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Home > Road Rash > Archives > 2009 > July

July 2009

Freedom Riders coming to Austin

I was noodling around the net a few months back when I came across a preview for the documentary “Freedom Riders.” I was intrigued by the story of a group of riders who began covertly blazing rough trails in the Tetons about nine years ago. They were at odds with the U.S. Forest Service in the beginning, but eventually forged a partnership.

I’m no mountain biker, but this story was one that I thought needed to be brought to Austin. We are a city full of creative thinkers with unique talents, and a place thriving with cyclists in all forms. I knew there would be a large audience for this type of film, no matter what type of bike you prefer.

I got in touch with Keith Cozzens and told him it would be a good place to bring his inspirational film. I put him in contact with the good folks at Bicycle Sport Shop and they hammered out the details. The movie will be shown Aug. 13-14 at Jo’s Coffee on South Congress at 8:30 p.m.

Now the rest is up to you. Get out and support these guys and the Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club and enjoy a fantastic story about overcoming adversity to build some of the best free ride trails in the country.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

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Mount for iPhone on the way

iBikeMount is about to launch its iPhone case/mount. It holds your iPhone in a holster that mounts on any bar on your bike. The thought of talking on your phone while riding is horrendously dangerous, but the iPhone has some beneficial uses for cyclists, including maps and GPS and MapMyRide. And with this new mount, you wouldn’t have to be fumbling with it while trying to follow a digital map. There are also some applications on the way that would enable riders to get speed and cadence data on your phone, instead of using a cycle computer.

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More efforts to ban cycling from certain roads

Last week I had an entry about a group in Colorado who want to ban cyclists from county roads. Well now the rally has spread to Iowa.

Radio Iowa is reporting that a group calling itself the “Citizens for Safety Coalition of Iowa” is asking people to sign a petition that asks the legislature to create a ballot initiative for the November 2010 election that would ban bicycles on farm-to-market roads.

It’s a tricky debate. I don’t feel safe riding my bike on two-lane roads with no shoulder unless I’m with a group. There’s a good reason for the uneasiness. Cars are usually traveling between 40-60 mph on those types of roads, a lot faster than me. It’s really not safe for the driver or the cyclist.

At the same time, I don’t think it’s a good idea to ban cyclists from these rural-type roads. There are many group and charity rides that use these less-traveled roads on the weekends. If you banned them from having access, then there would be more congestion on busier city streets. It’s not a safe move for anyone involved.

I understand both sides of the debate, but the proposed solution is not the answer.

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Waller Creek Bike Tour

From the austinist.com, this sounds like an interesting opportunity to see how sections of Waller Creek may be utilized.

Waller Creek Bike Tour

Saturday, August 1, 10 am

Mexican American Cultural Center Plaza (600 River Street)

Bring Your Own Bike!

The Waller Creek master planning process is well underway. This is an effort to redesign the currently underutilized downtown creek into a premier community space; a potential venue for strolling, jogging, biking, dining, shopping, music, break-dancing, balloon-animal-making, capoeira demonstrations, competitive toenail-painting, and a host of other activities. The master planning process will help us decide what kind of space we want and what kind of activities we want to promote to activate the space.

A key issue shaping the decisions is the facts on the ground, the condition of the creek and the creek side amenities today. Hop on your bike and join us for a two-wheeled exploration of the opportunities and constraints for this future community hub.

We’ll be joined by experts and participants in the Waller Creek master planning process, including:

  • Council Member Chris Riley

  • Jeb Boyt of the Waller Creek Citizen’s Advisory Committee and Austin Metro Trails & Greenways

  • Jana McCann of ROMA Design Group

  • James Moody of The Mohawk and the Austin Live Music Task Force

  • Shawn Shillington, the Urban Development Editor for Austinist.com

You’ll be good and educated to participate in future opportunities for public input that will come in August. The tour will end with appropriate libations at the Crown and Anchor.

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Cyclists are fighting an uphill battle

I’ve heard the reasons that Gov. Perry has given for his veto of the Safe Passing Bill. His decision wasn’t good enough for the cycling community, nor should it be. There have been a few who agree with Texas’ Top Aggie, and one one of those is Kenneth Bain. The name probably doesn’t ring a bell. But with a little digging (including some Freedom of Information requests) by Bicycle Sport Shop’s Leslie Luciano, his angle becomes a little more intriguing. His son, Kenneth Bain Jr., is out on bond after killing two cyclists with his car in Grand Prairie a year ago. The whole story can be found here.

