3rd Annual Oglebay Christmas Lights Ride Report

13 riders
Temps in the upper 20's
Rode from the Alpha Restaurant out to Elm Grove on the trail. We took National Road to Peters Run Road up to Route 88. Then we looped through the lights at Speidel and then headed up to the ski lodge to warm up at the firepit. From there we headed down past the pool area and headed up toward the lodge. Kevin shifted and blew up his rear derailleur when the pin shattered on the pivot. After converting the bike to a SS we headed down Falls Drive to Waddles Run and back through Woodsdale to the Alpha.
17 miles total
One DNF

Niterider Lightning Bug and Stinger Taillight

Introducing the Lightning Bug and Stinger Taillight, these lights were designed with the same quality and attention to detail as our high end bike lights. Battery installation, mounting and operation can practically be done with your eyes closed. Due to the ease of installation and their small size, they are quickly removed and stowed into your pocket. The Lightning Bug comes in 6 different colors and you can choose from a 1, 2 or 3 LED version. The Stinger Taillight operates off a powerful ½ watt LED, allowing you to be seen from a half mile away. Whether you’re out for a quick spin around the block or a cruise down the boardwalk the Lightning Bug and Stinger help you be seen.

[niterider website]

Fight cancer, and enter to win a trip to cycle in Italy! (from Hampsten Cycles blog)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2010

Cancer sucks...

...and riding in Italy is great! From Brother Andy:

Here we have is a contest raising funds for Andreas Knickman going on this week. All funds go to the Knickman family, are tax deductible, and the winner gets to to party in Italy or France on a Cinghiale bike tour.

Andreas Knickman is my team mate Roy's 16 year old son, and is in the not fun stage of fighting bone cancer. For $5, you and your friends can buy a ticket that could be the winning ticket. Each ticket is a win for the Knickmans, and you can buy as many tickets as you want.

The contest is being run by Fatcyclist, because he is the best at fund raising. He is the top fund raiser for the LAF. Please check it out on his site and tell your friends who you think might like riding, eating, drinking and having fun in Europe with their bikes.

So far the site has raised $3,700 for the Knickmans, so please add to that for our boy Roy!

Andy Hampsten

(The Fatcyclist PayPal link will go a fireman's fund. Roy is a fireman and this fund is being used for Roy's son.)

Editor's note: Little known fact that the Hampsten brothers were born in Columbus, OH. Maybe we can get them to come back for Bike the C-Bus 2011 so they can see how much has changed in Columbus.

Milton Avenue (Columbus, OH) Bike Box Poll - From Tricia Kovacs

I attended an Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals 
webinar today on bike boxes. Chris Monsere spoke about the bike boxes in 
Portland and reported that 77% of cyclists think that bike boxes make an 
intersection safer. I’ve been opposed to the bike box on the Milton Bike 
Blvd for reasons that you can read about here:
http://yaybikes.com/groups/yay-bikes/forum/topic/why-bike-boxes-are-dangerous/

But I don’t like it when others decide what they think is safe for me. 
And I shouldn’t impose my way of doing things on others, either. So, in 
order to figure out what Columbus cyclists think, I’ve created a poll 
regarding bike boxes. It doesn’t ask whether you think bike boxes are 
more safe or more dangerous. The poll just asks if you think Columbus 
should build more of them. I would appreciate your opinion on this 
question, and I’d appreciate if you’d forward this poll to other cyclists.

By the way, the Milton bike box FHWA experimentation study is on the 
Columbus website: http://bit.ly/hSYqrN

Here’s the link to the poll: http://doodle.com/5a5mwdhny9t3zudc
Thanks, Tricia

Gran Fondo USA Website Live

What is a Gran Fondo?

Not quite a century, not quite a race, the Gran Fondo (Italian for the “Big Ride”) is a celebrated tradition in Italian cycling culture. A Gran Fondo is a long distance, mass-participation cycling event that welcomes professional, amateur, and recreational cyclists of all abilities . While not strictly competitive, these rides are timed to ensure cyclists complete the entire course and provide some scoring for quick completion of unique sections of the route.

[gran fondo website]

Metrofiets (Portland) has another amazing bike design! I love this...

[metrofiets website]

Some Christmas cheer for ya! 2009 Wheeling Christmas Parade crashing on bikes.

‘New-car smell' cited in Edwards hit-and-run case - VAIL DAILY

New Mercedes smell may have contributed to sleep apnea

Randy Wyrick
rwyrick@vaildaily.com
Vail, CO Colorado

EAGLE, Colorado — “New-car smell” might have contributed to the driver losing consciousness in a hit-and-run accident.

