Philadelphia Bicycle Journal

Friday Funnies-Biker Gang

2013-05-24T08:34:00.001-07:00

This is how sell bicycles to children of all ages.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

2013-05-22T08:31:00.001-07:00

Its rare that anyone posts a comment on the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia's blog, even rarer is when a post disagrees with the BCGP, but the rarest of them all is when multiple posts disagree with the BCGP. On March 21 the BCGP announced the improvements made to the Schuylkill River Trail on the section from the Montgomery County/Philadelphia border to Manayunk. There were multiple comments made, so we went on a field trip to see if there was a cause for concern.

The Good

Finally the paved section of the SRT along the Philadelphia section was widened from less than 5 feet to 12 feet that matches the rest of the trail and will make for safer experience for all trail users. Also after many years of use and some serious flooding along the Manayunk Tow Path erosion damage and the dilapidated wooden bridges that had become structurally unsound was repaired. The new bridges now have an asphalt ramp at each end to prevent erosion around the immediate area of the bridge.

The Bad

For all of the money that was spent on this massive undertaking something could have done something about the cobblestones that connect the towpath to the Nixon St. Instead we are stuck with the same wheel-sucking, rim bending section that is going to be a problem for every cyclist trying to ride through that area.

The Ugly

In the past the Connection from the SRT to the Canal Tow Path involved exiting the SRT and riding along Nixon St. to the Canal Tow Path. Now there is a 300-yard extension that runs parallel to Nixon and down to the intersection of Shawmont and Nixon. This does make this section of the trail ADA compliant. However every cyclist will come downhill into the intersection and cross on a diagonal, against traffic. Which is compounded by joggers, cyclists, and cars coming around the corner into expected any traffic. Which is an accident waiting to happen. Fortunately you can still turn right before the extension and use Nixon St.

Note the retaining wall that blocks the view of all traffic coming around the corner on the left

One commenter summed it up best: “Not a complaint, but feedback. Everyone LOVES all that was done with the exception of the trail dumping onto Shawmont. It is a somewhat dangerous design by most accounts, and we don't want to some day tell an injured cyclist to stop complaining. “

It was an experience

2013-05-17T07:51:00.002-07:00

If you weren't at Rittenhouse Square last Thursday at 6pm you missed on opportunity to ride with Bike Snob NYC and a unique collection bicycles and their owners. The bikes ranged from the standard array of ten speeds, fixies and mountain bikes, along with a long tail bike, a Bike Fiet, a vintage Penny Farthing, and a Schwinn Triplet. As well as Bike Snob NYC's folder, a very nice bike, but I won't reveal what it is.

The Triplet was a rather unique bike, a steel framed Schwinn with drum bikes, and when you make a turn, its like make a turn in a truck. All of your turns are long and wide. I talked with the owner had he has several tandems in addition to the triplet. But what makes the triplet owner a rare individual is that he lives in a town house and he stores it inside. Which means carrying it up a flight of stairs, which is no easy feat.

Bike Snob NYC is one of the most low key and self-deprecating individuals I have ever met. Having him visit your town is like Weird Al Yankovic does a parody of your song. It’s an honor to be selected and you know that everyone will enjoy hearing it.

As for the ride itself you'll have to have to read about it here. But I will say this; Curtis of Via Bicycle made several emergency repair assists that kept everyone on the road and Bilenky Cycle Works for organizing this event.

Cycling ≠ Golf

2013-05-15T05:50:00.002-07:00

We've all experienced work environments where the only way to socialize with your boss, upper management, and vendors is on the golf course. Deals and careers are made and broken on the golf course and if you don't golf you're not one of the boys. Worry no more according to a recent article “Cycling is the new golf”. A non-completive environment where it’s all about camaraderie. BULL!

On the golf course you spend most of your time walking or driving along the course giving you plenty of time to socialize. Since the actual golf part takes very little time, your biggest concern is making sure your boss wins and by how much. In “Cycling is the new golf” there is a claim that “Many believe cycling is better than golf for building lasting working relationships, or landing a new job, because it is less competitive.” On the other hand a contradictory statement is made that counters this; “. “A younger rider can be cycling along with a chief executive and take their wind or help them in some way and you get a reversal of the relationship.” So just like letting your boss win in golf will help your career, letting your boss draft off of you so he doesn't have to pedal as hard may benefit your career. Gee, sounds just like letting your boss win at golf.

