Columbus Rides Bikes!

Join the Cutters for the 11th Annual Scoot-a-Que Rally in Columbus, September 12-14, 2008. Sponsors are always appreciated and more information can be found in the Sponsorship Packet (pdf). Please contact us if you're interested. The agenda is up, and riders can register for the que or find the most up to date information on our Scoot-a-Que page! Why am I posting this? Because Bike the C-Bus is a sponsor of Scoot-a-Que. The website is here...

For those who aren't familiar with our Flatbed - it is a premium load carrying attachment for your bicycle. Imagine carrying stuff on your bike! Made of tubular anodized aluminum, and hardwood slats, the Flatbed can hold up to 25 lbs. The Flatbed mounts on rigid forks only. All that's needed is a rigid fork with dropout eyelets. (Small threaded mounting tabs next to where the front wheel mounts) There are many baskets on the market, and they're all pretty ugly. Your nice commuter/townie deserves an equally nice basket. Buy a flatbed and leave your car at home once in a while. Be crazy, be wild. Make a statement with the flatbed! The website...

A friend of mine installed a Brooks Saddle on her bike and it reminded me to post this cool product from Brooks. On a side note, I had an invite to the Brooks Saddle factory in Birmingham England while I was visiting my wife this summer. I did not go because the roundtrip cost with train and taxi would have been $100+!!! Instead I walked (what!) around Oxford England and toured the local bike shops. Our Roll Up Panniers are inspired by the Cyclist’s Hold-alls, first featured in the 1890’s catalogue. As the originals, the new panniers can be rolled up or easily released when needed. This pair of commuter bags for traditional transport bicycles is entirely made of water resistant cotton with leather finishing. On the top of the bag attachment to the bicycle rack these panniers feature a crossed elastic to fasten additional objects to carry during urban transit. Last, but not least, the Roll Up Panniers are “self closing”, as they feature magnets on the flaps. Materials: water resistant f...

Take away the spills and thrills of riding with coffee. Includes: • Stainless steel mug holder ring mounts to mountain bike or road bars. • Stainless steel commuter mug holds up to 16 oz. of coffee or tea. Slide button lid means you can open the cap and take a swig with one hand. • Mount is the H-27 from Cat Eye, so in the evening you can replace it with a Cat Eye headlight if you so desire. **Coffee is hot and potentially dangerous. Soma recommends you operate your mug only when your bike is stopped. Soma Fabrications is the manufacturer

72 Miles Hotter than hell 15.1mpg average Five riders in our group It was a little warm when we started at 9:00am. We started out late because of some snafus (forgotten front tire, sleeping in because of previous nights escapades). There are three routes covering 30, 50 and 70. We chose 70. The first part of the ride is relatively flat. After the split to the 70 mile route it turns hilly. Maximum percent grade on the climb was 13 percent. We climbed 3350 feet. It is continuous rollers until you reach the point where the routes merge again. I want to thank the Ortman family for reopening their rest stop for us. We were running late and they had just put away the drinks and food. One little short steep climb and mostly downhill to the lake. We ate steak sandwiches (OK), corn (very good) and lemonade (refreshing). Observation: For some reason I looked down at my odometer at 6.66 and 66.6 miles. Very weird. Did I say it was hotter than hell? Topped out at 94 degrees and there is ...

BY ANN FISHER Tracey Corbin couldn't afford to maintain the car he needed to commute to work, let alone buy the gasoline. So he bought a bike and outfitted himself as if he were the poster child for the pedal-to-work movement. More...

Do you notice how "corking" is depicted in the Critical Mass doc? It looks a little different than what I have seen from rides around Columbus. Maybe bicyclists don't know how to cork... Hmmmm. Corking Because Critical Mass takes place without an official route or sanction, participants practice a tactic known as "corking" in order to maintain the cohesion of the group. This tactic consists of a few riders blocking traffic from side roads so that the mass can freely proceed through red lights without interruption. Corking allows the mass to engage in a variety of activities, such as forming a cyclone, lifting their bikes in a tradition known as a "Bike Lift" (in Chicago this is referred to as a Chicago hold-up), or to perform a "die-in" where riders lie on the ground with their bikes to symbolise cyclist deaths and injuries caused by automobiles, very popular in Montreal. The 'Corks' sometimes take advantage of their time corking to d...

