Columbus Rides Bikes!

[Story here at Road.cc]

The phrase “white privilege” is one that rubs a lot of white people the wrong way. It can trigger something in them that shuts down conversation or at least makes them very defensive. (Especially those who grew up relatively less privileged than other folks around them). And I’ve seen more than once where this happens and the next move in the conversation is for the person who brought up white privilege to say, “The reason you’re getting defensive is because you’re feeling the discomfort of having your privilege exposed.” I’m sure that’s true sometimes. And I’m sure there are a lot of people, white and otherwise, who can attest to a kind of a-ha moment or paradigm shift where they “got” what privilege means and they did realize they had been getting defensive because they were uncomfortable at having their privilege exposed. But I would guess that more often than not, the frustration and the shutting down is about something else. It comes from the fact that nobody wants t

Started from the Acadia NP visitor center carriage road trailhead. 30 miles. 2500+ ft climbing. Crushed limestone/gravel bed with beautiful views of the ocean, lakes and mountains. Temps in the mid to upper 50's. Stopped to make coffee at the top of Day Mountain. The trails are marked but can be confusing.

This video covers the first half of a cross-country bike trip from California to North Carolina. I was riding solo for this half, so my video camera was my primary source of (one-sided) conversation and diversion. Thankfully my dear pal Mel joined me in Kansas for the second half of the bike ride so I could stop talking to myself. Just can't wait to get on the road again... Read more about this adventure here: http://www.cyclingsilk.com/blog/?cat=5 Cycling X-USA: Part 1 from California to Kansas from Kate Harris on Vimeo . Cycling X-USA: Part 2 from Kansas to North Carolina from Kate Harris on Vimeo .

http://kck.st/1t52LzF http://www.roguehb.com

During construction of my latest Pugsley, to replace the 9zero7 that I never came to enjoy, I wondered if I really needed three bicycles – actually four if you include the Dawes Ultra Galaxy touring bike lying in bits scattered across the cosmos – okay, scattered around the shed and attic. Did I really need a Surly Ogre, a Surly Krampug and a Surly Pugsley? When I sat looking at the bikes in the shed, comfortable in my wee folding chair with a fine Italian medium strength coffee in one hand and a large Kit-Kat in the other, I saw that there was very little difference between the three bikes. They were all made by Surly, the geometry of all three was very similar, they all had Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub gearing with 32T front chain rings and seating, steering and brakes were all almost identical. They were even all the same colour, green, for goodness sake! The only difference I could see that made any difference at all was the wheel sets. The Ogre had 28 mm wide Halo Freedom 29e

Photo by Jamie McCaffrey Rain, whether a mist or a downpour, is a game changer. But, while it’s not top on the list for premiere riding conditions, with a few tricks up your sleeve, it’s easy to turn a ride in the rain from a soggy nightmare into a pleasure cruise. Time It Right The first thing to remember when riding in the rain is to take your time. Leave your house a few minutes earlier than usual, slow down, and ride consistently. Use Your Brain The road will be slick during those first 15 minutes of rain (remember those oils on the roadway that you learned about back in your high school driver’s ed class?), and your brakes will be less responsive. Watch out for surfaces that are usually fine in dry conditions. That includes metal plates, bridge decks, painted street surfaces and leaf piles. Mind the Corner Slow down before making a turn, and minimize breaking while you round a corner. Be Seen In order to stay safe in the rain, it’s imperative that you’re visible.

Earlier this month, New York City  lowered its citywide speed limit  from 30 miles per hour to 25. This means that anywhere that a specific speed limit isn't posted, the default is 25 (but if a slower or higher one is posted, drivers must follow that instead). The move is part of  Vision Zero , the city's initiative to reduce pedestrian traffic deaths and injuries. Critics said the measure reflects Mayor Bill de Blasio's efforts to " demonize speed " — and that, in a city choked with traffic, it's only fair to let cars to travel at a meager 30 miles per hour when they happen to hit an open stretch of road. "PUT SIMPLY, DRIVING SLOWER SAVES LIVES" But here's the thing: research unequivocally tells us that this measure will save lives and reduce injuries among both drivers and pedestrians — so long as it's successfully enforced. If anything, New York should have gone further, reducing speed limits to 20. [Keep reading at Vox.com]

 Europe’s cycling industry now employs more people than mining and quarrying and almost twice as many as the steel industry, says new study Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images Arthur Neslen , Brussels Wednesday 12 November 2014  07.50 EST Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Share on LinkedIn Share on Google+ Shares 2,291 Comments 43 Europe’s cycling industry now employs more people than mining and quarrying and almost twice as many as the steel industry, according to the first comprehensive study of the jobs created by the sector. Some 655,000 people work in the cycling economy – which includes bicycle production, tourism, retail, infrastructure and services – compared to  615,000 people in mining and quarrying , and  just 350,000 workers directly employed in the steel sector . [Keep reading at The Guardian]

Science says  you should keep babies away from ledges  and  going bald is upsetting . The latest from the  Journal of Duh : More people ride their bicycles when infrastructure makes it easier and safer to get around on two wheels. The Obesity Society just publicized  results of a study  by University of North Carolina researchers examining how the development of the  Minneapolis Greenway  —  an intercity system of bike freeways connecting the places where people live and work  – affected commuters’ habits over a decade. [Keep reading at Grist]

Fixed On Fixed from Raechel Harding on Vimeo .

