Canada Cycling Blog - Greener and Leaner through Cycling

New indoor cycling training aid - first person video and dashboard

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:28:00 +0000

In the cold Canadian winter, there aren't as many chances to get out and peddle as we would like, but keeping the cycling up is key to keeping in shape and hitting the spring in good form. Recently Ride Fit (www.ride-fit.com) has come out with a new series of virtual indoor cycle training videos that provides a more interesting indoor cycling experience. To provide the most realistic virtual cycling experience possible, Ride Fit videos are shot from the first person perspective so that users feel like they are on the road. Shown below, a simple on-screen digital dashboard also provides critical workout information (such as target resistance, cadence and effort level) and a terrain profile with progress indicator shows the user where they are and what’s coming next so rides can be paced appropriately.

Winter Cycling in Sidney BC

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:32:00 +0000

Forget windchill. Leave your fears of black ice behind. Travel to beautiful Sidney-by-the-Sea this winter, and ride your bike every day along nearly 400 kilometers of cycle lanes and bike paths. The Victoria region features two cycle routes intended especially for bike commuters. One of which, Lochside Trail, follows an old tramline right-of-way from downtown Victoria to Sidney, and eventually the Swartz Bay ferry terminal and the marine highway linking the Island to the mainland and Vancouver.

For cyclists, Sidney may be the ultimate place in Canada to spend the winter. Besides easy access to Lochside Trail, there are cafes, art galleries, at least half a dozen bookstores, and Russ Hay's one of Victoria's oldest independent bicycle shops. "Resort" hotels like the Cedarwood also offer winter packages for cyclists and others looking to escape the freezing temperatures and enjoy average winter temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius. Easy access to more than 30 regional parks, 26 18-hole golf courses, and even skiing on slopes enjoying some of the highest annual snowfall in the world. Perhaps the perfect bicycling and skiing vacation!

Sidney BC, often overshadowed by Victoria to the south, is ideal as a beautiful, low-traffic seaside resort that acts as a gateway to Victoria's hundreds of kilometers of bikable surface, as well as Vancouver, the Gulf Islands, and Washington State.

For more information, contact the Cedarwood. Plan a long term stay in Sidney this winter.

Facebook committed to bicycle commuting in expanding its HQ

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:16:00 +0000

Facebook is moving to Stanford Research Park, and expanding to accommodate 9,000 employees from the current 1,500. In doing so, Facebook also aims to encourage bicycle commuting, a more pleasant and environmentally-friendly way to get to work. Buildings will have showers with towels, bike storage and lockers and bike lending services. Most of all, an on-site "Bike Doctor" is there to repair and maintain the commuters' bikes in good order.

More women than men commuting by bike in Netherlands, Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:31:00 +0000

In Netherlands, Denmark and Japan, women comprise more than 50% of the bike commuters. In other countries, such as Australia, Canada and the US a much smaller proportion cycle.

It is believed that women are more sensitive to safety and convenience issues than men when it comes to bicycling. If cycling is made safe and convenient, as in Europe and Japan, then perhaps more women will participate in North America and Australia.

When cycling is encouraged as an everyday transport, with safe bike lanes and more upright bicycles, with a greater carrying capacity, then it seems more accessible for women of all ages. Sport bikes, common in North America and Australia, have a more bent over posture, which encourages young men and women but not older ones. Read more here. Or contact the author.

Velomobiles

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:46:00 +0000

Velomobiles are recumbent bicycles with a fairing out of carbon fiber or fiberglass. The wind-cheating designs are intended to allow the rider to travel a longer distance more efficiently. Riders say it doesn't get hot inside, as there are vents spread out over the fairing to provide cooling breezes.

Velomobiles have been around since 1945 and, for a while, were beating the best bicycle racers. So the French outlawed recumbents in favour of the upright bicycle designs that we see today.

Due to the fairing, velomobiles can cost from $8,000 to $13,000. They may, however, be the future of transit with their high-level of efficiency. Velomobiles are gaining in popularity; recently a number of them descended on Ft. Wayne, TX. Read more here.

Cycling in Tokyo increases since Earthquake

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:26:00 +0000

An increased interest in cycling in Tokyo has manifested itself in the wake of the March 11 Earthquake. It is a great way to see the city while getting fitter.

There are a few clubs for cycling in Tokyo: Half-fast is open to everyone and tries to communicate in both Japanese and English. They have two standard eginner routes, one to the beachfront at Odaiba and one to a park near Haneda airport. Any bike is acceptable but the Half-fast club recommends a road bike with a carbon-fibre frame, for ease of carrying on and off trains.

