Columbus Rides Bikes!

We had 20+ riders. 25 mile loop. Hayden Run Falls. Mad Mex for some. Junior's Tacos for others.

New Construction---Scioto Trail   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 to access the path @ Grandview Avenue, and the path will be barricaded near its current end @ the Post Office.  Users will still be able to use the path from the Confluence to the Sauder Avenue bridge and cross to the Floodwall Path.  Users can also still use the north segment of the trail from McKinley Avenue, the new Hilltop Connector bridge, and a 0.5 mile section to Riversedge.    Riversedge to Fifth Avenue Construction starts in September on a new 1 mile extension of the trail north to Fifth Avenue

Photo:   Garmin-Sharp’s Tyler Farrar is considered America’s top sprinter. (Dirk Waem/AFP/Getty) Men’s Road Race – July 28 Speedsters such as reigning world champion  Mark Cavendish ,  André Greipel ,  Peter Sagan , and Tyler Farrar  hope the race stays together for an all-out bunch sprint at the end of this 155-mile affair that starts and finishes on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. But in between is an arduous out-and-back loop that includes nine trips up the short but tough Box Hill climb. That ascent could serve as an ideal launching pad for one-day specialists such as Philippe Gilbert of Belgium, Sagan, Swiss star Fabian Cancellera, or even American veteran Chris Horner, who received his first Olympic berth. Cavendish took a sprint win at last year’s Olympic test event, but that race included just two trips up Box Hill. “More teams will want to obliterate the race than keep it together for a field sprint,” says Christian Vande Velde, who raced for the U.S.

The journey to bring the Vaya Travel to life started way back at the origins of the Vaya itself. The Vaya originated as our all-surface road and touring bike. It came out of our quest for durability, versatility, and great ride quality. The Vaya quickly became my go-to bike for the majority of my non-trail riding. My job involves handling Salsa product from concept to first delivery, and with this I travel the world visiting suppliers and customers, seeing some amazing places, and logging around 75,000 miles a year on an airplane. With all of these great places, I longed to have my Vaya with me to ride. Continue reading and see the specs at Salsa  -->

By Maurice Tierney, Unveiled in Utah for the 2013 model year, the Beargrease is Salsa’s new lightweight racing fatbike. Those of you in southern latitudes may not know this but there’s actually lunatics out there who ride and even race bicycles on snow, and they need fat, fat tires to do so. Fatbikes, with their 3.8” and larger tires are gaining popularity for their floatation abilities over sand, snow, any any other surface for that matter. I have demo’ed (never raced) a fatbike or two here and there, thinking they were a bit cumbersome. Salsa is addressing this, as well as the needs of actual racers, with the Beargrease. Based on Salsa’s Mukluk fatbike yet five pounds lighter I am told, a ride on the Beargrease changed my mind about the viability of fatbikes in general. Read on...

The 10th Annual DCFT Community Ties Bicycle Tour presented by OhioHealth promises to build on the  break-out success of previous years, with well-marked routes through scenic Delaware County, multiple snack stops featuring homemade cookies, and another delicious and healthful, locally grown and made lunch provided by the  Glass Rooster Home Cannery under a large outdoor tent. Date:  July 28, 2012 Time:  7 - 9 a.m.  (10 a.m. for Family Ride) Location:  Northside Fellowship Church                 6841 Freeman Road Westerville, OH Thanks to our additional 2012 sponsors :          More than 275 riders participated in the 2011 ride -- the largest turnout ever with all proceeds going to support multi-purpose trail development in Delaware County connecting with the statewide Ohio to Erie Trail.  The ride features options of 31, 62 and 100 miles as well as an 8-mile Family Ride, and includes scenic areas, rare bird habitats, parks, new sections of the Ohio

After years of being locked away in a dusty corner of the shop, we have decided to bring back the original Rock n' Road tire - along with a host of improvements. Built by Panaracer in Japan, the new tire is ideal for all-purpose riding. Not a full road tire, not a full dirt tire, but a great all-arounder. The things you need to know: The new tire measures out at a nice 43mm ( or 1.72" for the Imperial folks) x 700c. It's lighter than the original. Our 43mm x 700c samples all weighed right about 540g. We paid extra for top quality! Japanese-built by Panaracer, the tire has a nice kevlar folding bead and a classic gumwall. We are doing introductory pre-order pricing of $100/set delivered for the first 100 sets - that works out to less than $50/tire. Try and find a tire this nice for under $50/ea. The tire is expected to land the first week of June and will ship as fast as we can stuff them into a box - pricing will change after June 1st! Pre-Order the Rock n'

Lynskey Performance Designs  announces it's  2013 Limited Edition SRAM Red Helix OS . Working closely with SRAM, Lynskey developed the paint scheme that perfectly matches the colors and design aspects of the highly anticipated 2013 SRAM Red Groupset.  Each frame is built per order and hand numbered and signed by David Lynskey, the bike's designer, just before the frame recieves it's final two layers of clearcoat. The Helix OS is Lynskey's premiere pro series titanium road racing bike.  It provides all the stiffness required for responsive gap closing pushes while maintaining a level of comfort that is unparralleled. Many current Helix OS owners say it is their favorite bike. Period. 13 of the 30 LTD Helix OS's have already been signed, sealed and delivered... I'm yours. Click Here to see more of the Limited Edition Helix OS === Sales Contact: Don Erwin don@lynskeyperformance.com 423.499.5815 Media Contact: Matt Richardson matt@lynskeype

