Dearest Cyclist,
In the most joyous spirit of the holidays, Yay Bikes! thanks you for your kindness, patience, creativity, and generosity in 2009. Without you, [...]
One of the questions I get a lot from people who are just beginning on their bike commuting adventure is "what should I wear to ride on my commute?"
The question comes from numerous sources: experienced recreational cyclists who are just deciding to start commuting and want to know how [...]
Frequently, suburbs are seen as the enemy of Complete Streets methodology. They're sprawled out, full of strip malls, cul-de-sacs, big box stores, and single-family dwellings. But two of our most prominent suburbs are fighting against that trend, and for completely different reasons. Check out this great WOSU story on what's [...]
I don't think I'm overstating anything when I say that the following email alert fromConsider Biking is important and may help to set a precedent that guides Columbus bicycle policy for a long time.
Whether you agree with the concept of bike lanes is pretty irrelevant here - we [...]
Frank R. Smith of Piketon was killed when a motorist driving a van hit him on US 23 yesterday afternoon.
More information on this story at the Columbus Dispatch.
We'll keep you updated as we hear more information on this one.
People, not speed.
From This Week News:
Open house set on SR-3 corridor studyReader danc posted some great links in the previous post's comment box and I think that it's well-worth sharing them with everyone. And it gives me a chance to explore the bike box and the many problems I have with the idea.
First, here are danc's comments:
The bike box' [...]The City of Columbus is trying some new stuff with our bike infrastructure, most notable of which is the test of a bike box at the corner of North Broadway and Milton - the street route for the Olentangy Multi-Use Trail between Clinton-Como park and Whetstone Park.
[...] I've got something on my mind that I want to share with all of you since you've been reading my stuff for a while (hopefully). I'm thinking about slightly shifting the focus of this blog to a more general "carless commuting" theme.
I'm still a fan of the bicycle, don't get' [...]
In a case that cyclists all over the country have been watching with great interest, Dr. Christopher Thompson was convicted on all counts in his car-assault on two cyclists last year.
Thompson, as you may remember, deliberately backed his car into two cyclists after screaming [...]
COMMUTER CYCLING COURSE - NOV 7
Columbus's League Cycling Instructors are offering a 6-hour (2-8pm) commuter course for riders who are already comfortable on the roads but need support to master them. All for the price of a tank of' [...]
Just a quick note - I want to thank the famous Yokota Fritz for adding a link to this blog in his sidebar on his fantastic bicycling blog Cyclelicious.
If you're a regular follower of this blog you know how often I've linked to his work, and you know [...]
At the Interbike trade show last month, one of the big buzzwords was e-bikes. Short for electric bikes, the concept has elicited a lot of different reactions from the bicycling public. And this is honestly to be expected, as the cycling world is hardly homogeneous. But not knowing anything [...]
This post is less about rules and safety, and more about trying to be courteous to everyone else on the road. We've been talking quite a bit about cyclist perception on the road recently, with posts on obeying the law and the like. This post is a more "best'" [...]
From the Gear Junkie on Outside Magazine comes a product review that is a great idea - a cold weather cycling glove that has mitten-like finger covers for the REALLY cold days!
The Pearl Izumi P.R.O. Lobster Glove looks to be the [...]
Today, I was commuting down High Street as I normally do, taking the lane the entire way (for those who don't live in Columbus, High Street's lanes are not wide enough to share with a passing car). I ride from approximately Arcadia in Clintonville all the way down a few [...]
I'm generally not a fan of bike lanes and the like, as I think it's not a good idea for a Complete Streets mentality to separate bikes and cars from each other. That being said, New York City is doing some very interesting things with their bike lanes and [...]
More companies are seeing the wisdom of marketing clothing products for bike commuters (and other active folks) all the time. Witness the Veilance Collection from Arc'teryx (via the Gear Junkie).
The blazers, jackets, trousers, and shirts of the collection are made of high-tech materials like Gore-Tex, Merino Wool,' [...]
I've been out with the flu for a few days (no, I'm not oinking), and I missed this surprising post from Jeff Stephens of Consider Biking back on October 9th. Suffice to say that Jeff took some time to sit back and watch the behavior of our city's cyclists,' [...]
