Columbus Rides Bikes!

Doug Speck, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Car Group, literally rolled out another Volvo world first in automotive safety at a press conference at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday. He introduced the groundbreaking safety feature - a technology that detects and automatically brakes for cyclists swerving out in front of the car - by entering the stage on a bicycle. The new functionality is an enhancement of the present detection and auto brake technology, and the package will be called Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake. All cars equipped with pedestrian detection will also incorporate cyclist detection. "As the leader in automotive safety, we have been first in the industry with all detection and auto brake technologies, from the first-generation brake support in 2006 to pedestrian detection with full auto brake in 2010," said Doug Speck. Counteracts accidents According to accident data, about 50 p...

Citi Bike isn't enough of an adrenaline rush for Simone Weichselbaum. This bodes well for its success. Photos: Daily News ( left ,  right ) Daily News reporter Simone Weichselbaum likes her bikes light and fast. The self-proclaimed “proud bike snob who is rarely without her SE Draft steel-frame fixie”  said in 2009  that “biking here can be a death sentence,” and that bike lanes are “battle zones.” So it’s no surprise that Citi Bike — featuring a 45-pound three-speed with balloon tires and a low center of gravity —  wasn’t her cup of tea . What she intended as a scathing review of the bike-share two-wheelers might turn out to be their best endorsement yet. [Keep reading at streetsblog.org

As spring approaches one of the great things for us UL travelers is that we get to put away the big (relatively speaking) white gas and propane stoves and bring out our lovely little alcohol stoves. If you are not familiar with Alcohol Stoves, they are small, uber lite, and run on denatured alcohol or some other derivative. For three-season camping where all you are doing is heating water for coffee and tea, or boiling some water for pasta or soup, these stoves just can’t be beat. [Keep reading at Salsa Cycles]

Keirin: Speed Racers on Nowness.com

Bike to work from Imagery with Impact on Vimeo . In an effort to encourage more people to bike to work, this film contrasts a driver and bike commuter’s start to their workday. The film highlights the question, how do you want to start your day? For more information on Bike to Work Day, visit: http://www.icommutesd.com/events/bike-to-work-day Bike to work day is May 17th, 2013. Music by Alt + J "Something Good" visit: http://www.altjband.com/ Written by Khalisa Bolling Co-produced by Khalisa Bolling and Brian Kranson Directed and edited by Leylla Badeanlou: A Film by Imagery with Impact Productions Camera: 5DMIII Lenses: 21mm Zeiss, 35mm f/1.4, 45mm T/S, 85mm/f1.2 Tools: Glide track, Glidecam, Manfrotto monopod & tripod, FCP7

Highlights Saturday Overcast and upper 40's/low 50's 4 cyclists (Ray, Bill, Brett, Tim) Coshocton, OH start Clark, OH Beck Mills , OH  (Beckless of course) Charm , OH  (lunch) Berlin, OH (stopped for chocolate) Winesburg, OH (Camped at Amish Country Campgrounds) Dinner in Winesburg (My wife drove up to camp with us) 43 miles Saturday night a cold front moved through with rain and wind and temps dropped into upper 30's/low 40's Sunday Sunny and clear with headwinds of 20-30 mph No restaurants are open in the heart of Amish country on Sunday. (Duh!) We ate breakfast at camp and headed out Sugar Creek, OH (sightseeing and lunch) End at Coshocton, OH 43 miles 8300  ft of climbing Lots of Amish and cows scattered throughout beautiful countryside.

A NEW BOOK PROFILES THE BIKE MAKERS WHO ARE CREATING SOME OF THE MOST DROOL-INDUCING AND INNOVATIVE RIDES AROUND. New York City’s soon-to-be-launched bike-sharing program has met with Big Apple-size skepticism. It’s too dangerous for a city with so little cycling infrastructure, detractors cry. The bike stations are too ugly (and a blight on historic neighborhoods), and the bikes themselves are crass advertisements for their corporate underwriter, Citibank. Regardless of whether those criticisms are fair, the program does reveal the fact that bike culture--the lifestyle most often associated with the Netherlands and, on this side of the pond, Portland, Oregon--is riding into the mainstream. New York may not become Amsterdam anytime soon. But even here, interest has fueled daring experiments in bike construction and fashion. Supported by technological advances, designers are sculpting novel materials (wood, bamboo, carbon fiber, and even  cardboard ) into breathtakingly no...

