The Town Bicycle

2011-09-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

Flying Pigeon Bike

The other day I got into the elevator of a building and a girl was in there with a beautiful blue bike. I asked her where she got it and she told me it was a Flying Pigeon bike. She said she'd purchased it via Craigslist from a man named Nathan who was a wonderful person and she was very glad to have done business with him. She said he had more and that was his deal.

So I sniffed around on the internet, and I found a website stating that these lovely Flying Pigeon bikes go for about $260 shipped, which is a really great price for a super sweet bike.

According to some research I conducted via the world wide internet, I learned that Flying Pigeon bikes have been around since the 50s and were started in China. Their website is delightful and all asian-y! You know what I mean, there are butterflies on it and stuff. But then I found another website that took me to a Flying Pigeon US affiliate store in LA.

So after doing a little more digging, I was able to locate The Flying Pigeon Project, which is a site for peeps who love Flying Pigeon bikes. And through that site, I was actually able to locate THE Nathan who sold the lady her blue bike. It's all like "Desparately Seeking Susan" up in here. His site is http://www.nycflyingpigeon.com/ and I am going to buy a Flying Pigeon bike from him today.

That is all.

Next time you see me, I'll be a Flying Pigeon girl.

***

2011-05-30T16:29:00.001-07:00

Yours Truly featured in NY Post article

about bicycling

You can read all the dirty details here. In the article, I discuss the bike tickets I've received by the NYPD.

2011-03-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

Don't Try This At Home, Unless You Are This Guy

I don't even know how he figured out that he knew how to do that. Wow. Q: I wonder if this video is gonna help him get any ladies? A: Only the really cool ones.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

2010-10-12T10:51:00.001-07:00

NY Times Article about Bike Lanes

In this article, journalist Michael M. Grynbaum discusses the abuse that is prevalent in NYC's bike lanes. No, we're not talking about physical beatings or verbal berating going down in the lanes, but the lack of respect for which the lanes require to properly work. How many times have I been riding my bike in a bike lane and thought to myself, "I didn't know this was the old man pushing a shopping cart full of cans and bottles lane" or passed a delivery guy or a ding bat on her cell phone speeding down the lane in the wrong direction, forcing me to literally pull over to let them pass.

However, for all intents and purposes, the biggest violators of proper bike lane usage, by far, are pedestrians and drivers. As a long-time NYC bicyclist who rides on a daily basis as my main mode of transportation, I can ascertain that I see more people on foot or behind the wheel abusing bike lanes than bicyclists, themselves.

Read the article for yourself, and think about your own personal interaction with the lanes. Are you one of those careless bicyclists who pays no mind to the direction of the lane, or a jay walking pedestrian who cuts in the lane or between cars, causing thoughtless peril to others?

If so, it's really just as easy NOT to be.

I added a comment on the Times story, below, discussing how it is actually bicyclists who are more in danger than pedestrians and drivers in the bike lane abuse scenarios:

People are really anti-bicyclists in these comments, but bicyclists are at much more risk than pedestrians, car drivers and passengers, who are completely oblivious. Bicyclists' heads are on a swivel, they have to be - they have people walking out in front of them against lights or from in between parked cars, car doors coming at them, people turning cars into them while speeding around corners, and vehicles, delivery trucks, even cop cars parked in bike lanes, making bicyclists have to veer into the street in front of fast moving cars. Riding a bike in NYC is like a non-stop obstacle course navigating around people who don't give a crap about anyone but themselves. Bicycling in the city teaches people to be alert, aware and attentive to others, or else a cyclist will suffer physical consequences. That's a message all of society could benefit from.

2010-08-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Do you like boobs? Do you like bikes?

Then why not ride your bike to save some boobs?

The 4th Annual Brooklyn Breast Cancer Ride 2 Live is on Oct. 9, 2010. It sounds like a lot of fun, and we here at the Town Bicycle enjoy when people use their bicycles in an effort to better the world and help their fellow peeps. More details are below. If you've been meaning to go on a nice bike ride, here's your chance, and if you haven't, well just think of it this way -- you like boobs, right? I mean who doesn't? Well, do it for them.

What: 4th Annual Brooklyn Breast Cancer Ride 2 Live Motorcycle and Bicycle Ride

Where: Scenic ride through Brooklyn and ends with a party at MCU Park in Coney Island

When: Oct. 9, 2010, Motorcycles sign in at 9 am at BK Motorcycles, 3449 Hamilton Pkwy

Bicycles sign in at 11 am at Prospect Park 16th St. Safety Zone.

After party starts at 1:30 @ MCU Park at 1904 Surf Ave, Coney Island. Walk ins welcome.

How much: $20 per person or sponsor sheet covers entrance fee (contact to get forms)

For who: Money benefits Brooklyn Breast Cancer program at Maimonides Cancer Center

More info / to sponsor: Call 718-283-7041 or visit www.breastcancerride2live.com

If you attend this event, don't forget to send your photos to the Town Bicycle!

