Columbus Rides Bikes!

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 t...

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Danny Chew is well known in the Pittsburgh area for the Dirty Dozen ride. He has competed and won RAAM , The World's Toughest Bike Race! Check out his riding log. In 2006 he passed 600,000 lifetime miles. He has been riding an average of 15,500 miles a year. Here is the site...

Tricia sent out the designated bike routes in Gahanna. Unfortunately they are not well marked. But she has put them on bikely.com for all to see. If you are having trouble seeing the maps, you can remove the Explore panel by clicking the "^" tab which will hide the panel. To see the cue sheet, select Show->Cue Sheet. I think by default it comes up in Satellite mode but I prefer Map mode. These are the north/south routes: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Gahanna-route-from-Stygler-Rd-on-west-side-of-Walnut-Creek-to-Go http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Gahanna-route-from-Cherry-Bottom-Rd-to-Creekside http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Gahanna-route-from-Johnstown-Rd-to-Taylor-Station-Rd-via-Bryn-Ma These are the east/west routes: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Gahanna-Route-from-Clark-State-to-McCutcheon-Rd http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Gahanna-route-from-Havens-Rd-to-Agler-Rd-via-Olde-Gahanna-and-Cr http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...

We are in the process of organizing a tour of Columbus for September. It is tentatively called Ride the C-Bus. The website is www.ridethecbus.com GITAP - Grand Illinois Trail and Parks The BON TON ROULET or “Let The Good Times Roll,” celebrates its eleventh seven-day voyage throughout the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York State by bicycle. A non-competitive cycling adventure, The Bon Ton Roulet will challenge riders of all ages and abilities. And when you’re done, expect exciting new friendships, a wealth of visual memories, and a great sense of accomplishment! From Columbus Outdoor Pursuits 36TH WOODSTOCK • Saturday, April 12 7:30-9AM. Jersey Baptist Church, 13260 Morse Road, Pataskala, 9 miles east of I-270 at Harrison Road. Parking and registration in back lot. Traditional first TOSRV training ride. 100/50/30 miles on relatively flat terrain. Columbus Outdoor Pursuits Budget Tour. $2 members, $4 non-members. Tricia Kovacs 614/476-9093. 41ST SPOT • Saturday, April 19 7:30-9AM...

I have been riding in crappy weather for the last few weeks and have neglected the drivetrain. Not a good thing to do and I think that it is time to clean it. I use some of the Finish Line products. and found they have good tips on their website for maintenance. Bike Fit and Comfort Position your seat height, so that when you sit on the bike and have your foot at the lowest point in the pedal stroke, there is still a slight bend in your knee. Full leg extension will cause your hips to rock when you pedal. Too much bend in your knee will keep full pedal power from getting to the pedals. And, incorrect positioning will lead to discomfort and leg cramps over long rides. Position the seat forward or back, so your knee is directly over the pedal when you have your foot and pedal in the "3 o’clock" position. Handlebars should be approximately shoulder width wide and be positioned at about the same level as your seat. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows when riding to absorb shock...

Ever wonder when bicycle technology was invented? This is a great site that chronicles the developments of bicycle technology. The site...

The writer for this blog says, "While I love cycling and embrace it in all its forms, I'm also extremely critical. So I present to you my venting for your amusement and betterment. No offense meant to the critiqued. Always keep riding!" The blog...

CANADIAN & VINTAGE LIGHTWEIGHT BICYCLE BICYCLE RESTORATION GETTING STARTED GUIDE The site...

One man's trash is another man's Ten-Speed. ">This page is meant to be an outlet for those in the bicycling community who are committed to preserving a bygone era of mass produced low-grade technology. It is meant to celebrate the purest of passions, the transportation method of a most sensible sort, the greatest occupier of space in garages and basements the world over, the beloved and oft misrepresented Department Store 10-speed of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

I didn't think that there was a vehicle larger than the Hummer. Well, I was at Sam's Club and I noticed a International Harvester Tank Jr was in the parking lot. So I took pictures. And found the website. It is $90000. And I am sure the towing capability is because you need to pull a refinery behind you to fuel it.

I received this via email - Did you know that the $134 million used to create the 161/I-270 interchange in New Albany could have built and launched rail service from Columbus to Dayton all while creating jobs and revenue for the state? Pissed? You should be! As many of you may know, my dear friend Andrew has taken on the valiant charge of lobbying for rail service in the state of Ohio. The road, or track so to speak, to rail service is a long haul marked with several major initiatives to slap Ohio government into the reality that such service is desperately needed. Andrew has posted an online petition here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/OhioHubPlan/ This takes 1 minute to sign and you can even do so anonymously. The petition will be given to the powers that be during their April legislative summit. The crazy guy is trying to get everyone in Ohio to sign it before that date (I figured a few out-of-staters couldn't hurt!). Your name matters! Please sign and pass along to anyone ...

When I was at the Winter Riding Seminar, Chris passed around a book about Bicycling and the Law. I ordered it and will give a book report when I get a chance. Bicyclelaw.com is a web site that offers bicycling accident advice for cyclists including those injured by motorists, unsafe conditions and defective cycling products. At this site injured cyclists will find information about what to do after an accident to best protect their rights. Contact information and cycling links of interest are also provided. In addition, at Bicyclelaw.com, you will find informative and sometimes entertaining articles of interest to cyclists. "This Cycling Articles" section is a potpourri of interviews, advice, rumors and stories of interest to cyclists provided by various authors. Check back every week or two for new content. Bob Mionske is the author of the book.