RocBike.com | The RocBike Review

Pandas

Ethan — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:46:11 +0000

I’m a big fan of pandas. Not the bear that eats the least nutritious kind of bamboo it can find and will not breed to save it’s species. Panda portraits. The Flickr group says

Why are these called “pandas?” Well, ya see, there’s this rad chick who goes by the name faster panda kill kill. She takes rad self-portraits while riding her bike. They are so rad, in fact, that a group was formed to record similar self-portraits cuz, really, just about anyone who has a camera and rides bikes also takes these self-portraits.

Here are some examples

Here are some, done by other people, that I really like

Check out the Flickr group, get out your camera, and have some fun!

Xtracycle evangelism

Jason Crane — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:19:24 +0000

A prospective Xtracycle buyer asked the following on the Roots Radicals group (an email list of Xtracycle owners & fellow travellers):

So I’ve got a bike and I’m thinking of getting the Free Radical extension. I’ve got a seven year old and other kid-carrying options aren’t working that great (outgrew the trailer, trail-a-bike is awfully shaky). This xtracycle thing seems like a pretty great solution. However, I only have the kid and/or cargo about half the time. Is it easy to take off the long tail and make it a regular bike and then back again when you need it? Do you just ride the long tail with nothing in it? Do you have two bikes? — Karen

The responses are great (read them here) — and all in favor of just riding the X all the time. I agree. Well, maybe I’ll do this year’s Livestrong Challenge on something else…

Ten Things Dale Favier Learned in Six Months of Commuting By Bicycle

Ethan — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:31:43 +0000

This is a good read. Funny and true. And I’ll second Jarred Walker’s favorite:

9) It’s just as fun as when you were a kid. You go zoom! and whoosh! You’re a sky creature, not a miserable earth-crawler. And you get to the end of your commute feeling invigorated and intensely alive.

Elvis

Jason Crane — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:39:49 +0000

‘Nuff said.

I got this photo from here based on a link from here.

Online sleuthing reunites stolen bike and owner

Jason Crane — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:22:10 +0000

The Albany Times Union newspaper ran this piece today:

Online sleuthing reunites stolen bike and owner

By JORDAN CARLEO-EVANGELIST, Staff writer
Last updated: 1:46 p.m., Friday, January 29, 2010

ALBANY — By rights, Wesley Leubner’s mountain bike should have been gone for good.

Stolen when his Hudson Avenue apartment was burglarized 18 months ago, the $1,200 Cannondale F600 could have been anywhere by now.

“For six months he was scouring all the want ads,” said Detective James Miller, a police spokesman. The 24-year-old former college student’s exhaustive search of local bike shops yielded only similar disappointment.

But then — in further testament to the ubiquitousness of Craigslist — there it was this week, in all its mango orange glory, for sale at the deeply discounted price of $250.

Read the rest of the story.

A Real Man’s Bike

Ethan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:32:55 +0000

So the other day I roll up the driveway, home from work, and prop The Bastard Son of The Frost Giant King against the garage while I turn off the lights. This guy comes up the driveway on foot asking if I have a minute. High on endorphins, I say “sure.”

He’s from the cable company. I tell him we don’t watch much tv and he can understand that doubling what we pay for cable doesn’t make a lot of sense. Then he says, “one more question, where do I go to get a real man’s bike?”

To be honest, the first thing I thought of was something you’d see bombing around London in the 1920s. But I guess that’s just me. I must’ve looked confused, so he explained, “you know, you go to Toys R Us and they have ladies bikes and kids bikes. Where do I get a real man’s bike?”

Ah.

We had some conversation about getting what you pay for. I explained that I paid $500 for my bike when it was new, which may sound like a lot of money to someone who buys a bike at Toys R Us, but I’ve had it for almost a decade. It’s my winter commuter and I put it through hell. It’s worth buying a real bike.

I told him to go to Downtube, because that’s my local bike shop and I’m loyal. I also told him about Klarsfeld’s way up Central. He knew where they were, but it had never occurred to him to go there. I said, “yeah, if you go to a real bike shop, you’ll get a real bike.” He laughed and said thanks.

A week later, I still feel good about helping someone who wanted a good bike.

Bike Commuter Goals for 2010

Ethan — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:35:39 +0000

Bike Shop Girl has some great goals for this year. I’ve decided to take her list and tell you what I’m doing about each (today, if not recently).

Learn how to properly lock your bike
Pretty sure I’m on top of this. I have a u-lock and I make an effort to lock both my rear tire AND the frame to something secure.
Start a Commuter Challenge
Sorry to say, probably not going to happen. Although, when Bike To Work Day comes around, we’ll see what happens.
Motivate a co-worker to commute by bike
A guy I work with just bought a single-speed and is looking forward to commuting. If I’m allowed to say so, he’s a little jealous of me.
Join your local advocacy group
What local advocacy group?
Take photos to inspire others and yourself
Do this all the time and love it. A post on this topic is forthcoming.
Setup a commuter zone
That would be the back hallway of my apartment. It’s dirty and smells bad. ha hah.
Practice preventative maintenance
Seriously. I was supposed to check the tired pressure yesterday, but forgot. Will do it tonight. After this rain, the bike is also going to need a little wipe down.
Invest in your gear
Loving the waterproof stuff I got for Christmas. Have new panniers I can’t wait to try out. Lights, warm clothes, they are worth every penny.

Albany Getting 9.3 Mile Rail Trail

Ethan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:49:28 +0000

Also in the news is this story about how Albany County purchased a stretch of unused railroad to convert it to a bike/etc trail.

The 9.3-mile stretch of the old Delaware & Hudson Railway right of way runs from the Port of Albany to Voorheesville.

Way to go, Albany!

Albany getting more bike racks

Jason Crane — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:24:29 +0000

Today’s Times Union newspaper published this story:

CDTA bike plan racks up fans
Authority begins initiative to place bicycle racks throughout Capital Region

By ERIC ANDERSON BUSINESS EDITOR
First published in print: Friday, January 22, 2010

ALBANY — Downtown Albany has perhaps a dozen bicycle racks. But a new effort by the Capital District Transportation Authority could make parking your bicycle far easier.

The CDTA, in conjunction with the Capital District Transportation Committee, is seeking to place bike racks throughout the Capital Region. The racks would be free to public and nonprofit sectors, while private sector businesses and employers would be eligible for a 50 percent subsidy.

“The Capital Region Bike Rack Program works hand in hand with the goals of public transportation: improving our quality of life and reducing single occupancy vehicle commutes,” said CDTA Chairman David Stackrow. “Businesses have the opportunity to expand their client base and improve customer satisfaction by providing close and convenient bicycle parking.”

Read the rest of the story.

A bicycle built for two … lighter guys (Part 2)

Jason Crane — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:51:31 +0000

(Be sure to read Part 1 before you read this post. It may not help, but it probably won’t hurt.)

An elevation map of the completed portion of our ride.

It doesn’t look all that bad when you map out the elevation on the graph above. A few hundred feet of climbing, a couple 4% and 5% grades, but not too bad.

Oh wait, I forgot that there were 400+ pounds of Rotarians on one bike. That’s why it was so hard.

The plan was a simple one: Keep the gears low. Have the SAG wagon stop every couple miles and wait for us to pass. Take a break whenever necessary. Don’t fall of the bike, get crushed by a tractor trailer or keel over from the exertion. No problem, right?

We rode and climbed and rode and climbed. A few miles along, there was our SAG wagon. Pren gave us the mileage count (there was no computer on the bike) and we kept going. We had enough air in our lungs to chat most of the time, and we told each other about our careers, our families, and why we would never, ever, ever, ever, ever volunteer for anything at Rotary ever again. Ever. Really.

Bill and me, smiling through our tears.

You know how when you have a really nice bike seat that’s like a couch cushion and you’ve been riding it for years and then you switch to a hard bike seat with no cushy properties at all and your rear end really hurts? No? Well I do. The seat on the tandem was apparently an unpadded piece of steel, possibly studded with spikes. I neglected to wear padded cycling shorts under my clothes. I never do, because the seat on my Xtracycle is so comfortable that I could bike naked if I wasn’t afraid Marlin Perkins would be overhead in a helicopter with a dart gun.

This bike seat, though, would have been better suited to transporting prisoners during the Spanish Inquisition. A few miles on this thing and they’d be converting to Catholicism faster than you can say, “Fetch the comfy chair!” I could go only a couple miles at a time before I had to stand up and stretch my … um … whatever it is that stretches down there.

Bill, meanwhile, had seat issues of his own. His seat wasn’t actually screwed tightly onto the bike, and it was constantly shifting position, forcing Bill to hang on for dear life like a rodeo rider on a bucking bronco. To Bill’s credit, he never said a word about it. Hey wait a minute — he kept offering to switch seats. Biiiillllllll! (Picture me shaking my fist.)

Another few miles, more hills, Pren in the SAG wagon. Nine miles (halfway there), more hills, Pren in the SAG wagon. Twelve miles, more hills, no Pren, but he must be just up ahead. Thirteen miles, more hills … uh … where’s Pren, exactly? I’m sure we’ll see him over the next hill. Nope. Maybe the next one. Nope. Maybe–

What’s that noise?

At about 13 miles we heard a sharp metallic pinging sound, followed immediately by a rubbing sound. (Excuse all the technical language.) I don’t know about other physical activities, but those sounds usually don’t accompany successful cycling trips. We hopped off the bike to see what was what, but we didn’t spot anything. I thought it might be the rear brake, which I’d had to disconnect and then reconnect when we changed the tire at the gas station back in Part 1. Soon, though, Bill figured it out: We’d broken a spoke and the wheel was becoming less round than is ideal for a wheel. The rubbing sound was caused by the now elliptical wheel wobbling into the brake pads.

I don’t know how well you know Bill and I, but although we’re renowned for our looks, charm, virility and spring-fresh scents, we are not, apparently, known for our brains. “What the heck,” quoth we in beautiful harmony, “it’s only six more miles. And we’ve got no tools! And our SAG wagon is missing! Let’s do it!”

We were entering East Greenbush, which meant a long downhill into the town of Rensselaer before we crossed the Hudson River and reached Albany. Bill suggested we go slowly down the hill, using only the front brake and the gears to control our speed. I did my best. We made it gently down the first hill and up the next.

Well, we made it most of the way up the next hill. At about 14 miles into the trip, we heard, and I quote:

Hisssssssssssss…

I’m sure you’re way ahead of me here, but unless you’ve brought a snake on your bike ride, hissing ain’t great. The wheel, which had been rapidly deteriorating, finally got to the point where it pinched the tube, which popped, letting out the air in our rear tire.

We pulled into the first driveway we came to — a Burger King. We had no means of repairing the bike, and no SAG wagon. Even better, as I might have mentioned earlier, Bill didn’t have the cell phone number of the SAG wagon driver, so we had no way to contact him. Nor did we have any idea where he was. “Maybe he went on to the auction without us,” we thought.

We sat in a booth in the Burger King, where I put on a paper crown while we tried to figure out what to do next. I used Bill’s cell phone to call my wife, but she wasn’t home. While I was calling her, I noticed that the phone was nearly dead. Bill said he’d charged it fully before we left. We hadn’t reckoned on the cold, though, which must have sapped the battery. We probably had enough charge for one more phone call.

It was then that Bill remembered that he had the number for Wolfert’s Roost Country Club, where our fellow Rotarians were having lunch and the auction at that very moment. Also at the meeting was Greg, who had brought his pickup truck for the express purpose of delivering the tandem bike to the winning bidder after the auction. Bill called the Roost, the Roost found Greg, Greg found us, and all was well.