Research from New York City notes that newly installed protected bike lanes do more than keep bikers safe--they raise the income of the stores they are in front of. We’re written before about  cyclonomics --the economic impact of biking. Studies show that cycling brings in tourists, delivers jobs, and boosts retail sales. Now comes more evidence: a report from New York looking at the impact of a single bike lane, and another from Oregon, looking at tourism spending. Neither will placate drivers who want roads to themselves--but anyway. Local stores next to the protected bike lane have seen a 49% increase in sales. New York may have dropped in a  recent ranking  of cycling cities. But it does have some world class infrastructure, including a " complete street " on 9th Avenue, with a protected bike lane. Built in 2007, it was controversial at the time (like everything else bike-related in the city). But a  study  by the Department of Transport finds that...

Have a bike to sell or donate? Looking for a bike to buy for yourself or a family member? Attend "Ride On! A Bike Swap Benefiting Pelotonia" sponsored by the Granville Rec District on Saturday, May 18th from noon - 5:00pm at Granville Intermediate School. This free event offers families and cycling enthusiasts an outlet to buy or sell new and used bikes, bike equipment and gear while supporting the fundraising efforts of local Pelotonia riders. The swap will feature vendors, food and educational workshops by bike experts. For more information, visit www.granvillebikeswap.webs.com/events .

The Trabec Race MIPS is a well-ventilated in-mold helmet that combines functionality and performance for single track and enduro riders. The construction is similar to the trabecular bone structure, which has excellent resistance and durability. The inner EPS core, reinforced with aramid filaments, is tough and resilient and the outer PC shell is constructed with the seams located in the least exposed areas. The helmet is equipped with the patented MIPS system to reduce the rotational forces to the brain in the case of an oblique impact. TECHNICAL FEATURES MIPS system Size adjustment system Adjustable visor protects your eyes from rain, sun, mud
and tree branches Aerodynamic ventilation channel system - 16 vent slots The fit is designed to be around the head versus on top, for superior protection Aramid fiber grid for protection and durability SIZES:  XS/S, M/L, XL/XXL  CERTIFIED  EN 1078, CPSC 12.03 WEIGHT:  350 g [POC]

The new Æscent is the ultimate lightweight performance shoe. Built on a brand new midsole-outsole package with the perfect balance of traction for hiking, rubber-on-the-rock for climbing and stability for everything from biking to cruising your longboard, the Æscent features a breathable mesh toe and high-friction Stealth S1 rubber soles. We've made this classic “approach” shoe the lightest, strongest, best-performing kick available. An innovative medial and lateral arch support add torsional stability and mid-foot support, while the 2-piece molded EVA midsole ensures your ride is as smooth as a magic carpet. [ Five Ten]

Fairdale’s Coaster  ($430-490) has the maneuverability of a track bike, but the overall relaxed feel of a regular roadie. A coaster brake comes stock (hence the name), but the frame can accept standard brakes, racks and fenders, so you can build it up. Custom riser bars set you in an upright position, ideal for riding in traffic. [See the rest of the Bike to Work Week reviews at Wired]

Join us TONIGHT for Ride the Elevator 2013. This is a FREE ride from Goodale Park, Franklinton Cycleworks and Hal & Al's and we will converge on Elevator Brewery to enter the brewery and meet Dick the owner. You must be 21 to participa te. There are several starting points Meet at Hal & Al's bar at 5:15pm and ride with the Keg Bike to Goodale Park Meet at Goodale Park at the corner of Park & Buttles around 6:00pm. The ride rolls no later than 6:15pm. Meet at Franklinton Cycleworks on W Broad at 6:15pm and the group from Goodale will swing by to join them for the ride to Elevator Brewery. The entrance fee at Elevator Brewery is $10 and all proceeds go directly to Yay Bikes! and Franklinton CycleWorks. W e will all be handed a beer and commemorative PINT GLASS to pose for a mass cheers photo.   At beer 30 (7:30pm) we can pop open our beer and smile for the camera. We will then head down to Hal & Al's on Parson's to fill our pint glass with beer sp...

