Columbus Rides Bikes!

Like the proverbial flowers that bloom in the spring or bleary eyed animals emerging from a long winter of hibernation, the recent uptick in temperatures in NYC has brought out the hibernating bike commuters.  As tulip bulbs crack the top layer of soil and spring to life, bicycles relegated to storage closets or storage racks have been dusted off, tires pumped up (in most cases), and my once sparsely populated bike path to work has sprouted a menagerie of cyclists.  So much for the days of sub zero temps and a bike path shared by the few deranged year round commuters.  This increase in the riders I am now encountering reminds me of a Bike Hacks Classic entry . . . This dictionary started in my mind while commuting and seeing some of the same riders day after day.  I began to give them names in my head and thought to myself, "Why not create a dictionary of bike commuter slang?" I certainly welcome others to make suggestions over time - this is by no means the...

Completed model in case "Heres the deal, I'm a model maker and I've restored a few bikes. I've been making DX endcaps for people for a couple of years to help fund builds. As I'm running out of space and more bikes costs more money I thought I'd make a 1/3 scale model.  I started with the seat and tyre as my theory was that if I could make these two components the rest would be easy as the seat was going to be a bit hit and miss. In other words i had to freestyle it until it looked right and the tyre was also a bit of a headache being that I decided the best way would be to make the knobbies and stick them on separately. The seat was made from a vac forming, I had to make a former slightly under sized to allow for material thickness then the shape inside was made. The rails are bent from steel rod and the guts were made on a lathe, I made all the little parts then cut the head off a tiny bolt and put nuts on the ends so it actually works like a re...

Jon Clous has been teaching his son about the ways of the world for years. Not sure if this lesson on lawn-mowing was about ingenuity or laziness? Jon, have you designed a gas-powered version of that? Recently, I received an email from Jon Clous.  We are both on the Combo Mountain Bike Race Team.  He was sharing a photo of a mountain bike that he had built up from mostly used parts with his son.  I loved the father/son aspect of the story and thought it was a great follow-up to my recent essay on how cycling can set a great example for your children –  3 Reasons Why Your Cycling is Good For Your Children . Jon’s son had outgrown his old bike and I love how he teaches his son some ingenuity and creativity to solve the problem.  There’s also a good reduce-reuse-recycle environmental lesson in there somewhere too, but maybe I’m reading more into it than I should. [Keep reading at  Quickdirt]

The Indiana State Museum is one of the sites along the Cultural Trail. AJ MAST FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES March 4, 2014 By ANDREW SIMMONS For an old car town, Indianapolis has been doing a lot for biking lately. A new eight-mile landscaped bike and pedestrian pathway is helping residents rediscover their city and reshaping how outsiders view it. The trail is putting Indianapolis on the map as a place to see bold innovation, along with the Colts and some car races in a town long known as an international racing capital, home to the Indy 500 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The  Indianapolis Cultural Trail , unveiled last May, took 12 years to plan and six more to construct. Funded by private donations and federal grants, the $62.5 million result is an accessible urban connective tissue — an amoeba of paths shot through with lush greenery and commissioned works of public art. Paved with stylish two-tone patchworks of hexagonal and striped asphalt, the main ...

Portland now has several bike rental and tour shops downtown, offering both city and road bikes. (Photos by M.Andersen and J.Maus/BikePortland) Tourism to Portland is  soaring . But who is coming here, and why? County tax records offer a clue to part of the picture: Even as Portland has become a more popular destination for travelers, the records show, spending at local auto rental services has dropped. Aggregate revenue at Multnomah County's hotels and motels is up 26 percent since 2001, after adjusting for inflation. Real car rental revenue, meanwhile, has fallen 13 percent. [Keep reading at Bike Portland]

E-MAIL FACEBOOK TWITTER SAVE MORE In urban areas, many riders have reason to be nervous, and that in itself is part of a vicious cycle. In a widely viewed YouTube video, a cyclist named Casey Neistat, deliberately takes tumble after tumble while  trying to navigate obstructed bike lanes in New York City .  The video is funny — it even includes a crash into a parked police car — but it also has struck a chord with bike commuters around the country facing a seemingly endless array of road hazards. “The most common mistake new cyclists make is not riding predictably,” said Ken Podziba, chief executive of  Bike New York , a nonprofit group that promotes cycling. “For example, people who are afraid of getting hit from behind by a car will often do things like ride on the sidewalk or ride against traffic, which actually increases the danger that they will get hit by a motorist who doesn’t see them. Fear is a cyclist’s worst enemy.” Dr...