As we crammed into the cab of Greg’s truck, we inquired about the health and safety of our SAG wagon driver. “He’s in the buffet line at the Roost,” Greg said. Ah.

Within a few minutes we were at the club, where we entered to thundering applause. We auctioned off the bike (and many other items) to raise more than $5,000 for various international projects, including ShelterBox, clean water projects, and Rotary’s nearly complete effort to eradicate polio from the face of the planet.

In the days since our ride, Bill and I have received even more money than was pledged to us, which will enable the club to buy a third Shelter Box.

Richard, who won the bike, discovered that in addition to the broken spoke, we’d also bent the axle of the rear wheel. He had it repaired and all is well. He will now be tormenting his teenage daughter by making her ride tandem with him.

My rear end has recovered, and Bill and I are already planning our next adventure. It will probably involve bikes. And maybe weight loss. And definitely cushier seats.

A bicycle built for two … lighter guys (Part 1)

Jason Crane — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:17:15 +0000

First, some background points that will help make the story clearer:

I’m a member of Rotary, and specifically a member of the Rotary Club of Albany. I love Rotary, not least because being a Rotary exchange student in 1991-92 completely changed my life and led to most of what I’ve done since. I also appreciate the way my membership and activity in Rotary helps me have a positive impact in my own community and around the world.
Rotary is involved with an organization called ShelterBox, an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide. It’s an incredible organization, and you should give them some money if you can, and maybe see if your workplace or school would be interested in sponsoring a box. Right now, they’re on the ground in Haiti providing immediate shelter:
This year, the Rotary Club of Albany gave approximately $2,400 to ShelterBox from the 2008 edition of our annual auction. That’s enough to buy 2.4 boxes.

And so, the story:

At a Rotary meeting several weeks ago, Charlotte, the president of our club, announced that she had a tandem bike to donate to the 2009 auction. The bike was used by two people during the Cycling The Erie Canal event. These two folks rode the tandem from Buffalo to Albany. When they got to Albany, Rotarians from my club were there to give all the riders rides to their hotels or to the train station. The tandem crew surprised the volunteers by donating their tandem bike for use at our auction. Cool, right?

So now this bike was at Charlotte’s house, and she didn’t have a way to get it the 16 miles to Albany. Either my fellow Rotarian Bill Corbett or I — I’m not sure who gets the blame — suggested that we should ride it. (You make recognize Bill’s name because he’s contributed to RocBike in the past.) I chimed in to say that we should be paid for doing so through charitable donations toward the auction proceeds. Everyone in the room agreed to pay us $16 each ($1/mile) if we rode the bike from Niverville to Albany. We agreed. It was on.

The auction was supposed to happen in December, but a blizzard ended up canceling our meeting, and we rescheduled for January 6. Bill and I met that morning at Wolfert’s Roost Country Club, where we hold our meetings. Another Rotarian gave us a ride to Niverville to get the bike. That person was also going to serve as our SAG wagon in case any problems occurred.

It’s at this point that I would like to make note of one difference between drivers and cyclists. Our club president, who drives from her house to the meeting, told us it was 16 miles. It’s actually 19.4 miles. That doesn’t mean much when you’re driving, but when you’re riding in 20-degree weather up big hills, those extra miles count. And no, 19.4 miles isn’t that far. Bill and I have both ridden farther than that on many occasions. (See here and here for the tale of my most recent long ride, which was also a fundraiser.) But it’s far enough, as you’ll see.

Our first mistake occurred in Charlotte’s kitchen. Pren, our SAG driver, got Bill’s phone number and put it in his cell phone. Then he asked Bill a question that would resonate later on: “Do you want my number?” Bill replied: “No, I’m not going to be calling you.” Foreshadowing, anyone?

Bill and me with the bike in the garage

We encountered the next problem as soon as we looked at the bike — the rear tire was flat. We already knew this, though, so Bill had brought a pump. As it turns out, this was the only useful item either of us had brought along. All of the other useful things that became necessary later on? Not so much.

Bill pumped up the tire, we said our goodbyes, handed over the life insurance paperwork, and prepared to ride to Albany. We got as far as the end of the driveway before the rear tire was flat again. Luckily, the donors of the bike had also donated two brand new tubes. So we got out our tire levers and–

Oh wait, we didn’t have any tire levers. Nor did we have a wrench to take the wheel off. As it turned out, neither did Charlotte or her husband Paul. Not to worry, though, down the road about a half-mile was a gas station. Off we went, pushing the bike. Surely, even in this day and age, a gas station would have a wrench or two, right?

Wrong. The gas station attendant had a screwdriver large enough for a sword fight, but no wrenches. As it turns out, though, the cycling gods were with us, because there in the gas station parking lot was a Snap-On Tools truck. Yes, a truck with every kind of wrench and useful implement known to man was parked at the out-of-the-way country gas station to which we happened to push the bike. Within a few minutes we had the tire changed and inflated and we were pedalling toward Albany.

It was cold that day. Very cold. And windy. Very windy. And I made what can only be classified as a rookie mistake. Having never ridden a tandem before, I told Bill that he could choose his seat — front or rear. He chose the back because, as it turns out, he’s not an idiot. He knew that it would be much nicer to have a very large guy blocking the wind for 20 miles than to be the windshield. (In his defense, he did offer to switch after several miles, but by that time I had warmed to the role and was enjoying being in front. That decision also saved me from the blame for … well, I’m getting ahead of the story.)

In the next installment: 400+ pounds is heavy … we climb and we climb … the SAG driver and the buffet line … axle me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies … we meet the Burger King and obtain his crown … and more!

READ PART 2

Bicycle clubs of old

Jason Crane — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:10:27 +0000

The New York Times ran a piece today on bicycle clubs of yore. Here’s the intro:

The Bittersweet History of Bike Clubs
By J. DAVID GOODMAN

Neither snow, nor sleet, nor bone-chilling cold can keep the members of New York’s assorted recreational bicycle clubs from the swift — or, often, leisurely — completion of their appointed rides around and out of the city. The New York Cycle Club, the Five Borough Bicycle Club and Fast and Fab, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bike club, are some of those that lead outings and other events year round. And while none of these was around at the turn of the last century, each traces its lineage back to the ubiquitous clubs that dominated the earliest years of cycling.

In the 1880s and 1890s, growing middle-class participation in cycling lead to the formation of hundreds of clubs across the United States. The first to form was the Boston Bicycle Club, created on Feb. 11, 1878. The following February saw a club formed in Buffalo, and the first New York City club came in 1880, also in February (something about the cold seemed to drive riders to associate in those days, perhaps for the warmth of the pack).

Read the rest of the article.

Commuting by Bike in “Winter”

Ethan — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:33:36 +0000

This so-called winter has not been bad for commuting by bike. I’ve only taken the bus on two days, and that was because my mountain bike was in the shop. I thought I’d share some thoughts.

I see winter riding in three big areas: weather, darkness, and traction.

Weather. It’s cold. Dress warmly. The question I get most often is “aren’t you cold?” I reply that I have four layers on and they seem shocked, like it never occurred to them to dress appropriately. Sometimes thermal long-johns under my pants. Warm socks. I bought a little hat that fits under my helmet to keep my ears and head warm, and sometimes, when it’s really bad, I wear a fleece hood. I have some awesome lobster gloves that keep my hands warm. The thing to remember is that your body temperature will increase as you ride.

Snow? Or, in our case, rain? Waterproof clothing is the bomb. I was gifted a pair of waterproof overpants and they are perfect. They don’t have any kind of lining, they go on quickly over my pants, and they keep my pants from getting soaked. It is not fun to be cold and wet, and it’s worse when your wet clothing starts to freeze. This is the voice of experience talking, here.

The only thing I haven’t figured out how to beat, yet, is the wind.

Darkness. It’s dark on the ride in, and it’s really dark on the ride home. The answer? Lights. This winter I’ve been running three different lights on the back, one of which is on my messenger bag. They all flash different patterns. On the front I have two lights, one which flashes and one which is steady. And my monkeylectric lights.

I’m sure I look ridiculous. But at least drivers can see me. It’s so frustrating to see people riding around in black coats with no lights. I can’t even see them. Lights are cheap, people. Get some.

Traction. In the fall I ordered a wicked pair of studded tires, so I’ve been itching to use them all winter. They are really great… when there is snow and ice on the road. They dig right in and I’m not worried about sliding or spinning out, even when braking.

But all we’ve been getting is rain. Monday morning the “big snow storm” was all slush. Running the studded tires on bare pavement is a pain in the arse. They are heavy and slow. Climbing hills will kill you. And the studs are starting to show signs of wear. So it’s worth spending the time swapping them out.

I’ve enjoyed riding this winter. How’ve you been doing?

Bike trail to link Schenectady parks

Jason Crane — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:07:16 +0000

The Times Union ran a story today about new trail markings that will link two parks in Schenectady:

Bike trail to link Schenectady parks
New 4.7-mile section will plug gap in biking path

SCHENECTADY — The county will soon embark on more than $2 million worth of new biking trail improvements that will plug a hole in the Mohawk Hudson Bike/Hike Trail and will link the city’s Vale and Central parks.

The state Canal Corporation is overseeing a $1.7 million new section of the Mohawk Hudson trail that will link the path’s end at the city’s Stockade section with another piece that ends at Balltown Road in Niskayuna.

The new 4.7 mile section will be marked on existing roadway with signage from North Jay Street to Union College, and then a narrower, off-road trail that runs parallel with the Mohawk River will be widened and provided with better drainage.

Read the rest of the story.

group cruises of 2009, a retrospective.

Joey Mac — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:12:29 +0000

It’s probably been about a year since I have posted on rocbike, so here’s a collection of the fun group rides I did in 2009.

In March I headed up to Monson, MA to join up with fellow ratrod bikers for a swap meet and cruise. Monson kinda sucked for cruising so we packed up and went across the border to Willamantic, CT, where we had lunch and continued to ride.

full photo set here

In June I was on vacation so I ended up bringing one of my custom vintage bikes up to Rochester to join up with the old cruising crew, with a lot of new faces since I left town. One of the nights we went way out on the canal trail.

full photo set here

There’s a few local guys that go on custom vintage rides in downtown Hartford, so that happened at least a few times this summer.

June:

full photo set here

August:

full photo set here

Also in August, a few of us joined up in New London for a custom-vintage ride.

full photo set here

In September, I was back on vacation, and I did a tour of NY state, starting with a stop in NYC. Me and my friend Otto cruised from Queens to Brooklyn.

full photo set here

After NYC I was back up in ROC for two more days of cruising with the ROC cruise crew.

Wednesday:

full photo set here

Thursday – we rode up the Genesee river trail to the pier at Charlotte:

full photo set here

And the last group ride I did this past year, a custom-vintage cruise in New Haven, in October:

full photo set here

Hoping that 2010 is as full of fun bike rides! Happy New Year!

Why I get off the couch

Julie — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:10:48 +0000

It’s not specific to cycling, but some RocBike readers may be interested in my post today at HandCraftedLife on reasons to get out and be active despite the weather.

Q&A on the Albany Bicycle Master Plan

Jason Crane — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:36:34 +0000

Today’s edition of the Albany Times Union newspaper includes a Q&A about the adoption of the Albany Bicycle Master Plan.