League News
Take our Membership Survey & Win $130
As an incentive for members to fill out our quick membership survey, one person will be chosen at random to receive $130 (the League's age in 2010). You can spend this money on new bike accessories, a down payment' [...]
Chris Noble - (@desperateground on Twitter) - Great bicycling safety PSA. Get your Lego on.
UrbanVelo - Some more Interbike pics!
Day 2Day 3Final Photo DumpCycleliciousness [Copenhagen Bicycle Culture] - It doesn't just annoy the piss out of me: traffic noise kills!
Bike-PGH, a Pittsburgh-based bike advocacy group, recently released an article about how the Steel City ranks against other cities in the US on the percentage of trips that are taken by bike commuters versus other forms of transportation (bus, walkers, single-occupant cars, etc).
Part of the article was the [...]
When looking at the traffic laws in Columbus (or almost any city, for that matter), it may seem that bicyclists have no reason to fear: the laws are already in place to keep them safe from harm.
But as Bob Mionske, the famous bike lawyer who wrote Bicycling and the [...]
... Me!
Yes, that's right. In addition to this blog, I'm now also the Columbus Alternative Transportation Examiner over at Examiner.com - a national news and commentary website with local focus for their various topics (which are pretty comprehensive!). I'll be mostly posting about bicycles over there, but also' [...]
Columbus's bike share program, EveryoneBikes.org, is hosting a fundraiser movie party with the film Road to Roubaix (a story about the classic Paris-Roubaix ride, also known as the Hell of the North).
Stop by and join the fun as yet another fantastic bicycling organization in Columbus looks to expand' [...]
As most of you probably know, Interbike 2009 was last week, and the yearly bike and bike-accessory trade show was a huge success. I'm trying to keep up with all the stuff that we saw, but it's tough - there were thousands of exhibitors and everyone's got their favorite stuff' [...]
You remember Practical Pedal, right? I talked about this great magazine back in April 2007, and still love the great work they do bringing practical bikes and their operation to the mainstream.
Now, Columbus cyclist and cycling advocate Austin Kocher has an article in the latest issue entitled [...]
From Consider Biking:
Senators Teresa Fedor and Mark Wagoner to Announce Biking Safety Bill
From Ray George of Columbus Rides:
The Night of 1001 Tacos! More information here on Facebook.
People, not speed.
[...]The bike commuter market keeps becoming more important to the bike industry, as Christine Mattheis reports in her latest column at Bicycling Magazine. And the offerings at Interbike 2009 were a great indication of that fact.
So, what sorts of things stood out to Christine among the literally thousands [...]
Cyclelicious - Fritz is collecting photos from Interbike for us. Thanks!
Day 1UrbanVelo - Some more Interbike pics!Day 1RocBike.com - The Marino family of Saratoga, New York, is not giving up their battle to be able to ride their bikes to school.
The Federal Highway Administration, Ohio Division Office, has done a review of the efforts of the State Department of Transportation (ODOT) and local metropolitan planning organizations (including Columbus) and come up with some recommendations for the State as it proceeds with its efforts to make the highway environment safer for [...]
In an anticipated move, the Bexley City Council voted yesterday to ban texting while driving, riding a motorcycle, or cycling in the city limits. The fine is $150.
Apparently the police in Bexley are under the impression that it will be difficult to enforce, but according to this article in [...]
Looking for a reason to get out of the car and back on the bike? Look no further.
Tuesday, September 22nd, is Car Free Day! That's right, it's the perfect day to get out of your car, pull out that bike, or a handful of pocket change, or your [...]
Cycle Dallas - Study: Bike lanes encourage motorists to drive closer to bikes.
Cycleliciousness [Copenhagen Bicycle Culture] is doing a five-part essay on the Fear of Cycling - reasons, ways to deal with it, etc. I'll post those as they're released here - three parts are currently available.
[...]
We've spent the past couple of weeks talking about what you can do to get ready for autumn riding. Two weeks ago, we discussed everyday gear and last week we featured foul-weather gear.
This week, we're going to talk about another important part of your commute: your bike. [...]
