Your Peak. Trailer on Vimeo. [via velosport]

Urban cyclist’s survival guide

Some great tips on tricksome: Rules to cycle and live by.

The Road to PBP

Forgot to mention this when Paris-Brest-Paris was on, but a highly recommended read is Raymond Parker’s series of posts on his road to PBP—I couldn’t get enough of this story.

Woodcrafty

Masterworks’ functioning wooden bike takes craftsmanship to next level [Thanks tom]

Questionable taste

What do you think of the Playmobil ambulance with hit-and-run victim toy set? via BikingInLA

I thought it might have been a clever fake, but no: it’s real.

Bark!

Says tom, “I hope I have a video camera ready when I see the first person try this” technique for dealing with aggressive dogs.

Share the lurve

Spinlister:

Spinlister is a bike rental marketplace that allows you to find a great bike to rent or list your bike to earn cash (or hopefully both!). We think biking is the best way to get around and explore…Spinlister takes all the best bikes available for rent, whether from bike shops or individuals, and puts them all in one place.

[twitterer]

“Melbourne’s troubled bike-share scheme”

“Melbourne’s troubled bike-share scheme has been pushed into the suburbs in a bid to boost its poor numbers” according to Melbourne’s little paper and by “suburbs” they mean “Port Melbourne, Richmond and South Melbourne”. Dude, to most people in Melbourne that’s still inner city.

At any rate, that sounds more like some bike stations are being redeployed to logical places where they should have been in the first place, not a concerted push into the suburbs.

Bike Shaped Objects: ugly, bad…good?

Are BSOs bad for business? makes a similar point to that which I made about cheap bikes at Aldi.

Cycling vs ADHD

Article in Bicycling Magazine, Riding is My Ritalin asks, “Did we put a generation of potential Tour de France riders on Ritalin instead of giving them bikes?”

Video bonanza

• If you ever wondered why randonneurs do it, take a look at this Seattle Randonneurs Trailer. [twitterer]
• Another cool bike ad by Hutchinson (even if I don’t quite believe what they’re offering).
• A terrific video via VeloTroll about a cross-country stage race—is it cyclocross, MTB orienteering, or rough-road randonneuring?
• I’m sexy and I know it.
• 3 year bike tour in 3 minutes!
• Gorgeous aerial video on Vimeo.
• The world has changed. You can too. [via PUT THE FUN BETWEEN YOUR LEGS]
• BOND bicycle with ejector seat and flamethrower [Thanks tom]
• A professional display of 50 No Handed Bike Moves performed to “Golden Tree” by Martin Brooks.

Herne Hill velodrome

guardian.co.uk: “London’s last remaining venue from the 1948 Olympics is to be restored to its former glory following an energetic renovation campaign from local residents and cycling fans”.

We are traffic—just not this sort of traffic

WSJ.com on why traffic jams are bad for your health:

As roadways choke on traffic, researchers suspect that the tailpipe exhaust from cars and trucks—especially tiny carbon particles already implicated in heart disease, cancer and respiratory ailments—may also injure brain cells and synapses key to learning and memory.

Oh, goody!

Laidback

• Mi recumbent
• Clip de una recumbent argentina
• Classy recumbent

And remember, if you diss recumbents apparently this is what you get.

Cyclist = bum?

Lovely Bicycle!:

Okay, so I’ve basically been told – albeit in the friendliest way – that I was either a bum or a woman of leisure if I had the time to travel by bike.

[twitterer]

Too true

How to true a bicycle wheel on a home-made stand. A very practical video.

Bloggage

• 449 km
• Hipster Nascar

Going soft?

Are you going soft? A’ME Heated Grips will be right up your alley. twitterer

HTFU!

Jahvahaah: not enough cool to go around.

The best route to road safety: don’t drive

Professor Hank Weiss, director of the Injury Prevention Research Unit at New Zealand’s University of Otago, aregues that the best route to youth road safety is not driving:

They call for deep change in road safety instead of the old paradigm of focusing in on trying to make people safe while they drive more. We should think about the more holistic approach, and think about the safety that stems from driving less, and about the multiple benefits across society from driving less…

I’m talking about active transport as a safety measure…The more you drive, the more you’re at risk…There’s a multiple flow-on effect from reduction in vehicle miles traveled in terms of safety.

Logical really: reduce your exposure, reduce your risk.