[Tom's]

Americans love their cars. I'm not entirely sure whether this bond was forged out of some vague sense of American individualism or perhaps was simply the offspring of our nation's industrial genius, but it is indisputably a part of our national character. Maybe the car is so beloved because it is the legacy to our pioneering history -- the idea that anyone can hop in the Chevy and go almost anywhere, especially since Americans hold the concept of social mobility so dear. From any perspective, owning a car has become an indispensable piece of the American Dream. However, our love affair with automobiles doesn't come without a cost. Many problems have come to be closely identified with the ways in which we use our cars, which has included everything from the damaging pollution of our environment to frustrating traffic backups in major cities to tragic levels of vehicular homicide caused by drunk or reckless driving. In my opinion, however, America's infatuation with c

If your bicycle is damaged by a negligent driver, you’ll probably want to make a claim against the driver or his or her insurance company for the cost of repairs or a replacement bike. First and foremost, if you are injured, it is a good idea to speak to an attorney before contacting the insurance company. But if you are sure you are not injured, it’s probably fine to handle your claim for property damage yourself. If the bicycle can be repaired for less than its market value, whatever you pay for repairs is your claim for property damage. If your bicycle is totaled, you are generally entitled to recover the bike’s  reasonable market value . The reasonable market value of a bicycle can be established through testimony of an experienced bicycle salesman/ mechanic who has knowledge of local market prices for comparable bicycles. Take pictures that show the whole bicycle from the drivetrain side. You’ll want to take close-up pictures of any specific areas that are

M-E Companies is discussing alternative connectors for Hudson and Mock roads to the Olentangy & Alum Creek trail and  connecting Northtowne across to the Alum Creek trail through the neighborhoods. Columbus Greenways Trail Development. 2012 is the most aggressive trail development ever in Central Ohio.   Alum Creek is still struggling to be finished. The smallest piece will take the longest. 22 miles when completed. Ohio Dominican is in design. Brittany Hills & Innis Park under construction. Innis Park to Easton under construction.   Camp Chase is getting closer to becoming a reality.  There is a planned bike bridge to cross I-270 in the Georgesville Rd area to finish out the Camp Chase Trail. Brad was really excited about this bridge. Henderson RD from 315 to Kenny Rd will be updated with bicycle facilities. Goodale Ave will be getting a BIKE/PED ONLY bridge over 315 and Olentangy to connect with Harrison West Connector. This will be a showcase piece! Missing

The City of Columbus will be holding a public meeting regarding the addition of parking spaces on High St on August 2, 2012. The City of Columbus is adding approximately 130 new parking spaces on High Street between Goodale Avenue and Mound Street starting later this year. When installed, customers will be able to park in front of stores and restaurants. The result? TBD. Public Meeting & Open House August 2, 5–7 PM • Presentation at 5:30 PM Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Scioto Conference Room 111 Liberty Street, Suite 100 • Columbus, Ohio 43215 Questions? Learn More. Contact Jessica Kendrick, P.E., Traffic Safety Engineer 614-645-7882 jskendrick@columbus.gov

Salsa Full-Suspension Fatbike from Dirt Rag Magazine on Vimeo . We caught Salsa's Mike Riemer on the trail with a very unusual bike beneath him...

First ride: Surly's new Krampus, a '29 plus' with 3-inch tires [DIRTRAG] With all the buzz over Surly’s new platform, I was quite excited to get a chance to ride one at Snowbasin Resort near Ogden, Utah, where it was to be unveiled. I had seen the fuzzy, grainy spy photos and had some clues as to what was going on. I knew it involved yet another new tire size. What new trend were the folks in Minnesota cooking up now? I had thought the Krampus was going to turn out to an extension of the fat bike genre that is sweeping the nation, but no. The Krampus is a mountain bike with 3-inch-wide tires, that’s all. A fun and versatile mountain bike. I spoke with Adam Scholtes, Surly product manager, who filled me in on everything. The core value in the design process was starting with MTB standards: A 73mm bottom bracket shell, 100/135mm front and rear axle spacing, and while the headtube has a 44mm inside diameter for use with tapered forks, headsets will be available fo

COLUMBUS TRANSPORTATION AND PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION BICYCLE SUBCOMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING AGENDA 109 NORTH FRONT STREET, GROUND FLOOR, ROOM 100 WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. ______________________________________________________________________ Call to Order Previous Meeting Notes New Business 2012 Columbus Recreation & Parks Projects Recreation & Parks Bike Share Briefing Hudson – Mock Connector Overview Olentangy to Alum Creek Connector Phase 2 Overview Old Business 5. DowntownActionPlan 6. HendersonRoadSUPUpdate Parking Lot Issues Other Business Adjournment  [T&PC website]