We want biking on roads to be safer Cycling on roads can be frightening and dangerous. This horn prevents accidents by alerting motorists with a familiar sound, and gives more people the confidence to travel by bike. Why does it work? Drivers react to car horns before they even look. A driver that gets beeped at while backing out of a driveway, or entering traffic will immediately brake. These kinds of reflexive reactions are perfect to keep cyclists safe. Some motorists don't realize that their driving habits can be dangerous for cyclists. Drivers will learn to be more aware of cyclists after a Loud Bicycle horn is honked at them. Photo by  Kim Bokeh .   How it Works The Loud Bicycle Horn is designed to sound just like a car horn. With both high and low notes it is even more perceptible than louder horns that only have a single note. Honking with your thumb is easy and won't interfere with braking. The button attaches easily to either handlebar and t...

See Sense - The intelligent bike light. from See.Sense. on Vimeo . See Sense is an intelligent bike light that can react to the situation, flashing brighter and faster when a cyclist needs to be most visible. It is currently available on Kickstarter at http://bit.ly/1alq5wB Learn more at  http://www.seesense.cc/#sthash.yVvSVIAL.UuS19PLF.dpbs

New USB rechargeable Bikelane. Sophisticated design and it is compact pocket size. Super-bright LEDs, longer lasting, brighter bike lane, the bikelane will go some way to tackling two serious causes of cycling fatalities - being caught in the blind spot, or vehicles turning across an unseen cyclist. “Our bikelane will keep the distance in between cars and bicycles” This 'Bikelane' is designed to project a bike path onto roadways only. Much safer for cyclist to enjoy their night ride. Feature Two Highly Visible Red Lasers. (<5mW) Equipped with 5 extremely bright Red LED’s. Lasers make an instant bike lane for an enjoyable and safe night ride. It is clear and visible even under headlights and streetlights over a mile. USB Rechargeable (Rechargeable battery) Weather and Shock Proof Polycarbonate cover with a attachment bracket USB Cable included - FDA approved(A/N # 1280043-000) - Patent pending - See more at: http://thexfire.com/products-page/light...

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The Ultimate portable tune-up stand. Great for keeping in the car or for travel. You could even take it on a bike tour. It also comes with it’s own storage bag! Clamp Head Bottom Bracket Support Arm Holds Down Tube Folding Yes Material Aluminum/Plastic Max. Tire Width 5.7 cm / 2.25” Max. Weight Capacity 14 kgs / 30.8 lbs Size (L x W x H) 19 x 8 x 4.5 cm (Folded) 7.5” x 3.1” x 1.8” (Folded) 50 x 22.5 cm (Open) 19.7” x 8.9” (Open) Weight 500 g / 1.10 lbs Art.no. TW006 [Topeak]

From LOL to SOS and every message in between, DeLorme inReach SE makes any adventure better. With inReach SE, you can both send and receive text messages at the ends of the earth and everywhere in between with the handy color screen and virtual keyboard. When you're off the grid and out of cell phone range, you can quickly and easily share your journey with family and friends, let them ping and message you, and always receive a delivery confirmation that your message was sent -- all thanks to the Iridium satellite network with 100% global coverage. And in the event of an emergency, you can trigger an SOS, receive delivery confirmation, and then have an two-way text conversation with the search and rescue monitoring center until help arrives. [Delorme]

A’ME Grips is introducing their NEW Heated Road Bike Wrap. This wrap is made in the U.S.A. and features bluPulse™ ‘Adaptive Thermal Regulation’ technology. This state-of-the-art technology combines intelligent micro electronics with thermal sensors in each wrap, and allows a rider to select between six temperature settings with a simple push of a button. A blue LED indicates both the selected temperature setting and heating status while the micro processor varies the amount of heat generated to maintain the selected temperature. These wraps allow for comfortable hand temperatures in all riding conditions, reduce fatigue, and maintain finger dexterity which improves a rider’s control of the bike. [A'me]

Updated posted by Taylor Hott 19 hours ago This is what community looks like! Together we... This is what community looks like! Together we have raised over $7,000 in 7 days.  I spoke with Travis' mother again today and she had this to share with everyone, "Travis continues to improve, even opening his eyes. He will be in ICU for quite a while and will have a long rehab. Please continue to pray for his continued speedy recovery. His family is so very grateful for the love and support his friends have shown and amazed at the rallying of the community. You have all taken burdens from us and allowed us to focus on Travis and for that we will be forever grateful." Travis is still in Neurological Intensive Care but his condition has stabilized. We have a more clear picture of what the road to recovery will look like and we know it will be a longer battle than many initially anticipated. With that being said many people in the community have approached m...

My bike and I are seeing other people.  It’s a thing we do sometimes, and in truth, we’ve never been all that exclusive. Every relationship has its habits and foibles and that is ours. There’s always someone else, flirting from across the room, winking as I walk by. And ever so often, I succumb to the temptation. Sometimes, it’s the beach or the swimming pool. Other times, it’s the couch or a good novel. Lately, it’s been a surfboard. The Pacific is alive. It’s impossible to resist the lure of perfect winter surf. Or even, not that perfect spring surf. Or even, any surf at all. And so, my surfboard and I are going steady. I wake up in every morning and I check the tides. I drink an espresso, sometimes two. Then, I tuck my board under my arm and saunter right past my bike. I put my board on the car and drive away, leaving the bike behind. I walk down the beach with my board held close. It’s all so fresh and exciting. We can’t get enough of one another. The bike doesn’t much...

