Columbus Rides Bikes!

http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/201104_PerfectTouringBike_Lord.pdf

ODOT has been granted  statewide interim approval for green colored pavement for bike lanes ! According to the 2008 report, there is an increase in yielding behavior by motor vehicles which matches the finding from a 2000 TRB Portland study. The pavement may be installed within bicycle lanes as a supplement to other pavement markings, through an intersection in between the dotted lines, and in between dotted lines used to extend a bicycle lane across the beginning of a turn bay where drivers must cross the bicycle lane. A link to the FHWA website describing the application in more detail can be found here: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/interim_approval/ia14/index.htm . More design guidance can also be found here:  http://nacto.org/cities-for-cycling/design-guide/bikeway-signing-marking/colored-bike-lanes/ Description Colored pavement within a bicycle lane increases the visibility of the facility, identifies potential areas of conflict, and reinforces priority to...

By REYHAN HARMANCI Published: November 10, 2011 When Gwen Lutz, a clothing designer and avid bicyclist, was asked to produce a bike fashion event at the annual  San Francisco Bike Expo three years ago, she struggled to find outfits that would not seem out of place at work or in a bar. For so long, bike-centered apparel could be summed up in two words: neon Spandex. Enlarge This Image Pedal Savvy A model from the Pedal Savvy fashion show in 2010. “The first year I did it, it was hard for me to pull together a whole show,” she said, “Now, every couple of months there’s a new brand. Even big companies this year include bicycles in their ads.” Ms. Lutz will present her third and biggest show, “Pedal Savvy,” at the Expo this weekend. Now in its fourth year, the two-day Expo brings Bay Area cyclists together for a large swap meet, trade show, biking competitions, and educational panels. More than 5,000 people attended last year. [continue reading at NY Times]

The author tackles Canton Avenue's 37 percent grade. By Karen Brooks, photos by Jon Pratt Somehow I have lived and cycled in this city for 20 years without participating in one of its more famous bike events: the Dirty Dozen. This is an underground race of sorts, put on by Danny Chew , local hyper bike guy celebrity and two-time Race Across America winner who likes to dish out punishment—er, invite others to join in his idea of fun, which involves ridiculous amounts of miles or silly feats of leg strength. In this case the idea is to climb a baker’s dozen of Pittsburgh’s steepest hills in an enduro-style format, doling out points for those who make it to the tops fastest. [continue reading at Bicycle Times]

Introducing a one-of-a-kind bottle for a one-of-a-kind planet.™ Finally, there's a clean, safe and stylish bottle that is made from the practically inexhaustible resources of bamboo and glass. Bamboo gives our bottles style and strength. The glass guarantees safe, clean drinking at all temperatures. Whether you're chugging ice-cold water or sipping on steaming-hot tea, this uber-cool bottle is BPA-free, ensuring no chemicals leach into your drink. To clean your insulated bottle, simply unscrew the easy-to-tote cap and top ring to remove the dishwasher-safe glass. We recommended leaving the bottom cap attached to the glass for ease of handling. To help clean the planet, simply keep using your Bamboo Bottle to hydrate instead of bottled water. For sustainability, just add water ... and a Bamboo Bottle! To learn more about how this one-of-a-kind bottle is constructed, dive-deep into each components page! Good luck on your adventure. [Bamboo Bottle Company]

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission named Cleveland Avenue and Morse Road the most dangerous intersection in the area. The intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Morse Road on Columbus’ northeast side has been given the dubious distinction of the region’s most dangerous intersection for the second consecutive year. The  Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission        ranked the top 40 intersections in the area based on the number of crashes within 250 feet of the intersection, their severity and traffic volume from 2008 to 2010. Cleveland Avenue and Morse Road’s 249 crashes during that time period represented an improvement over the 2007-09 survey as a turn lane was added and signals were rephased, but it wasn’t enough to keep the intersection from reclaiming the top spot. [continue reading at Business First]

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A group of cycling enthusiasts plans to open a banked oval bicycle track next year on the former site of St. Michael Hospital in Cleveland. The nonprofit Fast Track Cycling Inc. hopes the track eventually will grow into an $7.5 million complex that will provide exercise for adults and children and bring cyclists to the Slavic Village neighborhood from across the country. Cleveland City Council voted Monday to give Fast Track Cycling a two-year lease with an option to buy. The company will rent the property for $1 a year. University Health Systems donated the property to the city after closing the hospital in 2003. A highly publicized battle led by U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich had saved the hospital from shutting down three years earlier. The city gave Fast Track a previous lease with a purchase option in November 2009, but the agreement expired a year ago. At the time, the purchase price was $385,000, compensating the city for demolition and cleanup costs....