2010-07-27T04:05:00.000-07:00

Mayor Takes A Spill, Gets A Clue

In an interesting turn of events, Mr. Mayor Villaraigosa of Los Angeles learned what it's really like to ride a bike on the mean streets of a city landscape. While riding in a bike lane, the mayor was cut off by a taxi cab (sound familiar?) and fell to the ground, breaking his elbow, reports the NY Times.

The Mayor had previously stated on a radio program that he came away from a conference in Copenhagen feeling he "needed to do more" in the arena of promoting bicycling as a form of clean transportation for the city of LA. Hey, better late than never.

Now all he has to do is figure out a way to get taxi drivers to stop driving like maniacs and get cops to ticket people parked in bike lanes, as well as encourage officers themselves, to park elsewhere.

2010-07-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

An American Bicyclist in Florence

2010-06-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Dear society, please more playful public art and shame art. Thanks for this great photo from Les Passenger. It's so good.

2010-06-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

FUN BIKE EVENT THIS SAT JUNE 19:

Bicycle Film Festival AFTER PARTY
celebrating GIRLS & BIKES (yay!)
Sat, June 19, 9 pm - 4 am
88 Palace
88 East Broadway

To follow the Bicycle Film Festival -- on Sat 12-7 at 2nd and 2nd there will also be a bike block party which will probably be a good place to find good looking peeps who like to ride bikes.

More info HERE

The invite boasts a visit from super tooled out ice cream truck "HEARTS CHALLENGER" -- you gotta see this thing! It's the 2nd best way to travel, besides a bike.

I'm going to ride my "brand new" (to me) yellow vintage Schwinn that my bf bought me for my birthday. What will YOU be riding?

FOR FUN: Here's a story from amNY featuring an interview with Michael Musto, another bike lover, talking about riding his bike around the city.

2009-09-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

BIKES HAPPENING!

Avid bicyclist and bike lover David Byrne wrote a book called "The Bicycle Diaries". You know him, you love him. He will speak and do a Q & A TODAY! Like, NOW! In like, an HOUR! At Union Square Barnes & Noble. Check it out! It's at 7 PM.

THIS IS ALL THE INFO I HAVE, HERE

2009-09-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

COOL HELMETS

I have been riding my bicycle in NYC for a few years now and I've never really worn a helmet, but it doesn't mean I don't want to be or that I shouldn't be wearing one every time I step onto my wheels.

I have been keeping my eyes and ears out for cool helmets to wear so that I don't feel like such a nerd, but that's NOT why I don't wear a helmet; I don't wear a helmet because I keep forgetting to buy one and wear it. I'm sorta forgetful, but I keep having to stop forgetting, starting TODAY, which is why I'm writing this entry.

I wish some fancy couture dude or lady would make really beautiful bike helmets for us bicyclists to wear. I wish someone would design one just for me. But I like to wish for lots of unrealistic things. Helmets themselves are by nature kinda corny and not too chic. But I love the idea of putting a cover over it -- that way, it maintains its' function but gets a little bit a style on the side.

Here are a few cute helmets I found.

First, here are a collection of numbers for the fellas (I think this might just be a super small helmet that hats and covers can easily fit over, but I like the idea):

Here's a cute spotted farm-girl type hat cover (which I think is the way to go) that doubles as a summer hat: , for all the lolly pop girls out there: (Unfortunately, I think these are not available for purchase just yet!)

These are nice little helmets if you just want a basic helmet with a cute design on it:

I really love this one so much, I'm going to buy one in fuchsia.

This Japanese helmet is so crazy that just wearing it will assure you don't get hit because no person within 100 feet around you will be able to take their eyes off of you!

If you like any of these helmets / covers, the images should link to more information about them, so buy one, and start riding safer today.

2009-09-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

I Live And Ride In NYC

Hi there -- I live and ride my bike all around NYC as my main mode of transportation. I'm a performer and just about every day and night I hop on my wheels, usually with my guitar strapped to my back in a bright pink guitar back pack (sometimes a flying V ukulele) often dolled up for the stage (sometimes even -- gasp -- wearing heels!) and ride to whatever auditions, gigs or shows I have.

It's a quick and cheap way to get from point A to point B, it's GREEN n shit, I don't have to pay for a gym membership and it's breezy, cool and fun riding my bike around NYC. There are lots of pros and a bunch of cons, and bike related stories, books, art, clubs, politics, controversies, laws, changes, advancements, groups and more, which I will document HERE.

This blog dedicated to all the people out there in NYC and beyond who have made riding their bicycles a way of life, some who have even died riding these mean streets.

I hope you enjoy this blog! Happy and safe riding.

Your happy bike-loving author in Edinburgh, Scotland, on her hot orange Scottish BIKE!