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January 2009
Frankenbike well worth it
I hung out at Frankenbike for a while on Saturday. Austin’s semi-regular bike parts swap is a great place to find complete bikes, saddles, pedals, wheels, hubs and just about anything else you could possibly need to finish off that project. There’s a lot of cool people and great deals to be found. For a schedule of future Frankenbike meets, head to their web site.
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Indy Fab and Austin, a perfect match
I went to the grand unveiling of the marriage between Boston’s Independent Fabrication and Bicycle Sport Shop on Thursday night. The party was at the Tap Room in downtown Austin, and there were some interesting conversations floating in the air.
It wasn’t all about tube diameters, vertical compliance or bottom bracket stiffness, although there was plenty of tech talk. There was a genuine connection between the Indy Fab representatives, the bike shop employees and the consumers in attendance. I think it’s because Indy Fab is a small company that treats the buyer like a human and not a number like larger companies do.
It’s a policy that keeps Austin from becoming homogenized into Anytown, USA with strip malls and a Chili’s on every corner. We like different in Austin. We like taking the road less-traveled, especially when it yields something unique and special.
Indy Fab fits the bill.
The company is full custom, and I mean FULL custom. They want to know everything you could possibly want in a bicycle, and then some. They handcraft each frame out of steel, titanium or carbon to your exact measurements and desires, and produce a steed that fits like a tailored suit. They excel in making dream bikes, and I’m glad they have found a good home in Austin.
The bikes on display were most impressive. …
If you have the temptation and the cash, or you just like looking at beautiful things, head over to Bicycle Sport Shop for a peek at some Indy Fab creations. They will take care of you.
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Tour of California get expanded coverage
Good news for those who love cycling on TV. Versus has announced it will air the fourth annual Tour of California, Lance Armstrong’s second race of the 2009 cycling season. Versus will air all nine days of the event, including live coverage of the middle stages for the first time, beginning February 14 at 4 p.m.
The recently expanded 750-mile, nine-day race from Sacramento to San Diego County will feature the world’s top professional cyclists, including Lance Armstrong and two-time defending race champion Levi Leipheimer.
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Biking meets rowing
Wow. And I thought riding a regular bicycle took balance and concentration. Check out the new ROWBIKE. It seems a little wacky and a little dangerous, but I cannot really pooh-pooh the idea since I have not had the pleasure of actually riding this contraption. Below is ROWBIKE’s pitch. And if you are really interested check out their website.
The ROWBIKE is a first-of-its kind hybrid machine that blends a rowing machine with a traditional bicycle, producing a one-of-a-kind exercise experience.
The ROWBIKE is propelled along the road, reaching speeds as high as those of a bicycle when the rider rows his arms and legs similar to stationary rowing machine, but steers like a traditional bike, with the added benefit of taking one of the world’s most complete and effective workout outdoors.
Depending on the rider’s positioning on the bike, biceps, triceps, leg and back muscles can all be targeted to fire at their full potential during the incredibly powerful and efficient workout.
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Dirt jumping
I’ve driven past that cool BMX park on Ninth St. several times, but never stopped. I finally made the journey and spent a little time soaking up the scene.
It’s pretty incredible to watch these guys flying off homemade dirt mounds, sometimes reaching 20-25 feet into the air. I had seen it on TV, but it’s hard to understand how much timing and skill are required until you see it in person.
It’s an interesting place, especially since it’s located so close to the high-dollar real estate market in downtown. It’s also a hotbed for riders from all over the world. If you are ever hanging around that part of town in the afternoon, it’s worth checking out.
For more details on this BMX park and its inhabitants, read Pam LeBlanc’s story from a few years back.
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Fear the cow
Cows apparently don’t like cyclists. They can be mean, spiteful creatures when it comes to humans and their stupid two-wheeled contraptions. That’s why if there’s reports of cows in the area I will be cycling, I will steer clear from this day forth.
Let this be a lesson to all of us. You can never be too careful when riding near these big, tasty creatures. They hate us, yet they seem so passive in the fields. They are usually just chewing some grass, wandering aimlessly. But cyclists seem to incite some serious rage from their little brown brains.
The world is changing. When I first started cycling a couple of years ago, cows were never considered a serious threat to cyclists. But that high level of comfort when cycling in the country is now just a memory.
Consider yourselves sufficiently warned.
From the DenverChannel.com, here is the report. …
Denver, Colo. — A woman riding a mountain bike on a Boulder Open Space trail was knocked down and stepped on by a rogue cow Monday.