Police seize 8,600 bikes in safety blitz Ramola Talwar Badam  and  Wafa Issa Nov 30, 2011   next previous DUBAI // More than 8,600 bicycles have been confiscated by traffic police this year, resulting in a sharp decline in the number of fatal accidents, authorities say. The confiscated bicycles are sold at auction but their owners, many of whom rely on them for work, say the seizures are an overreaction. "The police said I should not be riding my cycle on roads where cars go at more than 60kph. I didn't know that," said Bijoy Joseph, who rides daily from Jumeirah to Al Barsha. "I just wish they didn't keep our cycles because it's very expensive for us. Buses don't take us where we need to go. Cycling is the only way we can reach places on our own." But police said fewer accidents showed how effective the measure was. [Keep reading at The National]

From Surly: Sometimes a combination of load, climate and terrain demands a bit more braking performance than a rim brake LHT provides. That’s where the Disc Trucker comes in. It’s a Long Haul Trucker with 51mm IS caliper mounts instead of rim brake mounts on the frame and newly redesigned fork. When designing the Disc Trucker we started with a brand new set of rear dropouts which place the caliper mount between the chain and seatstays, providing uncompromising clearance for a rack and fender. Cable/hose routing via our own Trip Guides runs along the downtube. Like the standard LHT, the Disc Trucker is available as a frameset and as a complete bike, with 26" wheels in 42–62cm frame sizes, and with 700c wheels in 56–62cm, the Disc Trucker will also be available in a 64cm, 700c wheel only. Most of the components on the complete bike are the same as the standard LHT, but a couple things are different. We chose Avid BB7 cable operated brakes for their proven reliability and ease of...

Meet A Simple Six Fall 2011 Meet the family behind A Simple Six, left to right. Elliot , 7, loves his friends, video games, playing creatively and being the biggest, sweetest brother and son he can be. He’s in the second grade at Our Lady of Fatima Parish School and has cute freckles. Elliot rides a blue 20 inch Junior Viper and was born in Pullman, WA. Oliver , 22m, is trying to put two words together and wants nothing more than go on a bike ride. He waves hello to everyone and  smothers  loves his friend Etta. Oliver prefers to sit in the iBert but can sometimes be found in the Peanut Shell or trailer. Our youngest lad of three was born here in Huntington, WV. Stacy , 32, spends a lot of time in the kitchen, which includes being on the computer, cooking, scheming, and occasionally putting away clean dishes. She writes this blog and volunteers all her time for, well, everything. Stacy peddles the Yuba Mundo on most days, but when she’s flying solo she might take th...

Event Name: FrozenFat Fatbike Weekend Motto:  Pennsylvannia’s only Fatbike Only Weekend Established 2011 When: January 15-16th 2012 Rain or Snow Where: Tony and Paula Seguin Homestead  Last House on Martin Gap Road in Huntingdon, Pa. 16652  Borders Rothrock State Forest. Close to Raystown Lake and the Allegrippis Trails Concept:  Brethren of Fat.  Expect to be unreasonably cold....than everything else will seem normal. After that realize that this is going to be a wild weekend of fatbike camaraderie. Ride some snowmobile trails in Rothrock State Forest. Have a shuttled fatbike downhill ride.race. Camp out in the woods with a bonfire and some craft beer Ride some more at Raystown Lake on the coastal lake ice.  Have some fun. Arrangements: Primitive Camping. Cars will be parked on site and may be slept in. Portable Toilets. Water available on site. No indoor accommodations. No showers. Big ole bonfire. Fatbikes only (3.8 or greater) Plenty of space to set...

Highlights Distance: 57.5 mi Elevation: +  1506    ft Max Grade 16.4 % Average Speed Weather 14.6mph 63 degrees and 12mph+ headwinds