Read more here.

New underground bicycle parking hits japan

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:31:00 +0000

Now that bicycle commuting has become so much more popular, parking is becoming an issue. We have seen huge bicycle parking lots full of bikes, but this is taking up key space in downtown squares:

The Japanese have found a solution with the Ecocycle underground bicycle storage system. At a cost of around $30 per month, you can park is a safe, dry place, and retrieve the bicycle when required for the trip back!

Bike lane above traffic for cycle commuting in cities

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:18:00 +0000

A new design for a bicycle lane above the traffic comes from Bulgarian architect Martin Angelov. The "bike lane" is actually a steel U-shaped wire that is connected across distances, and the bike's tires fit into the U. There is also a stabilizing wire that connects to the handlebars, or rider, to keep the bike and rider from falling off.

This type of system would provide a safe bicycle lane in congested cities, with a smaller infrastructure and space investment than is required for bike lanes. It would also provide a scenic, traffic-free tourist attraction!

Most obese states also bicycle the least

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:14:00 +0000

Thirty-one U.S. states now have adult obesity rates above 25 percent, and four states have surpassed 30% obesity. Alabama and Mississippi count among the fattest, and only 0.1 percent of the population bicycle-commutes. The most fit state, Massachusetts, has a bicycle commuting rate of 0.5%. Oregon tops the chart for bicycle commuting at 1.7% of the population, and unsurprisingly is also one of the fittest states.

RONA MS Bike Tour in Ontario to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:04:00 +0000

There are five bike tours held in Ontario this year to benefit MS, ranging from 30 to 190 km. They are for all ages, and food and beverages are supplied as well as cyclist support vehicles. Best of all, to reward all that hard work, the finish line has a BBQ and massage for those aching muscles. This year the tours take place between July 25 and September 13. Find out more at the MS Bike Tour Blog.

Global Ride wins with indoor training DVD set

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:45:00 +0000

Global Ride has scored a hit for all of us who train indoors on rainy days or in the winter, with its new DVD set for indoor training. Each video is about 50 minutes of warm-up, workout and cool-down, all taking place on various scenic roads throughout Hawaii. The international spin instructors(professional Australian, American and Italian coaches) also help set the pace, encouraging you to give your all but at the same time pacing your performance throughout the 50 minute session. Cool house and trance tracks energize you as you cycle, providing a beat to pedal to.
The screenshots above show the video, always from a cyclist's viewpoint, and moving along at the cyclist's pace. The camera speeds up, for instance, when the road is descending, so it gives a real impression that you are actually there! This DVD set is great for the winter too, as a bit of escape to tropical Hawaii. The next step is to automatically vary the cycle trainer's resistance from the DVD itself, as the virtual cyclist passes along the coastline of Hawaii.

Global Ride's website here.

London bike-sharing locations revealed

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:29:00 +0000

Londoners will enjoy access to about 6,000 bicycles across nine boroughs in a bicycle-sharing scheme similar to Vélib in Paris. Among the planned locations are Spitalfields Market, Edgware Road, Park Lane, Baker Street and Soho Square. The scheme should increase bicycle trips by 400 percent by 2025. Mayor Boris Johnson hopes the system will be operating by next May. He had this to say:

"I pledged to deliver a cycling revolution across the city, and there is now a growing excitement about our cycle hire scheme, which will give all Londoners the opportunity to hop on a bike and experience the joys of cycling. Much like hailing a cab, people will be able to pick up one of 6,000 bikes, and zip around town to their hearts' content - not only a quick, easy, and healthy option, but one that will also make London a more liveable city."

Car-free cycling in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:17:00 +0000

This Sunday, cyclists will be able to cycle car-free in the streets along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, allowing miles of streets dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians. What freedom, owning the streets and not having to worry about cars! There are activities for kids, especially those trying to kick training wheels and get up on two on their own. Many people are also taking the opportunity to see areas of the city that they rarely see.

Awesome Freestyling! Inspired Bicycles rider Danny MacAskill in April 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:53:00 +0000

Check out the moves on Danny! I pronounce MacAskill MacA**kicking instead.

Ireland aiming to be most cyclist-friendly country by 2020

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:25:00 +0000

The National Cycle Policy Framework was launched yesterday with the goal of increasing the people who cycle to work every day fourfold from current numbers by 2020. Plans include retrofitting roads with cycling lanes, introducing traffic-calming measures and bike-friendly road designs. It also allows bikes to be carried on public transit and encompasses public sharing of bikes like the Parisian Vélib scheme.