I'm glad that there are some executives who have found a way to combine their love of cycling and turn it into a networking opportunity. But the author is using some isolated cases of a few cyclists who are interconnected through an existing business relationship and a high profile charity ride. One commenter summed it up very succinctly; “I would love nothing more than for cycling to be the new "it" sport among executives. However, unlike golf, cycling requires a person to be relatively fit just to be able to have conversations during a typical training ride. That is, you have to work really hard just to be mediocre. Additionally, as most executives are highly competitive, most "group rides" among executives ultimately devolve into a testosterone-fueled hammer-fest.”

If cycling is the new golf, then I'm taking up Chess Boxing.

Spring has sprung for Stu Bykofsky

2013-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

You can always tell when the first day of spring has arrived when Stu Bykofsky professional opinion writer and grumpy old man writes his first bicycle column of the spring. Here at the offices of the Philadelphia Bicycle Journal we have found a way to show Mr. Bykofsky's thought process.

What Stu thinks is going on inside his brain when he writes a bicycle column:

What’s really going on inside of Stu’s brain when he writes a bicycle column:

As usual Mr. Bykofsky likes to vilify his targets, instead of treating them as people he lumps them into a single category by name-calling. He uses words like; pedalphiles and bikehead. By dehumanizing people it always makes it easier to write columns like this since they are no longer people, just a target. Much in the same way that bullies at school use this to threaten and intimidate their targets.

Stu loves to down play actual facts, in this column he claims there aren’t enough people riding bicycles in Philadelphia because only 1.8% of city workers ride their bicycles to work three days a week or more. This sounds pretty bad until you do the math; the 2012 estimated population of Philadelphia is 1,547,607 and 1.8% of that is 27,856. All of sudden that number isn’t so small.

Mr. Bykofsky loves to make claims that cyclists are engaging in massive red light running, with no evidence to back up his claims. By Stu’s logic more cyclists should be getting tickets for running red lights because of their increased numbers. But his proof backfires on him: he cites the increased numbers of tickets given to car drivers and pedestrians. But when it comes to cyclists they received 80 tickets in 2012 and 88 this year. He never entertains the possibility that cyclist are not running red lights like they do based on his anecdotal evidence.

To that end the Philadelphia Bicycle Journal offers proof as to how severe this problem is. In 2009 this video was shot at an intersection off of Rittenhouse Square, which has three stop signs and a flashing red light. Three cyclists run the red light and over 50 vehicles run the red light or engage in a rolling stop. All of this in the course of five minutes.

Mr. Bykosky’s columns are getting stale. Every year we have come to expect a standard collection of recycled columns; bicycles, stories of his vacation, sidewalk cafes blocking the sidewalk, and his annual Christmas conversation with God. Instead of writing about the same non-issues repeatedly we can only hope that Stu will get out from behind his desk. He could go out and explore Philadelphia and find a new world of topics. Or he could take the lazy man’s approach and keep yelling at clouds.

Friday Funnies - A salute to bicycling hero's.

2013-05-03T10:10:00.001-07:00

With warm weather back everyone is getting their bicycles out and going for rides. This is a salute to those brave bicycle mechanics who make this possible.

He is COMING!

2013-05-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the efforts of the Bilenky Cycle Works, on Thursday May 9 Philadelphia will be graced with the presence the internationally renowned bicycle blogger Bike Snob NYC. Blogging since 2007 the BSNYC blog is summed up in his own words; “While I love cycling and embrace it in all its forms, I'm also extremely critical. So I present to you my venting for your amusement and betterment. No offense meant to the critiqued. Always keep riding!”

But this is more than a mere visit; he will be in Philadelphia to promote the final book in his trilogy, Bike Snob Abroad. In this book Bike Snob NYC travels the United States and Europe with his young son to find out what it really means to be a bike friendly country. “Bike Snob NYC takes us on his most personal narrative journey yet, and ultimately shines a light on the growing pains that exist in any culture that asks smart phone-obsessed text-happy pedestrians, the two-wheeled, and the four-wheeled to share the road.”

Bilenky Cycle Works has organized a 6pm bicycle ride with Bike Snob NYC through Philadelphia to be followed by a book signing and merry making. For more information and to sign up use this link to go to the Facebook page.

Friday Funnies - Organic Doping

2013-04-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

Who needs steroid's, when there is an all natural alternative.