CYCLING: Rochester: an emerging world-class cycling spot

Richard DeSarra — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:33:53 +0000

CYCLING: Rochester: an emerging world-class cycling spot
By Jeremy Moule on December 16, 2009 City Newspaper

Read the article on Rochester Cycling Alliance blog; http://rochestercyclingalliance.blogspot.com/.

Or on City Newspaper‘s web site:

http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/news/articles/2009/12/CYCLING-Rochester-an-emerging-world-class-cycling-spot/.

You know what? They ride bikes in Copenhagen

Jason Crane — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:57:31 +0000

Democracy Now! is covering every day of the climate summit in Copenhagen. The segment below features Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Damon Moglen, who works on global warming for Greenpeace. I’m posting it here because midway through, Hickenlooper talks about bicycling in Copenhagen. He mentions that 30+% of the population commutes by bike now, and the city’s target is 50%.

Xtracycle announces winning video

Jason Crane — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:29:12 +0000

The fine folks at Xtracycle just finished a video contest to find the best video about their new PeaPod LT child seat. Here’s the winning video:

not big enough b/w fixed from Kate Oshea on Vimeo.

More videos are available at the Xtracycle site.

Lake Ontario State Parkway New Trail Opening

Richard DeSarra — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:37:58 +0000

Lake Ontario State Parkway
Multi-use Trail Project
Ribbon-cutting Ceremony

Thursday, Dec. 3 at 10:30 a.m.

At the trail head on Island Cottage Rd
RAIN LOCATION: Robach Community Center (Bathhouse)
180 Beach Avenue in Charlotte

Directions: (See map.)
Take Route 390 North to Latta Road (Exit #26)
Turn right onto Latta Rd.
Turn left onto Island Cottage Road.
Go past Janes Road and park on the shoulder.
Use the crosswalk to get to the ceremony site by the pond.

For more info:
NYS Department of Transportation
Lori Maher
585.272.4818

O Canada

Julie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:01:20 +0000

I’ve written before about visiting Canada, in the previous case, Toronto. Recently I took a trip to Montreal and was very inspired by all the bike commuters. People, if they can bike commute in Montreal and Toronto, we can certainly do it! Well, at least in terms of the weather. What those cities have, however, that we do not, is infrastructure.

For one thing, they have BIXI’s!. I love these. I love how they look, and I hopped on one and loved how it rode as well. Just one speed, very sturdy, and with a cute little front basket. And fenders.

You can buy a year’s subscription for $78 (although the season ends November 30…okay, I guess the weather gets to them, too). Or, you can use a credit card to rent on a less frequent basis. And, the first half hour is free. There are many stations everywhere (they’re the red dots on the map), so I can imagine that you could bike from station to station, picking up and returning at each station, and not pay anything, and get all around the city.

They also have bike lanes, which are separated from the roadway by a narrow median. One morning I went out running and all you could see down the road on the bike lanes was cyclist after cyclist going to work. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me, but it was really an inspiring sight.

And so, I came home inspired! I have been bike commuting more than ever, including this route, with a stop at the University of Rochester both to and from.

The only minor challenge was dealing with clothing issues. I have to be dressed professionally at work, and I work up a sweat quickly. My solution was to wear black pants that look professional but are comfortable to ride in, then I just had to pop into a bathroom to change shirts and shoes. If we had more of a bike commuting culture, I can imagine it would be more acceptable to come to work a bit more casually, but I don’t think we’re there yet!

Ah, well, I could always move to Canada. (Hey, I’d get free health care too!)

First frost

Julie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:56:05 +0000

This is the
Frederick Douglass Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge, named after two famous Rochesterians. I find it beautiful every day, but especially today with the frost on the ground.

And this is another view, looking towards downtown.

On this crisp morning, I feel incredibly blessed to bike to work.

The Cycling Dead

Bob Anderson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:17:45 +0000

WOW! It’s been a while! Jason and I did the Livestrong ride in Philly.

And then the summer just took off. I apologize for the lack of posts,
I rarely maintain my own blog, let alone the Bicycle Coalition blog. Then I was invited to do a rotating post on the Times Union blog.
Well, since I know most of the other bloggers,
and it only requires two posts a month, I think I can handle that, maybe.

Here it is.
Enjoy, link, and leave feedback or comments.
And I’ll try to not be such a stranger
(even though I do stop in everyday).

http://blog.timesunion.com/bike/the-cycling-dead/125/

Rumble Strips, a Hazard to Cyclists

Richard DeSarra — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:24:02 +0000

***ACTION ALERT***
NYSDOT Proposing Widespread Use of Rumble Strips on Secondary Highways, Posing New Hazards to Bicyclists

Contact NYSDOT and Your Legislators—Urge NYSDOT Not to Jeopardize the Safety of Its Roadway Users!
CURRENT NYSDOT POLICY: Do not install rumble strips on secondary roads except in rare instances
PROPOSED NYSDOT POLICY: Installation of rumble strips will be the preferred practice in the design of all secondary roads with a few exceptions

RUMBLE STRIPS are a well-documented hazard to bicyclists. Accepted practice nationwide dictates that rumble strips be used only sparingly on roads permitting cycling

NYSDOT is proposing an Engineering Instruction (EI), titled “Secondary Highway Audible Roadway Delineators – Guidance and Policy,” which is at variance with the practices recommended by the Federal Highway Administration, The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and other standards setting agencies. Such national agencies generally recommend if rumble strips to be used on two-lane roads if there is a documented run-off-the road accident problem—and then, used only as a last resort due to the hazards they may create for other roadway users, including bicyclists.

Contact NYSDOT and your legislators to urge NYSDOT to not issue the proposed policy. Ask them to work with groups, such as the New York Bicycling Coalition, organizers of bicycling tours and events, and local cycling clubs to construct a less hostile policy that better balances the needs of motorist and bicyclist safety.

BACKGROUND: Rumble strips, as illustrated, are audible roadway delineators or indentations in the shoulder pavement that make sound when a car runs over them at high speeds. While an important safety tool used to prevent run-offs on high-speed Interstates and other limited access highways, they are a well-documented hazard to individuals on bicycles and should be used only sparingly on roads permitting cycling. NYSDOT is proposing to replace current stated policy — not have rumble strips on secondary roads except in rare instances — with a new one declaring “installation of shoulder rumble strips to be the preferred practice in the design of all secondary highways” with a few exceptions.

In short, the proposal would have NYSDOT install rumble strips (with certain exceptions) on secondary roadways throughout New York State, compromising bicyclists’ safety and the quality of riding surfaces on thousands of miles otherwise scenic roadways. National practice is to have rumble strips nowhere with some exceptions on secondary roadways. By taking the opposite tack, NYSDOT’s policy promiscuously promotes rumble strips, going far beyond what is seen as efficient deployment. Aside from the policy’s cost implications, it is unwise. It means rumble strips in urban areas, creating or adding to the din. It means rumble strips on roads with speeds too low to generate sound. Rumble strips also mean higher maintenance costs for the taxpayer. And, of course, they pose a danger to cyclists by causing spills, erratic avoidance maneuvers, or causing them to avoid the shoulder and ride mingled in automobile traffic.

A check of other states with such secondary highway policies shows they require an accident analysis be done before such rumble strip use; the proposed NYSDOT policy does not. Other states specify where rumble strips are used, have at least 5 feet of paved shoulder between them and any guardrail; the proposed NYSDOT policy does not. Other states say not to even consider rumble strips unless there are high speeds and high traffic volumes: while the proposed NYSDOT policy does have speed and volume thresholds, they are considerably lower than those of any other state. There are dozens of other such examples in this EI where the proposed policy varies from generally accepted practice.

Action Alert from NYBC (Continued)

Contact NYSDOT and your legislators to urge NYSDOT to not issue the proposed policy TODAY. Call, write, or email (or utilize all 3 methods of communication) your Assembly Member, State Senator and the Commissioner of Transportation.

WHO REPRESENTS ME?

Prefer to mail?
Simply send a postcard (28¢ each at your nearest US Post Office) to your legislators and the Commissioner. For an investment of 84¢, you have the ability to improve bicycling throughout New York State, including in your village, town or city. Or, if easier, just stuff a copy of this notice in an envelope (adding personal comments if you wish) and mail (44¢ postage) it off to the Commissioner and elected representatives..

WHO REPRESENTS ME?

Who’s my Assemblyperson?
Click here to search by Zip Code http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/

Who’s my NYS Senator?
Click here to search by Zip Code http://www.nysenate.gov/senators

At the above sites, clicking on the highlighted names will bring you directly to the legislator’s official website where you may make comments.

How to contact NYSDOT:
Website: Click here to email NYSDOT https://www.nysdot.gov/about-nysdot/contact
Or write: Commissioner Stanley Gee
NYS Department of Transportation
50 Wolf Rd.
Albany, NY 12232

About the New York Bicycling Coalition
The New York Bicycling Coalition is dedicated to preserving New York State’s wide and smoothly paved shoulder network as an important asset for use by the State’s residents (bicyclists and pedestrians) as well as visiting cyclists. Since 1992, the New York Bicycling Coalition (NYBC) has served as the only statewide, not-for-profit organization of its kind advocating various “Share the Road” education and safety initiatives on behalf of both cyclists and motorists, while working to assure highway, street, and transit facilities are amenable to bicyclists and pedestrians. Support Our Efforts to Increase Bicycling and Pedestrian Safety and Access Today by joining online: http://www.nybc.net/donate

Scared of the Dark?

Jody Benedict — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:24:40 +0000

We’re nearing the time of the year when I gave up bike commuting for the season last year. It wasn’t intentional, I just… sorta… stopped. The last ride that I wrote about was November 6 last fall.

I think it all happened around the time change. I definitely have issues this time of year getting motivated as it gets darker. I probably have that SAD thing to some degree. Who knows… but maybe I’m just saying that. Maybe that’s just my excuse.

For some reason I get creeped out riding alone in the dark at the end of the day, though it doesn’t bother me at all in the morning. Maybe it’s just quieter in the morning. I feel like I’m alone in the morning. In the evening I feel like just can’t see what’s out there. I don’t like taking the shortcuts through the woods or riding on the canal path in the dark. I feel safer taking my chance with the cars.

Am I afraid of the dark? What kind of a giant wimp am I?

I don’t want to quit riding for the season… I want to keep going through the winter. I guess I just need to find new routes that I’m comfortable with and maybe some bike mounted weaponry.

I used to take a martial arts class… maybe I could just ride around with a bokken strapped across my back to make me look crazy. Maybe I could just wave it around insanely when I’m taking a sketchy shortcut. It is my personal believe that looking crazy is a good form of self defense.

Bicycle comedy

Jason Crane — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:06:37 +0000

Thanks to Utility Cycling for the link

A novel use for an Xtracycle: as a tow truck

Jason Crane — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:18:12 +0000

Tow Truckin’ from Xtracycle on Vimeo.

Bike the Rochester Green Way and Cycling Summit this Saturday!

Adam — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:20:09 +0000

Richard already mentioned this earlier this month, but I wanted to remind our Rochester readers that RIT Center for Student Innovation is holding a Rochester Cycling Summit this Saturday October 24th. The group ride starts downtown at the Central Library at 11am!

My Panniers Get No Respect

Jody Benedict — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:33:39 +0000

I arrived at work this morning & on checking my email discovered the following:

Hi Jody –

XXXXXX confirmed that the kitty-litter panniers are yours ….. could we have a bake sale to raise funds for new panniers for you? LOL!

