Cycles

"City officials are fond of asserting that their changes to the New York streetscape are making pedestrians, cyclists and drivers safer. Now they are debuting a new ream of statistics to make a related point: those bike lanes, pedestrian plazas and slow zones have been good for business, too. In a new report released Wednesday, the city Department of Transportation analyzed the retail activity around some of the first of its major street projects, like the protected bike lanes on 8th and 9th Avenues, rearrangement and enlargement of the north side of Union Square and addition of curbside seating areas in lower Manhattan. The result, the DOT contends, has been a boom in retail activity, seemingly linked to the way its experts have tried to improve the city streets." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Was pleased to see these little bikes parked outside of one of the fancier restaurants in town... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"As an added bonus, we are donating part of the proceeds to Marilyn Hayward - the owner of Coventry Cycleworks in Portland Oregon. Besides being a TerraTrike dealer, an all around great person and recumbent advocate, she is also recovering from a serious injury from being struck by a car. We hope this garage sale not only clears out our warehouse but offers YOU a great deal on some product and provides the means for Marilyn to continue her speedy recovery." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Good news for cyclists and other earth-conscious Angelenos: Bike Nation has announced plans to set up L.A.'s first-ever bike share program, and the wheels are expected to hit downtown Los Angeles in April of 2013. Downtown is just the first of many areas the program hopes to have a presence in. In the next two years, over 4,000 bikes and 400 share stations will be made available throughout the city. Bike Nation, a privately-funded Southern California business, is asking for no financial assistance from the government. With no monetary roadblocks in the way, the L.A. City Council has already been directed to create a permit process that will allow the sharing stations to be built on public land, according to a recent press release. Bike Nation will generate profit via membership fees, advertising, and sponsorship. Derek Fretheim, Bike Nation's CEO, expressed his enthusiasm for the project on the Bike Nation website, stating the program will provide "a safe, low-cost, healthy... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Wherever this surprising and very humorous orchestra appears on their 4 meter-long tandem, they steal the hearts of the audience. Mouths fall open in astonishment and there is laughter in the air. Catchy, cheerful music emanates from the six figures on the enormous bicycle. Suddenly the colossus stops, the musicians get off amid a lot of fuss and bother and they start on an unparalleled tattoo, a hilarious ballet act or an absurd slapstick act with acrobatic feats. They don’t hesitate to flummox the spectators and making fun of themselves is one of the ingredients. When the tandem finally leaves amid a whirl of commotion, the audience is in no doubt they have witnessed a unique spectacle. The bicycle orchestra steals the show at street theatre festivals, parades, open air parties, at official openings of roads and cycle paths and in shopping centres all over Europe (including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels, Leuven, Salzburg, Paris, Metz, Barcelona, Malaga, Düsseldorf and Recklinghausen.)" - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Clarinet trio played with bicycle seats Good King Wenceslas played in 4/4 & 7/8 Linsey Pollak, Ric Halstead & Brendan Hook - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

20" rear wheel, lower center of gravity, electric assist available. Launching in Spring 2013. - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Folding bike, then a cargo bike. ;-) - Spidra Webster