It’s not surprising that he would take this stand considering his son’s situation. But I truly believe that anyone who takes the time to research cycling on the streets will come to the conclusion that those of us on two wheels need more protection. And I don’t just mean from the Safe Passing Bill. We need more bike lanes, more cycling awareness and more education. Look, the streets will never be totally safe for motorists, cyclists or pedestrians. But conditions should be improved for two-wheeled transportation because it’s only increasing in popularity.

I’ve heard the argument that roads were not built to handle bicycles and cars. Yeah, well we have the technology to modify. It’s really not hard to understand that things change, including modes of travel. Many cities at one point converted their streets for cable car use, and later restructured and widened lanes to accommodate more vehicular traffic. It’s time to take more aggressive action for our new travel needs.

I know the City of Austin is working to install more bike lanes, and every little bit helps. But we could have used the Safe Passing Bill to help create more awareness about cycling and safety. It’s a shame Perry didn’t see fit to be progressive in his approach to making the city a healthier, cleaner and safer place to live.

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A taste of the Bicycle Film Festival

To get you warmed up for the Bicycle Film Festival Aug. 5-9, check out this trailer for one of several movies to be shown.

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Bike travel case solution

Have you ever traveled with your bike and had problems with airport security cutting the lock on your travel case? This could be a viable solution to keep out the curious. …

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Photos from Citizen Rider.

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Bicycle Film Festival schedule released

It’s now time to start getting fired up about the Bicycle Film Festival coming to Austin Aug. 5-9. Click here to see the schedule of events and to order tickets.

The films range from 2 minute shorts to full-length movies, and the topics cover everything from a classic Japanese Keirin track story to the New York City Pedicab industry. This event should be a great opportunity to immerse yourselves into the cycling culture and meet like-minded folks as well. I hope there is a huge turnout. See you there.

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Odd bike gallery

I enjoy studying creative endeavors, be it a masterpiece or a flop. The fact that some people take a large chunk of their time to ruminate and then construct what they’ve imagined is cause for celebration. Most of us come up with ideas, but let life get in the way of making it reality. Here are a few related to bicycling. …

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The Circle Bike was created at University of South Carolina Beaufort. It doesn’t have a point other than to ride in circles, which I guess is the point.

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The E-Chein crank is a Chinese product that is supposed to increase revolutions. Ummmm, I don’t know about that, but it looks pretty swanky.

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This bicycle is supposedly waterproof, lightweight and only costs $30. It’s also fully recyclable, thanks to its almost 100% cardboard construction. I still wouldn’t test that waterproof theory heading down a steep hill in the rain.

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Come on, seriously? An actual bar that gives you the opportunity to work off beer as you drink it, all from the comfort of your own stool. Me likes.

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OK, there is nothing really creative about the Hello Kitty franchise creating a bike tire with their logo imprinted on the rubber. I just think it’s disturbing and thus, interesting.

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Tour party Saturday at Nelo’s

Nelo’s Cycles will be hosting a Tour de France watch party that will include food from Mirabelle. Tasty goodness. …

Join us on Saturday for a morning of fun as all your favorites race up Ventoux!

We’ll have the big screen (OK, its only 32 inches) tuned to the race while we enjoy a satisfying breakfast complements of our friends at Mirabelle. Those of you who made it to our Grand Opening already know that a Mirabelle meal is not to be missed, so why not come out with your friends and take advantage of some great food and these one day specials:

Make a purchase of $20 or more and you’ll be entered to win a $50 Nelo’s Gift Certificate

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Bike dog

This short video combines two of my favorite things: cycling and dogs. Check it out.

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County trying to ban cyclists

I saw this post from bikerumor and my heart sank. I know this particular case is in Colorado, but it could manifest into laws barring cyclists from roads all over the country. Plus, with the recent veto by Gov. Perry of the Safe Passing Bill, this type of legislation could creep into Texas soon. …

County Commissioners in Jefferson County, Colorado, announced that they are asking for statewide legislation that would let counties ban bicyclists from county roads of their choice, according to an article in the July 7 Columbine Courier.

No, sadly, this is not a joke, and it could have long-lasting effects even if this particular attempt fails. BicycleColorado.com has taken up the cause, and they’ve made it easy to stay informed and tell your friends. Here’s their action list:

  1. Join the Movement - Now is the time to add your voice to this issue. Join Bicycle Colorado. If you don’t know if you are a member, use our Am I a Member form to check.