Philadelphia Bicycle Weekend - Spring 2013

2013-04-22T07:26:00.001-07:00

The stars have aligned in Philadelphia and the Oracle of Delphi, currently residing at the offices of the Philadelphia Bicycle Journal, has declared that Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 will be the official Spring 2013 Bicycle Weekend. What does it take for a Bicycle Weekend to be declared I hear you ask? It takes a perfect storm, a combination of social rides and friendly competition.

On Saturday, May 18^th the Annual Kennsington Kinectic Sculpture Derby at will commence at 12pm. The KKSD is not a race; it’s a parade with a human-powered vehicle that has an artistic theme. It’s about fun and ingenuity, making the most unique vehicle is the goal. Think of parade floats on bicycles, or mummers on hand crank driven pirate ships, or anything you can dream up. Award Categories include- Best Art, Best Costume, Best Engineering, People's Choice, Best Breakdown and a special secret judge award. People get to vote for their favorite entry at the event. Last year there was even a webcast option if you couldn't be there in person, hopefully it will be available this year.

The second half of the Philadelphia Bicycle Weekend will be on Sunday, May 19. The organizers of the Philadelphia Tweed Ride are organizing a spring ride. While they have not announced the details, they are most likely planning a Seersucker Social. Similar to a Tweed Ride a Seersucker Social has an American feel to it with a look that goes back to the 1920's to the 1930's. With a fashion style reminiscent of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby”. All you need is clothing that looks vintage, it doesn’t have to be vintage. Watch for updates on their Facebook page or their website. There will be a follow up article on Philadelphia Bicycle Journal once the details are made available.

Friday Funnies - Roadies

2013-04-19T08:09:00.001-07:00

I wish I saw more moms and dads on the Schuylkill River Trail like this one on the weekend.

Friday Funnies - Stuck Like Glue

2013-04-12T08:43:00.001-07:00

Laughter is the best medicine.

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What Exit Do You Live Off Of? - Jersey Edition

2013-04-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

With the return of warm weather, at least for cyclists, some of may be considering upgrading your current collection of cycling jerseys. Or for those of you who are starting to cycling seriously and riding significant distances you may be thinking about investing some clothing more suited for cycling. After many years of cycling for transportation I started riding recreationally and bought some shorts and jerseys.

As a rule I stay away from cycling team jerseys and full kits: shorts and a jersey. Lets face it unless you are a paid rider for the team its kind of a pointless jersey. The same goes for jerseys that are nothing more than billboards for companies. Are you being paid to do this? If the answer is no, then don’t provide free advertising. Personally I tend to stick with solid colors and or something with a truly unique graphic design.

However in a somewhat snarky article I found on Gizmodo; Nine Cycling Jerseys that are Totally Unacceptable, that introduced me to the concept of novelty cycling jerseys. There were definitely several that caught me eye and I hope to purchase in the future.

The Star Trek jersey spoke out to the Science Fiction and Star Trek fan in me. I’d love to see some sort of group ride with a few of the lead riders in the blue(science) and gold (command) jerseys with the main bulk of the riders wearing the ever expendable red jerseys of security.

As a child I loved to watch the Speed Racer cartoons, the Mach 5 was capable of doing amazing things in races that were beyond all imagination. As well as the mystery of Racer X. The Speed Racer jersey is a great way to let your inner child have a voice.

For those of you who are a budget conscious or looking for something more iconic. Then all you need is a white cotton t-shirt and some iron on letters to make your “Cutters” jersey from the film classic “Breaking Away”.

With a little imagination and an Internet search you’ll be amazed what you can find. Amazon and E-bay have some very unique designs available if you spend a few minutes searching. Let your jersey speak for your personality instead of a team or corporation.

Friday Funnies - Fiat

2013-04-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

Some times you just have to laugh.

What happened to the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia?

2013-03-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

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Over the years the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has evolved and changed. Gone are the days when it was once an organization that boldly advocated bicycling and the rights for cyclists to ride on the streets of Philadelphia. Once they took on city government and local media, now they surrender giving away more than the end result is worth. What was once an organization that prided itself on building a community within Philadelphia is now more concerned about placating its wealthy suburban and urban donor base.