Best,
XXXXXX

I’ll grant you that they’re not beautiful, but they are very functional. They are waterproof and made from recycled materials. I was kind of proud of my kitty litter panniers. And they were VERY cheap. I think they cost less than $10 in materials. I think they’re going to be great for the crappy weather, once there’s salt and grime on the road. I can just hose these off occasionally. They are also very high visibility, esp with the big reflectors on there.

I confess that I am a huge fan of bike hacks, which is where I got the idea. I love crazy MacGyvered solutions. I figure the panniers also make my bike less appealing to bike thieves, not that it’s worth much anyway. Probably in my perfect world my bike would look like something out of a Mad Max movie. (I know bright yellow and red doesn’t really shout Mad Max… more like McDonalds.)

I’m never one to turn down free bike stuff though. So I may give a thumbs up to the bake sale idea. In case I want to go to a classy event instead of just getting from place to place.

It’s probably true that I have no sense of style. :) But you gotta work with the senses you have.

Leaf peeping by bicycle & a pedicab test

Jason Crane — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:08:02 +0000

From today’s New York Times:

It took a few miles to work the kinks out of my legs and churn up the first hill, but the payoff was spectacular. Lake Champlain sparkled blue in the distance, with the Adirondack Mountains rising stately in the background. Lush green hills were peppered with red silos, livestock and a white steeple far off. And then there were the trees, a patchwork of scarlet, orange and yellow that transformed a vista into something so perfect it almost didn’t look real.

Read the story: “Pedal Peepers In Vermont”

The NYT also published a piece today by a reporter who tried out a pedicab for a day:

Three Wheels Through the Park

Fall trip to Holley, along the Erie Canal bike path

Julie — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:43:42 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I took a bike ride near Holley, along the Erie Canal. This portion of the trail is not used much, and neither are many of the buildings, it appears.

I highly recommend that you make a day of it and take the kids to Hurd Orchards, one of western New York’s treasures. In the fall they serve apple pie which is yummy and filling enough to be your lunch.

Here are a few pictures from a couple of years ago. I get no credit for those adorable kids.

Ouch.

Jason Crane — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:42:41 +0000

Via FAIL Blog

Erie Canal Bike Path from Macedon to Palmyra

Jody Benedict — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:01:11 +0000

Erie Canal Bike Path from Macedon to Palmyra

A couple weeks ago on my commute home I decided to take part of the canal path that’s a little out of my way. I had a little extra time and it was a beautiful day. I even remembered to strap my camera to the handlebars and take a little video.

The ride was really about 20 minutes long but I speeded it up and compressed it into 5. If you want to take 20 minutes you should just drive out there and ride it yourself.

Rochester Cycle Summit at RIT October 24

Richard DeSarra — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:40:48 +0000

Saturday, October 24th will mark 350.org’s International Day of Climate Action and the end of a week of climate action teach-ins at RIT.

The culminating event in Rochester will be a mass bike ride along the proposed Rochester Greenway. The Rochester Greenway goes south from Downtown along the river, past the University of Rochester, through the Genesee Valley Park, and on down the Lehigh Valley North Trail to RIT.

Once at RIT, the Rochester Bike Summit will be held in the new Center for Student Innovation. Its goal: to discuss a number of exciting bicycle and alternative transportation initiatives, and to make connections between the bicycle community, city planners, and environmentalists.

Look for details at RochesterGreenway.org.

Among the attractions planned for the Rochester Cycle Summit
• volunteer-manned stations for free bicycle maintenance
• exhibits on pedal power and bicycles as energy-conservation solutions
• posters and exhibits describing numerous bike initiatives
• an ultra-wide screen short describing the potential for making Rochester a world class center for recreational and functional transport
• free rides on electric bikes

Walk, bike or bus?

Jason Crane — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:18:17 +0000

The folks over at BikeCommuters.com have a handy chart to help you figure it out.

Visit BikeCommuters.com for a larger version.

Video: Thoughts On My Bike

Jason Crane — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:58:05 +0000

(Thanks to Bike Commuters for the link.)

Sweet Yehuda

Jason Crane — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:21:39 +0000

The online cycling comic strip Yehuda Moon is hilarious, and I’m a huge fan of the humor. But I also love quiet moments like this one in today’s strip, titled “Autumn Rains.”

Visit the site for a larger version

People Who ‘Care’

Jody Benedict — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:11:09 +0000

Dear People Who Care,

I know it’s because you care about me that every time a friend of a friend of a friend is in a bad cycling accident you feel that you need to come tell me about it. I know it’s because you’re concerned that I’m doing something so dangerous by riding my bike to work, to the store, or around the block, and that you think it’s only a matter of time before I break my neck or my hip or my collar bone. Usually you don’t even know the person, it’s someone you saw on the news.

If I went around to all my friends and family every time I heard about a nasty car accident to share the cautionary tale and warn them to be extra careful, I’m pretty sure that is all I would be doing with my life. “Hey, be careful on Outlet Rd. I’ve seen at least 3 memorial crosses along that road. And I wouldn’t drive on 104 either. That road is just crosses from end to end. In fact, maybe you just shouldn’t drive. It seems pretty dangerous. I just worry about you.”

I do know it is because you care which is why I just reassure you with my prepared talking points that I am careful, that cycling is probably less dangerous than driving, and that hopefully people in cars will remember that they are surrounded by a giant crusty exoskeleton and that not everyone on the road is.

I know it is because you care that you run in to my office to tell me that they sky looks cloudy and ask how I will get home if it rains. The wind is picking up and, is there someone who can come pick me up if the weather takes a turn for the worse?

And on days that I don’t bike for some reason, I kind of wish that you wouldn’t say, “It’s a good thing you didn’t bike today. I think it’s supposed to rain later.” I don’t really ever feel like it’s a good thing that I didn’t bike, and I like the rain. If I overslept and had to drive I generally feel like I’m missing out on something fun.

I know you will continue to care about me so I don’t expect you to stop rushing into my office with weather updates and gore reports, but I hope you won’t be too offended if I keep riding my bike.

Xtracycle on CNN’s iReport

Jason Crane — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:51:02 +0000

Cool!

Bike Commuters Show and Tell this weekend

Adam — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:34:39 +0000

Two Team RocBike members – Jack Spula and me – are holding a bike commuting panel/workshop/war story session this Sunday the 27th at the Rochester Abundance Cooperative Market Annual Meeting. I think we’ve been invited more for the strangeness of our bikes than for our friendly demeanor. The event starts at 3:30 at Tay House Lodge in Cobb’s Hill Park, right up a hill near the water treatment plant. Another familiar face at Abundance, Jessica Rodriguez, will be showing off her weird bike as well:

3:30 – 4 – Bike Commuters Show and Tell
Jessica Rodriguez, Adam Durand, and Jack Spula talk about car-free commuting and demonstrate their two – (or three – ) wheeled wonders.

I should give The Chicken Avenger a hose-down this week. There are a bunch of other workshops, including a session on urban chickens and another on vegan gluten-free baking, and it’s completely free and open to the public. Here’s the schedule. This event is right up my alley.

Fight cancer! Win pink tires!

Jason Crane — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:24:38 +0000

Hey gang,

My friend and fellow Team Fattymate Jenni Laurita is auctioning some very cool pink tires to raise money for her second LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride of the year. She already did the Philly excursion, and this fall she’s off to Austin for more riding and raising of cash.

Please visit her Web site for details on how to win against cancer and win pink tires!

World Car-Free Day is tomorrow (9/22)

Jason Crane — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:46:11 +0000

Learn more about World Car-Free Day

Defying the no-bike policy in Saratoga

Jason Crane — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:43:54 +0000

Adam Marino locks up his bike at Maple Avenue Middle School last Wednesday, the first day of classes. Photo by CharlieSamuels.com

From The Saratogian newspaper:

Family defies no-bike policy at Maple Avenue Middle School
Published: Monday, September 14, 2009

By ANDREW J. BERNSTEIN
The Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The first day of school, already a happy and trying event for any student, saw a little additional stress for Maple Avenue Middle School student Adam Marino.

Marino and his mother, Janette Kaddo Marino, left for school by bicycle on Wednesday morning, as they often do in good weather, despite a phone call placed to students’ homes by school officials, asking parents not to allow students to walk or ride bikes to school.

After a cold reception on Wednesday, local transportation advocates are rallying around the family, and plan to accompany the pair to school today in a bid to bolster calls for a policy change.

Read the rest of the article

Biking Tokyo’s Yamanote train line

Jason Crane — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:39:07 +0000

An evening scene in Asakusa, an area in the Shitamachi district of Tokyo. / Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times

The New York Times featured this cool story about taking a bike tour along Japan’s famed Yamanote (ya-ma-no-tay) train line. I used to ride this line as part of my commute the second time I lived in Japan. When I worked for Bloomberg TV and Radio in Tokyo, my office was right in the area on this map where it says “Marunouchi Business District.”

Here’s the story:

No Squishing: Biking a Tokyo Rail Line

Party Bike: Link of the day

Jody Benedict — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:07:48 +0000

Introducing the Hopworksfiets: Beer, pizza, music, and true Portland spirit, all on one bike
from BikePortland.org

Snack Rack

Jody Benedict — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:03:54 +0000

The downside of bananas as a cycling snack is not knowing what to do with the peel when you’re on the go with no garbage can in site. The up side is that you can easily bungee them to your bike rack. You could never to that with an apple.

Fatty and Me

Jason Crane — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:57:22 +0000

‘Nuff said:

Too soon to be thinking about this but…

Jody Benedict — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:02:44 +0000

I know I’m deranged but for some reason yesterday I started thinking about the seasons changing and instead of focusing on the fall my mind jumped straight to winter. I bike commuted last year up until sometime in November. I had intentions of going all year but somehow started having trouble getting motivated in the mornings. I really think it was more about gear than anything else.

My feet were getting too cold. I couldn’t find any combo of shoes and socks that worked for me (out of the pile of shoes and socks that I already owned.) And there’s something weird about being on a long ride and not being sure if you can’t feel your toes because you’ve been in the wrong position too long or because your toes are frostbitten and dead.

I rode 30 miles home from Rochester in sleet one evening and somewhere around mile 22 I started worrying that my toes were dead, that I would pull off my boot and to find something horrible like what I have seen on shows about Mt. Everest trips gone horribly wrong or Arctic expeditions where no one made it out alive. My mind wanders funny places when I’m riding a long time.

I really do want to ride year ’round but I think I need to find the right gear combination for me. I just use regular platform pedals so I don’t have to find something that will wrap around cycling shoes but I have to find something that is unstoppably warm.

I thought back to when I was a kid and spent hours in the snow. My feet didn’t fall off then. Mostly it was many layers of socks, plus bread bags over the socks stuffed into boots that were too big for me. Did other people’s parents send them outside like that or is my family crazy?

I never did try the bread bag thing last year though I probably should have. I think it was more the cold wind cutting through my damp shoes that did me in.

Anyone have any recommendations or thoughts on good footwear for biking in winter? I know it’s early, but it’s on my mind at the moment.

Bicycles and civil disobedience

Jason Crane — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:59:20 +0000

The Guardian is featuring a story today by Peter Walker about the bicycle as the vehicle of civil disobedience. Here’s an excerpt:

So what is it that makes the bicycle and the demonstration such good companions? To me, there are two factors at play.