  2. Spread the Word - Post this information to your blog and Facebook page, forward to friends, teammates and clubs.

  3. Get Connected and Be Ready to Call - Sign up for eNews to receive updates on this issue and to receive the alert for when to call your legislators.

The have more links on their website of resources and answers to common questions, but the most obvious one is Why? Well, unfortunately, there seems to be no good answer. Based on the Courier article, commissioners recognized that there are “severe” issues between motorists and cyclists on certain roads.

So, rather than enforce the law that says cyclists have the same rights to the road as cars, Jefferson County commissioners decided they would not only deny a recent charity bicycle event a permit, but that they would go ahead and try to get the right to ban cyclists from any road they want.

Commissioner Faye Griffin said she supports the proposal citing “safety concerns”for cyclists. Well, if “safety is paramount,” as she claims, then again, I say enforce the law and penalize any motorist that threatens or harms cyclists. That would send the RIGHT message that we will not tolerate terrorists on our soil, whatever form they may take!

Of all states, it’s the biggest surprise to us that this comes from Colorado. When it seems that just about every other nook and cranny of the U.S. is making advancements in cycling safety, infrastructure or, at the very least, awareness, how can one of the healthiest, outdoorsy states possibly bring an idea like this out in the open? Hopefully no legislator is dumb enough to sponsor the bill in the 2010 session. In a state like CO, hopefully, that would be political suicide.

Forward this on to as many cyclists as you can, let them know about this, and encourage them to get involved now, or, like it or not, your state could be next.

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Burritos make perfect motivation

I can honestly say that a vegetarian burrito never tasted so good. After churning, gasping, sweating, grinding and spinning for 40 miles, I’ll take my refuel any way I can get it. Oh yeah, the Real Ale was darn good too.

If you didn’t get out for the Austin Flyers Chipotle ride on Sunday, you dropped the ball. And I’m talking about several people in particular who swore up and down that a night on the town would not deter their plans for an early morning ride. It happens, I get it. It’s still a shame, though.

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The sun’s objective to burn us all off the planet was thwarted by a bank of clouds. The wind was still snoozing and the cars didn’t seem to mind our presence all that much. Perfect conditions. So perfect, in fact, that I took several turns pulling a small peleton in the rolling hills east of I-35. I even beat a few people up a fairly steep stretch of road (How did that happen?).

I’m telling you that free beer and food causes some unfamiliar metabolic swiftness. I had rice and beans on my mind before every climb. Usually the lure of food’s gravitational pull keeps one relegated to the slow and dough-filled crowd. But in this case, it suited my style just fine.

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Austin’s debate is also national

There’s a common debate that rages nationally. Cyclists vs. drivers. It’s the same issues no matter how good a city’s cycling infrastructure may be. I used to think many of these arguments were particular to Austin due to our underdeveloped bike lanes and healthy cycling population. It’s always interesting to read perspectives from other cities. I found some letters to the editor online at SFGate. Here’s a sampling (much of this should sound familiar). …

Obey the rules of the road

To Marshall Kilduff (“My car and bike hate each other,” Personal Perspective, July 6):

If you want respect from other road users, obey the rules of the road. Be polite, show respect, and others will be more inclined to show it to you.

As a commuting, recreational, touring and racing cyclist with 50 years of experience (I am 65), this is what I have learned over the years.

Don’t blow through stop signs - especially red lights. Wear bright clothing. Have good lights at night. Be bold but respectful on the road. Be seen to be a responsible road user.

These are some of the indicators of a mature and sensible cyclist - which, evidently, you are not.

Bike arrogance

A heartfelt thank you to Meg Rosenfeld for her letter (“Don’t run me down,” July 9) concerning the dangerous arrogance of too many, maybe most, of the bicyclists in San Francisco.

Every time I read of a new demand from them, and they are demands, I think of all the times I have been nearly run down by someone on a bike.

Ms. Rosenfeld does not say if she has ever said anything to the rude ones, but I have. And every time I was met with obscenity and mockery.

Watch out

A little unsolicited and perhaps unwanted advice. Be more careful when you bike in the city. The next time you run a stop sign may be your last.

