Friday, February 8, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Midnight Ridazz Website from LA
This ride sounds vaguely familiar
The site...
When someone says "Midnight Ridazz!!"
You say "RIDE ON!!"
The Midnight Ridazz is formally described as a group of bicycle enthusiasts who have been riding together on the second Friday of every month since February of 2004. Originally conceived and founded by SKULL and lovingly cared for by MABELL, MUFF and a small group of planners and care takers, the rides quickly grew from the original 8 "Mammas and Papas" to current ride counts of 1300+ Ridazz.
Skeptics may scoff at the irreverence of this alleged "Party on Wheels." But the party atmosphere just might be what has made this simple bicycle ride so popular in a city like Los Angeles where people barely get their mail without hopping in a car. Some attribute the movement to the high assed gas prices, or the frustration of LA traffic. Still others simply write off the Midnight Ridazz as a bunch of bored art school students. It's all of these things and more!
Consider: Riding a bicycle is a sensual alternative to the "boy in the bubble" car voyages that hide everything good that a city has to offer. It is an experience in sights, sounds, thrills, physical activity, and local economy that could never be replicated by a night out at (Sh)City Walk. Midnight Ridazz is about riding bicyles, hanging out, acting silly, being whimsical, speaking up, and having a good heart. Come out and enjoy a relaxed pace bicycle ride at the end of a week of computers, dispatchers, rude customers, corporate politics and all the other crap that comes with living in a world of sad clowns. Banish the clowns! Send in the Ridazz.
JOIN US.
Moving forward we're inviting everybody to join in the fun. The Ridazz that be have created this site to help empower YOU to create your own rides, routes and good timezz. Start yourself a recurring ride, have a bar crawl or even throw a one timer in the daylight... It's your ride.
What Midnight Ridazz is:
-Fun
-Friendships
-Non Confrontational
-Family
-Compassionate
-Open - Minded
-Multi-cultural
What Midnight Ridazz is NOT:
-Mean Spirited
-Political
-Commercialized
-Non-inclusive
-Abrasive
-Protest
The site...
When someone says "Midnight Ridazz!!"
You say "RIDE ON!!"
The Midnight Ridazz is formally described as a group of bicycle enthusiasts who have been riding together on the second Friday of every month since February of 2004. Originally conceived and founded by SKULL and lovingly cared for by MABELL, MUFF and a small group of planners and care takers, the rides quickly grew from the original 8 "Mammas and Papas" to current ride counts of 1300+ Ridazz.
Skeptics may scoff at the irreverence of this alleged "Party on Wheels." But the party atmosphere just might be what has made this simple bicycle ride so popular in a city like Los Angeles where people barely get their mail without hopping in a car. Some attribute the movement to the high assed gas prices, or the frustration of LA traffic. Still others simply write off the Midnight Ridazz as a bunch of bored art school students. It's all of these things and more!
Consider: Riding a bicycle is a sensual alternative to the "boy in the bubble" car voyages that hide everything good that a city has to offer. It is an experience in sights, sounds, thrills, physical activity, and local economy that could never be replicated by a night out at (Sh)City Walk. Midnight Ridazz is about riding bicyles, hanging out, acting silly, being whimsical, speaking up, and having a good heart. Come out and enjoy a relaxed pace bicycle ride at the end of a week of computers, dispatchers, rude customers, corporate politics and all the other crap that comes with living in a world of sad clowns. Banish the clowns! Send in the Ridazz.
JOIN US.
Moving forward we're inviting everybody to join in the fun. The Ridazz that be have created this site to help empower YOU to create your own rides, routes and good timezz. Start yourself a recurring ride, have a bar crawl or even throw a one timer in the daylight... It's your ride.
What Midnight Ridazz is:
-Fun
-Friendships
-Non Confrontational
-Family
-Compassionate
-Open - Minded
-Multi-cultural
What Midnight Ridazz is NOT:
-Mean Spirited
-Political
-Commercialized
-Non-inclusive
-Abrasive
-Protest
Bike Month
MAY IS NATIONAL BIKE MONTH
The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 12-16 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 16. Need some ideas? Here are 50 ways (large PDF) to celebrate Bike Month. Help us Count Cyclists In this May, and every month!
This is the official site for National Bike Month. Check the events section often to see what bike month and bike to work week events are going on in your community. If you would like to submit your event information to be posted on their site, email it to communication@bikeleague.org. Please make sure you write, "Bike Month Event" in the subject line of the email.
Please post any events surrounding Columbus Bike to Work Week.
The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 12-16 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 16. Need some ideas? Here are 50 ways (large PDF) to celebrate Bike Month. Help us Count Cyclists In this May, and every month!
This is the official site for National Bike Month. Check the events section often to see what bike month and bike to work week events are going on in your community. If you would like to submit your event information to be posted on their site, email it to communication@bikeleague.org. Please make sure you write, "Bike Month Event" in the subject line of the email.