Firstly, if you’re in a group, there is something undeniably liberating about riding around a city surrounded by cyclists. I’ve never been on a Critical Mass ride, so going to Blackheath was a strange sensation – no longer a vulnerable solo rider lined up against the massed metal forces of the motorised traffic, I was part of an entity too big to ignore or shove unthinkingly into the kerb.

Second, if you’re a solo campaigner in an urban environment then the bike is the mode of transport most guaranteed to get you to your protest on time and – perhaps more important still – give you the best chance of slipping away from pursuing authorities. When I worked for another news organisation in Beijing I’d regularly pedal to meetings or protests, nipping down narrow lanes to shake off the unmarked police cars, which routinely trail foreign journalists in China.

What the heck is an Xtracycle?

Jason Crane — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:56:58 +0000

Voici:

The Original Longtail | Xtracycle from Xtracycle on Vimeo.

What does it mean to “Fight Like Susan”?

Jason Crane — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:33:41 +0000

Watch this and Fatty will tell you:

2009 Philadelphia LiveStrong Challenge: Fatty’s Speech from Fat Cyclist on Vimeo.

If you can’t watch until later, this is how you Fight Like Susan:

Be focused
Be creative
Have outrageous endurance
Be kind

Video from Russ and Laura

Jason Crane — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:47:58 +0000

This is gorgeous.

Ride With Us! from Russ Roca on Vimeo.

More at The Path Less Pedaled.

Henrietta not so scary someday

Adam — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:49:54 +0000

Finally, cyclists and pedestrians will be able to travel down Jefferson Road in Henrietta with a little bit of dignity:

More than one mile of the road will be upgraded, from the Marketplace Mall to under the Interstate 390 overpass. In addition to a third lane in both directions, there will be space for cyclists, sidewalks for pedestrians, and a median which will keep cars from crossing several lanes of traffic in order to make a left-hand turn.

As a cyclist, when I must travel on Jefferson Road I stick mostly to the parking lots, hopping onto the road for short stretches when there is no other option. I don’t know how they’ll handle such a heavy traffic load in a way that’s safe for non-motorists, but maybe they’ll use some ideas that have been proposed for places like New York City.

Team Fatty Philly: Other people’s words and images

Jason Crane — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:46:49 +0000

NOTE: This is a “sticky” post, so it will stay at the top even as new content is added below it. Be sure to scroll down for new posts, OK? Thanks!

NOTE #2: If you scroll down the right side of this site, you’ll see a bold heading that reads “Team Fatty & Friends.” Below this heading are blogs by members of Team Fatty and folks who are fighting the same fight. If you’d like to be linked in the list, please send an email to jason at rocbike dot com. (Thanks to Albany Bob for the suggestion!)

Other folks are posting their ride reports from this weekend. I’ll share them in this post and just continue to update it. Most of these folks are from Team Fatty, but not all. If I can find a story about someone fighting cancer by walking, running or riding at the Philly event, I’ll link it here.

Ready to beat cancer. And yes, the knitted Rasta glove is mine. Photo by Albany Bob

“Albany” Bob Anderson

Andrea from the Evolve blog

Daniel Berlinger

“Team Fatty – Fighting Like Susan – Livestrong Challenge Philly 2009″

Rhonda Chattin

Jason Crane (me)

Ken Durbin

“Livestrong 2009 Reflections”

Clay Frost

“Philly Phase One … Century Eve”

Dave from “Game On, Cancer”

Rebecca from Girl On The Loose

Pictures

Creighton Higgins

“Livin’ Strong In Philadelphia With Team Fatty”

Kelly Kavanagh-O’Connell

“Livestrong Challenge 2009 Philly Ride Report, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Hills”

Kevin Kavanaugh

Pictures

Matthew Kayes

“Philly Livestrong Challenge 100″

Lana

Pictures

Jenni Laurita

Lizzylou

Elden “Fatty” Nelson

“Relaxing In Philly”
“Livestrong Philadelphia Report Day 1″ (Includes video of Fatty’s and Philly Jen’s speeches at the dinner)
“2009 Livestrong Philly Report Day 2″

Robert Orler

“Livestrong Philly”

Samantha from Ribbons For A Reason

“Our Livestrong Challenge”

Joe “CycleChef” Sheridan

“Team Fatty”

Angie Suttle

“Philly Livestrong Challenge”

Thad Suzenski

“Livestrong Century”

10NBC video from Philly

Windows Media Player video

KYW News Radio Philly

“Thousands Participate in ‘Livestrong Challenge’ in Montco”

Philadelphia Examiner

“Fat Cyclist Comes To Philadelphia For Livestrong Challenge”

Stay tuned.

My first triple century, or, How I learned to stop worrying and love my Xtracycle*

Jason Crane — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:20:25 +0000

When last we met (see the previous installment, “The (bald, chubby) eagle has landed,” I was in a Barnes & Noble in Somewhere, PA, figuring out where to park the Hotel Subaru for the night.

Albany Bob from Liberty On Bikes! had recommended a particular walled parking lot near the Livestrong Village, so I made my way over there and found a secluded spot near the wall. I jammed my sleeping bag into the back of the car, which is when I discovered that the car is a least a foot shorter than I am. With the Xtracycle also in the back, I had about an inch of clearance from the left pedal and maybe two inches from the handlebars. Sitting up quickly would mean certain death – or at least a badly bruised noggin.

It was 11:30 p.m. by this time. I set my phone alarm for 5 a.m. and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Seconds later, it was 5 a.m. I changed my shorts in the dark of the deserted parking lot, then did my best to brush my teeth and get my contacts in. I drove over to the Doubletree Hotel, where Team Fat Cyclist was gathering for a 6 a.m. group ride to the start line. There were about 30 of us at the hotel, including the man himself — Elden “Fatty” Nelson, whose blog about cycling and about his own family’s fight with cancer had inspired us all to be there in the first place. His appearance was met with a big cheer, and he hopped on his bike and led us away from the hotel. I rode in the back because it was still dark and I had my Down Low Glow blazing. I ended up riding with Fatty for about half the way, which was great. He’s got to be one of the most grounded human beings I’ve ever met. I don’t know how he does it.

A photo of the rollout taken by Jennie Laurita. The woman in the light-colored jersey is Lauren, and I’m just behind her.

Rolling out on The Packet Boat with Philly Jen. Note the Down Low Glow! (Photo by Creighton Higgins)

By the time we reached Livestrong Village and made our way to the start line, the sun had come out and it was looking to be a beautiful day. The rest of Team Fatty was waiting for us at the start line. I’m not sure how many of us there were, but it a big, big gang. Fatty addressed the crowd to many cheers, and then Philly Jen read from the donation page of the person who had won a set of Shimano wheels and pedals. As it turned out, it was Albany Bob, who told me after the fact that he never wins anything. (By the way, check out the very moving work Bob did to the back of his van.)

Because Team Fatty Philly had raised a bazillion dollars, we got to start first. We all crowded up to the start line where the Livestrong photographers snapped a group shot. I rode with Dan, one of the event organizers, and Lauren, who was riding her first event — and who had only started riding seriously a couple months before. Lauren and I decided to stay together because it was her first ride and we were both doing the 45-mile course. As you’ll learn, she eventually dropped me like a bad habit and finished in about half my time.

Albany Bob, Dan, me at the start line (Photo by Lana)

The south end of a northbound Xtracycle (Photo by Lana)

Albany Bob and yours truly (Photo by Kevin Kavanaugh

We rode out on the long, balloon-covered road from the start line, with hundreds of spectators cheering us on. The organizers said more than 6,000 people were riding, running or walking in the event, which is incredible. I’d never ridden in a group that large, and it was a thrill to see hundreds and hundreds of cyclists take to the roads in the morning sunlight.

Later in the ride, I heard that Lance Armstrong has told the organizers every year to make the courses harder and harder. “It’s supposed to be a challenge,” he is reported to have said. I will go into that in great detail in the nasty note I’ll be sending Lance. (Kidding!) All I can say is: The first 20 or so miles were great, and the rest comprised the hardest ride I’ve ever done in my life.

First of all, I rode my Xtracycle**. If you’ve ever been to RocBike before, you’ve seen my bike. It’s a Giant Sedona hybrid with massive tires and a big cargo bike kit on the back. It weighs a lot. A lot a lot. Too much, some might say. To me, riding the Xtracycle was part of the challenge. That’s because I’m an idiot.

Second, I never really looked at the elevation charts provided by the fine sadists at Livestrong. Had I done that, I would have quickly realized that there was no way I could actually ride my bike for 45 miles on the course they’d laid out, no doubt late at night in a dimly lit room with chains and whips and an iron maiden in the corner. This course, you see, was Brutal with a capital “B.” In fact, I think it’s fair to say it was BRUTAL, with a capital-all-them-letters.

Like I said, it was fine in the beginning. Lauren and I stayed together and chatted while we rode, exchanging the little biographies that you trade in those situations. I was feeling fairly tired, and I hadn’t eaten (idiot), but I figured I could make it the 10 miles to the rest stop and load up on food there. That worked just fine. The first rest stop was incredible. Tons of food, water and Gatorade, and even free massages from the wonderful Tobi. I left feeling refreshed and ready to ride.

I think it was about mile 20 when the first big hill came. I live in Albany, and we have some big hills. But not like these hills. You see, here in Albany, the hills have tops. In Pennsylvania (which is Dutch for “granny gear”) the hills defy geography and just continue to go up. And up. And up some more. I’m not sure how it’s possible, but we climbed a hill that had everyone moaning and swearing, and at the top of the hill was a hill. Dan had rejoined us, and the three of us pulled off the road to rest and hydrate and eat for a minute. Lauren and Dan said they were ready to go, and I told them to go ahead and not wait for me.

It was then that I had my big crisis.

I was exhausted. A craptacular night of sleep in the Hotel Subaru, combined with a woeful lack of calories, had me shaking and feeling nauseous. I’ve never bonked, but I wondered if this was what it felt like. And I knew, for the first time ever on my bike, that I couldn’t make it.

That was when I thought about everything that had gotten me to this point. Cancer had hit my mother, my grandmother, my great-grandmother, my cousin, my great-uncle, my friend Travis (who died last year from testicular cancer), my grandfather and childhood hero Bernie Flanders (who passed away earlier this summer) … and most recently my Aunt Linda, who is battling breast cancer right now. She’s been a huge inspiration in my life, because she’s never been afraid to walk her own path, regardless of others’ opinions. I’d also spent several years watching Fatty and Susan fight cancer and rally others to their cause. And I’d been inspired to launch my own jazz raffle by the efforts of Fatty’s sister, Jodi. Moreover, I’d raised more than $2,200 with help from family, friends, colleagues and complete strangers. My Rotary club had gathered around me, too, supporting me with the first grant from the revived charity committee.

And that was when I knew that there was no turning back. I got back on the Packet Boat (my Xtracycle) and rode as far up the hill as I could go. Then I got off and walked the bike up the hill. Have I mentioned that it weighs a lot? Pushing it up hills really stinks.

I reached the second aid station and looked around for Lauren and Dan. They weren’t there, although Lauren later said they’d waited for me for quite a while. Who knows how long I’d stood at the bottom of that hill weighing my options?

The rest of the ride was a mixture of pedaling and walking, punctuated with wonderful conversations with my fellow riders. I chatted with Rob from Long Island, a member of Team Fatty who told me he’d played in a charity golf tournament the week before to raise money for autism, inspired by a family member who was diagnosed with autism. And here he was on a hot summer day, riding through the hills of eastern Pennsylvania.

