Columbus Rides Bikes!

Flax and carbon fiber combined to make bicycles. Interesting combination. I guess it works, because Museeuw Bikes are producing bikes and have won awards for their frames. Flax fiber is one of the best natural fibers on the planet in regards to stiffness, strength and shock absorption. Carbon fiber, also well known for its stifness and strength, is well established in the industry. Museeuw Bikes is combining flax fiber with the best carbon fibers available. Due to its high strength and stiffness, the 3K Carbon HM (high modular) is being used in combination with flax to build world's finest bikes. The 3K Carbon HM is also used for all the tube connections. The site is here...

A poor man's panoramic shot... Headed over to Wheeling to visit family and get away from the city for a few days. Got to ride a quick ride with my friend Kevin. We rode out Big Wheeling Creek (newly paved) and headed up Caldwell Hill. Was going to loop back and do some gravel roads, but a creek crossing and lack of knobbies on my bike stopped us. We passed the top of Miller Hill which has a three mile gravel climb. Out to Stone Church and headed down Hill Rd (? that is what Google Maps claims) down to Middle Creek and Triadelphia. Back to Elm Grove for a 25 mile loop. Climbed 1600 feet, averaged 14mph.

I stopped by Wheelcraft Bicycle in Wheeling, WV this weekend and they had the Incredibell Woodpecker bell in the case. Pretty cool bell. It makes a knocker sound when clanked. No metallic sounds whatsoever. The website...

Spoke POV is an easy-to-make electronic kit toy that turns your bicycle wheel into a customized display! The project includes a free schematic design, open software for uploading and editing stored bitmap images, and a high-quality kit with all the parts necessary to build your own. The site is here...

It's a Schwinn, but what the heck. The Cutter (named after the Cutters from the movie Breaking Away) is $299.00 and should be available soon somewhere. The site... The movie is here...

Cyclists pedaling for new bike trail Friday, October 17, 2008 3:14 AM BY ANN FISHER We met at a Worthington crossroads. A light but steady rain had turned the early-morning darkness into a glittering collage of reflected headlights, brake lights, street lights, traffic lights and -- just a few -- blinking bicycle lights. The rest of the story...

From Brett Allen, the fearless leader - 16 OCT 08 REVIEW Two riders for this trip too, except one of them was Dispatch columnist, Ann Fisher, so that was worth tens of thousands. Read about it in the Dispatch. Conditions were fairly unpleasant to start. Misty rainy. But it wasn't cold, and the rain held off after 40 minutes or so. Wet leaves all over everything. Slippery. Often unable to see edge of path. It must be Fall in Ohio. Courtesy of the WAD bike blog

Features Most comfortable bike saddle ever built Waterproof and scuff resistant Lightweight with low maintenance Moon Saddle's design utilizes the natural support system of the skeleton and includes several anatomy-friendly features Engineered to fit everyone: youth to adult anatomies 140,000 lb. tensile strength stainless steel tubing Satisfaction guaranteed The site...

Now with video

After seven long years, the bicycle commuter tax provision has finally passed both the House and Senate as part of the financial bailout package. President Bush said that he would quickly sign the financial rescue package. Thanks to all of you who have contacted your congressional leaders over the years, and also thanks to Congressman Blumenauer and Senator Wyden for their continued insistence on having this benefit provided to bicycling Americans. Keep up with the latest news at the LAB website Bicycle Commuter Tax Provision FAQ

Quick report. More to follow... Roughly 20 miles for our small group, see below. 28 miles overall. Full moon Date was the 13th Two words: broken frame. Two more words: Not mine. We rode east from the start and headed through campus into Grandview. Of course we wandered through the neighborhoods like we did two weeks ago and then headed south. I think we did a figure eight because we headed south then west and headed up Grandview Ave climbing the hill. Then east again towards High St. We stopped in Goodale Park for a bit to hang out. We headed east again. We were on East 1st Street when I heard a ping, like when a rock shoots out of the tire and hits the frame of a bike close by. Except, it was the frame that pinged and snapped in half at the down tube. Completely separated. A beer can and some duct tape actually held the frame together for the next ten miles. We rode down towards town on St Clair and then over to Cleveland, Gay into town and then over into Franklinton. We rode t...