Our premier offering is an evolution of a tool which has resided in our toolboxes for many years. Our mission with the b1 is to enhance your experience when it comes to the chore of cleaning, storing and traveling with your bike. We’ve taken a tool which already exists and made it better. Designed by Michael Robson the b1 improves and refines this staple used by professional mechanics into an elegant and highly functional accessory machined from high-quality materials. The ergonomics of the b1 help it perform solidly and its outstanding build quality ensures that it will never wear out or break. The b1 is machined from billet aluminum and the chain runner is lathed from delrin. A stainless steel post holds the b1 together and a robust spring keeps the b1 at the ready. The b1 is handmade in Boulder, Colorado and available locally at  Boulder Cycle Sport  and Vecchio’s Bicicletteria . [Butter Studio]

The Electra Townie ®  Go! is an easy to use, pedal assist bike with surprising power that’ll make you want to go forever. The system automatically kicks in once you start pedaling for an added boost to help conquer hills with a smile and ride long distances without breaking a sweat. We could get into a long description about how the Go!’s SRAM E-matic system works with lots of big words like planetary gear systems and thrust application, but it’s really quite simple. The motor monitors your pedaling power and speed, then automatically delivers some extra power when you need it. The pedal assist system has been perfectly blended into Electra’s Townie Balloon bicycle. It’s like the jetpack you’ve always wanted, and the comfort and control you’ve always enjoyed with Electra’s patented Flat Foot Technology ® . Yes, the future is here. SRAM E-MATIC ELECTRIC-ASSIST SYSTEM WITH 250W REAR HUB MOTOR / LITHIUM-ION BATTERY 7.7AH/280WH, 36.2V  - AVERAGE DISTANCE ON FULL CHARGE: 3...

The “Junkyard Cross” Crew. © Dorothy Wong In downtown Los Angeles yesterday, tourists and pedestrians may have been confused by the guy rolling by on his ’cross bike in a hot dog costume, turning into a junkyard. Ditto when the popcorn-costumed guy did the same. And when the women in kits and tutus started rolling in… well, it was obvious that something was up. But then again, it is Hollywood. [Keep reading at CX Magazine]

Two racers compete at ArtsRiot in Burlington, Vt., during a recent goldsprints racing event. Two cyclists walk into a bar. Then they get on stationary bikes and pedal like crazy. It's called goldsprints, and it is as much a social event as it is an athletic one. Ingredients for a goldsprints event are simple: two bikes, front wheels removed and set into a metal frame, the back wheels on rollers, then add a little music and an emcee. The sport started in Europe, and has spread to bars in most major U.S. cities. Goldsprints racing is both extremely intense and extremely informal. At a recent goldsprints event at ArtsRiot in in Burlington, Vt., all the racers were in jeans and sneakers, or winter boots. But when they get on stage and start madly pedaling, the competition definitely heats up. A goldsprint is a short sprint, 250 meters. Since the riders aren't actually going anywhere, a computer program tracks their progress and a giant screen shows who is in the lead. Th...

As much as the college campus bubble might shield students from the “real world” for several years, it also provides a remarkable opportunity for transportation experimentation. Where city initiatives might get mired in local politics and die slow deaths, many campuses have been forced to innovate rapidly to accommodate growing student populations. Often that means they're putting progressive transportation systems in place long before cities get around to doing the same. A  new report  from the Frontier Group and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund takes a look at schools that are coming up with creative ways to solve their transit needs. From a massive network of pedestrian underpasses to bike valets on football game days, the report highlights specific approaches that could inform city planning or become parts of a larger infrastructure. Most importantly, research shows that commuting habits developed in college linger long after graduation--so campu...

The wraps come off next week. (Photo by  Team Lazy Tarantulas ) Looking to improve the quality of bicycle access on a  controversial  and  deadly  stretch of SW Barbur Boulevard, the Oregon Department of Transportation will turn on four new "bicycle warning beacons" next week (they were first  proposed last spring ). ODOT says the new flashing signs will be the first of their type ever used in Oregon. The signs will be placed at each end of the Newbury Street and Vermont Street bridges and will activate automatically as people on bicycles roll past sensors embedded in the pavement. ODOT is pouring $5 million into rehabilitating these two bridges and these bicycle signs are the  result of public input  on that project. ODOT's Public Information Officer Don Hamilton says the four signs cost the agency $180,000. [Keep reading at  BikePortland]