Erick Cedeno with Lawson Mabry’s children, Elizabeth and Will. (Mabry is the man who hosted Erick through WarmShowers.org and showed him the historical ledgers from his family’s slave-owning days)PHOTO: Courtesy Erick Cedeno Erick Cedeño, founder of the company Bicycle Nomad, has been car-free for five years. So when in September 2013 his bicycle was stolen in Buffalo, N.Y., less than 20 miles from the finish of Adventure Cycling Association's 2,000-mile Underground Railroad route, he was crushed. "At first I was like, 'How am I going to get around? How am I going to finish this route?' " Cedeño says. But he wasn't going to let his hardship prevent him from reaching his destination at the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Cliff Madell, owner of Teen Treks, a Buffalo organization that promotes adventure cycling to teenagers, loaned him a bike to finish - something Madell says was "the right thing to do." "I kept remembering the p

Salsa Cycles Understanding Blackborow from Salsa Cycles on Vimeo .

The Thirties come alive on two wheels Pininfarina took inspiration from the iconic tailor – made cars of the Thirties, to create an elegant and pure shape enriched by the combination of modern and classical materials. The frame is in fact made of tubes in chromed steel hand- made weld by skilled artisans and adorned by a walnut briar-root coating. References to the heritage are also detectable in the handlebars and in the seat, dressed with a The Bridge leather whose inspiration comes from the interlaced leather used in the interiors of the Lancia Astura Bocca, an iconic model designed by Pininfarina in 1936. Several are the innovations acting as counterpart to the tradition. The booster system Bike+, that optimizes the cyclist’s energy through a miniaturized electric engine, allowing the rider to cover longer distances and to replace other means of transportation.  The led lighting system based on a brand-new high performance lamp. The “connect the plug system” to rechar

Nov 14, 2014 —  Just another reminder to contact your representative to ask them to vote for HB145. https://www.votervoice.net/BikeLeague/campaigns/36268/respond Would you also ask others to sign this petition to show their support? Let's join the other 22 states with a 3' passing law! Please support HB 145 to make biking safer and more convenient in Ohio!   Ohio House Bill 145 was approved May 28 by the Ohio House Transportation Committee, and is now facing a possible vote  next month  on the floor of the Ohio House.  House Bill 145 is sponsored by State Representative Mike Henne, and supported by the Ohio Bicycle Federation.    House Bill 145 would do two good things for Ohio's cyclists:  Require that motorists leave a safe passing distance of at least three feet when passing Ohio cyclists.   Passage would make Ohio the 23 rd  state to have this safer passing requirement. Permit all Ohio vehicles to proceed after stopping and yielding right-of-way when not d

#CoffeeOutside - PathLessPedaled.com from Russ Roca on Vimeo .

There’s something special happening right now within the US framebuilding industry. Something that ought not to be overlooked, no matter how too good to be true it might seem. Before we go any further however, I must make one note: a production frame is not a custom frame. There’s a misconception that everything made by a framebuilder is custom. A production run is a series of sizes, made in an assembly-line process, which drastically reduces cost on both the builder’s end and the consumer’s end. With that come a few issues: one of which being fit and others include – often times – paint choice, or adding extras like braze-ons, pump pegs, chain holders, etc. The most important factor however is fit. Many people are driven to a framebuilder due to fit issues, but a majority of the population can be fit on a stock geometry with a series of tweaks. That said, the geometry for these stock sizes has to be able to accommodate. [Keep reading at The Radavist]

A campaign in Austin, Texas, wants to replace aggression on the road with a friendly wave. Car drivers  are from Mars and cyclists are from Venus, and sometimes they fail to communicate. Instead of appreciating of each other's rights, both groups have a tendency to get nasty on the road, which benefits no one. In the long term, the answer is probably full separation, with cyclists given their own infrastructure. But in the short term, we have to just get along better. To that end, a new  shared streets campaign  in Austin, Texas, has a simple solution: waving. "There's infrastructure stuff happening and there are laws passing. But meantime if everyone has a horrible attitude, it's still going to be adversarial," says  Adam Butler , creator of the  Wave campaign . "What's the software of all that stuff? It's the attitude of people, which doesn't cost anything." The campaign is so simple it sounds trite. It encour