The woman, who was not identified, was on the South Boulder Creek Trail when she stopped to let a cow pass. According to the woman, the cow knocked her to the ground and then walked on her legs.
The cow continued down the trail and the woman refused medical treatment.
Open Space rangers said the area on Marshall Mesa is leased by ranchers and the owner of the cow was contacted regarding the renegade cow, which had left the scene by the time rangers arrived.
The Boulder Daily Camera reported that another woman was rammed by a cow in the same area in 2003, after the woman accidentally ran between the cow and her calf. The woman suffered a fractured pelvis in that incident.
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Odds and ends
A FOLDING BIKE EVEN I WOULD RIDE
Now this is pretty cool. A folding bike that you can literally take anywhere. And it looks good to boot. This bike could make commuting that much easier with it size and supreme portability. I wonder how well it rides. …
AN INTERESTING NOTE FROM BIKETEXAS DIRECTOR ROBIN STALLINGS
Many of you are aware that the Texas legislative session begins in January. Our first of two priority legislative goals is the passage of a new and improved Safe Passing Bill.
Sadly, approximately 50 cyclists, 400 pedestrians and 500 motorcyclists are killed every year in Texas. Many of those fatalities can be prevented in the future by legislative action on a new Safe Passing bill in 2009.
A significant change anticipated in the new Safe Passing Bill will broaden the benefits beyond the cycling community to “vulnerable road users” such as pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists, equestrians, farmers on tractors, and maintenance workers.
In addition to requiring more than three feet passing distance when a motorist passes a vulnerable road user, it will include penalties for throwing projectiles, “dooring”, the “right hook” (turning dangerously in front of a vulnerable road user), and more.
The second legislative goal is “Two Cents for Texas Trails”. Many beginner, intermediate and veteran cyclists would ride more often if a great network of hike and bike trails were available. Over $4 billion of pathways are planned but not funded in Texas. A fair and sensible funding source is a voter-approved, two cent gas tax increase, established as a constitutional amendment, dedicating the resulting $200 million per year to hike and bike paths for transportation and recreation. A key provision will require the funds to be spent in the community in which the two cent gas tax was paid.
After the bills are filed we will send an announcement to subscribers of our free e-newsletter. In addition to our top priority bills, BikeTexas will be vigilant at the Legislature for more opportunities to improve cycling conditions and to stop any threats that make it more difficult or less safe to ride a bike in the great state of Texas.
GET READY FOR THE BIG CHILL The Big Chill Adventure Race comes back to Bastrop this year. Expect 8-12 hours of river paddling, trekking and biking in the sport class with beginner to intermediate navigation. The adventure class will feature intermediate to advanced navigation and have race participants river paddling, trekking and biking for up to 24 hours. Of course, participants can expect ropes, special tests and a little bit of urban racing along the way as well as over $2,000 dollars in awards and prizes! The race will happen rain, snow, or shine, so be prepared for any type of weather.
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Stand and deliver or seated and slow?
I was riding around downtown on Sunday and decided to cut through Zilker Park. I had been on bike for a couple of hours and was ready to head south for home. There’s this short and steep hill that crests at Park Hills Baptist church and heads down to intersection with Bee Caves Rd.
This hill and I have a special relationship. I use it to gauge how much strength I’ve lost when the bike doesn’t get worked for a while. The effort, gear ratio and speed never lie. I can tell within the first 15 yards of the climb just how weak I’ve become.
It’s pretty simple really. I can roll up pretty fast running in the small ring and middle gears in the cog when I’ve been riding a lot. When days off the bike pile up, I’m a huffing, puffing, granny-gear spinner with lactic acid filling every muscle fiber.
But Sunday, I tried a little experiment. I normally try to remain seated while climbing, but I went at the hill with no cheeks on leather. I could feel the power and the pain. I tried it again while seated. I was no where near as fast, but had plenty left in the tank for the remainder of the ride.
So how does one decide when to stand and deliver and when to take a seat? And I’m not really talking about racing situations, because that involves a level of fitness and strategy that don’t apply to my kind. But just as a casual rider who wants to become a better climber, what is the formula for success?
My legs and lungs really want to know.
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It’s really simple, cycling saves money
I came across an article in the Wall Street Journal which describes how much of a money pit the family car has become and some options for dealing with the problem. …
Maybe it’s time for smart families to consider some really tough choices.
Life without a car may seem inconceivable. They are useful and can be fun. In most parts of America, you really can’t survive without one. And they’ve been hammered into the culture and the national psyche.
But a lot of things are happening these days that nobody expected. Rules are changing. People need to make every dollar count.