Cross-Ontario cycling record attempt

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:54:00 +0000

Ross Rader is attempting to beat the cross-Ontario cycling time record of 35 hours and 43 minutes set in 1987. The route starts in Ottawa, and passes through Kingston, Toronto, Brantford and London on the way to conclude in Windsor after approximately 800 kilometers. All proceeds are going to the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation.

For more info visit Ross's website.

New Yorkers getting into Dutch bikes

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:09:00 +0000

With bike trips in New York up 35% between 2007 and 2008, New Yorkers are trying to reconcile biking with style. It seems the Dutch bike is popular, and can be ridden with a suit without fear of grease stains on pant legs. However, with the price of a dutch bike up to $US 2000, how can one ensure that it won't be stolen in a New York minute?

Check out the full article in the New York Times.

Bike sales up 50% in UK

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:54:00 +0000

Bicycle sales are up 50% in the UK due to the recession, according to bicycle retailer Halfords. Over the same period, car purchases are down 30%, as people choose to bike to work instead of driving. The UK government provides a Bike to Work benefit scheme, which offers a tax reduction of up to 45% on a new bicycle. This increase in cycling reverses years of decline; between 1980 and 2007 bicycle trips have gone down 18%, compared with car trips which increased 78%.

Innovative eccentric bottom bracket makes single-speed conversion a breeze

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Forward Components' eccentric bottom bracket allows conversion of any frame to a single speed frame without the need for horizontal dropouts or an unsightly chain tensioner. It doesn't neet an oversized bottom bracket to work - just install Forward Components' eccentric bottom bracket in a normal frame, and rotate the cups to tighten the chain the appropriate amount.

Sanyo's electric hybrid bicycle unveiled at show

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:05:00 +0000

Sanyo has developed an electric hybrid bicycle which helps the human-power out with an electric motor on the front wheel, allowing the bike to travel 1.8 times the distance of normal peddling alone. It permits the rider to triple the pedal power for short distances, and doubles the pedal power for uphill rides. When the bike goes downhill, energy is harnessed and stored in batteries, until it is used for powering the motor on more demanding uphill rides. The bike is scheduled to be available in Japan in February 2009 for around $US 1500.

Trek releases first production belt-driven bicycle

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:44:00 +0000

In a move for easier bicycle maintenance as well as the elimination of torn pant cuffs and grease spots, Trek has released a series of belt-driven bicycles. The bikes, urban commuters, come in at about $1000 and feature a carbon-reinforced belt in place of the chain, which doesn't stretch or require lubricant.

For further information click here.

Derringer motorized bicycle gets 150mpg

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:00:00 +0000

Derringer, based in California, has released a retro motor-assisted bicycle which claims 150 mpg, and a top speed of 35 mph. This bike is designed after a 1920s style motorcycle, but now with a modern, 49cc engine. Although it does not appear to be legal in Ontario without a motorcycle license, in most jurisdictions this bike is unregulated as a type of bicycle.

Bicycle-sharing booms in European cities

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:12:00 +0000

Almost all major cities in Europe currently have or are considering bicycle-sharing programs. Cities developing programs are looking to Velib in Paris as one model. The bikes can be picked up at one location and dropped off at another, and payments are deducted automatically from bank accounts. In addition to the advantage of bicycles beating traffic in most centres, new technology uses smart cards, adding to the riders' convenience.

In North America, the car culture, longer distances, and need for bike helmets have reduced the appeal of these programs, though we may see such programs popping up in some city centres, like Ottawa (see article below).

Ottawa considers Paris-style bike sharing system

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:36:00 +0000

Ottawa and Gatineau are considering a bike-sharing system, like Vélib' used in Paris, to encourage commuters to leave their cars at home. About 400 bikes would be available for pickup, using a swipe-card system. The rider would then drop the bike off at a station close to his or her destination. The bikes would likely be free for a short period, to encourage commuters to take shorter, more frequent trips, rather than have to rent the bikes for a day or more at a time.

Bikengruvin Recycles Bicycles Into Groovy Art

noreply@blogger.com (Nyall Engfield) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:36:00 +0000

Canadian artist David James McCelvey recycles scrap bicycles into art. There are over 1-million bicycles ending up as scrap every year, which he uses to produce art. Since 1997, David has shown his works in Western Canada and the American Southwest. His art varies from tables, lamps and wall hangings to a giant slice of pepperoni pizza with a squished bicycle as a topping. Also, he has built some bicycle "jukeboxes", bike tables that flash to the beat of the music.

To see more of his art, check out bikengruvin.com.