By Fiona Ortiz BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - How long will an unchained bicycle last on a city street before someone steals it? Using hidden cameras and cheap bicycles as bait, an Argentine publicist set out to gauge crime in different neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. The longer it takes for the bike to be stolen the safer the area, is his hypothesis. Rest of the story... The videos...

The MonkeyLectric Monkey Light is a revolutionary bike light that keeps you visible - and in style. Its ruggedized all-weather design is perfect for daily commuters, urban cyclists, casual evening riders, BMX, festivals - anyone that wants to be visible after dark and not feel like a second class citizen. The Monkey Light creates full color graphics on your spinning bike wheel, and it provides outstanding visibility. The lighting effects and colors can be easily customized anytime to fit your style - mellow to extreme. The Monkey Light sets a new standard for bike lighting with brightness, visual quality, effects sophistication, user control and durability that far exceed what has previously been available. It installs in minutes on Road, City, Cruiser, Mountain and BMX bikes. The website...

BY TIM DOULIN THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Part of one of the most popular Columbus routes for bicyclists is being upgraded to include pavement markings at a key intersection that will help bikes avoid collisions with turning vehicles. The so-called "bike boxes," pavement markings in the shape of a box, are to be installed next year on Milton Avenue on both sides of the intersection at W. North Broadway. When the traffic signal is red, bicyclists will be allowed to ride past stopped vehicles on Milton to wait in the box at the head of the line until the light changes. More story... How does a bike box work?

Hey everybody, Just wanted to pass along an event I recommend tomorrow (Saturday, the 11th of Oct.) -- a "Meet the Artist" hour with Dorothy Gill Barnes. Dorothy's a local octogenarian who makes amazing objects out of trees and other natural materials, blown-glass, and optical-lenses. It's part of the "Bending Nature" show at the Franklin Conservatory (E. Broad, just west of Nelson) that runs through the rest of the year -- artists from around the world working with nature. Dorothy meets people at NOON, tomorrow. I've not yet seen the show, but have seen some of her work, and it's incredible. I'm sure her presentation will be entertaining to all. Admission cost is $7.50 for adults/$6 for student/seniors... but, that gets you admission to the whole show, indoors & out. And it looks like the weather's going to be great. Hope to see you all soon! Duncan

Group Commuter Bike Rides - Westerville to Downtown Columbus 3rd Thursdays Monthly Join anywhere along the route For details click this link: 16 OCT 08 Map & Itinerary Hope to see you there, Brett Allen WAD Bikeway Association

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has given Lance Armstrong permission to start the Tour Down Under in January, although Armstrong missed the deadline for enrolling in the organization's anti-doping program by ten days. "This decision has been made after a careful assessment of the situation, taking into account both the applicable regulations and the imperatives of the fight against doping which is the UCI's number one priority," read a statement from the UCI released Wednesday morning. "The UCI can confirm that Lance Armstrong has and will be the subject of very strict monitoring throughout the period running up to his return to the peloton," the release continued. The decision by the UCI will not face opposition from the World Anti-Doping Agency, either. Director general David Howman, the agency's chief legal counsel, said that WADA rules would not bar Armstrong's return, no matter what the time gap. more...

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They have moved on from just installing them. Now they want to be functional and look cool. The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), in partnership with the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the support of Google Inc. and Transportation Alternatives, is pleased to announce an international design competition for new bicycle parking for the City of New York. As part of our effort to promote cycling as a sustainable, mainstream transportation option and in keeping with the environmental goals of PlaNYC 2030, DOT is seeking to tap the creative energy of the world design and art communities for this important element of street furniture. The purpose of the competition is to develop functional, well-designed sidewalk racks and to generate new concepts for bicycle parking inside commercial and residential buildings. These two initiatives, in addition to NYCDOT’s commitment to increasing the number of miles of bicycle facilities, providing the City’s first sheltered bike p...