"Imagine your commute could save your life. That’s what a 33-year-old man United Kingdom man named Toby Field says his ride to work – on a bicycle purchased through a government tax incentive plan – has done. Field made a video about his 10-mile cycle commute, which he began doing in 2010, called "Cycle to Work Scheme Saved My Life." "Two years ago," he says in the voiceover, "I was a very different person. I was super-morbidly obese at 21 stone." That’s 294 pounds. Field’s health was at risk. His father, also obese, had died of related problems at the age of 55. "I was following in his footsteps," Field says. Field says he decided to get the bike because he wanted to spend some quality time with his kids, and because the government program, called the Cycle to Work scheme, made it affordable. Here’s how it works: an employer fronts the cost of a bike, up to £1,000 (about $1,600), and the employee pays it back over 12 months with pre-tax payroll deductions, with one final payment at... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Dr Alex Moulton CBE has died, aged 92. The British bicycle designer is best known for pioneering suspension in small wheeled road bikes, long before it was made popular by the mountain bike world. The Moulton Bicycle Company paid tribute to their founder on their website: "It is with great sorrow that Shaun Moulton and The Moulton Bicycle Company announce the news that Dr. Alexander Eric Moulton CBE, distinguished engineer and inventor, passed away peacefully in the company of his family and staff on Sunday evening, 9th December 2012, at the age of 92." Alex Moulton was born on 9 April 1920. He studied engineering at Cambridge, moving into aircraft engine research during World War II before joining his family's rubber company, Spencer Moulton and Co. After the company was sold, he set up Moulton Developments Limited, where he designed and produced the Hydrolastic suspension for the Mini. In the late 1950s he started designing small wheeled bicycles, which were launched to the public... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Equity, encouragement, engagement, empowerment and education: these are the lofty goals set by the League of American Bicyclists in their recently launched Women Bike campaign. Motivated by the fact that only 24 percent of bike trips made in the US in 2009 were by women, Women Bike wants to see more women out riding and in positions of leadership. The program hopes to correct the problem of general underrepresentation of women in all aspects of the bicycling movement and to bring more women into the conversation about moving America towards an increasingly cycling-positive culture. By bringing women together at major meetings, including the National Bike Summit and Interbike, and with the help of an advisory board of female leaders from across the industry, the goal is to educate women on taking leadership roles in fields ranging from advocacy and policy-making to engineering, manufacturing and retail. Through knowledge-sharing, networking and increased resources, the League hopes... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Police say he crashed around 12:45 p.m. near the intersection of Palomares and Niles Canyon roads, just north of the Fremont city limits. California Highway Patrol Officer Steve Creel didn't immediately respond to a request for information, but Pickens' wife said police told to her he appears to have pulled off the roadway to let a truck pass. Once his wheels hit the gravel on the shoulder, however, the bike slid out from under him. He seems to have struck his head on a boulder, his wife said." - Russian Space Lizard from Bookmarklet

RIP What an awful way to go. - Spidra Webster

Next time you're frustrated by a cyclist using the lane, bear in mind that the shoulder is often very dangerous for bicycles. - Russian Space Lizard

