hosted by Yay Bikes! and RideSolutions. Learn more about the Dinner and Bikes tour at  http://dinnerandbikes.com/ [Facebook event]

Obama pedals bike at 3rd White House science fair [nbc4i.com]

WASHINGTON (AP) - It was an offer President Barack Obama couldn't refuse. "You're welcome to try this out if you like," the Oakland Park, Fla., high school student said. With that, a president who often laments a lifestyle that denies him the pleasure of driving eagerly hopped on the blue-and-silver bicycle in his dark blue suit and pedaled away, never mind that the machinery didn't take him anywhere. "Only because these guys really want this," Obama said, gesturing to the small group of reporters and photographers who were brought to a White House garden to watch the president go from exhibit to exhibit at his third White House science fair. He said afterward that it's "one of my favorite events during the course of the year." As Obama pedaled, Payton Karr and Kiona Elliot, classmates at Northeast High School, explained their pedal-powered water filtration system. The collapsible, transportable emergency water-sanitation statio

Cycling summit coming to Springfield [springfieldnewssun.com]

After the Miami Valley Cycling Summit in Dayton in 2009, the city saw increased activity downtown and near the University of Dayton campus, and Dayton was designated a bike friendly community. The one-day event comes to Springfield for the first time May 31, and organizers say area leaders could get some ideas that could help turn cycling into an economic resource. “It’s a great showcase for the city of Springfield. It’s not only a chance to show some of our new infrastructure and amenities, it’s also an opportunity to draw a line so people can see the value of cycling,” said Chris Schutte, director of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. The summit is expected to draw about 400 people and will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hollenbeck Bayley Conference Center, 100 S. Fountain Ave. Clark County-Springfield Transportation Coordinating Committee Planner Louis Agresta said the event is expected to attract people from the Miami Valley as well as Columbus

Sandwichbike

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  Would you have believed that two wooden panels could deliver the funkiest ride there is? Designer Basten Leijh did, and dubbed it the Sandwichbike. A Dutch Design original that was inspired by the concept of flat packing, home assembly and our never-ending drive to create exceptional products. Now it is time to share it with the world, so that you can get involved too. RETHINKING THE CYCLE To enable you to build it yourself,  Basten Leijh  had to rethink every aspect of the classic velocipede.  He came up with a concept that is unlike anything out there. Instead of a welded frame, it is engineered as a ‘sandwich’ of two weather coated frames of layered plywood. Bonded together by ‘smart cylinders’, the frames and components become a rock-solid piece of technology that is both durable and extremely attractive. MAKING A SANDWICH… BIKE! The Sandwichbike fits in a small, flat package, so we can send it to you by post. The fun will begin the moment the postman rings your do

Spokejunkies first ride is Saturday, April 27, at Mohican State Park #letsride

Just a reminder for the mountain bikers out there. The Spokejunkies are holding their "First Ride" event this Saturday at Mohician State Park. You don't have to ride the entire trail (24 miles), there are a number of options for shorter routes.  In addition to riding, there will be food, raffle prizes, and best of all beer. Last year about 70 riders showed up. Everyone had a great time. Below are the details from the FB event. They goofed and made the event public to group members instead of public to all. The Spokejunkies are a free club/group. Join the group and then RSVP for the "First Ride". Spokejunkies FB Group -  https://www.facebook.com/ groups/Spokejunkies/ First Ride FB Event -  https://www.facebook.com/ events/147952125367816 ------------------- First Ride Details are here! This is going to be the biggest and best Spokejunkie First Ride! It has been an awful Spring, so I am sure you are anxious to get out and ride -so come on out and join the fun! The

Using Street Space for Bike Parking [Copenhagenize.com]

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I ventured into the city centre of Copenhagen for a night out yesterday and was thrilled to behold the new cycle track down Gothersgade. It's a one-way street for cars and bikes - until now. This stretch was a missing link for bicycle traffic. Bicycle users had to do a rather irritating detour to get to key destinations. Now a cycle track runs straight down the street towards the harbour while the street is still a one-way street for cars.  Mary blogged about it a short while back - you can see what the street looked like before - and now the construction is almost complete. On some stretches  The Arrogance of Space  has been addressed by adding cycle tracks in both directions, like above. Narrowing the space for cars to create safer conditions. [Keep reading at Copenhagenize]

Walking and biking makes us more secure in more ways than one [post-gazette.com]

Pennsylvania must invest in active modes of transportation not only to make us healthier, but also to help protect our country April 21, 2013 12:18 am Transportation systems have always played a vital role in America's national security. This was the case with early infrastructure like the Forbes Road that connected Carlisle, Pa., to western outposts like Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War and to the Port of Philadelphia and its naval shipyards shortly after the nation's founding.By Dennis L. Benchoff and Michael A. Dunn From these early investments to the development of our modern-day rail, aviation and interstate highway systems -- the latter formally known as the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways -- our state and national governments have invested in various types of transportation on the grounds of national defense. As retired general officers of the U.S. armed forces and members of a growing effort known as Missi

Columbus Recreation and Parks Trail Construction Updates

ALUM CREEK TRAIL - ACADEMY PARK SUSPENSION BRIDGE The suspension bridge over Alum Creek between Academy Park and Wolfe Park will be closed from April 15 to September 1 for a restoration project.  The historic structure was built in 1922 and will undergo a complete overhaul of the towers, railings, decking, and approaches.  The structural work will close the trail for a short segment on the east side (Wolfe Park) of the river, between Broad Street and Park Drive.  Signed detours around the bridge site are posted for users. See the  Detour Map . GRANDVIEW AVENUE TO CENTRAL POST OFFICE / 910 DUBLIN ROAD We are excited to announce that construction is now beginning on the gap in the Scioto Trail between Grandview Avenue and the Central Post Office.  This linkage is being built by ODOT, and will connect the entire path between downtown and the Grandview/Hilltop area.  Construction includes two bridges over the Scioto River.  During this 18 month time period, users will not be able

Eric Barone at 222.22 km / h downhill

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The Barone Speed ​​Week 2013 is over, and once again Eric Barone proves he is a man of challenge. Monday, April 15, 2013, he broke the world record for downhill mountain bike series recording a speed 217.30 km / h to the cells. It lacks a few km / h almost beat his own world record on a bike prototype set at 222.22 km / h. It lets you enjoy the passing of Eric downhill. Turn the sound up! Teaser made ​​in 3D until the long format ...!