I met Rhonda from Virginia. She’d seen cancer rip through her own family, and decided it was time to change the odds.

I was passed by a cyclist who turned to me as he passed and said, “This is where I quit last year!” Then he let out a whoop and pedaled up the hill. I interviewed him later for the audio piece I’m working on, and he broke down as talked about his dad’s fight with cancer.

That’s what the Livestrong ride is like. Every time you think you can’t possibly make it up one more hill, you find another wonderful person with a story that puts strength in your legs and stamina in your heart. Like the Holland and Wilson families, who both live at the top of big hills and who decided to hand out water to the riders as they passed. Or like the hundreds of volunteers who cheer on the riders, make the food, give massages, and congratulate you every step of the way. or the doctor who works at the one of the aid stations and bring his interns to do the same.

By the end of the ride, I had nothing left. The last few miles were a climb to the finish line, and I was sagging on my bike with my head hanging to one side. I was determined to ride the last few miles, and it took everything I could muster. The amazing thing was that as I struggled up the hills, rider after rider passed me and said “Go Team Fatty!” These people didn’t know me, and most of them didn’t know Fatty either. But they believed in the cause and were inspired by Team Fatty’s efforts.

And I made it up the hill.

I rode past the balloons and cheering crowds and PA announcer, and came to two of the other great moments on my ride. Standing at the finish line was Fatty, who I would later learn waited for every member of Team Fatty to finish. And right behind him was Albany Bob, who’d waited a long time for me to get there. That was a great moment, and a great gift from two very good guys.

The ride was, by far, the hardest physical activity I’ve ever done in my life. I’ve ridden farther, but never over a course like that. But it was also one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever been given. To be a part of a larger movement, of people united by no thought other than doing good, of people drawn together by one family’s amazing story — that is truly something worth doing. Thanks, Fatty.

* As everyone knows, Xtracycle miles are like dog years. Thus, my 45 miles counted for 315 miles.

** Please note that I love, love, love my Xtracycle. It revolutionized my approach to cycling, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was hard to ride on this course because (1) I’m not in good shape; (2) The course was brutal; (3) My Xtracycle is built on a very heavy Giant bike, so it weighs much more than an Xtracycle built on a lighter bike (my wife’s, for example).

(I’ve been making an audio recording of the trip, too, so look for an episode of the RocBike Review after the ride.)

The (bald, chubby) eagle has landed

Jason Crane — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:41:10 +0000

So I’m in Philly. Well technically I’m in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, home of Montgomery County Community College and the temporary home of the 2009 LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride – Philly edition.

On my way out of town this morning, I stopped by Eastern Mountain Sports because they sell Sigg bottles and I needed two new ones for the ride. The guy at the counter said, “You’re heading to Philly, right?” Apparently he’d visited RocBike.com and recognized me.

(A small aside: A woman named Paula in Albany has a Surly Big Dummy! My son Bernie and I were at the Downtube and saw it. She came out and noticed my Packet Boat and we chatted. She also knew who I was from reading this site. Paula agreed to become a contributor, too. Which, with the RocBike Curse, means she’ll soon stop writing about cycling completely. Sorry, Paula!)

Anway…

I arrived here in PA about 4 p.m. and headed straight for LIVESTRONG Village, the assemblage of vendors and nonprofits who surround the registration area. Recent rains had turned the ground into what Team Fatty Philly Captain “Philly Jen” described as a “mosh pit.” But everyone was in good spirits, and I saw several other members of Team Fatty while I was registering. The registration process was very efficient. According to one person at the site, there are more than 800 volunteers signed up for today and tomorrow to make the whole event run.

I got a nice bag o’ swag — hat, t-shirt, messenger bag, water bottle, and maybe a few other things that I have yet to dig out of the yellow LIVESTRONG bag. By the way, if you don’t like yellow, I recommend avoiding these rides. Everything is yellow.

The Team Fatty event at the Doubletree Hotel was running until 5 p.m. I made it with minutes to spare, just in time to meet Philly Jen (who saw me walk in and yelled “Jason!” — I guess there’s a shortage of chubby bald guys on our team) and another guy from Albany who wasn’t either Bob or me. Nor was he anyone I’d seen before. Small world. Apparently the Doubletree had booted out half of Team Fatty citing “water damage” on two floors. Rumor has it that the damage was more likely caused by overbooking, given that Team Fatty was booted out of another hotel owned by the same company at another recent Challenge ride. Sounds like the airline industry.

In search of some way to kill the hours between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m., when we all meet for breakfast, I drove around a bit. I found a park advertising a free concert at 6 p.m., so I followed the winding road back to the park … where a small sign said, “Concert Canceled.” I decided instead to eat dinner. I tried hard to avoid a chain restaurant, driving around until I spotted a big sign for Bombay High Indian Cuisine. I pulled in to the plaza to find that the highway sign and plaza sign had been installed, but the seats, tables, lights, kitchen and staff had yet to arrive. Sigh.

I ended up eating sushi at Benihana. I can’t believe I just typed that, and if you ever tell anyone, I’ll deny it. After three years in Japaan, I’m a real snob about Japanese food, and Benihana to me is like the Taco Bell of Japanese food. But I ate it and was grateful for some air conditioning and green tea.

The author at Barnes & Noble, delaying his date with the Hotel Subaru

I’m typing this in a Barnes and Noble because I’m staying tonight in the Hotel Subaru, and it doesn’t have wi-fi. In fact, it no longer has XM radio either, because some damned squirrels chewed through the antenna cable. I must say, the Hotel Subaru seemed much more inviting when I was tossing my sleeping bag in the back of the car this morning than it does now. Not least because my Xtracycle is also in the hotel’s one room, and it’s a very big bike. There’s a lovely thunderstorm now, too, so if this is my last blog entry, you’ll know why.

(I’ve been making an audio recording of the trip, too, so look for an episode of the RocBike Review after the ride.

Off to Philly!

Jason Crane — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:56:21 +0000

Xtracycle-riding mom turns to Twitter after drive-through denial

Jason Crane — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:26:41 +0000

Photo by USA Today

By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY

Sarah Gilbert stepped off her bicycle long enough to send one angry tweet via Twitter— and it’s changed the way one fast-growing burger chain treats bike riders.

The 35-year-old blogger, freelance writer and mother of three doesn’t own a car. She gets around usually bike-friendly Portland, Ore., on a custom-made stretch bike that fits all three of her boys, ages 2, 4 and 7. A bumper sticker boasts: “One less minivan.”

But after biking last week into the drive-through of the local Burgerville— an eco-conscious burger chain that even recycles its used cooking oil into biodiesel — she tried to order four cheeseburgers.

No go. She was refused service at the drive-through for, of all things, ordering from a bike. Never mind that the environmentally friendly restaurant chain spent $185,000 on wind energy credits in 2008 to compensate for the electricity used in its 39 stores and at its corporate headquarters.

When Gilbert got home, she sent out a huffy tweet followed by a pointed letter to the chain, which she posted on her blog, cafemama.com. By the next day, the company apologized. In short order, the Vancouver, Wash.-based chain, with locations in Oregon and Washington, revamped its policy and will announce a new bicycle-friendly drive-through program on Sept. 8.

Read the rest of the story.

LIVESTRONG update

Jason Crane — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:43:48 +0000

I made my second goal ($1,926) a couple days ago. Today, the Rotary Club of Albany, of which I’m a member, gave me a check for $250. With some additional donations, my total for this ride is now at $2,216! Here’s a photo from the Rotary meeting. That’s Bob Stone presenting the award certificate:

There’s still time to donate and get in on the big jazz raffle, but you have to act NOW: http://philly09.livestrong.org/jasoncrane. A full list of prizes is on the donation page.

Thanks so much for your support. RocBike’s own Bob Anderson will have photos, and I’ll have audio from the ride, so look for a post-race story soon. Fatty will be there, too, so maybe I’ll get to meet him in person. Huzzah!

The time, she is running out!

Jason Crane — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:13:09 +0000

As you know, my goal is to raise $1,926 dollars for the Lance Armstrong Foundation in the LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride. The ride takes place in Philadelphia on August 23. With 9 days to go, I’ve raised $1,646. If my math is correct, that means I need $280 to make my goal.

I’ve got tons of cool prizes to give away, all jazz-related, including:

A meet-and-greet package with the Strickland brothers (E.J. and Marcus) as they each release their new CDs. The package includes:
- Two tickets to the double-CD release party at the famed Joe’s Pub in Manhattan on August 21
- Autographed copies of both CDs
- A meet-and-greet with Marcus and E.J. at the show
Tickets to see Kenny Barron & Mulgrew Miller, vocalist Steven Santoro, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra at beautiful Tanglewood in Lenox, MA, on Labor Day weekend
Tickets to see Dave Brubeck in western Massachusetts on Oct. 17
Autographed CDs from Patti Wicks, Jo Lawry, Mike Melito, and many more!
LP reissues of classic jazz recordings!
A Big Box o’ Jazz CDs from the fine folks at Braithwaite and Katz!
And more!

How do you get in on the action? For every $5 you donate at my LIVESTRONG page, you’ll get a raffle ticket. The more you fight cancer, the better your chances of winning.

I’ll draw the winner of the Strickland package on Tuesday, August 18 (and the deadline for donations for that prize is 10 p.m. ET on Monday, August 17).

I’ll draw the rest of the prizes on August 30, and the winners will be announced on the August 31 episode of The Jazz Session.

So please help! DONATE NOW!

Bottoms up, pedals turning

Jason Crane — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:00:07 +0000

International Win For Susan Day, August 23

Jason Crane — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:00:33 +0000

This is a great idea.

The difficulties of unicycle jumping

Jason Crane — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:29:27 +0000

Via FAIL Blog

The Rochester Greenway, a covered transit way.

Richard DeSarra — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:27:32 +0000

The Rochester Greenway

http://rochestergreenway.org/.

The proposed trail would connect RIT, U of R and downtown Rochester.

There is an existing trail currently connecting RIT and the U of R; Lehigh Valley North from Henrietta Town Line Road to River Road.

This looks lovely

Jason Crane — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:56:23 +0000

I think these two are on to something…

Via http://pathlesspedaled.com/?p=492

Follow their adventures at pathlesspedaled.com.

Fatty’s obituary for Susan

Jason Crane — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:47:17 +0000

Fatty has posted a remembrance of his wife, Susan. Like everything connected with this story, it’s moving, heartbreaking and inspiring. The Nelson family has certainly created a lot of love in the world.

Read the remembrance.

And if you want to join the fight, please DONATE.

Image from Twin Six

Susan Nelson

Jason Crane — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:33:26 +0000

Elden “Fat Cyclist” Nelson posted the following on his site:

Susan died tonight (August 5) at 7:25pm. It was a hard, long day, and Susan fought right to the end, for much longer than anyone would have thought she could.

My mom, my sisters Kellene and Jodi, and my Brother-in-Law Rocky were all here to support my family as Susan passed away.

I’ll have more to say soon, but consider this. Susan inspired me to expand the focus of my blog from nothing but bike-related jokes to a serious and pitched fight against cancer.

Then she inspired 500+ of you to join Team Fatty, the largest LiveStrong Challenge Team there has ever been.

And Team Fatty has raised more than $500,000 — a record amount.

Susan’s part in the battle is over, but she didn’t lose. She led the charge. She showed the rest of us how to fight: with determination, focus, creativity, and outrageous endurance.