Martin Erzinger was driving a new 2010 Mercedes sedan when he rear-ended bicyclist Dr. Steven Milo, about 1:30 p.m. July 3.

Erzinger's attorneys say their client suffers from sleep apnea and fell asleep at the wheel before driving off U.S. Highway 6 and onto the shoulder near Miller Ranch Road, hitting Milo from behind.

An accident reconstructionist says new-car smell may have contributed to the accident.

[continue reading the insanity at Vail Daily]

Metrofiets (Portland) is selling some show bikes!

[website]

ACP Brevet 200k finally validated

I rode a 200k ACP Brevet on August 28th and finally got my "verified and validated" card in the mail today with the "Audax Club Parisian" stamp. Pretty cool. I am going to attempt another 200k in 2011.

[ohio randonneurs website]

How to Talk About Cycling to a Conservative - Commute by Bike

How to Talk About Cycling to a Conservative

by Tom Bowden

Tom Bowden is a bike commuter from Richmond VA, a “suit” – a corporate lawyer with an MBA, and a conservative – You betcha! He is also a board member of BikeWalk Virginia, a pro cycling and pedestrian group in Virginia that raises raises money to promote cycling, walking and active lifestyles.

---

I’m a registered Republican and I consider myself pretty conservative—so what the heck am I doing, you may wonder, writing a column on a bike advocacy blog? I’m a bike commuter, and I chair the Advocacy Committee of BikeWalk Virginia. What I am going to share is essentially the same approach I will use to try to make sure the Old Dominion does right by its cyclists and pedestrians, and gives us our fair share of the transportation outlays that always seem so car-centric. Our General Assembly is about to go into session, and I will be doing what I can to advance a pro-cycling agenda.

So, speaking as a right wing cyclist, here are some thoughts on how to talk to Republicans, Conservatives, TeaParty types, and even libertarians.

[continue reading at Commute by Bike]

Trek Belleville - Interesting Frame

Frameset
Sizes	46, 51, 55, 59, 64cm
Frame	Chromoly steel, city design
Fork	High tensile steel w/rack mounts
Wheels
Wheels	Shimano Nexus 3-speed rear hub, dynamo front hub; alloy 36-hole rims
Tires	Bontrager H2 Eco Design, 700x35c
Drivetrain
Shifters	Shimano Nexus, 3 speed
Front Derailleur	n/a
Rear Derailleur	n/a
Crank	Alloy 3 piece, steel 44T chainring
Cassette	19T cog
Pedals	Steel city
Components
Saddle	Bontrager Nebula Eco Design
Seat Post	Steel
Handlebars	Steel city design
Stem	Steel integrated
Headset	Semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset	Tektro alloy caliper brakes
Accessories
Extras	Matched fenders, chainguard, front and rear racks, dynamo powered lights

[trek site]

Seven Cafe Racer - Wow!

The Cafe Racer pays homage to the vintage motorcycles that once roamed Europe’s motorways in the 1960’s. By using Seven’s exclusive Integrity™ titanium tubing, our version adds elements of utility and durability to your commuting exploits.

[seven site]

Jamis Commuter 4

Commuter is the hip new in-town runabout for the enlightened, a way to bridge the gap between work and home, neighborhood errands and nearby locales.

The name sounds so businesslike, but don't be fooled. Our Commuters might be designed for the business of shuttling you around town, but they're much more than all-business. These are bikes that get you there with style and flair.

Full fenders, micro bells and pant guards (chainring-mounted pants guard on Commuter 2 and 1, full-length chainguard on Commuter 4 and 3) mean these bikes are ready for the inner city shuffle, to get you where you're going so you arrive lookin' good. Big 700c tires mean less rolling resistance and a smoother ride; just dial in your speed with the twist shifter, step down on those big-platform pedals with the no-slip inserts, and you're practically there already.

[jamis website]

Taking the 'Bond bike' for a spin in the snow - Bikeradar.com (Thanks Tim!)

Britain's Environmental Transport Association (ETA) have taken advantage of the early winter snow to demonstrate their caterpillar track-driven snow bike.

The kit is manufactured by Canadian company K-Trak and converts any existing 26in hardtail or full-suspension mountain bike into a snow bike. A single ski replaces the front wheel, while a specially designed rear wheel and rubber track setup enables the rider to retain use of their gears and rear brake.

The ETA used the K-Trak system to build its 'Bond bike' concept bike for the recent Cycle Show 2010 in London, primarily to promote the ETA's cycle insurance policies. However, the organisation's Yannick Read seized the opportunity provided by the recent snow in Britain to carry out a real-world test of the system. 

[bikeradar.com]

[order it here]