 Bryan Derballa/WIRED There are certain things guaranteed to set off an internet firestorm. Talk about climate change, mention Monsanto, or bring up the treatment of women in video games. And you can, especially in recent years, piss off a whole bunch of people simply by writing about bikes and cars. Nothing seems to bring out the angry caps lock and personal attacks faster than transportation issues. A recent  report showing more cyclists are dying on US streets  prompted a remarkable number of stories  about cyclist safety . And in the comments section of each, people rehashed the same tired arguments over and over. So, before the next big wave of internet arguing, I propose we retire a few overused and underwhelming opinions in the bikes vs. cars debate. Though I drive and bike, my allegiances skew toward cyclists (feel free to scroll straight the comments and yell at me). But beyond my personal judgments lie a great many studies and data showing most of the pro-motorist ar

Tom Magliozzi (right) with his brother and cohost, Ray (Photo by Car Talk/Richard Howard) Tom Magliozzi had one of the most recognizable voices—and laughs—on public radio. As half of "Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers,” Magliozzi hosted the popular NPR program “Car Talk” with his brother Ray for 37 years, mixing in helpful advice with a string of wisecracks and automotive banter. [Keep reading at Bicycling Mag]

We are doing another tweed ride! We are meeting at North Market at 9:00 AM for coffee and breakfast. We will roll out around 10:30 AM. It will be a "slow ride" with stops for photo ops, food, and drinks.  Two stops along the way...plus photo ops....Woodlands Backyard and The Land Grant Brewery. After the ride we are going to visit our good friends at the Elevator Tap Room. If you think tweed rides are silly and just want to ride and chat with the good people in the "Cycling Friends" group, that's fine too. Everyone is welcome regardless of your attire. The route is 10 gentle miles. See it here:  http://ridewithgps.com/ routes/6359776 We will be holding a few contests this year. Thanks to  Brian Meyers  for setting this up, and donating the prizes! Most Fetching Lady: A Basket of assorted English tea and a copy of Queens 1978 Album "Jazz". Most Dapper Gentleman: A copy of The Beatles Greatest Hits 1967-1970 and a six pack of New Castle Brown Ale Lad

There are so many roads in life with signs that tell us where to turn, when to stop and how to go. For the roads that don’t tell you what to do, for the roads with no names, for every road, the new GT Grade. KEY FEATURES GT Adventure carbon frame and fork, disc specific, triple triangle with tapered head tube, PF BB30 bottom bracket, removable fender bridge, all-day geometry, Dual Fiber Dynamic technology GT Carbon tapered fork 1” 1/8-1” 1/4, disc specific, 15mm thru-axle, threadless carbon steerer Shimano 105 crankset 52/36 with Praxis Works PF30 Shimano 105 STI 11spd derailleur Shimano R685 hydraulic disc brakes (F&R), 160mm Ice Tech center lock rotors Stans No Tubes Grail Disc Specific Road 28h Rims w/ Formula 4 bearing sealed, center lock. (F: 15mm thru-axle; R: 135mm x 9mm) [GT]

Tuscany Trail || unsupported bicycle adventure || from Martino Vincenzi on Vimeo .

Because we put fit first, this cap is offered in 2 sizes. FEATURES: Made from 100% lightweight cotton twill Super-soft interior elastic sweatband [See more products at  Machines for Freedom]

Tip of spear. Ahead of the curve. Leader. All are accurate descriptions for the new Forefront. A full-coverage helmet ideal for all-mountain riding or racing, the Forefront's AEROCORE construction featuring Koroyd creates a low volume helmet with ventilated protection that fully integrates with your sunglasses, goggles, light, or POV camera. 21 VENTS X-STATIC PERFORMANCE LINING VENTILATED PROTECTION FEATURING PATENTED KOROYD MATERIAL INTEGRATED SKELETAL STRUCTURE AND CARBON FIBER REINFORCEMENTS VAPORFIT ADJUSTABLE FIT SYSTEM ADJUSTABLE/REMOVEABLE VISOR INTEGRATED CAMERA & LIGHT MOUNT ULTRA-LIGHT SINGLE LAYER WEBBING AIREVAC GOGGLE VENTILATION GOGGLE RETENTION STRAP INCLUDED CERTIFICATION: CPSC, CE EN 1078 HELMET SIZING (DIAL FIT SYSTEM): SMALL 51-55CM + MEDIUM 55-59CM + LARGE 59-63CM [Smith Optics]

Cars have no excuse to not see a cyclist with these lights, which are as bright as a car's and shine out in every direction. After a couple of years of riding his bike home after work in Seattle's dark, rainy weather, engineer  Pete Clyde  started to drive more often. As a cyclist, he realized he just wasn't visible enough at night, even with the brightest bike lights. So Clyde designed a light of his own. The new LED lights, called  Orfos Flares , make a bicycle as bright as the cars around it. "As I rode at night, I realized that cars normally scan for other cars," Clyde says. "If you think about what a  car looks  like from the side, you can see it from many angles. Bikes don't have that. By designing bike lights with 360 degree visibility, you get that same aspect of the wraparound objects." The lights use ultra-efficient LEDs glowing at 500 lumens, the same brightness as taillights on a modern car. A clear silicone shell lets the beam shi