The early signs of decay occurred when Philadelphia Inquirer opinion writer and professional grumpy old man Stu Bykofsky started writing columns in 2009 about how bike lanes and bikes caused congestion, all cyclists broke the law by either riding on the sidewalk or running red lights. The BCGP attempted to educate Mr. Bykofsky, which he turned into more material for his columns. The slightest hesitation or misstatement was a sign that the BCGP was lying.

At the same time a various members of the Philadelphia City Council attempted to pass bills that were intended to take punitive action against cyclists. Attempts included banning fixed gear bikes, levy $1000.00 fines against the owners, and register bicycles like cars complete with license plates. When all of these failed, the city council upped the ante by creating a bill in 2011 that would allow Philadelphia City Council to make the final decision regarding the installation of any bicycle lane that would remove parking or a lane of travel for cars.

In an effort to hide what the city council was attempting the bill was announced the just before the 2011 Memorial Day weekend and held the vote a few days after the weekend had passed. The BCGP marshaled its resources and prevented this bill from passing. In 2012 the Philadelphia City Council introduced the same bill using the same tactics, this time the bill passed with the blessing of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. In return the BCGP got some inclusion of pedestrians and cyclists on to the Philadelphia Complete Streets bill and that cars parked in bicycle lanes would be ticketed.

By giving the Philadelphia City Council complete control over the installation of future bicycle lanes they could easily turn Philadelphia into patchwork system of partial bicycle lanes that connect to nowhere. Whether the Philadelphia Police Department and Parking Authority will ticket cars parked in bicycle lanes remains questionable at best.

The BCGP is starting to lose its credibility to speak and act on behalf on the cyclists who live and work within Philadelphia. Its latest initiative, to increase the number of women cyclists in Philadelphia may prove to be its undoing. Instead of focusing on increasing the number of cyclists within Philadelphia, the BCGP is choosing to focus on a specific although albeit underrepresented gender group, women. Whether or not this strategy will be successful will depend highly on the BCGPs ability to get other organizations to commit their limited resources to support this campaign. Only time will tell if this is gamble will payoff.

Gone in 30 Seconds

2013-02-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

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Sometimes bicycle theft happens so quickly, just a quick snip with a bolt cutter and no one even notices. Other times it can be incredibly obvious and no one is going to even bother to call the police. In the past a statement like this would have been hard to prove, but with the creation of YouTube, now it’s just a matter of waiting for someone to post a video.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words then video must be worth 10,000 words. Want to see how fast a bike can be stolen watch the video below; the thief walks in, checks for anyone watching him, and rides off with the bike.

While I feel for the person who had this bike. Even if your bicycle is within arms length of you all it takes is a few distracted moments and your bike is gone. Always lock your bicycle to something; taking it inside is no protection from theft.

In 2005 Casey Neistat and his brother Van locked their bicycle in a series of locations with lots of pedestrians and proceeded to steal it using a variety of tools; hacksaws, bolt, cutters, and a grinder. To see if anything would happen, not only did nothing happen, one person even offered advice when he was using a hammer and chisel.

In 2012 at the invitation of the New York Times Casey Neistat went back and tried this again to see if anything had changed. This time in addition to the same tools from last time, he stole his bike in front of a police station and had a black friend steal his bike. At one point the police actually show up, but only after he spent 9 minutes cutting a bike lock with a grinder. Although with a cutting wheel on the grinder it would have taken him two minutes.

Owning a bicycle means at some point it will get stolen and there are things you can do to make it as difficult as possible to steal. So a potential thief will move on to another target, any cable lock or chain you buy in hardware store can be cut with a bolt cutter. You need to invest in a high quality Kryptonite u-lock or chain, Kryptonite rates its locks based on the level of security you need.

What Happened to the Philly Bike Party?

2013-02-12T06:48:00.001-08:00

In 2012 a new player arrived on the social bike ride scene in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Bike Party. A social ride modeled after the San Diego Bike Party, a monthly low speed ride attracts hundreds of cyclists. At about the same time the Philly Bike Party formed so did the Baltimore Bike Party. The Baltimore rides have attracted around 500 to 700 participants per ride every month and on Halloween 1300. Even their most recent ride in January had a few hundred in spite of a snowstorm.

The organizers for the Philly Bike Party seemed to have all of the needed background; experienced cyclists who were part of the planning team for the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride. Which gave them the experience to plan the rides and the network needed to create a following. Rides like this do require commitment and volunteer help. Route planning, setting up a final destination where people can hang out, and sweep riders to make sure no one gets lost.