On a dry December afternoon, our 21-year-old son was riding his bike in a controlled crosswalk (his right-of-way) on Sunset Boulevard when he was hit by a car that neglected to stop as required by law. He was lucky, after three hospitalizations and several surgeries, to be able to walk and finish college, but he will face a lifetime of problems with his leg and teeth. The driver stopped and is insured, but not enough to cover his expenses and future medical bills.

I suggest you contact S.F. General Hospital for statistics. I was in shock that evening, but I believe they told us on the night of the accident that they get 10 bike accidents a week, almost all hit and run.

Out of control

I am a former bike rider, so I do know the situation, but things have really gotten out of hand with the bikers.

They want all the privileges of the road but don’t want to give them to those of us driving cars. Example:

Not too long ago, I was driving on South Road, in Golden Gate Park, which is a narrow, one-lane-in-each-direction road. I got behind two bikers, riding two across, so that I could not pass them, and could drive only at their speed. Very rude. They knew I was behind them.

Finally I was able to pass them, and as I did so, I rolled down the car window, to inform them that there is a bike path, running parallel, for their use. Well, you can imagine what their response was to me.

There certainly does need to be an attitude change. I believe more people biking to work or to do errands is a terrific way to save energy, but there is no reason for these bikers to be so rude.

The Bike Coalition has got to get some polite right-of-way rules for these bikers.

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Google maps: Go by bicycle on the way?

An interesting development from bikerumor. …

This tip came through via Cyclelicio.us who heard from a friend of a friend that Google Maps may be adding a “Go By Bicycle” option to it’s mapping. It already has By Car, By Public Transportation and Walking option for finding directions, and this would be a super cool addition that, if nothing else, gets people to start thinking about making small trips by bike.

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AAA comes to the cyclists’ rescue

Portland, Ore. cyclists have it made. They’ve got a great cycling infrastructure, a large number of people who commute plus strong advocacy groups. And now they’ve got the American Automobile Association (Triple A) on their side. Check out this video from a Portland station that explains the situation.

I will make a call and see if the Texas AAA would consider providing such a service. It sounds like a pretty good deal even though most serious cyclists carry the necessary supplies to get themselves going should a breakdown occur. But it’s always nice to have a backup plan.

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Silence is about to be golden in the Tour de France

There’s more drama for this year’s Tour de France, and this time it involves the use of race radios. Wow, how stupid is this?

The ongoing debate over the use of radios between riders and team directors will take center stage at the Tour de France on Tuesday’s stage from Limoges to Issoudon.

In response to the chorus of complaints that the rise of race radios has made the sport too predictable and formulaic, Tour organizers Amaury Sports Organisation asked the UCI management committee to agree to a directive banning radios on two stages, meaning virtual radio silence for both Tuesday and again on Friday’s 200km route from Vittel to Colmar.

The UCI approved ASO’s request on June 19, but team managers and riders associations never formally consented to the directive.

And with 15 of the 20 teams in the race signing a petition to protest the decision, the radio ban could provide added drama to a Tour that has also delivered controversial subplots surrounding the intersquad rivalry between Astana’s Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong as well as Tom Boonen’s successful eleventh-hour appeal to participate.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

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Former president shares trails with Sport Shop employees

Recently, some of the guys at the Bicycle Sport Shop got the chance to get dirty with former President Bush at his Crawford, Texas ranch. They blazed trails with Bush and his posse of Secret Service cyclists, but it was Jason Thompson who took the brunt of the ride. He went down hard a few times, and has the bumps and bruises to prove it. According to Thompson (pictured with Bush), the former President is in incredible shape and is also a strong rider. I imagine Thompson probably doesn’t feel too bad about getting his butt kicked on the trail by the one-time most powerful man in the world.

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Perry’s veto won’t go away quietly

Thanks to Leslie Luciano’s efforts, the battle with Gov. Perry and Austin cyclists stays in the spotlight. In case any of you missed it, Statesman reporter Jason Embry wrote a piece about the feud. And for Luciano’s take on the situation, visit her blog here. …

There’s been plenty of talk about the key role that social conservatives and, to a lesser degree, suburban moderates, will play in next year’s gubernatorial primary.

But what about cyclists?

Anger in the bicycle-riding community does not appear to have evaporated much since Gov. Rick Perry vetoed Senate Bill 488, legislation that would have created a safe-passing distance of at least three feet for vehicles trying to pass cyclists and other so-called vulnerable road users.