National News
League Invited To Distracted Driving Summit
Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists, will join other safety advocates, senior transportation officials, law enforcement representatives, elected officials and academics at the Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, D.C. on September 30 and October 1, 2009. The Summit, [...]
My son is at an age now where he's ready to start some real cycling. He has had a Specialized Hotrock bike for a couple years now (he's a big kid and outgrew tricycles pretty early in life), but he's always had some trouble with the pedalling action - trying' [...]
TreeHugger - West coast Burgerville chain finally serving bikes in the drive-through lane.
The Fredcast - Stay tuned to one of the best cycling podcasts for updates from Interbike this month!
BikePortland.org - Care about Safe Routes to School? Tell Congress about it!
The school year is upon us here in the United States, and the morning sidewalks and streets are full of children walking, biking, and riding the bus to school.
Whoa... wait a minute... did you say biking? A rising trend in this country is schools BANNING kids from riding [...]
Bike Muckraker over at the Yay Bikes forum has been doing an outstanding job of keeping us abreast of the developments in the case of Edward Miller, the accused killer of local Steve Barbour.
And the latest development is that Miller is pleading not guilty.
I'll leave it at' [...]
Cyclelicious - So how many bikes CAN you fit into one parking space... if they're folding bikes?
BikeLeague.org Blog - On the importance of bike parking. Where are we supposed to put our bikes when we get there?
Cyclelicious - Road-ragers on the' [...]
The seasons are a-changing here in the midwest. Though this hasn't been the hottest summer we've ever had by any stretch of the imagination, it's still noticeable that the nights are getting cooler. And with kids heading back to school and the like, it's time to [...]
So how many times have you been out on your bike, and you need to make a stop, but you don't (for whatever reason) want to bring your helmet with you? It happens to me a lot. If I'm not riding, I don't care for wearing my helmet, and I' [...]
From the desk of Consider Biking:
On May 11, 2009, at the Bike to Work Week Celebration, Consider Biking recognized 12 downtown properties as “Bike Friendly Buildings.” We applaud these properties for their thoughtful accommodations to those tenants, and visitors, that choose to ride a [...]
Traffic snarls around High Street and 315 are expected to slow post-Buckeyes game traffic down to a crawl, taking many fans up to 2 hours to get out of the parking lots, reports the Columbus Dispatch. That two hour projection goes up to THREE hours [...]
From 10TV - a pedestrian was killed by a motorist when the motorist was changing CDs in his car while operating. The car swerved up onto the pavement and hit the pedestrian from behind.
This is another example of why distracted driving needs some legislation to curb it (no [...]
Cool Green Science - The Nature Conservancy's blog gives some good tips about commuting - how to look clean at the office.
VeloReviews.com - Pearl Izumi is ready to carry the war to the front lines. I like it!
Consider Biking made the announcement today that the scheduled arraignment for Edward Miller, the accused in the drunk-driving death of cyclist Steve Barbour, was cancelled for tomorrow (Friday, August 28, 2009).
The code that appeared on the court system's schedule indicates that Mr. Miller posted bail, which is apparently [...]
As many of you know, I recently finished the League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor Certification seminar and am now an "LCI In Training" (# 2571, to be exact!). During the seminar, we did presentations of information that was contained within the League's Traffic Skills 101 course. A primary [...]
From the great folks at Yay Bikes! (and thanks for the link love, Meredith!):
Greetings!A tip of the helmet to Cyclelicious for the impetus and info for today's post!
Today's equipment roundup is not about actual equipment - it's about a new website I recently found: Karma Army. Here's their mission:
KA MISSION STATEMENT:The cycling community continues to make the mainstream news as the Dispatch featured an article on local messenger bag company Seagull Bags over the weekend. The "I couldn't find what I wanted so I made it myself" business plan is the story here as the reporter Liz Kersjes tells' [...]
In legal news in the Columbus cycling community, the trial of Michael Cline, the accused in the death of Tracy Corbin, began this morning in Columbus. Corbin, you'll remember, is the cyclist who was hit on Alum Creek Road despite the steps he'd taken to be visible and legal on [...]
From Ray George of Columbus Rides:
Join us for the Bike the C-Bus Bicycle Tour, Saturday, September 5, 2009Carectomy - How to buy a used road bike. Great tips.