Put down that damn phone

Meanwhile road.cc on How to make the roads safer? Turn off those mobiles:

As cyclists we all know that mobile-phone-using drivers are a dangerous nuisance, and here’s the proof. UAE newspaper The National reports that during the recent outage in the Blackberry network, which affected email, internet and messaging services for users of the popular smartphone, accidents fell by 20% in Dubai and 40% in Abu Dhabi.

Evolution of speed

New Scientist: Cars have evolved to go faster – but humans haven’t

Car buffs more likely to be aggressive drivers. In other news, grass green, sky blue [twitterer]

Speed cameras work

Yes, speed cameras work, now shut the hell up.

Active transport FTW!

NPR.org on the secret to a long, healthy life: bike to the store:

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin were wondering if getting people out of their cars just a wee bit would create measurable improvements in health…They found that if the Midwesterners ran half of their short-distance errands by bike rather than by car, 1,100 deaths would be avoided each year, and $7 billion would be saved in reduced health-care costs. The trips were 2.5 miles one way; less than a 25-minute bike ride, the researchers figure.

Meanwhile, research out of Lund University finds that car and public transport commuters report poorer health than bicycle and pedestrian commuters.

Ridiculous!

Kim Harding: say no to ridiculous car trips, while Karl McCracken and Carlton Reid trade ideas on how to increase the proportion of short trips made by bike.

Utility cycling discouraged

The Courier Mail reports on a video campaign to axe mandatory cyclist helmet law. [twitterer]

So, what is wrong with bicycle helmets? [Thanks tom]

Car-free livin’

msnbc.com lists the best cities to live car-free in America:

The majority of cities that are easy to maneuver on foot or by public access also have relatively large bicycle communities. For example, more people bike to work in a city like Portland, Ore., than in a city like San Antonio, Texas, which is not very pedestrian or bicyclist friendly. These cities tend to have an exceptional number of programs and bylaws for bicyclists. Seven of the cities on the 24/7 Wall St.’s list are also featured on Bicycling magazine’s list of the top 50 bike-friendly cities.

Urban design fail

The Washington Post asks Can we stop gas prices from squeezing the middle class? [twitterer]

Speaking of design failure, BikePortland.org on ODOT ready to install 29 new bikeway signs near I-5 bridge. [via Paul Johnson]

29 wayfinding signs required for one bridge?!? Sounds like a fundamental design fail to me.

Zombie bike apocalypse

Is America ready for the Zombie-bike-pocalypse? [twitterer]

The zombies are coming, I tell you!

More crap

The Melbourne Urbanist on more bikes are for creeps and losers crap. See also the discussion kicked-off by Richard Masoner.

Passing

Remember Ian Walker’s reseach on passing distances? Well the most ‘dubious’ of his findings, based on how feminine Dr Walker looks in a long wig, has been replicated in a report by Florida Department of Transportation [PDF]. Yes, female riders do generally get more passing space. [twitterer]

Keep calm

The Urban Country Bicycle Blog argues the topic traffic calming a waste of money? [twitterer]

Punter

Hobsons Bay Leader on getting a free punt on the Yarra. Yep, the Westgate punt is back.

It doesn’t happen overnight…

How the Dutch got their cycle paths [twitterer]

But “how did we lose our pedestrian-, bike- and transit-friendly cities so easily?” The answer, as always, is “politics”.

Bikes outsell cars: the illusion

Preventive Medicine: “Where have all the bicycles gone?” Are bicycle sales in Australia translated into health-enhancing levels of bicycle usage? [twitterer]

Unusually good

Here’s something unusual in the mainstream media: a generally positive cycling story with generally positive comments:

But it’s now clear the benefits of regular riding with mates go way beyond just keeping physically fit, allowing participants also to tap into the sort of social support network psychologists say is essential to good mental health. In fact, while cycling has long been labelled “the new golf”, increasingly it is also winning a reputation as “the new men’s shed”.

The Japanese way

Toyota proposes 250,000km of bicycle lanes across Japan over 5 years [twitterer]

The Russian way

Moscow builds it’s first cycle path—and it looks like they used Crap Cycle Lanes of Warrington as a reference guide.

The bird

woowoowoo and the mighty magpie

What we did on our holidays

On Bicycle Travel Network:

Zsófi and her partner Félix spent three-and-a-half months traveling by bike from their home in Hungary through some of Asia’s most spectacular countries. They’re trip has come to an end now and they are back home in Hungary, but this is what the young couple had to say when asked about their cycle touring adventure.

