Columbus Rides Bikes!

Highlights 3 riders 30 miles 22-24 degrees F Headwind from NW 2 Bald Eagles 2 albino geese in a flock of 50+ flying around Athens Cycle-Path stop The drive down to Nelsonville was slower than normal because of the snow, but by the time I considered turning around I was halfway there. And, I figured that on the way back the roads would be clear and so I continued on to Nelsonville. When I pulled into the lot I saw Rick's car and then Andrew pulled in. Just three this year, and Pete and Marty didn't make it either, which was a bummer. In 2010, the temperature was 13 degrees for most of the ride and we stopped midway to Athens in Eclipse and had brunch at Jana's because everybody was cold. For the 2011 edition of HATTARICK, I planned for the weather. I decided to add another layer over my wind proof bibs and I ended up having a double chamois. I wore wool socks under my neoprene boots and used hand warmers in my gloves. Up top I wore two thin layers, my winter jack

RIDE THE DIVIDE , AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY FILM, ON MIDWEST MID-WINTER TOUR   Ride The Divide , the award-winning feature-length documentary about the world’s toughest mountain bike race, will kick off a Midwest mid-winter tour when it premieres in Columbus on Monday, January 24, at the COSI Extreme Screen Theater. The film chronicles the story of several mountain bikers who attempt the 2,711-mile race named the Tour Divide along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. The movie was named the Best Adventure Film at the 2010 Vail Film Festival. This film has become an instant cycling classic, and made its television premiere in September on the Documentary Channel. But the Adventure Cycling Association said the film should be seen on the big screen: “The cinematography is stunning!” Nowhere will it be more stunning than on COSI’s 7-story-tall extreme screen. UpaDowna added, “ Ride The Divide is one of the most inspiring real cycling movies … in a long time.” Epic Ridi

Riding around town has always been the right thing to do. Thanks to bikes like these, now it's also the cool--and fun--thing to do. [continue reading at Bicycling Magazine] 

Yesterday I learned that Franklin county Metroparks allows commuter and transportation cyclists to use the Greenways trails 24 hours. Here’s the text of the Metroparks Rules & Regulations: 22.2 Greenway Trails shall remain open at all times to allow commuting and transportation uses. Persons shall not operate motorized vehicles including electric personal assistive mobility devices on Greenway trails, except Park employees or emergency service personnel in the performance of their official duties or except as necessary for transportation by persons with disabilities. I verified this with Larry Peck, Deputy Director, and he responded that I should share this with other cyclists. Only the trails (not the parks) are open to commuter/transportation cyclists off hours. I believe that this rule went into effect on August 1, 2010, and I’m sorry that it wasn’t publicized more widely. Did anyone else know? I am so  impressed  with the Metroparks  willingness  to accommodate cyclists and th

10th Annual HATTARICK - Hockhocking Adena Trail To Athens Ride In the Cold for Koffee Saturday, January 8, 2011          10:00 AM Mass Start Ten years, can you believe that?   I didn't think so.  But hey, who would make something like that up?   (for the ten-year anniversary, I thought I'd re-introduce the spiritual aspect to the ride... and start with Mass again)   For this year's HATTARICK,  milestone 10 and all... we should do something special.     I'm thinking....  How about temperature's above 30 dF !!!    Geesh, was last year cold or what??   There must have been 15 people said they were definitely riding.... six showed up.  One for each degree above zero.   Certainly, those six degrees separated these riders far from the rest of the maddening crowd.    (ooh... I just got an eerie feeling after writing/reading that... did you?  spooky) Please Note:   The HATTARICK traditionally does not compete with other January 1 rides, as a courtesy...  to it'

Monday,  January 3, 2011 5:45 PM Updated: Monday,  January 3, 2011 7:05 PM WBNS-10TV Print Story E-mail Story COLUMBUS, Ohio  — For many people losing weight is at the top of their New Year's resolution list.  But many will abandon that plan by February, so as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Commit to be Fit, we show you a man who is literally half the size he used to be, 10TV's Andrea Cambern reported on Monday. As the head of Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, Kevin Miles is a larger-than-life crusader determined to clean up the streets of Columbus. [continue at 10TV]