Carbon Trace - avoiding the door zone. I'd love to see (or even make) more great tips like this for YouTube.
BikePortland.org - Bikes now welcome in Burgerville drive-through lanes. Have YOU ever been denied service' [...]
Going into the Clintonville Community Market last night, I noticed a pretty nice looking bike cart outside and large placard in front of it:
This is a new local company that's on the cutting edge - making simple utililty carts for bikes [...]
The Short North, always a forward-thinking and vibrant area of town, has added to its allure by offering ten free bikes for use by visitors to the area. With the district's expansion and revitalization of so much of its area, it's become a little harder to see on foot, [...]
EcoVelo - How to overcome the "Windshield Perspective."
StreetFilms - How removing traffic lanes can make traffic BETTER.
Instructables - Build a bicycle dog walker!
Cyclelicious - Urbana Bikes' Configuration Designer. How fun is this!?
Biking Bis - A great natural way to get some quick energy' [...]
It's been a long time coming, but today I want to share with you my personal philosophy on bicycle commuting and how I prefer that it be done. This is not to say that I think EVERYONE should do it this way, as everyone is different and has different situations [...]
I've often said that the two most important things regarding safety in commuter cycling are being predictable and being visible. Today we're going to talk about that second item: visibility.
It goes without saying that being visible as a cyclist can only be a good thing. If motorists see you, they [...]
Today's Dispatch had a letter from Diane Barbour Davidson, the sister of Steve Barbour. Not much else to say but that the Columbus cycling community should be proud.
On July 18, life completely changed for my family. My brother, Steven Barbour, was critically injured in a collision between his bicycle [...]
I haven't gotten any new equipment recently, but this is an excellent time to go back and do some further review of my Pearl Izumi Vagabond Jacket. I've got some new comments on the jacket to share.
Mostly I'm going to try to keep my news to Mondays or Fridays in the Link-O-Rama, but today's was sort of time-sensitive and I wanted to share it with you.
Friday, August 14th, is the Miami Valley Cycling Summit, part of the local Drive Less Live More campaign, which' [...]
TreeHugger.com has an article today with some new offerings in the world of commuter fashion, and I'm not talking about more lycra and spandex. Nope. This is stuff that you could wear anywhere, and whether your mode of transportation had two wheels or not.
I love the first line' [...]
Columbus Recreation and Parks is holding a meeting this coming Thursday (August 13) at 4:30 pm at the Harrison Park building on the southwest corner of West First Avenue and Perry Street. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss bikeway improvements on Goodale Street.
The topic will be a bikeway [...]
Streetfilms - Check out the word on Scraper Bikes, a cycling style from Oakland, CA. It's positive, it's creative, it's green, and it's a heck of a lot of fun! See the video below.
Wired Gadget Lab - Food for thought: Should Bikes Be Treated As Cars? [...]
This week, I'm pleased to bring you an op-ed by my friend Shelley Guilfoos. Shelley lives in a rural area where she frequently has to pull a horse trailer and has a few words to say about the behavior of some of the cyclists in her neck of the woods.' [...]
Last weekend, Columbus was the proud location of its first League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor Seminar. In one fell swoop, Columbus increased its number of League Cycling Instructors from two to nine! And I'm very proud to include myself among that number.
I've most certainly mentioned the league [...]
Since mid-June, I've broken two spokes on my back wheel. This, naturally, is the wheel that my panniers are kept on. The added pressure of the weight of the stuff I keep in my bags during my commute is apparently enough to put extra pressure on my spokes and they're [...]
Are you a college student looking to buy or sell a bike? There's a new website called ULoop that is offering Craigslist-type classified ads for any college student with a *.edu email address. The listings are organized by university and offering type, with Ohio State bicycle sales included!
There [...]
The biggest story in the Columbus cycling community recently has been the death of Steve Barbour at the hands of an allegedly drunk driver, Edward Scott Miller. Miller's arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, July 28th at Franklin County Courthouse. Consider Biking put out a call for cyclists to [...]
Free-Range Kids - What's the best way to ensure cyclist safety? According to a fireman from Asheville, NC, this can be accomplished by shooting them in the head.