Regrettably the Philadelphia Bike Party rides were few and far apart and that they never built a following, because there was nothing to follow. Perhaps this was just one project to many for the planners who are full time students, working part time jobs, and volunteering within their community.

Compared to so many other cities Philadelphia seems to be always behind the curve when it comes to concepts like this. With several colleges and universities in Philadelphia, the 2000 participants in the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride, along with professionals of all ages living in the area you would think that there is a built in audience for this type of ride. I can only hope that in time someone else will work on reviving this concept.

Book Review: Just Ride

2013-02-07T13:40:00.001-08:00

Remember when you were a kid and whenever you went some place on your bike you just got on it and went? You did not know or care about what you wore, what you rode, or where you were going. Recently published “Just Ride” by Grant Peterson is a reminder for many of us why we got into cycling as well as a remembrance as to what cycling is really about. Since the 1990's cycling and cyclists have been heavily influenced by high profile, professional racers. That influence has heavily affected several generations of recreational cyclist to emulate many of the things that professional cyclists do that far exceeds what is physically possible or necessary for almost all cyclists.

With 212 pages and 89 chapters the books sounds as if it is going to be an extensive read that would go into agonizing detail. However the book is not bigger than a standard business size envelope and the author keeps each chapter to a page and half and two pages. Each chapter stays on message, to the point, and is written in easily understood English. Without any of the jargon that many cyclists use that tend to confuse and turn off

The main headings break down into 8 parts, which are;

Riding

Suiting up

Safety

Health and fitness

Accessories

Upkeep

Technicalities

Velosophy

If it involves cycling Just Ride addresses it, especially a lot of common sense items that many cyclists have never considered or have been misinformed. Mr. Peterson will have you rethinking your approach to cycling as exercise, charity rides, clothing, teach you how to make family rides fun, the basics of maintenance and safety.

This book is a must read and a great gift for every recreational cyclist and novice. It dispels many of the myths and misinformation around cycling over the years and replaces them with a common sense approach. That makes cycling as easy and fun as when we were kids.

2012 Philadelphia Social Rides

2013-01-28T07:00:00.002-08:00

With much of the major riding season over until the spring its time to take a look back at some of the highlights and lowlights of the past year. While there are plenty of alley cats, charity rides, races there are some that stand out more than others.

The most questionable ride that happens is the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride, PNBR. While the ride has grown since its inception whether it achieves any of it broad based and nebulous goals remains highly questionable. The only people who benefit from the PNBR are the owners of the nearby bars at the Piazza at Schmiddts where the ride ends and after parties are held.

There are rides that are building a sense of community through good deeds and others through good fun. Examples of rides built through good fun include the Bilenky Junk Yard Cross is an unsanctioned cyclocross where nothing about the course or the participants are regulation. It draws a very eclectic group of participants and spectators for a day of friendly competition.

The Philly Tweed ride is also a great example of good fun builds a community. The Philadelphia Tweed Ride is a vintage themed bicycle ride where the participants dress in early 1900's style clothing and take a leisurely ride through Philadelphia with a stop for a picnic lunch and dinner. Attracting over 100 participants per year of all ages this ride gives participants a chance to exercise their creative abilities as well as create the opportunity to dress up for a unique social setting.

While Philadelphia has its share of charity bicycle rides most of them are century rides run by a non for-profit that have the resources and the staff to execute such an undertaking. There are two rides that I am aware of, that have been created through the hard work of individuals who make time outside of work, school, and other commitments to plan these rides.

Philly Cranksgiving is an alley cat race where participants navigate to a series of grocery stores to purchase items from a list that are brought to a final destination. Organized by two local residents, Gary and CJ, all of the proceeds go to Philabundance a food bank that helps Philadelphians in need. The 2012 ride raised 800 pounds of food and $1200.00, $1000.00 of which was donated by Tattooed Mom's matching the amount spent by the riders who donated food. This helped feed 2000 residents of Philadelphia.

There was a new addition this year, Gears for Gifts. An organized bicycle ride with the proceeds going to Toys for Tots. Traditionally motorcycle and car clubs holds rides of this nature so it’s always refreshing to see a new twist on an existing concept. I can only hope that this ride becomes an annual event and may some day rival the Midnight Ridazz All City Ride.