Public Domain NYC Dept of Transportation In any discussion about installing bike lanes the argument often is put forward that they are bad for business, what with the loss of parking spaces and the increased difficulty of loading and deliveries. But what if this is completely backwards? TreeHugger alluded to this in  How bicycles bring business to your community  and  There IS a Bicycle Economy, Two Cities Find , but here is the real proof from New York's Department of Transportation. The most shocking data are from the protected bike lanes on 8th and 9th Avenues. 49% increase in retail sales. (The decrease in injuries is pretty spectacular too.) It all works because there is a place for everyone, not just the car. [Keep reading at Treehugger]

According to Bikes Belong, 27% of kids (13.7 million individuals) ages 6 to 17 bicycled in 2010, for a total of 989 million bicycling outings (72 outings per bicyclist.). The other day, I was embarking on one of my favorite activities: riding around town with my family. With my four-year-old attached to my bike on one of those newfangled trail-a-bikes, I took him straight over a small section of bumpy rocks. I assumed he’d ridden on rocks before. I’d assumed he’d enjoy bouncing up and down. I assumed he’d think riding rocks was cool. “Mommy, that was NOT cool,” I was quickly informed. Here I was, in the middle of a bike ride with my son, and I’d just broken one of the major tenants of cycling: I didn’t ride predictably. And though this lesson was reinforced with a few tears (his) and pangs of guilt (mine), I realized this wasn’t the first lesson on cycling I’d received from my pint-sized wheelman. Actually, now that I think about it, I’ve learned just about everything I know a...

Sponsored by the League, National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride. Whether you bike to work or school; to save money or time; to preserve your health or the environment; to explore your community or get to your destination, get involved in Bike Month in your city or state — and help get more people in your community out riding too! CLICK HERE  to download promotional items! Recursos en Español When is Bike to Work Week and Day? In 2013, Bike to Work Week is  May 13-17  and Bike to Work Day is  Friday, May 17 .  When is Bike to School Day? In 2013, Bike to School Day is  May 8 . Bike Month Guide Need some ideas? Use the League's  Bike Month Guide  to learn how to get started promoting your event. Bike Month Promotion Click here  to download logos, posters, web banners, a social media toolkit, a Bike Month Bingo sheet and more! Contact  li...

©  LucidBrake We've reviewed  a lot of bike lights in TreeHugger,  and this new one is a little different. Inventor and tinkerer John Craig has created an easily removable, battery-powered brake light that senses a cyclist's decelerations in order to strongly flash when a bike is coming to a stop. Calling his new  Kickstarter campaign  invention the LucidBrake, Craig says the light will help save lives by preventing some of the accidents caused by drivers that say they just don't 'see' cyclists. The LucidBrake has a patent-pending algorithm that is supposed to ignore normal wheel rotations and road bumpiness, yet sense the deceleration that indicates slowing down or stopping. The brake's eight LED lights are placed in an octagon shape so that they resemble a stop sign. ©  LucidBrake For regular cruising the LED-based LucidBrake shows a weaker flashing light, then flashes intensely when the cyclist is braking or decelerating to a stop. The light st...

Giro previewed an intriguing new line of cycling clothing on Thursday at the  Golden Saddle Cyclery  in downtown Los Angeles. Dubbed 'New Road,’ the retro-inspired collection is neither street wear nor performance kit but somewhere in between. Whether or not that market actually exists remains to be seen, but we will find out once New Road becomes available in the spring. New Road’s styling is undeniably from days gone by with heather-finish Merino wool fabrics, subdued colors, and trim (but not tight) tailoring featured heavily throughout the roughly dozen-piece range, which includes a mix of long-sleeved and short-sleeved tops, shorts, short liners and outerwear. There's even a collared polo that would look at home on a long commute or stopping into a café along the way. There is also a pair of SPD-compatible lace-up  shoes . Lace-up SPD shoes are part of the line While the aesthetic is casual, Giro designed the pieces with real riding in mind. Road ride...

Elevated from today’s headline stack,  via Animal NY : A driver on a South Williamsburg street refused to share the road with cyclist Rafael Huerta, and after harassing Huerta in the street three times with his vehicle, refused to take responsibility for his actions. Instead, he claimed the cyclist was at fault — but  video from the cyclist’s handlebar-mounted camera  indicates otherwise. The video begins with Huerta riding eastbound on Wallabout Street, starting at Kent Avenue. (Wallabout is a parallel route to Flushing Avenue, which has shared-lane markings but also heavier truck and auto traffic.) The street is two-way and the lane is relatively narrow; the video shows Huerta riding in the right-hand third of the lane. After the intersection with Franklin Avenue, a gray Toyota minivan driver passes him, then hits the brakes and moves to the right, squeezing him between the moving vehicle and parked cars. Following a third encounter where the driver swerved i...