Leslie Luciano of Bicycle Sport Shop in Austin submitted a public-information request to Perry’s office to see what the governor was hearing about the legislation leading up to the veto. She found that Perry’s office received 185 e-mails supporting the legislation and 38 opposing it. And there were 1,060 phone calls for the legislation, 45 calls against it.

UPDATE: Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said that almost all of the calls and e-mails came in after the legislative session but before the veto was announced.

Luciano and others are determined to try to turn that anger into support for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the March primary. Already, Luciano said, 3,000 people have lent their names to an online petition in which they pledged to take the Perry veto into consideration during next year’s gubernatorial election.

Perry is a cyclist himself, last month, in fact, he broke his collarbone in a biking accident. But Luciano said he hasn’t done much to reach out to cyclists in Texas, and he’s pretty much blown any chance to do so with the veto.

“He has pretty much isolated himself from the cycling community,” Luciano said. “He goes out to exercise, but he doesn’t ride his bike to work, doesn’t ride his bike to the store.”

But even though they were outnumbered, some Texans encouraged Perry to veto the cycling legislation.

“If you sign the bill penalizing drivers that encounter bicyclists I will certainly vote for Kay,” John Heath of Azle wrote to Perry. “These are not motorized vehicles and they choose to go into the middle of the street at their slow pace without concern to a motorized vehicle.”

And here’s a message that came in from Robert Ellis of Plano after the veto: “Thanks for vetoing the safe passing bill. I love passing close to cyclists who shouldn’t be on roads with speed limits above 25 mph.”

And Perry said in his veto message, “While I am in favor of measures that make our roads safer for everyone, this bill contradicts much of the current statute and places the liability and responsibility on the operator of a motor vehicle when encountering one of these vulnerable road users. In addition, an operator of a motor vehicle is already subject to penalties when he or she is at fault for causing a collision or operating recklessly, whether it is against a ‘vulnerable user’ or not.”

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Bike film festival on the way

Just a reminder to clear the calendar from Aug. 5-9 as the Bicycle Film Festival comes to Austin. There are going to be lots of fun events in addition to the films themselves, so get prepared for a great event. Just to whet your appetite, here’s the trailer. …

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Mellow J’s hosting interesting events

Mellow Johnny’s is hosting some pretty cool events. First up is tonight’s Le Tour, which is a photo study of the Tour de France by photographer Brent Humphreys. The images that Brent has captured over the years are a testament to what a colorful and unique event the Tour de France really is, seldom seen through the coverage received on domestic TV and media sources. Brent started this project in 2004 and has returned every summer since as part of an ongoing book project.

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The show will consist of 15 large scale first edition prints, limited edition posters, and a booklet as a show accompaniment. Behind the scenes video and vintage tour footage set to French music will compliment the photography. Wine and hor d’oeuvres will be provided by Royal Blue Grocery. The work will be on display through July 31st.

Next up is Saturday morning’s Public Art Bike Tour. Join the ride for a campus tour visiting works in the UT Landmarks public art program. The stops are all on campus, and they have added some new works to the previous tour. Ride from the bike shop but have a second departure at 9 am from outside the Blanton Museum Cafe on the UT campus near MLK and Congress. (The Cafe is located in the west building.) You’ll be joined by docents to fill us in on the artists and the pieces themselves. The total distance is 6 miles and will travel at a novice-friendly pace. Come by at 8 am for pre-ride coffee. Riders have the option to stay after the ride for lunch at the Blanton Cafe.

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Follow up on vetoed bill

Bicycle Sport Shop’s Leslie Luciano is doing a fantastic job of staying after our state government. She filed a Freedom of Information Act request concerning the vetoed Safe Passing Bill, and some of the numbers are in.

These are the for and against calls and emails, and show overwhelming support for the bill:

Phone calls during session:

For: 1060

Against: 45

Email:

For: 185

Against: 50 (some were counted 4 times/same letter—some 2 times) closer to 40 against

Calls: 2:45-5 prior to veto

For: 995

Against: 3

It’s nice to know that many cyclists came together and showed such unity. Leslie is doing a great job of following up on this situation, and I hope the cycling community really builds up a head of steam so that Gov. Perry has little choice but to sign this bill next Legislative session.

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Burritos, bikes and beer

Ahhhhhh, one of my favorite rides of the year is on the horizon (July 19). It combines two of my favorite things, burritos and beer. The details from Bicycle Sport Shop. …

FREE Chipotle burritos and Real Ale Beer. It just doesn’t get any better!