Trading down to the cheapest car possible is one move. Dumping one vehicle from a two-car household is tougher to do, but offers real savings. Moving into a city with a downtown, and getting rid of your cars completely, can save you even more. When you factor in the savings, city real estate might actually work out in your favor.
It’s interesting how buying a bicycle is not mentioned. This is quite a major oversite by the author. Switching to two-wheels would be one of the best, if not the best, options for those who are feeling the money pinch. I’m not going to hop on the soapbox here, because we all know the reasons why cycling kills about 15 kinds of problems with each pedal stroke. I’m just curious why the story fails to mention cycling.
Well, at least the government is pushing cycling among its employees to some degree.
A good example is Wheels4Wellness, which is a Federal Hill based program that utilizes Trek Pure bikes in a bike sharing program. The program places 30 bicycles for the House of Representatives to use during lunch, to grab a cup of coffee or get exercise when not working.
We’ll see what kind of use those bikes get.
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Hell Week on the horizon
One of the more brutal but enjoyable cycling happenings is Texas Hell Week, which will take place from March 14-21 in Fredericksburg. This is the granddaddy of all Hell Weeks. Over 300 riders from all over the country converge each March to ride in the hills and soak up Texas culture. If you have the itching for long rides and plenty of climbing, then this event is for you.
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Cyclists are not a priority
From the “cyclists aren’t considered a priority” file. … A guy I know told a story about riding single file with two other cyclists on the Congress bridge on Thanksgiving night. All three were sporting lights. The cyclist in the back of the line got hit from behind by a car, maiming the bike and the cyclists’ foot. The driver slowed down long enough for one of the cyclists to get his license plate number.
I’m not quite sure what has taken place in the nearly two months since the accident, but my friend says no charges have been filed, and the cops said the cyclists could file a civil suit.
Any of this sound familiar? I’ve come across many incidents just like this one during the past two years. I still cannot figure out why a hit-and-run involving a car and a bicycle takes such a low priority. If two cars were involved and someone was injured, you can bet your spokes there would be a serious investigation.
I’m tired of some viewing cyclists as nothing more than a nuisance. I understand that the roads are not yet safe and are not prepared for both cars and bikes. But as the law stands now, cyclists have every right to choose two-wheeled transportation and exert that right on the street. And if a cyclists gets struck from behind, guess what, many times it’s the motorists’ fault. I would just like to see those of us on two wheels get a fair shake.
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Bike shop trip yields more than socks
Sometimes going to your local bike shop is more than just a purchase-driven exercise. I went to Bicycle Sport Shop on Sunday with no true purpose other than buying some wool socks. I came away with a new love and the answer to a riddle that had plagued me for weeks.
I was slowly making my way past the racks full of beautiful steeds, with eyes glazed and pockets empty. A customer service representative (also known as one of my buddies at the shop) promptly came to my assistance.
“Back in here again I see,” he said.
“Yea, just looking at beater bikes so I don’t have to ride my Roubaix to work in the rain,” I said.
“Have you thought about a steel single-speed?”
“Aren’t those for guys who are really in shape? I cannot imagine slogging my way up hills on that minimalist machine,” I said.
“Have you ever ridden one?”
“Na, too much of a wuss,” I said. “But I don’t have anything better to do, let’s give it a whirl.”
After a brief test ride in the parking lot, I was hooked. The single-speed steel bike made by Salsa was quiet, smooth and versatile. It has clearance for wide tires. It has rivets for panniers. It also can be turned into a road bike with derailleurs.
During the course of salivating over this new object of my affection, I asked why so many fixed-gear guys were riding with these ridiculous flat handle bars no wider than pump handle. As if on cue, a fixie biker rides up and says that’s how couriers in New York City modified their bikes for more room riding between cars. Makes sense. I guess it’s more of a look than a functionality thing here in Texas.
We chatted for a few more minutes about the virtues of riding single-speeds and/or fixies, then I left without the object of my original trek to the shop.
But I’ll trade some knowledge and a new way of riding over wool socks any day of the week.
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Attention boneheads, pay attention
I was gliding along smoothly, dodging the usual obstacles; potholes, glass, automobiles, cactus, gravel, roadkill, nails, trash cans, vermin, dead branches, oil slicks and the like. It’s nothing I hadn’t seen before, and will inevitably encounter on my daily commute.
I can now officially add clueless jaywalker to that list.
It’s happened twice in the past two days. Two boneheads with no obstructed views appeared to look right at me and then proceeded to cross the street right in front of me.
