Sean's experience of Bristol Bike Project from The Bristol Bike Project on Vimeo.

A testimonial by Sean from Bristol Drugs Project, explaining how earning a bicycle through our Earn-a-Bike Scheme has made a difference to his everyday life.

"If it's not fun, I go home."

The Official Non-Training Guide

Structured workouts can take you far if you seek cycling glory. But if you just want to mix fitness and fun into a busy life, we can make it shockingly easy.

That said, following a non-training lifestyle may be why I climb the 1-in-20 in exactly the same way that this guy doesn't. I can barely make it down the 1-in-20 that fast.

Kent Peterson on shopping

So I Went Automobile Shopping...

So I went automobile shopping the other day... I know, I know, you're probably thinking "Why would you do such a silly thing as that, a man of your age.." but hear me out. Automobiles are becoming quite popular, I'm sure you've seen them around. I understand in places like Portland they're actually more popular than bicycles. There are all those public service advertisements about sharing the road and it got me to thinking that maybe I should get one of those automobile things that all the hipsters are "driving" these days.

Absolute gold: definitely my recommended read of the week.

More reading

Everyday Bicycling

Everyday Bicycling: How to Ride a Bike for Transportation (Whatever your Lifestyle) is a guide to everything you need to know to get started riding a bicycle for transportation. Elly Blue introduces you to the basics, including street smarts, bike shopping, dressing professionally, carrying everything from groceries to children to furniture, and riding in all weather. With its positive, practical approach, this book is perfect for anyone who has dreamed of getting around by bike.

Looks good!

Plan

City of Melbourne's Road Safety Plan

The City of Melbourne is developing its Road Safety Plan 2012-16 which aims to improve safety for all road users, particularly pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists… are seeking your views by Monday 3 December 2012.

Hey, asshole

Cyclists are annoying: Why you think they're a menace on two wheels

…your estimate of the number of asshole cyclists and the degree of their assholery is skewed by what behavioral economists like Daniel Kahneman call the affect heuristic, which is a fancy way of saying that people make judgments by consulting their emotions instead of logic.

[twitterer]

See also Why do people hate cyclists? and Hating cyclists has a long, long history.

Roadside mediation

How to Resolve Cycling Disputes

My intervention consisted of having each participant listen to what the other had said and acknowledge the main point. The driver said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The cyclist said, "You're a capable driver and you thought you had enough room." The tension virtually disappeared and they both spontaneously shook hands and turned to me and expressed their thanks for my assistance.

Well, it might not work every time but it's an option.

Utility cycling

Cycle and walking 'must be norm' for short journeys:

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said people should shun their cars if a trip could be done in 15 or 20 minutes on foot or bike.

So, in that vein, walking to school is its own education

Recent Monash University studies have shown that children's view of their trip to school is often of a car dashboard.

Hands up who else finds that really sad.

Apropos: Cycling and your health

Riding a bicycle is a fun way to get fit and spend time with family and friends. As it is a low-impact form of exercise, cycling can easily be enjoyed by people of all ages and fitness levels. Regular cycling will also improve your general health and assist in preventing disease.

And also, Bike-wise children 'make better drivers'

Teaching young children how to ride a bike safely and testing them on road rules can make them better drivers later in life, according to a visiting transport consultant.

Is anyone actually surprised by that?

Let's build us some motorways

Is Australia heading for a transport infrastructure bubble?

…building a new stretch of road brings more traffic on to the road system, so while some time may be saved in part of the road system in the short term no time at all will be saved in the longer run. Third the evidence both in Australia and internationally is that if people think they can travel a little faster, they convert that advantage into travelling further in the same time, negating time saving as a valid measure of benefit. Building roads has the effect of both sprawling the city and increasing congestion.

On the same theme, check out 10 monster traffic jams from around the world.

"We had no idea"

A little Clarke and Dawe magic:

Helmet

NYTimes.com: To Encourage Biking, Cities Forget About Helmets

Recent experience suggests that if a city wants bike-sharing to really take off, it may have to allow and accept helmet-free riding. A two-year-old bike-sharing program in Melbourne, Australia — where helmet use in mandatory — has only about 150 rides a day, despite the fact that Melbourne is flat, with broad roads and a temperate climate. On the other hand, helmet-lax Dublin — cold, cobbled and hilly — has more than 5,000 daily rides in its young bike-sharing scheme. Mexico City recently repealed a mandatory helmet law to get a bike-sharing scheme off the ground. But here in the United States, the politics are tricky.

[twitterer]

Bike ♥

20 reasons to love cycling.

Ya Donky!

Introducing the Donky cargo bike

A new utility bike has just been launched that goes by the name of Donky, and it's priced at just under £500.

Could perhaps have been called the "Dorky". And yet, I rather like it.

You little wonder

Can you ride a bike? Then you're a marvel

What most of us don't realise is just how complex the art of riding a bicycle actually is. So complex, in fact, that researchers are just beginning to investigate how on earth we manage to propel ourselves, constantly rocking back and forth with the movement of our legs, on two skinny wheels; simultaneously navigating movement in multiple planes while trying to avoid countless obstacles.

You have to wonder

Many motorists have crap eyesight…so insurance company gifts hi-vis belts to cyclists

No doubt insurance provider RSA wants to do the right thing but is equipping cyclists with free hi-vis kit the best thing to do, or should the company concentrate on lobbying for motorists to have compulsory eye tests every few years? Or, forget the belts, gift eye tests to motorists instead.

Seriously? What. The. Hell?

For that bike that's stuffed…

Bicycle Taxidermy

Boys figure more than girls in injury stats

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that nearly double the number of boys is hospitalised due to injury compared to girls:

Between 1999-00 and 2006-07 nearly twice the number of boys were hospitalised as a result of an injury than girls, according to a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).…Bicycles were the most common form of transport involved in a transport injury. In 5-9 year olds and 10-14 year olds, transport incidents accounted for 14% and 23% of all hospitalised injuries respectively.

That would be the learning-to-ride, and the learning-to-ride-down-at-the-skate-bowl age brackets.