[twitterer]

Lush

Dan Barham Photography. Check out the MTB shots. Mmmmm.

Or if road racing is your thing, try VeloDramatic.

Bloggage

• MuleBar GIRL
• Human Transit—Jarrett Walker’s blog about public transit planning and policy.
• KONFOUR

Electric

Electric bikes that take the exertion out of cycling could soon have a bigger presence on our roads, writes Clay Lucas.

Theory

Felix Salmon offers A unified theory of New York biking: “Cyclists get no respect as road users. Instead, tragically, they’re treated like pedestrians.”

Clear and unambiguous conclusions

Based on the same study:

• guardian.co.uk: Cyclists! The public thinks you’re cool and normal
• express.co.uk: Cyclists are ‘social misfits and unhappy’

Riiiiight. [twitterer]

Plan vs implementation

Jason Dowling opines in The Age:

A 1969 government plan outlined new train and road links for the city. Most of the roads, including EastLink, have been built, but the rail connections to Doncaster and Rowville will not be built any time soon.

Meanwhile, in NSW

Cycling and Transport Policy in NSW:

This briefing paper presents an overview of the contemporary debate on cycling. It summarises the transport issues facing NSW, presents an account of the state of cycling in NSW and in Sydney in particular, and compares cycling in Sydney with the other Australian capital cities and with selected international cities.

Plenty

20′s Plenty for us “was formed in order to campaign for the implementation of 20 mph as the default speed limit on residential roads in the UK.”

We am traffics

Traffic. Get Used To It

Design

• Mopion cargo bike: “PUMA Mopion is rock steady for the daily grind. It mixes city bike features, and cargo bike features, making it a sturdy companion.”
• Smaller, lighter NuVinci bicycle transmission revealed
• The Scubster: “This 11.5ft-long pedal-powered submarine can go as fast as 5mph and as deep as 20ft.” (Want!)

[Thanks tom]

Fantasy vs reality

The real deal on owning a velomobile. Hmm, yeah but still… [Thanks tom]

Pushmi-pullyu

I’m pretty sure I’ve said it before, but I’d love to see someone ride a rowing bicycle in the Alpine Classic. (Yeah, I did say it before. Twice.)

Tracking “progress”

EcoVelo on “Replacement Miles”:

I use a different metric to track progress. Now, I think in terms of miles not driven, or what I like to call “replacement miles”.

No understand

Bicycles Obelisk—can anyone tell me why? [Thanks tom]

Road toll: “the price we have to pay”?

Do We Tolerate Too Many Traffic Deaths? [twitterer]

Extreme

Extreme toy racing=extremely funny wipeouts.

Total respect

Pete Heal has cycled around Australia in 48-odd days. That’s an average of more than 300km per day. Respect.

Retribution

Every bicycle theft victim’s dream—methinks this video is more dream than reality, but it still makes pleasant viewing.

Helmet

Anecdote ain’t science, but still…This Helmet Saved My Life!

Park it here

Wall Street Journal reports on the cost of bike parking in New York City:

I’m pleased to report that my local garage is also doing its part to protect my life, by making the price of housing a bike there prohibitive…My garage is charging—no joke—$175 plus 8.875% tax. That’s almost $200 a month to stow a bike! You probably won’t be surprised to hear it has no takers. As one attendant observed, “You can buy a new bike” for that amount.

[via How We Drive]

Local government dickheads: 1

Casino city bans riding bikes through town. Words fail me. [twitterer]

Local government dickheads: 2

The Age reports:

A proposed ”no stopping zone” designed to improve bike safety along a stretch of road in bayside Melbourne will again be knocked back by a local council tomorrow night, despite robust support from the Victorian roads minister.

Bloggage

• Tokyo By Bike: “Once you’ve experienced Tokyo by Bicycle you’ll never ride the train again.”
• Randonneur Apprentice: “Learning something new on each and every brevet”
• Lovely Bicycle!

Perils of winter riding

Cold hands whilst riding – a cautionary tale

Proof

This video would seem to support the argument that you don’t need a mountain bike. [via Sydney Body Art Ride]

Inevitably

Following on from the Warrington Cycle Campaign, we now have out very own crap cycle lanes of Melbourne.

Trying to improve on perfection

10 Brilliant Bike Mods and Designs:

The bicycle is the near-perfect vehicle, but that doesn’t stop people from (brilliantly) messing with the design to increase speed, comfort or desirability to commuters.