I'm looking forward to 2013 to see how many of these rides will cotinue to grow and evolve. As well as what new rides will develop.

Lock your Bicycle - Keystone Cops Edition

2013-01-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

Bike theft in Philadelphia is a problem, but to the police this is a “quality of life” problem, viewed in the same light as graffiti and broken windows. In light of the more serious crimes the Philadelphia police have to deal with quality of life crimes have a very low and understandable priority. Short of catching someone in the act the police do not have the time and manpower.

But on Saturday night, January 12, a bike thief made an attempt to steal two bicycles that would have been straight out of a Keystone cops movie. Had it not been for the fact that the two bicycles he stole were property of the Philadelphia Police department and he tried to escape the scene by loading the bicycles onto a SEPTA bus. The police had locked their bicycles to a signpost while making a security check.

The question that needs to be asked is; what did the police officers lock their bicycles with, shoe laces? Clearly whatever the Philadelphia Police Department use could not stop someone with a bolt cutter purchased at a hardware store. I'm sure the police never thought someone would steal a police bicycle; then again people tend to underestimate just how ingenious or stupid criminals can be.

If you're going to take the time to lock your bicycle do it right, invest in a Kryptonite chain or u-lock. You should review the two videos in this post by Hal Ruzel which provide real world examples of what to aovid and what to do when locking your bicycle.

Doomsday is Coming

2013-01-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

Doomsday is coming. Not in the time that Harold Camping predicted or due to the misinterpretation of the Mayan Long Count calendar. Rather its the failing infrastructure that SEPTA has and the inaction of legislators at the state and federal level to provide the needed additional funding. Over the years I have lived in several cities, some with extensive rapid transit systems others with nominal or none what so ever.

Its been long known that SEPTA is operating many of its power substations and tracks that its trains and trolleys run on are substandard. Unfortunately due to severe underfunding SEPTA is no longer able to use temporary fixes and has to resort to more drastic measures. Repair is not an option, shutting things down is. The first sign of the oncoming apocalypse is the 101-year-old Bridgeport Viaduct, which allows the Norristown High Speed Line to cross into Philadelphia.

Time and 2400 passengers per day has taken a toll on the bridge; the ties are so rotted that the spikes that hold the rails in place have been glued down to prevent them from pulling loose. This summer the bridge will be permanently closed as the glue will not hold the spikes in place and the corrosion of the steel framework and concrete foundations will be to much. In order to repair the bridge SEPTA will need 30 million dollars that they don't have.

Regrettably this is the tip of the iceberg. This needed repair is just one of 5 billion dollars in repairs that includes power substations, failing bridges, and other systems. Worse yet the funds that are needed to make these repairs come from state and federal transportation bills and since much of the country uses highway as a primary mode of transportation. What most of these legislators cannot grasp is that there is a greater concentration of population in major cities that rely primarily on public transportation. The fact that SEPTA has to allow system failures to occur and reduce services is appalling. Short of another bridge failure like the Minneapolis bridge collapse in 2007, this will only get worse.

2012 Bilenky Junkyard Cross - Its a wrap

2012-12-21T09:44:00.001-08:00

What started a company party has transformed into one of the première and unique regional cyclocross races. No longer a local Philadelphia event; there were cars, vans, and SUV's with license plates from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Indiana parked at Bilenky Cycle Works. This race attracts everyone from competitive racers to people who come out to try their luck; as one racer put it, “I just want to finish”. While not everyone can win their were some crowd favorites; the guy who rode all of his heats in a unicorn mask and the young lady in the women’s division wearing black Uggs.


The Mighty Unicorn

Nothing about the Bilenky Junkyard Cyclocross can be described as standard or regulation. The barriers include cars as hurdles, a mini van as a tunnel, and the narrow pathways where parts are stored become a maze. The surface of the course includes dirt, concrete, and gravel with a mix of oil, transmission fluid, metal fragments, and pebbles of safety glass.


A tight squeeze

What Hurdle?

The spectators often have as much fun as the riders and in some small ways influence the race. In two incidents at the car hurdles riders experienced major mechanical failures, spontaneous pit crews from the spectators got them back into the race. They also redesign the course by adding ramps at the car hurdles in time for the bmx/alternate bikes and men’s finals. In one instance when a racer squeezed between the edge of the course and a car hurdle, only to find on the next lap that tires barricaded the hole.