"Documentary using cycle helmet camera footage to give a unique insight into the tension and conflict on Britain's roads, and following police as they chase down errant road users." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Who would have thunk it just two years ago: Portland, Seattle — even some New York City residents — jealous of Chicago’s cutting-edge bike infrastructure. Admit it: Chicago's new Dearborn bike lane makes you a wee bit jealous. Photo: Active Transportation Alliance But here we sit, roughly a year and a half into Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s first term, and the city of Chicago has a protected, bi-directional bike lane running directly through the heart of its downtown. Bike advocates from major cities are taking notice. Here’s what Jonathan Maus at Bike Portland had to say: That’s a segment of over one mile on a high-profile downtown street in one of America’s largest cities. “That’s huge and symbolic,” tweeted Portland Mercury News Editor Denis Theriault upon hearing the news, “[Would] Be like putting one here on Washington or Everett.” Yeah. If only. While excited by what’s happening in Chicago (and D.C., and San Francisco, and so on), I can’t help but think how great it would be if Portland... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"The 11 members of the Los Angeles Wheelmen bicycling club pose in uniform at the East Side Track in Boyle Heights on October 3, 1893. Part of the Title Insurance and Trust / C.C. Pierce Photography Collection in the USC Digital Library." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"This holiday season, we're asking our supporters to consider making a gift to PeopleForBikes.org. Your financial support will allow us to continue spreading the happiness and freedom of bicycling to families across the country. We know that when people ride bikes, great things happen. Health improves. Children do better in class. Traffic congestion drops. Communities thrive. Yet for too many Americans, bicycling isn't a safe, practical way to get around or get exercise. We're changing that. Your donation will provide funding for two of our foundation's key programs: 1. Two-thirds of PFB supporter say they would start riding or ride more often if they felt safer on the road. The Green Lane Project helps communities across the country build connected networks of safe, low-stress places to ride. 2. In one generation, the share of children who bike or walk to school dropped from 50% to less than 15%.The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is reversing this trend with programs and... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"After Hurricane Sandy there was no question that New Yorkers found themselves with much, much longer commutes. But just how much longer? NYU's Rudin Center has tried to figure that out. Spoiler alert? Cyclists made it through the post-Sandy Frankenshitstorm like nothing ever happened. #BIKENYC FTW. How bad your commute got after the storm depended greatly on where you were coming from. The largest differences were in Staten Island, where average commute times almost tripled from 84 to 240 minutes and Brooklyn, where they more than doubled from 42 to 86 minutes. Queens actually came out the best of the boroughs with commute times that barely budged from 45 minutes to 47 minutes. And in the middle came Manhattan (29 minutes to 52 minutes) and the Bronx (41 minutes to 63 minutes). But the real winners, especially in terms of self-reported frustration levels, were the walkers and the bikers who, in the days after the storm, "had the fewest delays in their commutes, as they were only 9... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"On the heels of yesterday’s vintage infographics comes this charmingly old-timey bicycle safety manual circa 1969, which admonishes cyclists against common perils, street hazards, and show-off behaviors. Though significantly more evolved — not to mention better-illustrated — than that Victorian list of don’ts for women on bicycles, this guide still bespeaks the era’s tacit gender biases and cultural norms. Got it? Now, put your bicycle safety acumen to the hypothetical test: Then, dive deeper into the cultural history of the humble bicycle with Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Toronto police are apologizing to the family of a cyclist killed earlier this week in a collision with a taxi. Personal items belonging to the victim were found in the trash — something police say shouldn't have happened. Michael Rankin was badly injured in the collision at Richmond Street West and University Avenue on Wednesday afternoon. Many of his personal belongings were scattered across the street. The 56-year-old bike courier died later that night in hospital from the injuries he suffered. Friends were saddened by his death, but angered when they discovered many of the items that fell on the street were just dumped in the trash. Noah Scott, a fellow courier, said there was a "whole bunch of stuff that really shouldn't have been left behind at the scene. A lot of it blood-covered. His keys, the list goes on and on." CBC News went to the intersection on Friday and found parts of Rankin's broken helmet still in the trash, along with a baseball hat, toque and a cell phone case... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"SAN FRANCISCO — A competitive mountain biker who was the victim of a hit-and-run in San Francisco's Presidio Monday morning suffered the additional indignity of losing his bike while he was unconscious, according to police. SPFD were distributing flyers to help generate leads in the case, but told KTVU they may already have a head start: video of the car and driver responsible. On Tuesday, 26-year-old Garrett Gibson was recovering from a major concussion as well as various scrapes and bruises. "They hit me and I flew about 10 or 15 feet, and I was just laying in the middle of the road," remembered Gibson. Another driver stopped to help, dragging Gibson to safety at the side of the road. "She said the bike was stuck to the front of the car and they kept driving with it," said Gibson. KTVU met investigators at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Washington, where Gibson was struck Monday morning at 10 a.m. Park police said the suspect was driving a late model black Porsche... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Wiggins, who won the Tour de France and Olympic time trial gold this year, spent Wednesday night in hospital with minor rib injuries and cuts and bruises after being hit by a van outside a petrol station while on a training ride near his home in Lancashire, northern England. "Bradley has been discharged from hospital after suffering minor injuries, including bruises to his right hand and ribs, but is expected to make a full and speedy recovery," Team Sky's Doctor Richard Freeman said in a statement on the team's website. "He is now going to spend the weekend at home convalescing with his family." British Cycling confirmed the incident involving Sutton on the A6 road near Levenshulme in Manchester. "Shane was taken into hospital where it was identified he has suffered bruising and bleeding on the brain," a statement said. "Shane was wearing a helmet. He is set to undergo more tests, and is likely to stay in hospital for the next few days. "It is extremely rare that our riders and... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

via Halil - Spidra Webster

"Bradley Wiggins has a lot to be thankful for. First, he had some sausages named in his honour. And second, he didn't die, but broke his ribs instead, when a van knocked him from his bike while out on a team training ride near his home in Chorley. The news (about the crash, not the sausages) has made headlines and predictably, the trolls have been out in force. If you ever want to dip into the seamy world of unbidden hate against a bunch of folks gadding about on a benign form of quick, slick urban transport, take a peek at @CycleHatred on Twitter. The story quickly gathered comments from concerned citizens, wishing Wiggo well, coupled in equal measure with heartless readers who felt the incident required some cyclists-shouldn't-be-on-roads vitriol. One such heartless commenter wrote: "One thing that really annoys me is when cyclists use the road when my hard earned taxes have gone into providing cycle paths." I have news for them: Wiggins didn't get to become Britain's first winner... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"In this blog, I deal with many issues concerning men’s health, with an emphasis on eliminating or preventing Erectile Dysfunction. Back in April, 2011, I posted a discussion warning men how a bad-fitting bicycle seat can injure vessels and nerves essential to erectile function. I pointed out that the nerves that lead to a woman’s most important erogenous organ – her clitoris – also run between the legs and these, too, can be damaged by sliding forward on a conventional bike seat. So, this issue is universal. I ride about twenty miles, five or six days a week. I’m not a power rider. I spend about an hour and a half road-cycling the treacherous streets of Palm Beach County, Florida. About half my usual route is on the street proper, the other half along broad, well-paved pedestrian paths. Yesterday, I saw a 6-foot alligator in one of the canals. It’s a beautiful ride. In January, I received an email from Karl Ulrich at Nexride. Keeping up with issues that relate to his business, he had... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