DamianM: achiever

DamianM got a gong at the Australian Bicycling Achievement Awards—congratulations.

The problem with Albert

I may have more to say on this shortly, but for now: Albert street bike lane a joke?

Imagine what might happen…

…if all those cyclists gave up riding. [via CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum]

Cross

For some odd reason, I’m very pleased that there’s going to be a cyclocross series in Melbourne this year. Should be heaps of fun.

Fleeting glimpses

• Xtracycle-y Goodness outside the Vic Market
• I love riding in fog

Now I feel really sad for her mum… [via A woman and a fixed wheel]

I’m so cool

What makes biking so cool:

Biking for transportation improves peoples lives. Studies show that bicyclists are the happiest among commuters.

Critical Mess

Opinion piece in the Vancouver Sun

If we lock up all those responsible for current traffic problems, the traffic jams would be gone

Starting with

All the developers over the years who built the houses which sprawl for scores of kilometres, making it almost inevitable that hundreds of thousands of Lower Mainland residents will use private vehicles to go to work, shop and go about their daily lives.

Hmm, sounds familiar.

Ride through?

Burgerville announces latest sustainability innovation: makes its drive-thru open to bicyclists

Colour me

The first thing I discovered about the set of T-handled hex keys that I bought last week is that you can’t rely on the label on the rack. The second thing I learned is that you can’t read the sizes stamped on the handles when they’re all piled together in the rack. Enter Captain Bike’s colour-coding scheme for tools.

Oh yeah, and the third thing I learned is that you shouldn’t buy crappy cheap tools—you’ll always, always regret it.

Let’s all be friends

How can motorists and cyclists be friends? No real answers here—and definitely none on the troll trap comments page.

[twitterer]

It guess some people are stuck with the Homer Simpson attitude: “Oh, OK Marge, I’ll get along with them. Then, I will hug some snakes! Yes, I will hug and kiss some poisonous snakes! Now that’s sarcasm.”

Close encounters #3

• What to do if you’ve been hit by a car

• How to not get hit by cars

The Basque Underground

San Sebastian has the World’s longest bicycle commuter tunnel.

Doing the numbers in Brisbane

Getting to work: Bicycle vs Bus, looks like a pretty close thing.

[via Cophengagenize]

Hang on—a 9-minute shower?!? Obviously there ain’t no drought in Brisbane!

Parking

Q. What would get Americans biking to work?

A. Decent parking. [twitterer]

Neatly folded and stacked

Parking space: One car or 42 Brompton folding bikes [via Wend Blog]

The business of bicycle arbitrage

Robin Goldstein did a quick and bodgy analysis of ads on Craigslist:

Still, whether it’s over/underpricing or just selective selling, what struck me about this informal little analysis was that not one city fell out of line in the inverse order. Where cars were selling for the most, bikes were selling for the least; where cars were selling for the least, bikes were selling for the most; and so on, inversely, in between.

Cred

Being both a truckie and a cyclist give you some credibility when you talk on the topic of bike-truck interaction.

NZ

In New Zealand, a shake-up of road rules: Mobile phone, no. Hook turn, yes. [via e.CAN 177]

Tour de Photo

Dutch Nationaal Archief’s old photos from the Tour de France. Love those old shots.

Gadgets

• Bike Dashboard is “a Windows Mobile (5 and above) application for all push bike enthusiasts (mountain bike and/or road bike).”

• Just Soap—they make soap with pedal power.

• The Helmet Lock Keeps Your Lid Secure

Wood

Wood-framed Renovo bicycle reminds us of simpler times

Bike lane confusion

Taipei’s new bike lane “confounds cyclists” motorists and scooter riders complain of “less room to maneuver”.

[via, though not necessarily endorsed by, chainguard]

DIY

• Ice cream by bike

• Guerilla trail signage

Bloggage

• RidingPretty—Bicycle Chic California.

• Velo Cult—basically a shop-front, but that’s an undeniably irresistible bike blog title.

[via chainguard]

I will leave this video to speak for itself, but for a few points:

• Clearly, many bike lanes are woefully inadequate, if not outright dangerous, and merely force cyclists into the door zone. Case-in-point, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne:

• It’s important to note that cyclists who sit right on the outside edge of the bike lane are merely trying to limit their exposure to being doored—they are not trying to antagonise motorists.

• What to do if you get doored—although prevention is better, it’s seems timely to repeat this link, from the previous speedlink collection.