The Long Street Tour's “Bike the C-Bus” is a fun way to get fit and check out a few of the neighborhoods in and around Columbus. Experience segments of the King Lincoln District, Woodland Park, Olde Town East, Downtown, Short North Arts District, Italian Village, Harrison West, Victorian Village, Arena District, Franklinton, Brewery District and German Village. The entire ride will cover approximately 30 miles over 4 segments and will feature stops that highlight change that is occurring in our neighborhoods. Each stop will be sponsored by businesses and community groups and provide snacks, drinks and entertainment for the riders. The ride is configured to allow cyclists to complete segments if they do not feel comfortable riding the entire route. The registration fee ($25 before August 1, 2011, $30 after) includes an official 2011 “Long Street Tour” t-shirt (if you register by August 1) and wristband along with drinks and food at designated rest stops, plus a free lunch at the

January 3, 2011 by  William Lind Filed under:  Car Stop   Contrary to what most people think, the revolution in personal mobility did not begin with the automobile.  It started about two decades before Henry Ford’s first Model T, and it was based on a combination of the electric railway and the safety bicycle. Electric streetcars and interurbans brought affordable, fast and frequent rail service to and between cities  -  -  every American city or town with more than 5000 people had at least one streetcar line.  The interurbans also tied towns and the countryside to the cities.  The safety bicycle  -  -  a bicycle with equal-sized wheels that was easy to mount  -  -  was the first bicycle women and less athletic men could ride.  It provided greatly enhanced local mobility compared to walking.  Together, electric railways and safety bicycles offered the middle and working classes the level of mobility previously reserved to those wealthy enough to afford a carriage.  [continue reading at

Single Stage $150 This finish is a great choice if you are on a tight budget, want more color options than powder coating offers or you just want your bike a single color. The single stage polyurethane enamel is tough as nails (they paint semi’s with this stuff). No clear coat, just epoxy primer and paint. Simple as that. Single Color $350 This is our standard high quality finish. We start by removing the previous finish, either by chemical stripping or light media blasting. Then on to a self-etching primer for protection, then a surfacer to prepare the way for the base coat. After sanding the primer, your bike is now ready for the base color of your choice and any artwork you may have dreamed up. Next we lay the first coat of clear and then sand it to ensure that the final layer of clear is the tastiest it can be. *Specialty paints such as Candies and Pearls are available for an extra charge.  Powder Coat coming soon... More Choices: Additional Colors..........................$35 ea.

Bicycle Quarterly   is a magazine for discerning cyclists, who enjoy their bikes, whether on a weekend ride, commuting, randonneuring, racing or touring the countryside. In   Bicycle Quarterly , you find professionally written articles about a variety of topics rarely covered in the "mainstream" cycling press (scroll down to read all):  [continue at Bicycle Quarterly]

I purchased this pump from Performance Bike in 2007. I also have a Silca Pista pump, but the gauge was never accurate and it needed to be rebuilt (still needs to be rebuilt) so I looked at the Joe Blow Pro which seemed well built and was a mid priced model at $60. Pros The gauge is at the top of the pump and very easy to read. Base is wide to stand on even with one foot. Pumps tires quickly Cons Because the gauge is at the top it seems a little top heavy and falls over The locking ring at the top of the pump loosens and loses air (very easily fixed by tightening, but still can be a nuisance when it sounds like your tire is leaking). Mixed Reaction The SmartHead is nice because you don't worry about switching any parts to pump Schrader or Presta valves. But, after three years the head basically stopped working and caused me to lose air pressure on the tire and without a backup would have been stuck. The good news is the entire hose assembly can be replaced simply by unscrewing the

Take a closer look at the  BUSHTREKKA  and you will find a product that has been developed specifically for bicycle touring. The trailer frame itself has features that set it apart from any other trailer on the market.   Take for example the  pivoting wheelset . By utilising two wheels under each side of the trailer, harnessed to a pivoting rocker frame, the trailer can easily absorb most of the uneven terrain in its environment. Additional to this, each set of wheels operates independently of the other, creating a clutter free underbelly on the trailer. By adjusting the positioning of each pivot frame vertically, the ride height of the unit can be adjusted for bikes from 20" up to 29".   Storage  is also at a maximum for this trailer. By using every piece of available space, we've created three main storage compartments with over 41 gallons (180 litres) of storage. Easy access at all times, even when set up, ensures you have what you need, when you need it.   Our trailer