Sausage-shape Bunker saddle (USA), from 19th Century anatomic craze, or was it 20th Century? [See more at  Bike Works NYC  Bicycle Saddle Archive]

[The Berry]

Columbus police have identified a bicyclist killed in a Far West Side crash on Sunday night as Elissa Hatfield, 19. She was riding a bicycle on Hilliard-Rome Road when she was struck by an SUV as she crossed Fisher Road at 10:53 p.m. The SUV, driven by Casey Hakes, 38, was westbound on Fisher Road, police said. Hatfield died in Mount Carmel West hospital at 11:18 p.m. Sunday. It was the city’s 35th traffic fatality this year. Columbus Dispatch

The dropouts are the core of the FABIKE frame. They have been designed in a way never seen before. This great innovation means that you will be able to change the dropout spacing  from 120 mm to 130 mm  in order to mount different kinds of hubs onto the frame. But, this is not all. The FABIKE dropouts have  vertical insertion . This means that you will be able to mount the rear wheel as easily as on a road frame, without the need for a chain tensioner as the two dropouts will be able to  slide ho rizontally , obtaining optimal chain tensioning. Additionally, the sliding factor is regulated by a high-precision  micro-adjustment  integrated  inside  the frame. This is of course the best solution if you want to use the bike as a single speed/fixed gear bicycle, but it does not prevent you from equipping it with a cassette and derailleur if you wish to have more gears. The dropouts will be produced using CNC machinery, out of  7075 aluminum alloy  (ergal) and  titanium  locki

Crankworx Mountain Of Hell with GIANT from Lucas Stanus on Vimeo .

2009 Specialized Hardrock Sport. Aluminum hardtail with suspension fork, 26 inch wheels, and SRAM drivetrain. Great to excellent condition. Very clean and ready to ride. Mechanically solid, maintained at Paradise Garage. New Maxxis Aspen tires @$58 a piece, ridden twice. 17 inch (medium) frame, fits person between 5'3-5'8. Please let me know if you have questions. Thanks, Maxxis Aspen Tires: http://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/maxxis-aspen-tire-26 Bikepedia Profile: 2009 Specialized Hardrock Sport MSRP (new) $500.00 Frame & Fork Frame Construction - TIG-welded Frame Tubing Material - Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum Fork Brand & Model - SR Suntour SF8-XCT-V2, 80mm travel Fork Material - Hi-tensile steel/alloy, single crown Components Component Group - SRAM Mix Brakeset - Alloy Linear Pull brakes, Specialized linear pull levers Shift Levers - SRAM X.4 trigger Front Derailleur - Shimano Altus Rear Derailleur - SRAM X.4 Crankset - SR Suntour, 22/32/42 teeth Pedals - St

A doctor convicted of assaulting two bicyclists by slamming on his car brakes after a confrontation on a narrow Brentwood road was sentenced today to five years in prison. Christopher Thompson, wearing dark blue jail scrubs, wept as he apologized to the injured cyclists shortly before he was sentenced. "I would like to apologize deeply, profoundly from the bottom of my heart," he told them, his right hand cuffed to a court chair. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott T. Millington called the case a "wake-up call" to motorists and cyclists and urged local government to provide riders with more bike lanes. He said he believed that Thompson had shown a lack of remorse during the case and that the victims were particularly vulnerable while riding their bicycles. The case against Thompson, 60, has drawn close scrutiny from bicycle riders around the country, many of whom viewed the outcome as a test of the justice system's commitment to protectin

Get ready for the first National Women's Bicycling Summit to be held on September 13, 2012  in Long Beach, California (at the conclusion of the Pro Walk Pro Bike conference). The Summit will provide a unique opportunity to network, share best practices and develop action steps to get more women in your community out riding. It will provide the space for us to create a bike future where women of all backgrounds are equally represented on the streets and in the movement! Registration is now open:   Click here to sign up ! Tickets are $35 and include admission to the  Cycle Chic Fashion Show  for the first 150 registrants! Can't make it? Help us provide scholarships and make this event a huge success:  Donate here! [More at Bike League]

We designed an eco-friendly food trike. Help us finish building two tricycles to serve coffee on the streets of Columbus, Ohio. Launched:  Jul. 06, 2012 Funding ends:  Jul. 26, 2012 Remind Me We are bringing Solar Roast coffee to Columbus, with our first café opening in Hilliard this August.  We want to start serving coffee in the under-caffinated areas of our city.  Our tricycles are small enough to serve directly on the sidewalk, too.  Help us finish building two eco-friendly coffee trikes and support our Kickstarter project.    The coffee we serve is roasted with the heat generated from concentrated sunlight.  Roasted in Pueblo, Colorado, the brothers that invented the Helios solar consentrators used to roast the beans have made their technology openly available for a variety of uses.  We take inspiration from their mission, adopting the same philosophy of reducing environment impact and consider it in all that we do.  For that reason we believe tricycles are the