Spontaneous Pit Crew


Catching big air


They don't look like soccer mom's.

There were plenty of cyclocross and mountain bikes and every year there is a growing mount of BMX and single speed bikes. Along with tandems, and modified beach cruisers. This year one rider brought a Pugsley, with tires close to 4 inches wide tires this bicycle was like a steamroller on the course. Some of the fastest and most aggressive riding came in the BMX/alternate bike heats, were the two car hurdles were bunny hopped instead of being hurdled. One BMX racer was a big crowd pleaser as he did wheelies through the start/finish zone during each lap.


Pugsley in the pit


King of the Wheelies

Another factor that makes the Bilenky Junkyard Cyclocross are the prizes for the winner each category. This year crowns for the men and tiaras for the women were designed by Bilenky Cycle Works employee Isis Shiffer. With their unique design and Steam Punk esthetic these are the type awards that will make this memorable to the winners more so than any trophy.

2012 Philly Cranksgiving - The results

2012-12-17T19:22:00.000-08:00

Cranksgiving was back in 2012 bigger and better than ever. More riders, improved routing, and plenty of donations. This year Tattooed Mom's stepped up by matching the total amount of money spent by riders purchasing donated food. What makes Philly Cranksgiving unique is not the event itself; it’s the people who organize it. This ride is not planned by a for-profit or a non for-profit which have the resources and funding to make this type of event run smoothly. But by two individuals who commit their own time and energy outside of their normal schedules. CJ and Gary took some time to answer some questions about this years ride.

1. With 46 riders, how many pounds of food were collected. (not including the amount Tattooed Mom's added)?

CJ: We actually had 62/63 starters, so I am hoping that most of those people finished and added their donations, and just didn't hand in a manifest. But when the day was over, we had 798lbs!

Gary: CJ is correct, we had 62 riders sign up and most of them were recorded as finished and I'm pretty sure the rest trickled in after the time limit. We ended up collecting just shy of 800lbs of food. In addition to the food, we had $1250 in donations ($1,000 of which came from Tattooed Moms in place of their food matching). The cash donations were just as significant of a help, and according to Philabundance, were able to assist in feeding well over 2,000 people!

2. What was the time for the 1st place rider?

CJ: The first and second place riders (a couple) had actually gotten to Tattooed Mom a second or two before I did, around 1:30. Gary and I were trying to decide when to leave Whole Foods at 10th and South for the finish....he decided to stay for stragglers while I headed down to Tattooed Mom. Glad I left when I did! We started at maybe 12:05 or 12:10, so their time was around 1:20 or so?

Gary: I totally forgot to keep track of time, but around an hour and a half finishing time seemed about right. We tried to mix things up by adding a mandatory 3rd stop on the manifest, where we introduced a mystery stop to keep riders on their toes.

3. This year you moved the starting point out of Center City; did this help avoid any issues with the Philadelphia Marathon?

CJ: I don't know explicitly if it helped or not, but since the riders were starting further from the Marathon course, I suppose it gave us more of a time 'buffer' between the Marathon and our event. I know last year we had some people not being able to take the Spring Garden bridge; not sure if it was the same case this year or not. The scene at the finish was too hectic to mingle and get race reports, hah. In any case, I did like our Penn Treaty start more because it gave us a bit more room to have everyone hang around and chat while waiting for manifests, and not be in anyone's way or raise any suspicion. I couldn't imagine 60+ people standing around LOVE right across from City Hall, where we started last year.

Gary: The marathon was certainly a part of the decision to move the starting point, however the minimal interference we had last year also played into the decision. Mostly, it was that we were expecting a significantly larger crowd this year with the increased promotion and awareness, and having the extra room for people to hang out before the race certainly helped.

4. When are you are not working non-stop on Cranksgiving, what do you do for fun and work?

CJ: Fun: road rides in the suburbs, DIY basement shows, poker with high school friends, and drinking bottomless coffee at Grindcore House.
Not Fun: I'm a second-year Master's student at Towson University, in Towson, MD. Experimental Psychology. Graduating in May, hoping to be able to get into bicycle transportation research. Until then, it's a lot of driving back and forth just so I can ride my bike and see my girlfriend/friends/family.

Gary: Outside of the wonderful world of Cranksgiving, I lead a fairly busy life (at least I think so...). During the week, I work a 9-5 as a web designer/developer for a company just outside of Philadelphia. I'm also an avid cyclist, racing cyclocross on the weekends, riding (as much as possible) otherwise, and riding around the city!