The teacher of my Coursera design course designed this. - Spidra Webster

link? - Visconte Cobram

Is it possible it's unavailable from outside US? Would you attach the pdf in another post? Thank you so much - Visconte Cobram

"Everyone in the city has experienced Sandy and its aftermath differently. Some lives were devastated and some not affected at all. That is part of the shock of this storm and its effects. New York Natives brought you our insight and interest in C-Squat and the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Spaces that has been setting up in the building's commercial space and was slated to open November 17th. Since Sandy came to town, MoRUS and the residents of C-Squat have put their commitment to community and "reclaimed urban spaces" to amazing use. In a press release as of November 1, MoRUS shared "The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) is using one of its exhibits to provide the community with free cell phone charging. Working with environmental group Times Up, MoRUS has set up Occupy Wall Street bike generators on Avenue C between 9th and 10th Street. For the past two days, volunteer riders have been pedaling as crowds of people gather to charge up their cell phones. For many people, this has... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"With the heart of the subway system knocked out of commission, this morning the Streetfilms crew — Clarence Eckerson, Elizabeth Press, and Robin Urban Smith — headed out to the bridge crossings that link Brooklyn and Queens to Manhattan, to document how New Yorkers are getting around under emergency conditions. The huge crowds massing in Downtown Brooklyn to take shuttle buses over the Manhattan Bridge were testament to the sheer number of people who ride the subways on a normal day. While the waits were long, the system seems to have performed as well as can be expected. With HOV restrictions in effect, once buses got into Manhattan, they reportedly made better time than they do in typical NYC traffic. Meanwhile, the city’s new bike infrastructure is really proving its worth today. If people have to cover significant distances and want to skirt gridlock or lengthy transfers entirely, biking is the way to go. The safer bikeways that NYC DOT has built in the past five years — especially the segments that link directly to the East River bridges — are helping New Yorkers get back to work." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"A cyclist in Sunderland who had stopped to exchange details with a driver after a collision was fatally struck by another car, police have revealed. Stan Coates, 55, of Sunderland, died in hospital after being hit in Burdon Lane at 16:45 BST on Friday. Two men in a Transit van claiming to know and live near Mr Coates pulled up and took the bicycle after the first collision, Northumbria Police said. But the bike is now missing and police are appealing for witnesses. The police force said the men, in a grey van, "looked as if they had just finished work". Unable to land Mr Coates was flown in nine minutes to James Cook Hospital, in Middlesbrough, by the Great North Air Ambulance. The service said it had been unable to land at a hospital in Newcastle because of snow. Officers questioned the driver of the car which struck Mr Coates, of West Herrington, but no arrests were made. The 24-year-old driver of the car involved in the first incident suffered minor injuries, the force said. Both cars involved were Vauxhall Corsas." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Ugh. :( - Heather

"Though U.S. has seen 40 percent growth in bicycle commuters since 2000, their numbers have yet to surpass 1 million. In contrast, there are 204 million personal vehicles on the road on a given day. That's a shame. Not only does biking to work have the potential to improve individuals' health, wealth and standard of living, but the combination of more cyclists and fewer cars on the road could give the entire country a much-needed boost. Here's why: It is vastly cheaper than driving. Due to rising fuel costs and tire upkeep, the cost of owning a car increased nearly 2 percent in 2012 to $8,946, according to AAA. It costs just $308 per year to keep bikes in shape––nearly 30 times less than cars, according to the Sierra Club: "If American drivers were to make just one four-mile round trip each week with a bicycle instead of a car, they would save nearly 2 billion gallons of gas. At $4 per gallon, total savings would be $7.3 billion a year." It's a free gym on wheels. Unlike taking an... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Ours has one, and I feel very lucky. I really, really need to try to give this a go -- or at least go partway like this. There's a set of scary (to me) hills between work and my house, but I could likely take the bus for part of that journey. - Jennifer Dittrich