Bicycling Magazine - Bike Lawyer Bob Mionske begins a study of road rage and what causes it. Here's Part 2, [...]
Whenever a cycling-related accident happens anywhere, it seems, the occasion of its reporting in local media brings out a certain group of people holding the belief that the only vehicles that belong on the street have motors.
Case in point: the recent drunk-driving case of Edward Miller and the [...]
In the first installment of our 101 series, we're going to talk about one of the primary ways to remain safe as you ride the road, called "taking the lane." I've talked about it before but this is going to go into some depth as to why you should be [...]
As mentioned in a previous post, one of the biggest events of the year for the outdoor sports industry is the Outdoor Retailer show. This convention is where outdoor gear manufacturers show off their newest wares to the retailer public and try to grab some attention to their efforts. [...]
A message from the management:
For a while, I've been trying to figure out a good way to run this blog other than to simply post news, tips, and ideas as I get them or they come to me. And that's not to say that this hasn't worked, but many [...]
The annual Outdoor Retailer show featured a number of new offerings that might interest commuters. Merrell, the footwear and apparel company, is now also offering a line of bike commuter clothes. This line is designed to protect you from elements on the ride, and make you look fashionable off [...]
From our friends at Consider Biking:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It's happened again.
Steve Barbour, a long-time cyclist and member of Columbus Outdoor Pursuits, was riding on his way to a COP ride when he was struck by a driver that police suspect of being under the influence. He died last night after the accident put him into a coma. [...]
Largely on the basis of the bike plan, it seems, Columbus has been ranked as the #15 most sustainable city in the country by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The report cites the plan to double our current bike path/lanes mileage and the effort to connect them past existing [...]
Totcyle - Family Biking - Ruminations, ponderings, and some concrete advice for taking newborns on bike rides. It's safer than you think.
Road Rights (Bicycling Magazine) - "Why We Need Cycling Insurance." From the Dutch model of correctly assigning blame to motorists in most cases of bike/car accidents to [...]
Dave Hendricks of the Dispatch reported this morning that the city of Columbus is considering adopting new rules for parking that would require the inclusion of bike parking racks.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Let's look at one of the primary complaints that people have about cyclists:
They just park their darned' [...]
Carbon Trace - Details on Columbia, Missouri's new Cyclist harassment law. I like it!
C.I.C.L.E. - The Bicycle Lifestyle Guide. Not bad!
Columbusite - Livingston/Parsons intersection - is a left turn lane needed? The Columbusite says NO!
People, not speed.
[...]In one of the most ludicrous "statements" I've ever heard, someone in the State of Colorado is looking to make July 25th a "Block Dangerous Cyclists" Day in the League of American Bicyclists Platinum Level Bike Friendly City of Boulder, Colorado. Apparently this individual, whoever it may be, is upset' [...]
X-ing Columbus - News on the next phase of making Morse Road more walkable and bikeable. Not having a bike lane that ends by dropping riders into the middle of an interstate off-ramp would be a good start.
CBus Transit - A new blog all about transit in [...]
@bikefitness - China, once one of the most bicycling-est countries in the world, has seen a sharp drop off in the number of cyclists as the automobile becomes more prevalent, resulting in the pollution issues that we saw during the Beijing Olympics last year. Here's a commentary on what' [...]
Cyclelicious - I love the idea of a bicycle sidecar... and no, I'm not talking about the cocktail.
Carbon Trace - Short commentary on the use of U-shaped bike racks. Apparently there are places where they're in such short supply that parking your bike on them correctly is seen [...]
I've had a couple pairs of Cordarounds Bike to Work Pants since my birthday and been wearing them to work pretty regularly. I highlighted these back in September, but it occurred to me today that I hadn't adquately reviewed them yet, so your wait is over!
First, let's start' [...]
My friend Matt Bernhardt (who I hope you'll be reading here soon with a story of his own) shared an article from the Cleveland Plain-Dealer with me. It's a very interesting look at the disagreements between the advocates of bike-specific infrastructure such as bike lanes and those of vehicular [...]
Cycle*Dallas - A great illustration on YouTube about how installing bike lanes can actually worsen conditions for cyclists. I tend to be' [...]