More info (results/summary/photos) are/will be available on our website (www.cranksgivingphilly.com)

2012 Bilenky Junkyard Cross

2012-12-09T20:37:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, December 16, 2012 the Bilenky Cycle Works Junkyard Cross will start at 10:00am.

Before I go into details about this race there are some very important questions to be answered.

Will there be beer? $1 beers to help pay for renting the junkyard.

Will there be food? Sold by Chewy's Food Truck.

This annual event first started as company open house it has evolved into one of the most competitive unofficial cyclocross races in the region. Held in a junkyard the course is a classic example of a cyclocross held in an urban setting. The course features a wealth of man made and unforgiving barriers and obstacles. Add Stephen Bilenky and his crew of ingenious bicycle gremlins and you never know from one year to the next what to expect from the course.

In the past the course has included steep flyovers (bridges) hurdles from wheel rims, a pit filled with sofa cushions, tunnels using a van and a semi trailer, narrow alleys turned into a leaf filled tunnel, and a seesaw. The surface of the course is dirt, gravel, and pavement covered with debris and various oily fluids. This year there may even be explosions, according to a recent Facebook post on the Bilenky Cycle Works page.

The easiest way to get to this event is to bicycle there, as parking is very limited. A group ride is departing from Bicycle Revolutions. The Junkyard Cross opens at 10:00am with the first heats by 11:00am and should conclude by 3:00pm

Olley, olley, oxen free

2012-12-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has finally revealed the details of the Safe Streets bill they were negotiating just in time to have it summarily rushed through committee and city council to make sure there was the illusion of public discourse and approval.

There are some aspects of the bill that in small ways will provide protection for bicyclists; two existing laws have been amended. The first now allows cyclists to ride two abreast instead of single file and the second does not require cyclists to ride in a bicycle lane if one is available. While these may seem minor, almost petty changes it does protect the bicycling community from potential retaliatory ticketing by the police. Which a cyclist in New York City was subjected to when he asked a police officer to stop blocking a bicycle lane with his squad car.

It also raises the fines for cyclists who run red lights, stop signs, and riding on the sidewalk. Holds drivers responsible for dooring and most importantly parking in bicycle lanes. This will not resolve the problems of church parking on Spruce and Pine St. as this is a long standing deal with the city and it is not going to change.

Councilman Mark Squilla has made statements that lead me to wonder if this bill is the tip of the iceberg. That may lead to more restrictive actions to come, since he has described it as “a good start”. He has concerns that “the bill doesn't specifically address enforcement, a bone of contention” The problem is that you can not mandate the Philadelphia Police Department enforce these new traffic laws any more than any other.

While this bill does address some of the long standing issues regarding bicycle infrastructure in Philadelphia it has come at great cost. The Philadelphia City Council passed a bill this spring that gives them the final decision about bicycle lane placement. Leaving infrastructure in the hands of a group of people whose decisions will be swayed by populist opinion instead of experienced professionals like traffic engineers. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia signed off on that bill as “A Bill We Could Live With”. Lets hope that this doesn’t become something that comes back to haunt us.

Philadelphia Bicycle Weekend - 2012

2012-11-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Here in the hallowed halls of the Philadelphia Bicycle Journal we are pleased to announce that Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18 will officially be the 2012 Philadelphia Bicycle Weekend. Why, because we said so. This weekend will have something for everyone.

For those of you who are looking for a social ride and with the opportunity to dress up there is the Philadelphia Tweed Ride on Saturday, November 17. A leisurely ride through Philadelphia with over 100 bicyclists all them dressed in clothing dating from the 1890's to the 1920's. Not sure if you have the proper clothing, look through some of the pictures found here you may already have items in your closet that will work. If not a quick trip to a thrift shop or consignment store will have you properly outfitted.

For those of you who want to challenge yourself at a competitive level on Sunday, November 18 there is the Philly Cranksgiving Ride. Departing from Penn Treaty Park you will be navigating to a series of predetermined supermarkets. At each market you will purchase an item of food from a list supplied and then bring everything to a final destination, Tattooed Mom's on South St. The proceeds are donated to Philabundance and this year Tattooed Mom's will match all donations.

With the weather predicted to be in the 50's it should be perfect bicycling weather.