Please post any events surrounding Columbus Bike to Work Week.
Allegheny Trail Alliance
Ashley, a friend of mine from Wheeling, and I rode from West Newton to Frostburg which is 104 miles one way. We rode down and back over one weekend. We are planning on riding from Frostburg to Hancock, MD this year. This is a great rail trail. Very beautiful.
Welcome to the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile system of biking and hiking trails connecting Cumberland, MD and Pittsburgh, PA. The connection to the C & O Canal Towpath in Cumberland, MD was completed in 2006, creating a continuous non-motorized corridor, 316 miles long, from near Pittsburgh to Washington, DC. Seven trails are organized under the Allegheny Trail Alliance and includes the Montour Trail for a 52 mile branch to the Pittsburgh International Airport.
C&O Trail Resources
Bike Washington
Linking Up
The cure for carbon breakage
After breaking the stock Bontrager carbon seatpost I replaced it with a Performance Forte Carbon seatpost. The replacement lasted two weeks. On the most recent night ride we were heading south from Schiller Park and suddenly my seat tilted backward. I rode partly standing and partly on the nose of the seat to finish the ride.
When I got home I pulled it apart and found the ridges which allow the seat tilt were ground off. Totally flattened. So I decided to forego carbon this time around and went with the Thomson Elite Seatpost.
Lovely aluminum. Solid seat mounting. Ovalized interior post. If I break this, Thomson should hire me for product testing.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
2/4/2008 Ride Report
It was moist. and misty. And then I cleaned my glasses off and everything was good. 57 degrees. 15 riders at the start. We headed north through campus and ended up at the bike polo field. We picked up another ten people.
The highlights;
Zach returned to lead the ride (his girlfriend let him out and it was above 55 degrees)
A roundabout can mislead riders into thinking they are safe, until the riders decide to ride in opposite directions at the most inopportune time. Can you say, "Two go in, one comes out."
Jamar (sp) now has jean shorts after his jeans were pulled through the crank and chain at Schiller Park. Thank god he wasn't riding fast at that moment.
I broke another seatpost - second in two weeks. Carbon sucks, aluminum rules.
The highlights;
Zach returned to lead the ride (his girlfriend let him out and it was above 55 degrees)
A roundabout can mislead riders into thinking they are safe, until the riders decide to ride in opposite directions at the most inopportune time. Can you say, "Two go in, one comes out."
Jamar (sp) now has jean shorts after his jeans were pulled through the crank and chain at Schiller Park. Thank god he wasn't riding fast at that moment.
I broke another seatpost - second in two weeks. Carbon sucks, aluminum rules.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Sheldon Brown: 1944 - 2008
Dear Harris Cyclery friends and customers,
It is with heavy hearts that we convey to you the news that Sheldon Brown has passed away. Our thoughts go out to his family at this time. The cycling community has lost one of it's most passionate members.
Sheldon Brown (July 14, 1944 - February 3, 2008) was an American bicycle mechanic and technical authority. He maintained an extensive website containing detailed articles relating to bicycle mechanics and maintenance, as well as a thorough glossary of bicycling terminology. His trademark beard and plastic helmet-mounted eagle, named Igor, were matters of frequent comment.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Third Hand Bicycle Co-op Report
When you ride your bike through inclement weather, then let it bake on, then repeat for a week or so, the dirt becomes encrusted. It almost, just almost becomes a permanent part of the bike. Rinse and repeat only works so well. When we ran the chain through the cleaner chunks of gunk went flying. We were able to get the drivetrain pretty clean. Clean enough to realize a chunk of the derailleur pulley wheel is missing! That may have been the flying chunks.
The brakes were another story. They needed to be overhauled. Disassembled, then lubed and reassembled. Plus a new cable. Christian at the Third Hand did a great job of diagnosing, repairing and adjusting. He also had some advice for someone, "Clean your bike."
I recommend Third Hand if you are looking for a rehabbed bike, or to build up your own. Or if you want to learn how to repair your own. They also have t-shirts, patches and stickers to spread the word.
Website
The brakes were another story. They needed to be overhauled. Disassembled, then lubed and reassembled. Plus a new cable. Christian at the Third Hand did a great job of diagnosing, repairing and adjusting. He also had some advice for someone, "Clean your bike."
I recommend Third Hand if you are looking for a rehabbed bike, or to build up your own. Or if you want to learn how to repair your own. They also have t-shirts, patches and stickers to spread the word.
Website
Saturday Ride Report
I rode with someone north through Clintonville to Worthington. We made a loop through the Rush Creek neighborhood with the Usonian houses. If you have never been through the neighborhood it is worth driving or walking through. There is a path that crosses through the ravine and very little traffic. The houses are inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.
Newspaper story about neighborhood
Weather was partly cloudy in the low 40's
Mileage: 25 miles
Newspaper story about neighborhood
Weather was partly cloudy in the low 40's
Mileage: 25 miles
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