My question is this. … What the filth could you guys possibly be seeing? Because it darn sure isn’t me.
I’m a big dude in bright clothes on a red bike. It was sunny on both days.
I’d also like to point out that it wasn’t the same guy twice, but it happened in almost the same spot. I came within inches of colliding with the first guy, and I was going fast. It wouldn’t have been pretty.
The second bonehead took a few steps into the street, stopped, took a few steps back, and then proceeded just as I was approaching. An evasive manuver was all that preemted disaster. Maybe I have developed some sort of cloaking ability. Maybe my new helmet bends light rays to disguise my presence. Maybe I ride so fast as to appear like a blur.
Or maybe pedestrians simply need to pay more attention. I understand that sometimes there are blind spots. I know that light can get into your eyes. I know that being drunk or high can override motor skills. I also know that fast-moving objects can escape peripheral vision. But these guys were looking right at me.
All I am asking is for a little bit of attentivness and common sense while crossing the street. I’m not even asking jaywalkers to follow the law. Just look before you leap. I thank you in advance for your cooperation.
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A little common sense goes a long way
Found an interesting story from Bike Rumor while cruising my usual cycling sites. It involves people in a Brooklyn neighborhood causing havoc with new bike lanes. Apparently the new bikes lane take up some precious parking spaces, which in New York are as good as gold.
But here’s the part that gets me. …
“Apparently, the most vocal griping is coming from the Hasidic (Jewish) community in the area, and they’ve taken matters into their own hands by directing school buses from the Hasidic school to park at an angle, blocking both bikes and traffic in a claimed effort to keep the children safe from wreckless riders (illegal). They’ve also posted the homemade detour sign along the way to redirect traffic (illegal).”
So basically, in response to those dangerous cyclists, these people have made it even more unsafe for their children, motorist and cyclist by blocking lanes with buses. What happened to common sense? I understand the anger over lost parking spaces, but surely there is a better way to handle this.
You can find the whole story on the New York Times website.
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Ghost bikes
On my daily commute to work, I cycle past a ghost bike. Although I see it every day, it has never become part of the static background. I acknowledge its presence with a quick glance and a lowering of my head. Its symbolism and message are clear with every passing. … be careful and be thankful.
The chained steel frame, painted white, but weathered and broken, is not just a memorial to a fallen cyclist, but a reminder of the price some have paid to ride. I don’t think of the bike in terms of fear, but rather as a chance to ride with purpose. The more I ride on busy streets, the more motorists will get used to my presence. And riding in a safe manner is an honor to those who have lost their lives on bikes.
If drivers see cyclists riding responsibly, they will treat us with respect. It would help cut down on accidents. But the ghost bikes around town are a grim reminder that we still have a long way to go.
The bikes themselves are sort of a mystery. It’s not publicly known who puts them up. They began to appear in Austin around 2005. The ghost bikes have been seen all over the country and the world. There is a fantastic article documenting the ghost bike trend in Urban Velo.
But the bottom line is there will always be danger involved with cycling. Even with more bike lanes and more awareness, cyclists should understand the risks involved with flying down the road on two wheels. I believe that having these memorials should help teach us all that life is precious, because any ride on a bike is a good one if you make it home.
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Electric bikes, maybe, maybe not
I try not to be a bike snob. I love all types, shapes and colors. My only thing is performance. Its got to feel solid and perform the simple tasks relatively well; braking, shifting, steering, etc. I’m not skeptical of anything that uses leg power to propel two wheels forward.
Until now.
I’m having a hard time figuring out why I’m not on board with “electric bikes.” They have two wheels, they don’t emit planet-damaging gases and they can give you some sort of a workout. It just seems a little phony.
Take the Optibike for example. It uses a motorized bottom bracket that allows you to pedal with the bike. Supposedly, you pedal like you would on a regular bike, but the Optibike just adds another 20mph to your speed.
I guess this could be a good option for someone who has to commute for 50 or more miles, but I am not buying the “get in shape fast” idea with these bikes. Why not use all of your cardio and leg capacity? Wouldn’t powering the the bike with just your own legs increase the health benefits?
I’m not getting why a battery-aided machine is a better option for those seeking to improve their health. According to the website, you can barely pedal and travel on flat roads at more than 30 mph. That’s good for keeping up with traffic, but “not breaking a sweat” kind of defeats the purpose.
Again, I’m not opposed to these types of machines because anything that reduces emissions is a good thing. But when it comes to making a lifestyle change, helping the environment and getting fit, the best option is the kind of bike that requires a little effort to move forward.