Join us for an awesome ride followed by free burritos courtesy of Chipotle and beer from Real Ale Brewery and watch a stage of the Tour de France.

There will be 4 rides to choose from:

  1. 15 mile - casual ride through neighborhoods

  2. 35 mile - intermediate level ride

  3. 60 mile - advanced level ride

  4. NEW! - mountain bike group ride on the Greenbelt

Rides will leave at 8:30 am from the Bicycle Sport Shop parking lot, located at 517 S. Lamar. Food, beverages and Tour viewing will be at 11am back at BSS.

  • Helmets are required for this ride. Hybrid and mountain bikes are welcome but only on the 15 mile route. To attend this FREE event but burritos and beer will be available only while supplies last.

Please RSVP so we are sure to have enough food for everyone.

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Nice video, Izumi

Pearl Izumi comes up with a pretty creative viral video touting its ‘Speed Shop’ clothing.

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Better drink more milk

Cyclists have brittle bones? According to some recent studies, we better all start drinking tons of milk (especially those of us who race).

In one study, the bone density of 32 male, competitive bike riders, most in their late 20s and early 30s, was compared to that of age-matched controls, men who were active but not competitive athletes. Bone scans showed that almost all of the cyclists had significantly less bone density in the spine than the control group.

There is an interesting story from the New York Times that details this information.

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It’s not easy to be comfortable in your own spandex

I had this strange feeling that I didn’t belong, and it wasn’t just a whisper. It was blindingly loud. The truly odd part was that it happened to be in a convenience store. There’s usually no cultural or ethnic boundaries which preclude one from picking up a soda or some munchies at the local gas n’ sip. It’s an American version of the old world public houses. Except here people grab their beer and food and go. Plus there’s very little talking or singing or story telling.

Kyle seems like a nice town. But if you get off the beaten path like the Bicycle Sport Shop riders did on the morning of July Fourth, the pleasantries can be masked by wonder. Now, this is not an indictment of our neighbor to the south. After all, we were a sight to behold. Imagine close to 20 cyclists, clad in spandex and skin-tight shirts, cautiously waddling around the store in slick shoes. And yes, even the guys’ legs were freshly shorn.

Most of the customers were just stopping on their way to the lake or a cookout. They probably were not expecting a sweaty gang of cyclists to be clogging up the check-out line. We got some looks and a few chuckles. I even heard this line, “I thought this holiday was the Fourth, not Halloween.”

To be fair, the lady who worked there treated us great. She’s probably used to seeing lots of us in her store because that area just west of I-35 is heavily traveled by cyclists. It was the customers who had a hard time with us. That’s not really surprising, because the same thing happens on the road. Only there it involves yelling and honking instead of stares and chuckles.

It’s part of being a roadie, and I’m just now getting used to it.

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Lance is gonna party like it’s 1999

As Lance Armstrong prepares to tackle the Tour de France for the first time since 2005, I thought it might be fun to look back at his first victory in 1999 and see the young lad in full force. Here’s a little inspiration on the eve of the greatest show in cycling. …

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Make your own pedal-powered phone charger

Having a cell phone charger on a bicycle? I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not. If you are riding and yapping on your phone, then bad things will likely happen. Then again, it’s nice to have a charged phone when you’re 70 miles from home in the middle of nowhere and your spokes give out.

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From makezine.com comes a project that teaches you how to build your very own pedal-powered phone charger. Again, it’s an interesting idea. It’s good to have a phone in case of emergency, I just don’t want to encourage folks to bike and yap at the same time on a cell.

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July 4th ride

Looking for something cool to do on July 4th? The Bicycle Sport Shop has got the ticket.

The Bicycle Sport Shop staff invites you to join us for a casual ride to Gruene this Fourth of July.

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The schedule is as follows:

  • 6:30 a.m. Riders will leave from Bicycle Sport Shop- North toward Central.

  • 7:15-7:30 a.m. Riders will leave Bicycle Sport Shop- Central for Gruene

  • There will be rest stops in Kyle and San Marcos.

  • Ride ends with a short dip in the Gruene River and lunch at the Gristmill.

Last year’s average speed was a little over 17 mph. It is imperative this ride leaves on time to avoid the heat and headwinds. RSVP REQUIRED, transportation back to Austin is limited.

All traffic rules will be obeyed and helmets required. No exceptions.

To RSVP please contact mike_jankowski@bicyclesportshop.com

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