There seems to be a lively debate over biking etiquette, the MNR and respect for bicyclists in general. Two Wheeling blog has a discussion on corking and the MNR. I believe there is a thread on Consider Biking as well. I think it is good for people to verbally spar over their convictions/beliefs. Healthy dialogue is good. Where I stand nobody knows... except for myself, of course. Started here... Here is Douglas Morgan's blog... Jamie Fellrath has posted a response/comments to Douglas Morgan's original post. Here is his blog... Continuing debate here... Consider Biking thread

Dont forget about the Millersport Corn Festival Ride leaving from Bloom Carroll High School. Al Moore will be there at 8 am for those that want to start early or do the longer route. The route is marked with white corn this year. (Yellow paint is more expensive). Maps will be provided. There will be a lady selling drinks and snacks around the 20 mile mark at the top of a hill on Woolard Road. It's about 35 miles to the festival. There aren't any porta-johns at the school so you will have to go to the McDonalds on 33 before you get to the school. Brin gmoney for corn and other treats. There are 30, 50 and 75 mile loops. Enjoy Janice (JET) Thomas 614-837-1873 editors note: I rode this last year with my friend Kevin from Wheeling. It is a great ride. Millersport is on the southern shore of Buckeye Lake.

Since we all as cyclists experience this at one time or another, here is how Wiki says to treat road rash. How to treat road rash... via Wiki.

MORPC's RideSolutions Assists Cyclists Looking for a bike buddy for the work commute? It can often be safer to ride as a pair, and it’s more fun. MORPC’s RideSolutions can match you with another cyclist in your area for the work commute. Apply online for a list of cyclists who live and work near you. Or call 1-888-742-RIDE. go here...

SAMPSON COMPONENTS 2008 Sampson has been one of the most innovative component manufacturers in the world for over 20 years! Sampson is now pleased to provide you with an amazing array of top level groups comprised of components that are second to none. Our new TT equipment will enable you to ride with the top pros-as they are switching over to them too! The site is here...

We are looking for feedback so that we can improve the experience for 2009. I have setup a separate blog to leave comments. Click here to comment.

I got the chance to ride (and crash) a $5500 Specialized Tricross S-Works on the Alum Creek trails yesterday. On short notice I drove up to check out what Specialized has to offer. Full carbon frame and it has the new SRAM double-tap system. It took me a few minutes to acclimate to the shifting. They threw on some Crank Brothers pedals for me and let me borrow a helmet and off I went. I think I only rode into the trail a mile or so and on the way back hit some rocks, tried to clip out and went down. The bike it very stiff and as Matt from BikeSource in Clintonville said, "Dude, you should have ridden the $8,000 full suspension mountain bike," and I agree. I am sure it was more forgiving.

Walker took some photos and video of Bike the C-Bus. Here it is... Thanks for the coverage...

I raced in the Cat5 open class and talked with Willis Brown, whom I met at Urban Spirit Coffee Shop several times, about the Buckeye Cycling Club. They are looking for cyclists interested in racing to stop by and talk to them about their club. The website is here...

The 2008 Cyclocross season is starting up next month. I met some racers at the Long Street Tour who race in the cyclocross series put on by Cap City Cross. Their website is here...

I tried my hand at racing in the Cat 5 Open Class on Saturday afternoon. Too little sleep and the heat took its toll on me. Plus, I stood around all day helping with the Bike the C-Bus ride. I was pulled from the field around lap 8 or 9. I averaged 21mph over 6.5 miles. My friend, Evan Woletzko, finished 3rd. They had to be averaging 25+ mph. Highlight - Early on one of the riders from UC hit the curb, shot over the lane, slammed into another rider and went down.

Check out the site for ride reports and other information Site is here...

That is just one of many questions the police and others have been puzzling over since the arrest last month of Igor Kenk, the owner of a used-bike shop here. Mr. Kenk’s legacy now fills a former police garage with a leaky roof. Organized by brand name and mostly resting on their handlebars, wheels pointed upward, are 2,396 of the bicycles that police say Mr. Kenk either stole or arranged to have stolen. More here...