Now it’s up to the rest of us to Fight Like Susan.

The coordinator of Team Fatty Philly sent this message this morning:

My dear teammates,

It is with deep and profound sadness that I write to inform you the Susan Nelson passed away earlier this evening.

As each of you has shared Susan’s story with your friends and family, and as you have put your heartfelt efforts into Team Fatty, you all have been instrumental in bringing Susan’s fight to the eyes, ears, and hearts of the world.

Susan was unwavering in her battle; she held steady and true. Let us honor her memory by showing the same spirit and determination.

Give like Fatty. Fight like Susan.

Donations in Susan’s memory may be made at Elden’s (Fatty’s) Livestrong page: http://philly09.livestrong.org/fatty

Donations in Susan’s memory may also be made on your own Livestrong page: http://philly09.livestrong.org/jasoncrane

The day before THE DAY

Jason Crane — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:27:03 +0000

Russ Roca is a man of many bike blogs, including this one and this one and this one, too, all of which have made multiple appearances here at RocBike in our old Links of the Day posts. Now Russ is heading out with his partner Laura on a bike trip.

Not just any bike trip, mind you. Russ and Laura sold or stored all their stuff except what would fit on two bicycles, and they’re going to travel the world by bike for some indeterminate period of time. Cool, huh?

They started a (wait for it) blog to chronicle their travels: The Path Less Pedaled. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Today is the day before they leave, and they recorded a little video from their nearly bare apartment:

Good luck and safe travels, Russ and Laura!

A message from Fatty and Susan

Jason Crane — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:28:57 +0000

Fatty and Susan recorded this video a couple weeks ago before the Livestrong Challenge ride in San Jose. Watch it, and then go here to donate to fight cancer. Thank you.

Featherhead slings acid

Jason Crane — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:04:44 +0000

…and other tales from a bike messenger turned drug dealer.

Dogs on bikes

Julie — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:35:53 +0000

When my partner and I go on vacations, we always take Zoe (pictured above). We also always want to get out on our bikes. This presents a problem, because it is always too hot to leave her in our car, and the other campers wouldn’t appreciate our leaving her in our tent. We know that she would bark the whole time. Our previous solution has been doggie day care. but this year, I finally convinced her that we should get a doggie bike basket. If you want to bring your canine companion with you, this is a good solution for a small dog. (Zoe weighs 8 pounds.)

Tanya had her handlebars shortened in order to fit her better, so the basket only fits on my bike. It really didn’t slow me down much at all and I kept up with her pretty well, especially surprising since she’s generally faster than me. Zoe was unsure about it at first, but seemed to settle in pretty quickly.

So far, I’ve only taken it on bike trails and side streets. I would be hesitant to bike on a busy and/or hilly road with it, because the extra weight on the bars takes some getting used to, and I felt like it slowed my reaction time.

A great bonus is that it seems impossible for another rider to pass without smiling and saying, “Aawwwwww,” with the inflection rising at the end.

Best title of an Xtracycle article

Jason Crane — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:06:03 +0000

The Xtracycle Life: How to Make Your Bike a Purse

He’s a jazzhead, too!

Jason Crane — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:17:22 +0000

I already loved Bike Snob NYC, and now I have one more reason: he digs Coltrane.

Dammit

Jason Crane — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:56:46 +0000

Fat Cyclist: 7 Grapes, 4 Spoonsful of Ice Cream, 5 Bites of Rice

Fuck cancer.

A great rider, a better writer

Jason Crane — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:50:09 +0000

Jill Homer is chronicling her recently completed Great Divide ride on her blog. Today’s story is particularly moving. She is one hell of a writer.

Viewing colleges by bike

Jason Crane — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:28:17 +0000

The New York Times has the story.

Charlie the Bikemonger and his Big Dummy

Jason Crane — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:18:57 +0000

This video is oddly compelling. I found it at Everyday Adventures, the official blog of Xtracycle.

Charlie The Bikemonger tours Dorset, Somerset and Devon on a Surly Big Dummy Xtracycle bike. More at www.charliethebikemonger.com.

Saxo Bank has developed an invisible bike!

Jason Crane — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:05:07 +0000

…and you can see it here.

Introduction to the Genesee Valley Greenway Bicycle Ride

Richard DeSarra — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:13:29 +0000

Saturday, July 18, Greenway Bike Ride Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the trailhead in Canawaugus Park on River Road (Rte 251) in Scottsville for a 1 1/2 hour, 14 mile ride south to Rt. 5 in Avon and back. Bring water. Ride Leader: Richard DeSarra. 585-461-5363 or rdsbike@rochester.rr.com.

LIVESTRONG fundraising update!

Jason Crane — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:26:11 +0000

Me in my snazzy new Team Fat Cyclist jersey from Twin Six

As you may know by now, I’m riding in the LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride in Philadelphia on August 23, along with fellow Team RocBike member Bob Anderson. I’m riding as part of Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting For Susan, about which more here.

My initial fundraising goal was $1,000, and I reached that on Friday. As you can see from the photo above, I kept my promise to shave my head. I was assisted in that promise by my lovely wife, who gritted her teeth and took off my hair, 10 years after she shaved my head on stage during a gig on Hilton Head Island. (About which more … uh … some other time.)

My new goal, suggested by Team Fatty Philly head poobah Jen Yuan, is $1,926. That’s the year of John Coltrane’s birthday, and he’s got a big Philly connection, and all my prizes are jazz related.

What prizes, you ask? Well, for every $5 you donate to my ride, you’ll get a raffle ticket. At the end of August, I’ll be giving away autographed CDs, LPs, and more, all quite jazzalicious.

So you can help fight cancer and win cool stuff. Neat, huh?

To donate, please visit my donation page.

Thanks to all of you who’ve donated so far!

Country road, take me … to work and back

Jason Crane — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:56:29 +0000

I’ve started riding my bike again to get ready for my Livestrong Challenge ride in Philly this August. (Please donate if you can.) This week, after many months, I also resumed commuting by bike again.

I began working for Capital Region BOCES earlier this year, and those offices are farther away than my union shops were. It’s about 8 miles from my house to BOCES HQ, where I work two days a week, and about 12 miles from my house to the school district office where I work the other three days.

Today I rode from home to the school district in Selkirk, NY, and back for the first time, about 24 miles. I took some photos on the way home.

This is my favorite sign in Selkirk:

From 144 Commute

I don’t know who came up with the idea of putting golf balls and rhubarb together, but it’s a classic.

Most of my commute is on Route 144, a primarily rural route through some tiny places such as Cedar Hill. A couple miles into the ride home, I came upon these lions, liberated from either “Guy Park” or “Cuy Park.”

From 144 Commute

As you can see, the structure they now protect is not particularly imposing:

From 144 Commute

Further on up the road is the somewhat secluded site of the Glenmont Job Corps Academy:

From 144 Commute

I don’t know much about the Job Corps, but this comes from the Web site:

Job Corps is a free education and training program that helps young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. For eligible youth at least 16 years of age, Job Corps provides the all-around skills needed to succeed in a career and in life.

You can find out more by visiting jobcorps.gov.

Most of the commute looks like this, plus a hill here and there:

From 144 Commute

And here’s a gratuitous picture of the Packet Boat, ready for action:

From 144 Commute

Sprinkled along 144 are forgotten houses like this one:

From 144 Commute

And here’s another wonderful sign. I like the idea of a wrathful Mother Nature:

From 144 Commute

A relic from a bygone error … I mean era:

From 144 Commute

I didn’t even know what this was at first, but it turned out to be a vintage electric car:

From 144 Commute

This is the bottom of the hill at Second Ave and Pearl. This is the start of 3/4 of a mile of climbing, much of it at a 7% grade. The picture doesn’t do it justice:

From 144 Commute

My legs were jelly at the end, but I made it the whole way.

It sure does feel good to be back on the bike.

The rest of the pictures from today’s ride are here.

Help annoy my mom! (Oh yeah, and fight cancer, too!)

Jason Crane — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:33:13 +0000

DONATE NOW!

My mom, Sally

As I mentioned recently, I’ve joined Team Fatty for the Livestrong Challenge Ride in Philly on August 23. I’m trying to raise $1,000 for the ride. If I make it, I’ll shave my head. That will greatly annoy my mother, which, while not the main reason for the fundraising, is certainly an excellent fringe benefit.

Last week, my grandfather, Bernie Flanders, died at age 96. He was my childhood hero, and he is a huge reason that I became the person I am. He had cancer, as have so many members of my family. I miss him a lot, but his memory makes me that much more committed to the ride.

All through August, I’ll be raffling off cool jazz prizes — LPs, autographed CDs and more. Every $5 donated toward my ride gets you a ticket (including all donations up to this point). So please DONATE NOW!

Jill made it!

Jason Crane — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:12:28 +0000

Jill Homer just finished the Tour Divide! What an incredible accomplishment.

Jill agreed in the past to be a guest on the RocBike Review, but we never quite made it happen. I’ll ask her again, so we can get a first-person account of her amazing ride.

Town of Brighton Proposed Multi-Use Trail

Richard DeSarra — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:51:29 +0000

Tom Low, Town of Brighton Commissioner of Public Works
585.784.5225, thomas.low@townofbrighton.org.

NEWS RELEASE
Brighton, NY, July 3, 2009 – The Town of Brighton will hold a Public Meeting to review the concept of a multi-use trail connecting Town Hall and the Erie Canal. The meeting will be held on July 27th from 7pm-9pm at the Brighton Town Hall, 2300 Elmwood Ave. The I-590 Bicycle / Pedestrian Bypass Trail Feasibility Study is nearing completion, and the Town wishes to gather additional feedback on the preferred trail alignment identified in the Draft Report.

In its 2000 Comprehensive Plan, the Town identified a concept for a trail connecting the Town Hall Complex on Elmwood Avenue to the Erie Canal at Meridian Centre Park. This Feasibility Study explores the viability of the whole corridor of the I-590 Bicycle / Pedestrian Bypass trail, with consideration given to location alternatives, design recommendations, funding sources, and phasing strategies. The Preferred Trail Alignment map, along with the full Draft Report, is available on the Town’s website:http://www.townofbrighton.org/.

All are encouraged to attend the meeting and provide comments and suggestions.

Mind the Gender Gap

Jody Benedict — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:26:06 +0000

I really enjoyed this post over at Let’s Go Ride a Bike.

Mind the Gender Gap

It’s an interesting criticism of the way many articles address the topic of women on bikes. Their focus is usually narrowed to fashion and safety. I love the bit where she summarizes the attitude of the articles as men are more likely to ride bikes than women because “men are just much less self-absorbed and a million times braver”.

Heading Out

Adam — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:06:27 +0000

Only with something like an Xtracycle can you be concerned about overpacking when bicycle camping. Emily loaded what she could onto the rack of Magdalena, her blue road bike, and the rest went into the ample bags of my longtail.

The weather report is saying 10% chance of rain, so we have high hopes that these cloudy skies will leave us alone. We’re heading first downtown, the taking the river down to Genesee Valley Park where we meet up with the canal. Shouldn’t have any difficulty reaching Holley tonight, where we’ll make camp.

Getting Ready to Bike the Erie Canal

Adam — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:31:20 +0000

Emily says there’s only two things to worry about when packing for camping trips: warmth and rain gear. As we get ready to bike the canal for three days starting tomorrow, she organizes her clothes into neat piles and readies the Zip-lock bags.

A bit too serious about bike parking

Jason Crane — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:32:42 +0000

I found this funny note over at the Web site for Found Magazine. Sometimes people take bike parking just a tad too seriously.

flat, flat, flat. another flat?

Jody Benedict — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

About a week and a half ago, a Wednesday, I headed out to the shed to get my bike at 5:50 a.m. and discovered a flat-flat-flat as a pancake tire. Alas. I could have ridden the spare bike but it has been neglected and the tire pressure was low and I walked back into the house and had Brian give me a ride to the bus stop. In short: I was a quitter.

I replaced the tube Wednesday night. I carefully examined the tire to try to find the offending thing that caused the flat but couldn’t find anything. The hole was a little puncture on the outside of the tube… so, nothing to do with the wheel. I decided the offending ‘thing’ must be gone, reassembled everything, and re inflated the tire. I was feeling pretty good about my improved flat fixing skills.

I rode to work and home on Thursday with no problems. All was well. I had Friday off and didn’t end up riding the bike at all over the weekend.

Monday morning I went out to to the shed, got my bike. I made it to the stop well before the bus (mostly because it was 20 minutes late due to mechanical difficulties). When it arrived I discovered that my tire had gone completely flat while I was waiting. I was glad I would at least get to work in time, threw my bike on the rack and figured I would sort things out sometime during the day.

Have I mentioned that I never figured out how my little portable air pump worked? I’ve had it for at least a year, but I just bought it, tossed the instructions and carried it with me all the time, more as a talisman than a tool. When I got off the bus I decided I’d try to inflate the tire a bit. That would make walking the bike the half mile to my office a little easier. I could not get the thing to latch on to the valve stem. Basically, the pump could work one of two ways. Method A did not work so I tried method A again, and again, and again. And gave up. Clearly, I’m gifted.

So I walked the bike to my office, leaned it against the rack and dug out my lock, only to discover that I had left the key at home. You see, normally I have routine, a system. I follow it carefully because my brain doesn’t start working until well after I have to leave the house in the morning. If I don’t follow the routine, I end up at work without my bike lock key, or my office key, or my work clothes. I had broken the routine the last time I rode and would have to pay for it now. I found a spot in the storage room in my office to stash the bike for the day.

I decided to try the air pump again on my lunch break. They wouldn’t sell pretend air pumps that don’t actually do anything. There must be a solution. Suddenly method B occurred to me. Success. The tire was full of air that was quickly trying to get out of the tire. Now I could see where it was coming from so I knew that when I got home I would be able to find the offending ‘thing’ that had taken 2 tubes already. I decided not to try to patch it at work since it would probably just happen again if I didn’t take the time to do it right.

Hopped a couple of buses to get home dragging my injured bike with me. I didn’t feel like going to the store and so I patched the tube (using some peel and stick patch that I happened to have) and found the tiny piece of glass that was embedded in the tire. I had to use tweezers to pull it out because it was stuck in there solidly. It was embedded so solidly that I half thought that I was really just tearing out something that was supposed to be part of the tire.

When I went out to the shed on Tuesday morning the tire was flat AGAIN. Yes I know it was because I used that crappy peel and stick patch. Yes I will go buy a real patch kit and a whole case of spare tubes. But there I was…

I was tired of getting rides to and from the bus stop. I just wanted to be moving under my own power. I hauled out the spare junk bike. Ran to the air compressor, pumped up the tires, and left almost 10 minutes late. It made horrible noises and then even more horrible noises. The brakes sounded like a penguin getting eaten by an elephant seal. The shifters kinda work in certain gear combinations some of the time. Then in the middle of town the whole bike started vibrating like we were going well above warp 8 and the whole ship was going to tear apart. It took me a couple of starts and stops to figure out that the front reflector was sticking out on this strange metal appendage that was screwed to the bike just above the front wheel. Somehow it had gotten bent down and was dragging across the knobby mountain bike tires. I fixed this and kept powering toward the bus stop. Somehow I made it in time. Just…

The next day I still hadn’t had time to fix the flat on my regular bike so I rode the junk bike again. Everything went smoothly until I walked to the bike rack after work and discovered that now even the junk bike had a flat. I really started thinking that I might have a nemisis that was doing this to me on purpose. It was on the rear wheel which doesn’t have a quick release. I didn’t have a wrench or a spare tube anyway. So I just walked it to the park and ride. I fixed the tubes on the good bike when I got home and haven’t even looked at the junk bike again.

The up side of this is that I can fix a flat tire pretty quickly now. I’m not saying I can fix it right. I guess if I’d gotten it right the first or the second time this post would be a lot shorter. We’ll see whether I learned anything later this week. If the new tube doesn’t go flat I will feel successful. Meanwhile, I am starting to consider the merits of spending a little extra for a flat resistant tire. They do make those don’t they?

Critical Mass tomorrow night!

Adam — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:30:50 +0000

June 26 is the last Friday of the month, which means that Critical Mass is happening all over the world. If you’re in Rochester, meet us at 6pm at the Liberty Pole.

Here’s a video I made of the March ride (I try to make one of these every year):

I’ve joined Team Fat Cyclist Philly. Please help me raise money to fight cancer!

Jason Crane — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:48:20 +0000

Hello friends,

Cancer has impacted:

My mother, Sally (skin)
My grandmother Dorothy (colon)
My grandfather Bernie (bladder)
My great-grandmother Louise (lung)
My cousin Denise (breast)
My great-uncle, Bill (colon)
My friend Travis, who died last year from testicular cancer

So it’s no surprise that I’d want to fight cancer. And I love riding my bike. That’s why I signed up for the Livestrong Challenge ride in Philly on August 23 as part of Team Fat Cyclist.

Now I need YOUR help. Please visit my fundraising page and donate whatever you can to help me in the fight against cancer. And if you can make it to Philly on August 23, you should also consider signing up for the race yourself.

DONATE NOW!

Team Fat Cyclist at the Livestrong Challenge ride in Seattle

Jason Crane — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:55:21 +0000

Elden “Fatty” Nelsen has posted some great photos, videos and stories from this weekend’s Livestrong ride in Seattle. Please visit his blog to read about the weekend. And make sure to donate to the cause, OK?

WIN SUSAN!

On the benefits of being nice

Julie — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:05:08 +0000

There seems to be a lot of hostility in bike blogs these days. Everyone has an opinion about wearing helmets (or not), vehicular cycling (or not), bike trails (or not), and so much more. Having an opinion is a great thing; forcing it down others’ throats with vitriol is not.

I just have 2 things to say about all this. First, cycling is not an individual act; it is inherently social, simply by the fact that other people are using the trails/roads/sidewalks. I am both a driver and a cyclist. When a cyclist is biking erratically or is not visible in the dark, it affects me as a driver, by increasing my stress level as I am driving and trying to be safe. Further, if I were to hit that cyclist, it’s not just the cyclist who would be affected. I would be emotionally devastated. Our health care system would take another hit. My loved ones as well as the cyclist’s would be impacted. Insurance costs would go up. So, yes, individuals have the freedom to make choices about how they want to bike. But that freedom does not exist in a vacuum.

Second, could we be a little nicer to each other and to those with whom we share the transportation infrastructure? There’s a great post at EcoVelo to this point.

Read the comments too, where you’ll find, among others, this gem from the post’s author:

“The idea that acting courteously as opposed to confrontationally is somehow going to put us on a slippery slope leading to “laws demanding that all cyclists get out of their way” is a fallacy that has been used all too frequently to justify rude, aggressive riding tactics. What’s going to get us kicked off the roads is disregarding traffic laws, riding irresponsibly, and treating other road users as if we bicyclists operate under our own set of rules (see it too often). You are right, the car is “almighty”, but fighting its supremacy with a head-on frontal assault is not the answer in my opinion. I believe we need to build good will with the general public and politicians to gain the political capital necessary to instigate the infrastructure and policy changes that would make our roads (and trails) more attractive to new bicyclists, thus growing bicycling to the extent we’re all hoping for. In my opinion, the “us versus them” mentality is counterproductive to this goal and has gotten us nowhere in the U.S.”

War on drugs + war on mountain bikers

Jason Crane — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:45:47 +0000

Pot bust nabs bike star
Major marijuana probe results in arrests in Saratoga area

By LEIGH HORNBECK, Staff writer
First published in print: Friday, June 19, 2009

ALBANY — The major drug bust of a thriving marijuana operation in Wilton this week nabbed two colorful characters: A one-time champion mountain biker and a budding filmmaker on a spiritual journey.

A federal judge set bail for the pair Thursday afternoon.

Police set up a sale between a confidential informant and former star mountain biker Melissa Giove.

Read the rest of the article.

Warm-weather commuter’s checklist

Jason Crane — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:24:55 +0000

I learned about the fun blog Bike Skirt from an issue of Urban Velo magazine. On Monday, Elisa (pictured above) posted a good checklist of items every summer bike commuter needs. Check it out, and tell ‘em RocBike sent ya.

Cyclist runs in to the back of a bus in Schenectady

Jason Crane — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:57:50 +0000

From today’s Albany Times Union:

SCHENECTADY — A 62-year-old bicyclist suffered minor injuries after accidentally running into the back of a CDTA bus on State Street this afternoon, city police said. The man was pedaling behind the bus near Clinton Street and rear-ended the vehicle when it pulled over around 1:25 p.m., Sgt. Eric Clifford said.

The crash tied up downtown traffic for about 20 minutes, Clifford said. He said the man was taken to Ellis Hospital for observation.

– Paul Nelson

Why don’t more New Yorkers ride bikes? Nowhere to park!

Jason Crane — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:05:51 +0000

According to an article in today’s New York Times, a recent survey of New York City residents found that lack of storage is one of the biggest things keeping New Yorkers off bicycles.

In a city of tight living quarters and unaccommodating corporate towers, the biggest cycling challenge can be finding a good place store one’s ride when it is not in use.

For James Rather, an urban planner whose Riverdale walk-up does not have a storage option, lugging his bike up three flights to his apartment every time he rides is a “constant hassle” and a sometime danger.

You can read the article at the Times site.

The Tour Divide — it’s fun to listen to!

Jason Crane — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:00:17 +0000

I’ve already mentioned that Jill Homer is riding the Tour Divide this year. The Tour Divide is a 2,745-mile self-supported mountain bike race from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.

MTBCast posts a daily digest of the riders’ call-ins from the trail. It makes for some fun and fascinating listening. You can listen at MTBCast or subscribe using iTunes or your favorite RSS reader using this link.

Gorillapod Camera Mount and a Video of my Ride

Jody Benedict — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:45:59 +0000

Whenever I’m listening to music I’m thinking, this would be a good soundtrack to the bike video I’ve never made… that I’m going to make… any day now. Seeing the d-i-y camera mount post the other day made me think I should actually dig out my gorilla pod from wherever it was hiding and make a video.

I wholeheartedly recommend the d-i-y method, but if you want a slightly more expensive alternative that works out of the box, I recommend the gorilla pod (depending on the size and the size of your camera the stability will vary.) I always tie my camera strap to the handle bars for extra insurance but haven’t had any problems with it coming off… it just jiggles a bit.

I went out and did a loop around the neighboring block with my camera in video mode to test it out. It went pretty well. I did speed it up, compressing the 22 minute ride into less than 3 minutes, so in case you weren’t sure, I’m not actually a bike racing superhero.

Handlebar Cam video from a loop around my block>>

I plan to do some video of my commute now that all I have to do is slide the camera into the gorilla pod mount quick release thingy.